Is Gymnastics Important For MMA

projectaero · 12-06-2006, 06:04 AM

Hey guys.
I am curious is gymnastics good for MMA.
ie - being able to move and adapt quickly to your fight i dont mean anything like cung lee or anything like that but whats your thoughts on it.
cheers

**Sonny** · 12-06-2006, 10:21 AM

Gymnastics would be good for conditioning, flexibility and strength but I think a fighter's time would be better spent focusing on fight training.

As a supplement to Sport specific training I don't see any harm in adding some gymnastics training but IMHO, the learning curve and potential for injury is great enough for me to recommend doing something else.

**SmashiusClay** · 12-06-2006, 10:31 AM

Think about all the times that in an mma fight you'll need to perform a triple piked backflip off a set of parallel bars.

There are better ways to get strong, flexible and agile; use some of their exercises, but don't go joining a gymnastics gym just to get better at mma. Too greata risk of injury, too much skill training that would be better used practicing you martial art(s).

**Sinister** · 12-06-2006, 11:19 AM

Actually to go a different direction than my collegues there, I think Capoeira training could be VERY pertinent to MMA. If you see the very basic beginning movements of Capo, they have a lot to do with bending, crouching, and maneuvering with hands and feet on the ground. They're pretty applicable to grappling and transitioning from standing position to having to move low to grapple. They also focus on holding strength in those positions, which translates to movement strength. It would also do wonders for being able to get back on your feet quickly and fluidly once you're down using positions of high leverage that don't compromise the ability to protect yourself from attack.

So not necessarily gymnastics, but the basics of a highly gymnastic art could help out a lot. Nevermind the flippy crap. One of my friends is an Amateur Fighter in Florida I used to train with and his base art is Capoeria, it's difficult for people to stand with him because Capo at it's roots resembles Muay Thai a lot. And when he grapples he's strong when in dominant positions because of the aforementioned traits.

SeanFlanagan · 12-06-2006, 06:38 PM

I'm sure gymnastics could be good conditioning for MMA as gymnastics helps develop skillful strength. Fight training comes first of course, but for additional conditioning, certain gymnastics exercises(ring training in particular) could be a lot more beneficial than a lot of other training approaches that only improve strength for simplistic motor patterns.

mackz · 12-06-2006, 06:42 PM

^ I used to breakdance(Bboy) a while back.....it helped a lot with flexibility, and strength(Handstands, Holding your own weight etc.). I quit....since It just wasn't my thing. I tried joining gymnastics like 1 year ago...but they said i was too old lol. -_- and as other people have posted, there are other better + affordable ways of getting the flexibility + strength.

**Sonny** · 12-06-2006, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Kabuki

Actually to go a different direction than my collegues there, I think Capoeira training could be VERY pertinent to MMA. If you see the very basic beginning movements of Capo, they have a lot to do with bending, crouching, and maneuvering with hands and feet on the ground. They're pretty applicable to grappling and transitioning from standing position to having to move low to grapple. They also focus on holding strength in those positions, which translates to movement strength. It would also do wonders for being able to get back on your feet quickly and fluidly once you're down using positions of high leverage that don't compromise the ability to protect yourself from attack.

So not necessarily gymnastics, but the basics of a highly gymnastic art could help out a lot. Nevermind the flippy crap. One of my friends is an Amateur Fighter in Florida I used to train with and his base art is Capoeria, it's difficult for people to stand with him because Capo at it's roots resembles Muay Thai a lot. And when he grapples he's strong when in dominant positions because of the aforementioned traits.

I just think time would be better spent focusing on fight training. At least for me personally I could see myself going, "shit I should've spent more time sparring, instead of trying to learn capoeira."

krellik · 12-06-2006, 09:51 PM

I have trained with some good greco roman wrestlers, there warmup involved quite a lot of gymnastic elements and that is another reason high level wrestlers are so fucking athletic.

Yes it is extremely good for mma, not nescesary but good. It isnt the choice for increasing limit strength or conditioning or any specific quality, but to tie everything together. ....if ya know what I mean...

This reminds me that I seriously need to add more of this shit into our warmups.. Only problem is that you have to do it without having the more un-agile fuckers break their neck lol.

**Sinister** · 12-06-2006, 11:21 PM

Quote:

I just think time would be better spent focusing on fight training. At least for me personally I could see myself going, "shit I should've spent more time sparring, instead of trying to learn capoeira."

That's why I said the very basics. Not going in-depth to the whole Art. I'll do a thread here shortly on the basics I'm specifically speaking of and you'll see how it's relevant.

**Sonny** · 12-06-2006, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Kabuki

That's why I said the very basics. Not going in-depth to the whole Art. I'll do a thread here shortly on the basics I'm specifically speaking of and you'll see how it's relevant.

That'd be cool. I will admit that I'm not familiar with the basics.