Practical Karate MMA Classes

MMA Class Description:

Fundamentals of Mixed Martial Arts with a focus on fitness and technical proficiency. This class is for all levels and abilities, from serious martial artists to complete beginners. Sparring optional after class.

MMA classes at Practical Karate are a great way for martial artists to round out their skills and learn what works when competition rules are taken away. Whether you are a grappler or a striker, MMA training will teach you how to adapt your skills to practical self-defense situations. The rules of competition for many martial arts, and martial sports, have created habits and techniques that aren’t practical for self-defense. In traditional Japanese karate and American freestyle karate competitions the competitors are stopped and reset every time a point is scored. This format has created habits such as dropping the hands and standing up straight with the chin exposed after an exchange. The boxing clinch doesn’t allow for elbows, knees, trips and takedowns while Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) and wrestling don’t allow any strikes at all. While these rule constraints can limit the efficacy of each art/sport in street scenario it doesn’t mean that the techniques of these arts/sports won’t work. There is no doubt what would happen if an attacker tries to stand and trade with a skilled boxer or if an assailant tried to tackle a BJJ black belt. However, what if a boxer, with no grappling experience, slips and falls to the ground with the opponent landing on top of them? What if a BJJ black belt, with no striking experience, is sucker punched or can’t cross the distance against a taller assailant? A quick Youtube search can answer both of these questions.

Nobody can deny the efficacy of Boxing, Muay Thai, BJJ, Wrestling or Karate when combined with complimentary skill sets. However, professional MMA has destroyed the illusion that any of these arts by themselves are entirely sufficient for self-defense. With MMA training strikers can learn how to pummel for under hooks, sprawl, stuff takedowns and how to work their way up from the ground. Grapplers can learn basic punches, kicks, blocks and parries as well as footwork for distance control and dominant angles. Knees, elbows and throws are a great addition to any skill set for self-defense. The MMA classes at Practical Karate are designed for everyone from complete beginners to expert martial artists to learn what works when there are no rules or referees and your safety is on the line. Whether you are an experienced martial artist or have no martial arts experience whatsoever the MMA classes at Practical Karate are a great way to get a work out while learning practical self-defense skills. Stop in for a free trial MMA class with Gabriel Miglioli at Practical Karate on Mondays and Wednesdays 6:30-7:30pm.