Online MMA Training

Learn how to perform the omoplata submission with this video tutorial:

The scarf hold is often amongst of the first ground fighting holds learned in an MMA class. It is a relatively easy hold to get into and to get right, it is an effective way to control an opponent on the ground, and can be a good set up for a submission hold. Here are two video demonstrating how to perform the scarf hold and how to escape from it:

The Kimura Drill is a great way to combine strength and conditioning training for your abs and other core muscles with practicing some of your basic ground fighting skills. The drill is actually based on repeating the same movment, which is a set up to a submission hold, over and over again so that it becomes automatic and you can perform it faster. This video demonstrates the drill and the submission hold that it is based on:

Most MMA fighters these days train in aspects of Muay Thai. Thai boxing uses knee strikes heavily, particularly to the midsection as a way to wear and opponent down. Right at the top of the list of Muay Thai techniques is the ‘clinch’ and how to use it to control an opponent and deliver knee strikes. Heres a couple of videos about learning and using the Muay Thai clinch:

Learning the clinch:

Knee Strike from Clinch:

Another MMA grappling video demonstrating what Judo has to offer for the cage fighter:

Karo Parisyan - Judo For Mma Part 1 - For more funny movies, click here

Although the side mount is a good position if you can get it, and it is possible to get a submission and win a fight from here, the full mount is a much more dominant position if you can get it. So here is a short video showing you how you can push through from a side-mount into a full mount:

Having looked at the basics of gaining a mount position, and using the guard to prevent your opponent from gaining a mount on you, the next step is to start looking at what you can do to escape from a mount. This video looks specifically at how to escape froma side mount:

Although the ideal thing is obvious to avoid your opponent from getting the mount position on you, no fight ever goes completely to plan and you have to be ready to defends yourself, or even better to escape and get away from this difficult position. Here is one of the most basic mount escape techniques demonstrated in a short video:

It stands to reason that if the mount is the best position in MMA ground fighting, then you don’t only have to think about gaining the mount, but also about making sure that your opponent doesn’t gain the mount on you. The ‘guard’ is what you use to prevent this from happening, and just like with the mount there are actually a few different positions and techniques, each of which is a variation on the same theme. This video looks at the basics of what you need to know to use a guard in ground-fighting:

There are a small group of techniques which are absolutely fundamental to mixed martial arts and which any would be MMA fighter must know inside out and back to front. One of these techniques is the mount.

Anyone who has ever watched and MMA fight will know that most fights go down to the mat at some point, and that many fights are won and lost through grappling in this ‘ground game’. During this phase of a fight - when both fighters are grappling on the ground - there are two primary techniques (each of which has a number of different manifestations) which almost everything else is based on. These basic and fundamental techniques are the defensive ‘guard’ positions, and the offensive ‘mount’ positions. Basically the mount is when you have your opponent on their back and you assume the most dominant possible position for either moving into a submission hold or a ‘ground and pound’ knockout. The guard, which I will deal with in another post, is used to prevent the other person from gaining an mount position.

Here’s my pick of the two best online video tutorials demonstrating the basics of the MMA mount