As a beginner to MMA, it is important to know some basic self-defense moves in case you find yourself in a situation where you need to defend yourself. Not only is this good for you, since you can keep yourself safe, you can also prevent situations from getting out of hand with the proper training. 

In this blog post, we will go over some of the most basic and essential self-defense moves that every beginner should know. So, whether you are new to MMA or just looking to brush up on your self-defense skills, read on for some helpful tips!

Always Trust Your Instincts

The very first thing that you should practice doing is listening or paying attention to your instincts as well as trusting them. One of the reasons why humans have evolved as far as we have and survived for as long as we have is because we have healthy survival instincts, and these shouldn’t be taken for granted.

If you are in a situation and you feel like the situation is escalating rather quickly, this is a good indication that you should prepare to defend yourself. It’s also important to keep in mind that one of the fundamental basics of self-defense is to avoid conflict, to begin with. So, once you feel like the situation is starting to get out of control, it’s important to try and deescalate it, before things get physical.

Choose a Useful Martial Art

The next thing that you are going to want to do, especially if you are a beginner to MMA or you are thinking about doing MMA for self-defense, is to choose a useful martial art. What exactly does this mean? This means that there are many different types of martial arts, such as Muay Thai, karate, boxing, wrestling, jiujitsu, and more, and each of them is great for different situations; unfortunately, not all are great for your basic self-defense.

Of the above mentioned, boxing and Muay Thai are probably your best bets if you are looking for general self-defense. This is because both teach the fundamentals of defense as well as teach you how to manage distance, how to handle multiple attackers, and teach strikes that are great for both close and slightly ranged combat. Before you start training, though, there are a few things you need to buy, starting from these FightCo shorts here. With the right gear, you can start practicing this exciting and demanding sport in the comfort of your own home. 

Maintain Distance

One of the most important things you can do in terms of self-defense as someone new to MDMA is to learn how to manage the distance. Not only is distance management crucial for deescalating situations, but it’s also incredibly important. If you do get into a physical altercation.

Typically, situations escalate fast when people are close together or inside each other’s personal spaces, which in a way, naturally instigates a physical altercation. In addition to this, not everyone knows their range. In other words, how far the arms can extend, and what’s the perfect range for their body to deliver the maximum amount of power in a blow. By being able to maintain distance, you will be able to avoid strikes as well as be able to deliver them.

Be Confident 

One of the best ways to avoid any physical altercation altogether is to present yourself with confidence. Why is this? The simplest reason for this is because nobody wants to lose a fight, and nobody wants to get into a fight they know they can’t win.

By presenting yourself with confidence, you are listening, to the chances that someone would want to pick a fight with you or try to rob you, or whatever the case might be. More than this, by presenting yourself with confidence, especially to someone who is looking for a fight with you, they might think twice about it and it might help to deescalate the situation.

However, don’t Be Confrontational

This leads to the final point, which is don’t be confrontational. There is a big difference between presenting yourself with confidence and presenting yourself in a confrontational manner. Again, as mentioned above, one of the best ways to win a fight is by making sure it doesn’t happen to begin with.

In addition to this, if you confidently present yourself using a non-confrontational pose, you might trick your opponent into thinking that you don’t know how to fight, which will give you the advantage of surprise, allowing you to walk away with minimal damage.