In short: Kickboxing or MMA is decided on the ground. Kickboxing stays standing, MMA adds clinch and ground fighting. If you cannot imagine working close to a partner on the ground, kickboxing is your class. If that is exactly what appeals to you, the road leads to MMA.
Both classes run with us in Aachen, both are adult classes from age 16, and both start with the basics. The difference lies not in the demands but in the number of fighting distances you learn at the same time.
One distance or three?
Kickboxing takes place at punching and kicking distance. You learn punching and kicking techniques, guard, footwork and combinations and train on strike pads and heavy bags. The frame stays the same for years, and you get better within it.
MMA works in three areas: stand-up fighting with punches, kicks and knee strikes, clinch, and ground. Add to that the transition between them, which is the really difficult part. A takedown is not just a technique but a change of the whole playing field. Techniques for the ground come from freestyle wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the standing part from boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai.
What does the learning curve feel like?
In kickboxing, after four weeks you have a feel for what you are doing. The movements are countable, progress is visible, and feedback comes straight away because you work against pads and bag.
In MMA this phase takes longer because you build up three areas in parallel. In return it gets very interesting from the moment you start switching between them. If you have patience for this first phase, you get the more complete picture. If you need quick wins, you are better off in kickboxing and can still switch later.
When does which class train?
MMA in Aachen runs on Mondays and Wednesdays from 19:00 to 20:30. Kickboxing runs for beginners and intermediate on Tuesdays and Fridays from 19:00 to 20:30, for advanced and fighters on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 17:30 to 19:00.
This spread is an argument that is often overlooked: the two classes are on different days. The times of both classes are in the timetable. You can combine both in one week.
How much body contact and sparring can you expect?
Sparring is part of both classes, and in both it does not come at you in the first hour. In MMA training the rule is explicit: sparring is carried out in a controlled way and only introduced once you are technically ready. Protective gear and mutual respect are a must.
The difference lies in the kind of contact. Kickboxing sparring stays at a distance, MMA sparring means close body contact on the ground over longer phases. That is not a question of toughness but of closeness. Some people mind exactly that, others find it more pleasant than trading punches. If you want to avoid body contact altogether, you will find the no-contact counterpart in LES MILLS BODYCOMBAT .
In practical terms this also means: in kickboxing you can join in after a bad night and still take something away, because the conditioning part works on pads and bag. In MMA that is harder, because ground work demands your full attention as soon as a partner is involved.
A second difference concerns equipment. For kickboxing, gloves and shin guards are enough for a long time. In MMA, close-fitting clothing and special gloves are added so that gripping stays possible. For the first sessions you need none of it in either class; details are in the article equipment for beginners.
Kickboxing and MMA side by side
| What it is about | Kickboxing | MMA |
|---|---|---|
| Distances | punching and kicking distance | Stand-up, clinch and ground |
| Where the techniques come from | punches, kicks, combinations on pads and bag | standing from boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, ground from freestyle wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu |
| First feel for it | after about four weeks | later, because three areas grow at the same time |
| Training times | beginners and intermediate Tuesdays and Fridays, 19:00 to 20:30 | Mondays and Wednesdays, 19:00 to 20:30 |
| Sparring | stays at a distance | over longer phases close up on the ground |
| Equipment later | gloves and shin guards | close-fitting clothing and special gloves |
Both are adult classes from age 16.
Which class suits which goal?
- Stamina and punching power: kickboxing. Quick start, load you feel straight away.
- The most complete self-defence possible: MMA. If you cover standing, clinch and ground, you have fewer blind spots.
- Learning technique cleanly, with no ground situations: kickboxing, complemented by Boxing.
- Only the ground interests you: then neither of the two, but Ground fighting and grappling.
Can you switch later?
You do not have to commit for good. Our training stands under the Jeet Kune Do idea: take what works, and do not tie yourself to one style. Spread across the week, adult training brings together 27 different martial sports and martial arts. If you start in kickboxing and find after six months that you miss the ground, you can switch to ground fighting or to MMA.
The reverse applies too: if you start with MMA and find the standing part interests you more, you shift the focus without changing classes.
How MMA is regulated as a sport in Germany is set out in the rulebook of the German Mixed Martial Arts Federation, the national governing body.
Kickboxing or MMA: decide after two evenings
Two trial classes are free and non-binding. They are made for exactly this question: once kickboxing, once MMA, and then you know whether the ground suits you.
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What to bring is on the page about the Free trial class. You will find more side-by-side comparisons in the section Comparing martial arts, and if the basic question is still open, Which martial art is right for mehelps.
Frequently asked questions about kickboxing and MMA
Do I have to be able to kickbox before I train MMA?
No. Beginners start MMA with the basics before it goes into sparring. Previous knowledge from standing helps but is not a requirement.
Is MMA more dangerous than kickboxing?
In training the same rules apply in both classes: controlled sparring, protective gear, consideration for your partner. The difference lies in the range of techniques, not in the tone on the mat.
Which class burns more calories?
That depends more on your effort than on the class. Both sessions last 90 minutes and have a conditioning part of their own.
Can I start MMA if I am unfit?
Yes. Fitness comes through training, and in the first weeks you decide yourself when to take a break. If you are coming back from a long break, kickboxing is often a little calmer because one thing is added after another.
From what age can I train MMA?
The MMA class is an adult class from age 16. Younger people train in the youth training of the Samurai group from 9 to 15 with elements of boxing, kickboxing, freestyle wrestling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi.
