I’ve written over 400 articles on this website that relate to the topic of martial arts. You might be surprised that only a handful of them have revealed the great debate of traditional vs. mixed martial arts; or MMA vs. TMA. Here’s my conclusion:
MMA is more practical and applicable to real life than TMA since it combines only the best techniques, including kicking, punching, grappling, submissions, and clinching. On the other hand, traditional martial arts will make you a solid fighter, as their purpose is to teach others how to fight.
And yet, I’m convinced that TMA is less applicable to real life than MMA. But, of course, they’re still highly effective and will make you a solid fighter.
So, you might wonder what my opinion is on this “great debate.” Honestly, I think it’s useless; this article will explain why.
Likewise, this article will explain what you’ll learn in MMA and TMA. So, you’ll have more information to choose which to learn if that’s one of your concerns. After all, there are advantages and disadvantages wherever you’ll go.
Before we dive into the article, if you want to learn more about valuable reasons to learn martial arts, definitely follow the link to an article of mine on the topic.
What is MMA vs. TMA?
You might be unfamiliar with this “great, all-time debate.” If you are, let’s briefly go over what it is and what it means. Then, likewise, I’ll explain why it’s not as interesting as one might initially think.
The debate between MMA and TMA is about mixed martial arts vs. traditional martial arts. The first refers to mixed fighting styles, as in the UFC. The latter refers to fighting styles from history and have been taught until today, such as kung fu, karate, wrestling, boxing, and even Muay Thai.
This debate eventually creates a gap between the two sides, as each believes their approach is best.
However, is it essential? I think not. You’ll become an excellent, capable fighter whether you choose one or another.
Likewise, you’ll notice the same benefits in both parties, including:
- reduced stress
- increased confidence
- higher self-esteem
- better physical shape
- lower violence levels
- lower aggression levels
- knowing self-defense
- mindfulness
So, will choosing one over another really be that life-changing? I think not.
The following sections will examine the benefits of each part and eventually compare the two to ensure you choose the most suitable side.
Here it goes.
The benefits of TMA
Traditional martial arts, or TMA, originate way back in history. As a result, there are countless references to people learning them. And so, I’m confident your life will change if you learn one of them yourself.
The benefits of TMA include the following:
- reduced stress
- increased confidence
- knowing to fight aggressively
- having a more satisfying life
- having a purpose
- appreciating the things we take for granted
- getting rid of negative thoughts
- better mindfulness
I want to focus on the fighting aspect for the rest of this article. Is TMA really effective and applicable to real life?
Learning any TMA will make you a solid fighter. Yes, you can even learn tai chi and learn many fighting techniques. However, it’s less effective than, let’s say, Muay Thai or karate.
The purpose of karate, kung fu, Muay Thai, kickboxing, judo, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, and boxing is to teach people how to fight. Thus, naturally, they’ll teach effective techniques and be practical and applicable to real-life dangerous self-defense situations.
Now, I want to go over the pros of MMA, so we can eventually compare the two and come up with a straight answer as to which one you should learn.
Spoiler alert, it depends!
The pros of MMA
This section will examine the pros of Mixed Martial Arts. To remind you, we’ve looked at TMA and what makes it unique. My goal with this article is for you to know which one you want to learn eventually. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
MMA is the deadliest type of fighting globally. It teaches the most applicable and effective kinds of techniques, such as submissions, grappling, kicking, and punching. It can choose what to teach its trainees, so it’ll inevitably choose only the best techniques out there.
There’s no fixed set of rules in MMA. So, anyone can learn whatever they want (unless it’s illegal.)
Thus, you’ll see many styles of MMA around the world. Although it sounds like there’s one, there are so many styles and techniques that Mixed Martial Arts coaches teach.
The primary pro of MMA is that it teaches the best techniques in the world. Likewise, it applies and is practical to real life.
If you ever stumble upon a mixed martial artist, it’ll be best not to start a fight with him.
TMA vs. MMA – Which one should you learn?
The entire purpose of this section is for you to have a straight answer as to which one you’ll learn. If you don’t take action after this article, I hope you’ll start sometime, as martial arts are an excellent platform for self-improvement.
You should learn MMA if you want to become a solid fighter capable of using many techniques, such as kicking, punching, and grappling. On the other hand, TMA is for you if you want to experience unique values while bettering yourself physically and mentally. Of course, while learning to fight aggressively.
Indeed, you’ll become an excellent fighter if you decide to try out TMA.
If you want to learn more about the different types of TMA and what makes each unique—follow the link to an article of mine listing the deadliest martial arts worldwide.
TMA’s primary advantage over Mixed Martial Arts is its values and history. People had learned fighting techniques way before UFC was a thing.
We can understand that you will become a solid fighter if you decide to go with karate or even kung fu. But you’ll also gain many life-lessons and values you wouldn’t have otherwise. That’s why choosing TMA over MMA can be a wise choice.
But if you want to become the best fighter, you should go with MMA!
Final words
To wrap up this article, I want to tell you how much I appreciate martial arts and the changes they bring to our lives. They can be a cornerstone activity you never skip if you choose the right one.
So, don’t hesitate to start learning one, even if there are countless ones. In fact, I don’t know them all, as there are so many from many different places and at other times in history.
And so, choosing either MMA or TMA will be wise, as both will make you a solid fighter and have similar benefits.
Nevertheless, if becoming a solid fighter is your only goal for this training—I recommend going with Mixed Martial Arts. However, if experiencing a traditional martial art and grasping its values is something that interests you—I encourage you to try out TMA.
As you can imagine, you’ll become a capable fighter in both options, so it’s not as detrimental of a choice as one might think.