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Boxing is way more brutal than MMA. Many more boxers end up having permanent brain damage as oppossed to just artificial cuts and bruises that are the most common injuries. I'll take that over brain damage any day.

posted 5 years ago
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I find MMA fascinating. It has been such an incredible journey, and a sport that I hope to train for as long as I can. It definitely can seem more "brutal" from an outside perspective than it really is. Sure there are injuries, and accidents happen, but generally it is controlled chaos. Fighters are very skilled at what they do, whether it's BJJ, boxing, kickboxing, or other martial art forms.

As a woman training, I definitely feel with the skills that I have that I can protect myself, too. It's way better than any self defense you would learn from one of those classes. When new guys come in to the gym, some tend to get an attitude about having to fight a girl. But I feel proud being able to man-handle them and overpower them. Even though I'm only 4'11", BJJ and MMA have given me excellent tools. MMA allows you to work in an alive environment. Unlike single martial arts or self defense classes, you are using your skills on a day to day basis and are able to see if they work or not against your opponent. I am confident that I would be able to defend myself on the street if I ever needed to.

I train at Straight Blast Gym in Portland, and it is the best atmosphere. It is a community. Everyone is supportive and encouraging and working to help each other's skills improve. I hear stories of other women feeling excluded from gyms, or the guys won't let them roll. Again, some may have more easily bruised egos, but everyone has always been so gracious and encouraging of me and the other women at SBG to train and improve their skills. My husband and I train together, and I can't think of anything else I would rather do.

posted 5 years ago
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