Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground. Popular styles often incorporated into MMA include boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, taekwondo, karate and judo.
Because of the vast number of styles, training often becomes compartmentalised as people struggle to blend the different theories and aproaches of each system. The “fight” is broken up into various ranges (striking, clinch, grappling) but there is often no thought on how to transition smoothly between them.
This is where Systema has an advantage as it’s principles flow throughout each range. Breathing, movement, structure and relaxation apply in all positions, therefore in Systema we look to find the similarity in techniques rather than focusing on the differences. What works on the ground should, with slight modification, work standing or in the clinch. This enables you to see fighting not as distinct ranges but rather transitions of movement and position.
So in a nutshell Systema MMA is all about appling all the principles that make Systema such an effective fighting art and addapting it to suit a sporting MMA environment.
