boxing + muay thai for mma

[heady]

hi guys i been doin mma for a couple fo months mostly grappling but i have a boxing backround and i want to start muay thai anyway if i train muay thai and i go back to my boxing club to train boxing what should i do about stances and technique its purely for mma

[SuperKlinch]

the stances are pretty similar you just wanna have a bit lower wider stance for mma bcuz of takedowns

[Smiler]

Hi Heady,

If you are training purely for MMA, then you should put this as your main priority – and mix your boxing and Thai boxing in with your MMA.

Traditionally, boxing is more side on, Thai more square, and MMA lower and square due to the shoot. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages in respect to MMA.

For example: (all generalisations)

Boxing stance is too side-on for MMA, it gives you great hands and lateral mobility, together with lateral body movement, but your are open to leg kicks to the outside of your lead leg, and also takedown defences suffer.

Thai boxing brings the power kicks into play. It is weaker on the punches, but great for the elbows and knees. The higher stance also leaves you more open to longer takedown attacks, such as shoots, as the lateral movement is not so good.

But both have their places within the MMA fight – and it is your experience that will bring the correct stance into play at the right time. Train for every eventuality and to be flexible – the fighter who is most flexible in behaviour stands the best chance of winning.

So my advice would be to have a boxing stance when boxing, a Thai boxing stance when Thai boxing, and the right stance at the right time for MMA….

Hope this helps!

Best regards,

Smiler

[briant_gumble]

Great post gary.

[heady]

ok thanks alot mate great help i was thinking in keeping the stances and when ever needed in mma then i can just switch the stances what stance would be best for say a sprawl and brawl fighter ? im learning mma in a small hall and its mostly grappling and ju jitsu cause theres no proper mma gyms close by but since grappling is my worst enemy i thought joining would benefit me Thanks for the post !

[simmy]

Smiler....How do you know to write these posts like a philosopher...lol...Seriously tho...top post!! Wouldnt stance in mma just happen on instinct due to the numerous training sessions...Each fight is individual and as the once great boxing heavyweight Jack dempsey said...Sparring is the most important tool as it 'nearly' replicates a fight but each fight will 'always' be different than the previous fight...(sparring is where you experiment with techniques/stances) yet each partner is different...There is no possible way to train yourself in every mma stance as each opponent has various strengths and strategies which 'could' ruin your worked on stance for that particular fight...for instance a lower set stance in mma would be of benefit against a wrestler to stop taakedowns....would speed be a big factor here??

[Smiler]

Hi Simmy, I’ll leave the philosophy to the philosophy people!

Stance in MMA will definitely happen by instinct, and your post I think has some depths I like that need to be brought out.

Instinct due to numerous training sessions
Instinct needs to be built on experience, so if you train the same, you’ll get the same instincts. A good variety and exploration is what is required I feel.

Sparring is where you experiment
I wonder how many of us do this? How many people just ‘spar’ their opponents. How many actually have a clear goal during every round of exactly what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve it. So, what’s the goal, how will you achieve it, and how do you know that you have achieved that goal? In every round of sparring I normally have a session goal to work on, as well as an individual round goal too. In developing your sparring you go back to developing your instincts.

There is no possible way to train yourself in every MMA stance
Why not? I think it is, and it should be done. If you can’t pull the right tools at the right time, because the tools aren’t there, you’re limiting your options…

All my personal opinion, of course, and the biggest thing in MMA is flexibility of ability. So doesn’t it make sense to develop that flexibility?

What do you lot think?

Smiler

[simmy]

Definately...Flexibility of ability is the staple imo..

[crazy_shit]

btw if u use pure boxing stance in mma fight, u will most likely get taken down....

[Smiler]

Hmmm...

Now that depends on your ability and your footwork skills. If your opponent shoots all the time you run the risk of your front leg getting collected. However, if you can pull it back quickly this may not occur...also if you have quick feet your opponent may not be able to time his shoot...

It all comes down to your own skills, your opponent's, and the right stance at the right time in the right circumstances...flexibility of ability is the key.

Smiler