By Erin Pallott – One of my favourite parts of my undergrad student experience was being part of a society. I joined the mixed martial arts society in my first year and went on to run it as part of the committee. I gained a lot from it, and I hope my experience encourages people to either try out a combat sport or get involved in any new activity after the Summer break!

Much of human history is fighting: why we did it and how we got better at it. Evidence of systemised styles of combat goes back several millennia from depictions of military training and sport. The oldest, and still one of the most widely known, is wrestling which we can see depicted in statues and artwork stretching back to before 2000 BCE.

Martial arts describe a collection of combat styles that are widely practiced not only in self-defence, but also for sport, physical health, cultural traditions, and mental and spiritual development. Hundreds of disciplines are still practiced today, originating from every continent. Many involve direct hand-to-hand combat, aiming to subdue an opponent, such as the well-known taekwondo, karate, jiu-jitsu, and Muay Thai. Although, there are many other forms for those not looking to directly fight. Tai chi typically focuses on meditation through slow, controlled movements. Capoeira, originating from Brazil, combines elements of dance and acrobatics with self-defence training. Training for combat arts also commonly makes use of mock combat, to learn techniques under controlled settings.

Several martial arts are extremely popular today with millions of practitioners and are still growing. Mixed martial arts (MMA) in particular has been named the world’s fastest-growing sport of the 2010s, especially financially, with huge media coverage. While you might not aspire to become the world’s ultimate fighting champion, research has noted the benefits of many types of martial arts on physical and mental wellbeing. Examples are prevention of cognitive and mobility decline in the elderly, improved relationships with mental wellbeing, and improved self-esteem and reduced aggression in teenagers.

I took up MMA during my undergrad here at UoM and wanted to share my experience which may help anyone currently on the fence/ropes about giving it a go.

My Experience

When I started my undergrad in 2016, I was determined to have a fresh start and do something completely new. Being incredibly scrawny and unfit, I told myself it had to be a sport. Before I could talk myself out of it, I signed up for Mixed Martial Arts.

Getting ready for the first session, I was extremely nervous. What if I’m the only girl? What if everyone is experienced? What if it’s too difficult? I went along anyway, being even more terrified as we went around the room introducing ourselves. People talked about their 2 years of boxing or 3 years of taekwondo experience. I declared I’ve never done a sport or regularly worked out in my life.

We then got stuck in and it was the most tiring 90 minutes of my life with constant strength, stamina, and flexibility drills. The next day, I had to hop up and down the lecture hall steps. But I felt fantastic! I went back for the whole year and realised my initial fears were unfounded. More beginners and women joined throughout the year, and before long I was the one demonstrating techniques to others. The next year I even joined the committee.

I received a lot of benefits that come with any regular exercise: better focus, stamina, and sleep. There were also a few things I particularly loved about my time in the MMA society:

• It was an individual sport with a team spirit. Everyone could learn at their own pace, while we all encouraged and pushed each other. I found it so much more fulfilling than a gym, and less pressure than a team sport.
• You can choose and work on your own goals. Some people wanted to spar and train to fight competitively, and others (like myself) just wanted to focus on fitness.
• EVERYTHING was worked out. Sessions included cardio, punching/kicking drills, stretching, ab workouts, circuit training, and more. I loved how well-rounded it was.
• My stress reduced dramatically when twice a week I would go punch and kick some pads as hard as I can. During exam seasons, I would train 3 times a week and it helped me sleep better, forced my mind to take a break from study mode, and made me eat properly.

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UoM Combat Sport Societies

We have several combat sport societies here at UoM, as well as many martial arts gyms throughout the city. The SU website has several combat and martial arts societies you can sign up for, most of them are also active on social media. You can get affordable and beginner-friendly introductions to many sports, including boxing, MMA, jiu-jitsu, and kickboxing.

I went to Franks Team for boxing and MMA classes which I absolutely loved. They fully welcomed me as a complete beginner and always made sure I was feeling included and learning as fast as possible. I am forever thankful to my trainer Franks Jr. for making the whole experience so enjoyable.