Best Strikes for MMA Beginners

Learn the 5 essential strikes every MMA beginner must master first. We cover the jab, cross, low kick, and more for an integrated MMA game.

Context

There are hundreds of strikes in martial arts. Punches, kicks, elbows, knees. Spinning attacks, flying attacks. It is an overwhelming world for a beginner.

You cannot learn everything at once. You should not even try.

Your goal is to build a functional striking game for Mixed Martial Arts. This means every strike must be judged on how it works when takedowns and grappling are possible. A great boxing punch might get you taken down. A flashy kick might get your leg caught and land you on your back.

We need a handful of reliable tools that work for the unique puzzle of MMA.

The Mistake

Beginners make two critical errors when learning to strike.

First, they try to learn the fancy stuff they see in highlight reels. Spinning backfists. Wheel kicks. Jumping knees. These are low-percentage, high-risk moves that require incredible timing and athleticism. For a beginner, they are a fast way to get off-balance, get countered, or get taken down.

Second, they learn striking in a vacuum. They drill boxing combinations without considering kicks. They practice Muay Thai kicks without worrying about defending a double-leg takedown. This is the core problem of treating MMA like separate sports stacked on top of each other. That approach fails, because a wrestler will change the entire context of your "perfect" boxing.

You end up with a collection of techniques that fall apart under real MMA pressure.

The Principle

The principle is High-Percentage, Low-Risk.

We select strikes that have a high probability of landing or achieving a specific goal (like managing distance) and a low probability of putting you in a terrible position if you miss.

Every strike must serve the integrated game of MMA.

• Does it keep you balanced and ready to defend a takedown?
• Does it help you manage the distance to avoid takedowns or set up your own?
• Is it energy efficient?
• Does it create openings for other attacks, both striking and grappling?

This is the only way to build a real foundation. Learning isolated techniques from different arts is why learning MMA like separate sports fails. You need a system that connects every movement. These five strikes are the start of that system.

Practical Application

Forget the hundreds of options. Master these five. They form a complete, functional system for a beginner. You can run an entire offense and defense with just these tools.

The Jab (1)

The jab is the most important weapon in all of combat sports, and it's even more critical in MMA. It is not just a punch. It is a multi-tool.

• Rangefinder: It tells you how far away your opponent is without over-committing.
• Disruptor: A stiff jab in the face stops your opponent's rhythm and thought process.
• Vision Blocker: It briefly blinds them, setting up your power shots.
• Takedown Defense: It helps maintain distance. If an opponent is trying to get close to shoot, a constant jab makes their life difficult.
• Takedown Setup: It makes your opponent raise their hands to block, exposing their hips and legs for your own takedown attempt.

Your jab must be fast and thrown from a stable stance. You retract it as quickly as you throw it.

The Cross (2)

This is your primary power punch. It is the follow-up to the jab. If the jab is the question, the cross is the answer.

In MMA, you cannot afford to throw a wild, looping overhand that leaves you off-balance. Your cross must be straight, powerful, and efficient. You rotate your hip and shoulder into the punch for power, but your feet stay connected to the ground.

The moment after you throw it, you must be in a position to sprawl on a takedown or frame off to create space. Think of it as a piston: straight out, straight back.

The Lead Teep (Front kick to the body)

The teep is the jab of the legs. It targets the opponent's torso and is a master tool for controlling distance.

• Stops Forward Pressure: Is an opponent rushing you, looking for a takedown or a brawl? A hard teep to the stomach will stop them in their tracks.
• Creates Space: A successful teep pushes your opponent backward, giving you room to reset, circle out, or follow up with another attack.
• Saps Cardio: Getting kicked in the gut is exhausting. Repeated teeps will drain your opponent's gas tank.

It is safer than a roundhouse kick because you are pushing your opponent away, not swinging across your body. This keeps you more upright and balanced.

The Rear Low Kick (to the thigh)

This is the single most important kick for a beginner to master for MMA. Forget head kicks. The low kick is your bread and butter.

You are attacking the opponent's lead leg. Why?

• Damage: It hurts. A few solid low kicks can compromise an opponent's entire game.
• Mobility Reduction: A damaged leg can't move well. They can't chase you. They can't run away. Their punches have less power.
• Takedown Disruption: It is very difficult to shoot a powerful takedown on a leg that is being repeatedly smashed.

Throw it at the end of your punching combinations (e.g., jab-cross-low kick). It is a relatively safe attack that delivers significant, cumulative damage. This is a crucial piece of what you should learn first in MMA.

The Lead Hook to the Body

Beginners are obsessed with headhunting. This is a mistake. The body is a huge, stationary target that wins fights.

The lead hook to the body is a perfect weapon. It comes from a close angle your opponent may not see. Because you're using your lead hand, your rear hand stays up protecting your chin.

Landing a good body shot makes your opponent's elbows drop to protect their ribs. This opens up the head for your follow-up attacks. It is a classic example of integrated thinking: attack one target to create an opening at another.

Tradeoff

By focusing exclusively on these five strikes, you are giving up flashiness. You are temporarily ignoring spinning attacks, head kicks, intricate dutch-style kickboxing combinations, and close-range elbows.

The tradeoff is superficial excitement for real, functional skill.

You will not look like a movie character in your first month of training. But you will have a solid, defensible, and effective striking game that is built for the reality of MMA. You will be harder to hit, harder to take down, and more effective with your energy. You build the foundation first. The rest can come later.

Action Step

Choose one strike from the list above. Just one.

For your next training session, spend ten minutes focused only on that one move. If you're learning via a structured program like our guide on how to start MMA training at home, this is a perfect supplement.

Set a timer. Shadowbox the movement.

• Focus on your feet and your balance.
• Focus on your defensive position before and after the strike.
• Do not worry about speed or power. Worry about form.
• Feel how your weight shifts. Feel how you return to a ready stance.

This focused practice builds real, usable skill far faster than trying to learn ten things at once.

Next Step

If you want a structured system to actually improve, join MMA Fundamentals.

Start building real MMA skill with a step-by-step progression.

Plans start at $5/month — https://www.skool.com/hqsystems/about