The era of heavyweights ruled the world. People from all over the world traveled to Las Vegas and other popular cities to see huge, hulking men compete in the ring. Now, however, heavyweight champions are a thing of the past. Few consumers are willing to pay a high price to see relatively unknown boxers dance with each other for twelve rounds. This is especially true now that the biggest names in boxing are all lightweights or welterweights.
Yet surprisingly, the thirst for live action has only continued to grow. People may not be watching boxing, but they still appreciate a good cage fight. More viewers are beginning to respect the unique challenges of fighters participating in a mixed martial arts style. They know that they can see wrestlers, boxers, wrestlers, and other professionals pit their skills against each other in a challenge that is as much strategy and common sense as it is physical strength.
If you want to participate in this sport, you will find that it is surprisingly easy to practice. The workout, however, will be long and hard and is guaranteed to wreck your body. This involves intense full-time full-body conditioning. You will only be given days off to repair your muscles and prepare for the next vigorous session.
Generally, it is best to have experience in some form of freehand fighting, such as muay thai, judo, jujitsu, or karate. These things involve the intense physical and mental conditioning that you will need to take on tough competitors. Your new trainer will simply build on what you have already learned by teaching you new elements and showing you how to fight at different heights.
To get started, take some time to watch mixed martial arts fights to see if they are right for you. All fighters invariably take a beating at some point. There is not a single fighter who is guaranteed to never meet his match. There are countless talented people and everyone is thirsty to get to the top.
You will find that this is much more full contact than boxing was. While there are still rules, the ring environment is a bit wilder than most are used to seeing for boxing competitors. Hands, kicks, feet and head butts are used to brutally incapacitate opponents. You cannot be afraid of experiencing pain. In fact, you almost have to like it a bit, even if you just enjoy doing it yourself at the gym.
The next and most important step is to find a good coach. Not only should this person have experience in the ring, but they should also have the connections to help you line up fights when you’re finally ready. This is how you will make a name for yourself and the only way to establish a lucrative career with your fighting skills.
There are countless gyms that currently offer mixed martial arts training. Visiting their websites will allow you to learn more about the conditioning that this fighting style entails. You can also find out if a gym has trained any champions and the strategies they are likely to use to make them a champion.