Forums » Smalltalk » AMA - Amateur MMA fighter

Hello everyone, I hope this posts finds you well!

I saw many posts here about various topics, and each AMA was very interesting to read. So, I decided to pluck up the courage and start my own topic here.

I've been boxing since 2018, currently on a 9-0 record (amateur fights, of course) and I'm a Brazilian Jiujitsu blue belt, been training since 2020. I feel like many people tend to have a lot of confusion or misconceptions about fighters, especially us female fighters. So, please ask me any question at all, I'd do my best to try and give you the best answers I could think of.

You can ask just about anything really, from how to improve your cardio to what age is considered too late to start training. I really want more people to understand fighters, and I want to encourage more people to take up martial arts training (any sort) because it's really therapeutic and life changing.

Thank you!

Why Jiujitsu? And how is it different from others fighting styles?

Hello Aya!

Undefeated! Keep up the great work!

So...questions!

Lets say, hypothetically, this guy named Ed really wants to do Martial Arts. Unfortunately, he's lost most of his flexibility in his legs because he cannot kick any higher than about 2 or 3 feet off the ground. But this guy still wants to do Martial Arts. Is it too late for him or is there a way to increase his flexibility so he can perform the moves that require him to kick much higher?

Thank you so much!

And it's never too late to start, take me for example, I started fighting at 18 which is considered "late" by most fighter's standards, but I'm doing pretty well, if I may say so. So first, you must remove the belief that you CAN'T do it, and start believing that you CAN. You still have air in your lungs, you can stand on two legs, you're still healthy.

Second, conditioning -- legs are extremely important because they are your foundation. Imagine a building, you can't construct a safe and sturdy building without a good foundation underneath. So before kicking at all, I recommend running, and I mean REAL running, at least for 30-45 minutes each day. This will strengthen your shins, give you a stronger base, you'll be lighter and quicker on your feet too.

Kick often, but only on punching bags. I was given a piece of advice from my trainer a while ago, I was told to always kick the very bottom part of the punching bag, because it's the heaviest part. But this might be a bad idea for a beginner, you might end up hurting yourself. So, you could invest in a pair of shin guards, or whatever they're called, it's padding that you wear during sparring so you don't get hurt. ALWAYS wear them, I don't care if you "won't look tough", safety comes first and smart fighters always wear them in training. Even Khabib does.

The reason I said you should develop leg power and at least learn how to kick, is because you can't do fancy round kicks and high kicks without first strengthening the limbs in question and having a general idea on how to kick. Stretching the muscles in your thighs that you didn't even know you had is essential, most people spend their whole lives not knowing that there are actually parts of their body that are not yet "opened"? That's why you can't kick high, because it's restricted. So, I would seriously consider yoga, I'm not even kidding! You don't have to take an actual class, but there are many practices and techniques that when done right, you could be as flexible as an elastic band.

You must do the stretches, open the muscles up, you don't want to be hurting yourself while trying to kick too high up, you might tear something inside.

This is unusual, and it's not a requirement or anything. But if you do get all the steps right, practice your left kicks (any kick), because most fighters expect you to kick from the right side, they'll never expect it from the left. Also, some fighters will try to kick your left knee or shin, and many fighters fall down hard, because they mostly just train their right leg, and not their left one.

Lastly, you should decide on a specific form of martial arts. Muay Thai, Karate and kick boxing are sports that use kicks, and each are different in their own way. And also, please stay safe, this is a very dangerous sport. I wish you good luck on those kicks!

I took up BJJ when I decided to begin MMA training instead of just boxing. The reason I picked this form is because many fighters that are mostly strikers (like boxers) are afraid to be taken to the ground, because they can't wrestle. So, I'm a striker, and by learning BJJ, I eliminate the fear of being wrestled on the ground when my opponent drags me to the floor inside the ring/cage/octagon. So, whether I'm on my feet striking or on the ground wrestling, I am ready for both. Some fighters like Ronda Rousey are just good at wrestling, and hate it when opponents are strikers, like Holly Holm. There's also Alex Pereira, who is the opposite, he prefers striking, and has a strong disadvantage on the ground. Why should I have to choose? I want to be prepared in either situation, for anything.

In BJJ, there is no punching, there is no kicking, there is no striking. It is wrestling and grappling. It allows a smaller, weaker fighter to use leverage and submissions (chokes, locks) to defend themselves against an opponent that is larger or more powerful. It's different because it's not really about strength too much, it's about maneuvering and technique mostly. There is BJJ with a gi (the standard uniform) and no-gi, which are actually different, because with a gi on, you could drag your opponent from their sleeve, pant leg and collar, but when it's a no-gi fight, you can't do that, so it's harder.

Also, BJJ can only be practiced by intelligent people. I'm not kidding, it's called "real life, human chess", because performing the techniques and knowing how to outmaneuver your opponent takes a great amount of strategic thinking and patience. It's not "oh if I punch really hard and really fast, I might overwhelm you!" like in some other martial arts.

I hope that answered your questions! Feel free to ask more!

As a boxer, how would you describe your fighting style? For example: Mike Tyson was considered a Swarmer (Inside Fighter), Evander Holyfield was a Boxer-Puncher, George Foreman a Slugger. What is your personal style?

I'm embarrassed to say this but..... I'm a slugger/brawler. Yes, it's the least "attractive" form, and unusual in female fighters. Thing is, I'm pretty strong for someone my size, I fight at 116 pounds, and most fighters at this weight division rely on speed. But me, I'm a tough gal, I'll tell you that. Like, I've always struggled with perfecting technique, so my coach told me to use my explosive energy and really load off on my opponent.

Thing is, you really cannot learn about what kind of fighter you really are unless you actually start learning, you'd really surprise yourself. I didn't think that I'd be a brawler type.

I'm so happy that you're interested! Thank you so much for asking!

Your very welcome! And I thank you for answering all my questions.

One more question! Hehe

Do you fight from a Southpaw stance or Orthodox?

Orthodox, my right hand is my dominant one. Even though funnily enough, my left upper cut is so much better than my right one lol. But generally, I'm Orthodox because I'm right handed.