The forgotten tools of learning nowadays seem to be the books. Yes, it does sound unbelievable, but people tend to learn more from screens than actual books. And by screens, I mean alternative methods like videos or presentations since I consider E-books to be just as good as paperbacks. That said, there’s a lot you can learn from books that no amount of other learning methods can teach you. And yes, that includes training live or watching instructionals, when it comes to martial arts. So, if you want to know which the Best MMA Books 2021 is, take a look at our categorized guide. Full in-depth reviews on every title are available!
Learning martial arts from books has always been seen as an ineffective method. IN all honesty. There’s no way you can learn martial art from a book. However, the same holds true for instructional videos and other sources other than live training as well. There’s a reason why all these tools are accessory learning tools. Still, being an accessory doesn’t mean they’re not essential at the same time as well. Sure, you can learn MMA just by training hard, but using books and other tools can help you increase the amount of specific knowledge on the subject. Moreover, they can give you a perspective you can’t gain from training alone. Our best MMA book research focuses on bringing you the very best reading material you can get your hands on. At least for now!
MMA Books By Category
Of course, there’s no way to put every book on the subject of MMA in a clear category. That notwithstanding, as martial artists, we do like to categorize and name just about everything we can. So, in that sense, we did our best to divide the best MMA books 2021 guide into three major categories. Those are technical books, strength and conditioning books, and biographical books. All three types have a huge role in learning the complex art of MMA. So, we included all of them in our guide, with detailed reviews, of course.
Technical MMA books are pretty much self-explanatory. These are books on Mixed Martial Arts as a whole or addressing one of the core areas. Not available as soon as a decade ago, these books are a cornerstone of a successful MMA career. Technical books teach you the ins and outs of training MMA, in terms of striking, grappling, offense, defense, tactics, and putting it all together. While you can’t learn techniques without giving them a try you sure can get some ideas and perspectives from technical MMA books!
Biographical MMA books are a real hidden source of knowledge. Choosing to read about the life of a UFC world champion is definitely going to aid in your own MMA journey. After all, you don’t just get inside information, but also their thoughts on everything, from mindset to strategy. Moreover, you learn about their struggles and mistakes, so you do not fall into the same traps.
Finally, there’s the subject of being in shape to fight in the first place. Strength and conditioning training for MMA evolves in leaps and bounds with every passing year. This year’s top developments are included in our detailed guide.
The Best MMA Books 2021 Guide
As previously mentioned, we use categorization to make our best MMA books 2021 guide more organized and accessible. Each category has very specific titles that have shown to be the very best in their respective areas. After all, it is not only down to us, but reviews from readers worldwide. Plus, all the authors are renowned and bring highly specific expertise in their work. Remember that if you want to really learn, and more importantly, understand MMA, you need to use all sources at your disposal. Books are just one fraction of the learning tools, but they’re an irreplaceable one as such!
#1. TECHNICAL BOOKS
Technical MMA books are an absolute must. training in the gym is all about innovation and finding your style. Books, on the other hand, outline what’s been proven to work, and how it all works. That said, your innovation in the gym should be fueled by the past experiences of renowned MMA authors. This is a foolproof system of learning the very intricate and extremely complex system that is Mixed Martial Arts. Our choices in the best MMA books 2021 guide offer you both MMA books, as well as titles on specific areas of the sport. Accordingly, you can choose exactly what you’re interested in, what you lack in your game, or would love to further explore.
MMA TRAINING: THE ULTIMATE BEGINNERS GUIDE
Let’s not waste any time and start off with a real bang here. MMA Training: The Ultimate Beginners Guide is the one resource everyone should have, including pro fighters. To put it bluntly, unless you’re a UFC champion or contender, you can definitely learn a lot from this book. In terms of availability, you can go for a paperback, a Kindle version, or an audiobook, if you really do not like to read.
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John Renegade sure knows what he’s writing about. The best thing about this book is that it is intended for complete beginners. So, even if you’re completely new to MMA, this book offers the blueprint on how to start, advance, and progress in this versatile sport. MMA Training; The Ultimate Beginners Guide has things laid out in a very methodical fashion. It starts at the very beginning, at the reasons people have to choose to fight as a profession. The benefits of studying MMA, as well as the history of the sport are also included. In the technical portion, a key chapter for this book is one on MMA vocabulary and nomenclature. There’s a perfect balance between the information on the stand-up and grappling portions.
There’s also an in-depth analysis of all the fighting styles involved in MMA. Some drills round off the experience, along with keynotes on how to put together a successful and progressive game.
MASTERING THE TWISTER: JIU-JITSU FOR MMA
What can I say about this one apart from “an absolute classic”. Eddie Bravo is one of the craziest people in grappling, but also one of the most knowledgable about the sport. AS such, he is the only person to recognize the need for MMA-specific Jiu-Jitsu and work on that for decades. In this groundbreaking title, Bravo offers an incredible insight into one of his deadliest positions – the Twister.
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The Twister is a move that has been proven to work at the highest levels of MMA, both positionally and as a submission. While this is not a brand new title, it is still one of the best MMA books. In it, Bravo starts by explaining his take on Jiu-Jitsu for MMA and goes over a lot of his nomenclature. He also outlines the history of the Twister, a move he borrowed from wrestling and spent a lifetime fine-tuning. But this book is not just about Twiter. There are also chapters that explain the mount and back control, as well as las a system to tie them all together. In fact, Bravo demonstrates how the Twister is the perfect tool to connect all your top positions in grappling for MMA.
Unlike most Jiu-Jitsu books and instructions out there, Bravo spends a lot of time discussing potential striking options, both offensive and defensive. A must-have for anyone doing MMA, pro, or amateur! Available in paperback.
BEGINNING MMA: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE
Another guide on starting MMA, albeit this time a bit more advanced. This one is as in-depth of a guide as you can get. It covers absolutely everything you need to know about MMA. The information here is applicable both to complete beginners and experienced fighters as well. The author is Jeff McCall and the book is available in both paperback and Kindle. I’d recommend the Kindle version. Click to read more and find out why.
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There’s a great structure to this book which makes it a particularly good learning tool. It starts off with an introduction to MMA and reasons to train. The guide also covers every little thing about starting, including choosing an MMA gym, which is of paramount importance. Moreover, there are some great guidelines on figuring out if you’re in a McDojo or a legitimate gym with a legitimate instructor. Technically speaking, there’s is a ton of info on some of the basics of striking, takedowns ground fighting, and cage work. Moreover, there are chapters on tactics for safe and efficient sparring, a full fight prep outline, and even some weight-cutting tips. However, the absolute best part about this book is in its technical wealth – there are accompanying videos for every technique discussed in the book!
DELAVIER’S MIXED MARTIAL ARTS ANATOMY
This is a book you might not really consider buying when browsing through our best MMA books 2021 guide. That would be a huge mistake. If there’s one to consider in our best MMA books 2021 guide, it has to be this one. Granted, it is different than most others on this list, but it also provides you with something other books do not. Available in paperback only, which is perfect for this type of book.
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This book is not one for a complete beginner. If you are deep into the world of MMA though, or an MMA coach, then it is mandatory literature. Frédéric Delavier, the author, has an extensive formal background in anatomy and dissection. he is also a champion powerlifter and an avid martial arts practitioner. The book is going to teach you how to deliver the most crushing punches and strikes without the need of developing crazy strength or explosiveness. Instead, the focus is on leverage, and how understanding human anatomy can help you maximize it. This includes grappling exchanges as well, where leverage is king. There are over 230 photographs and more than 120 exercises that make this book an invaluable source of MMA information. A real bonus is a portion of injury prevention and recovery.
MIXED MARTIAL ARTS FOR DUMMIES
Yeah, this one sounds like it is a mock book. One look at the author is going to tell you otherwise. Fran Shamrock is an absolute MMA legend, and we’re all nothing more than dummies compared to him in terms of MMA. Although about a decade old, this book is still one of the best MMA books 2021 has to offer. Paperback only, old school like Shamrock himself!
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Learning from a UFC legend and one of the pioneers of MMA is always a top choice. This Frank Shamrock book is the sum of a very rich career in fighting. This is a full-color guide to mastering the toughest fighting sport in the world! Chapters start with MMA basics that serve as an introduction to the sport and its styles. Frank doesn’t waste much space and goes straight into training preparation and how to organize your camps. there’s a huge amount of key info on striking, all based on Frank’s vast experience. In fact, this book could help people in striking only sports, let alone those in MMA. The grappling portion is no fluke either, with some key MMA-specific tactics that solve common issues. The final portion addresses building a game plan and training to become solid all over.
CATCH WRESTLING: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEGINNING CATCH WRESTLING
Catch wrestling? How can that old stuff help you with MMA? You’d be surprised, let me tell you that! Catch wrestling is the original submission based martial art. As such it still has a lot to offer to any kind of grappling or combat sport. In fact, there’s hardly a better art to understand weight distribution for pinning and quick and very painful submission holds.
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In essence, catch wrestling is a mixture of different grappling martial arts, similar to what MMA is. However, catch specializes in takedowns and ground combat. This book really lays it all out, from the beginnings of catch to its evolution today. It explores all the different aspects in which catch wrestling changed the world of grappling and mixed martial arts. From a technical standpoint, there is a huge section, mostly focused on submissions, and with video material to make each one crystal clear. There are so many keynotes on how to train, spar, and incorporate catch wrestling into your grappling game for MMA. It is written by Jeff McCall, the same author of “Beginning MMA: The Ultimate Guide”. In fact, getting both of them is a huge leap forward in anyone’s game. Paperback and Kindle versions are available. Certainly, one of the best MMA books 2021 has on offer!
#2. STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING FOR MMA
Strength and conditioning for MMA is a subject that’s hard to pinpoint. It is a new training modality that’s an integral part of a new full-contact combat sport. As such its importance is more than obvious. However, it is just as obvious that it is notoriously hard to pinpoint the most efficient ways in which you can prepare. Unlike football or baseball, which have had decades to fine-tune their strength and conditioning needs, MMA had only a fraction of the time. Luckily, there are some people out there that really put in the work. We really dug deep to find the few titles that deserve to be in our best MMA books 2021 guide.
TRAINING FOR WARRIORS: THE ULTIMATE MIXED MARTIAL ARTS WORKOUT
Martin Rooney is a strength coach that spent years traveling the world and learning martial arts. However, apart from martial arts, he also studied the ways in which champions of each of those arts train to get in shape. Then, he came back and designed the “Training for Warriors” system. A whole host of pro-MMA fighters have been using the system, including UFC veteran and former champion Frankie Edgar. Here’s the book that outlines the complete system.
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“Training For Warriors” is really the ultimate guide to strength and conditioning for combat sports. Rooney first covers the basic requirements of MMA. After you get an understanding of what you lack, he takes you through the ways in which people train for different martial arts These include everything, from Judo and Karate to Muay Thai and BJJ. This takes up around a third of the book. Exercises, with a huge amount of color photographs, make up the second third of the book. This brings us to the invaluable final third – the programs. Here, you get no less than three 12 week camps, each geared towards making you a machine in the octagon/cage. However, if you do not like the programs, you’re free to build your own, using the principles of the system outlined before. Available in Kindle and paperback.
ULTIMATE CONDITIONING FOR MARTIAL ARTS
Another title that sheds some much-needed light on the mystery is MMA conditioning. Loren Landow is a man that knows pretty much everything about strength and conditioning. He is also one that doesn’t like to use medical and difficult methodology when explaining how to lift weights and run for MMA. This is the simplest, yet incredibly effective addition in this portion of our best MMA books 2021 guide.
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There are over 120 exercises in this book, all aimed at making you extremely efficient in the cage. A huge benefit of Landow’s approach is that he likes to train everything together, like in camp. As such, he has a big focus on explosiveness, as you can see in the book. Another great thing about this book is that there is not a ready-made program. Instead, you’ll need to follow extremely easy guidelines and build your own. Everything you need is in the book, so you’ll only need minutes to put together a plan after you’re done reading it. Available in Kindle and paperback.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE
Do you know what the most important aspect of fighting is? It is not a technique, nor the ability to go hard for five rounds. It all comes down to how strong your mind and willpower are. And those are both trainable qualities if you have the appropriate tools. With that in mind (pun intended) we include the “Mental Toughness For Peak Performance” manual in our best MMA books 2021 guide.
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This manual is unlike most things you’ve read. This is a real practical way of developing and training mental toughness for fighting. The author, J. Barnes is renowned in the field of strength and conditioning and sports psychology. This is not a self-help or self-development book full of motivational quotes. It is all about the proven methods that you can immediately apply to your MMA training. The method consists of 7 keys that guarantee a superior mental attitude for competitive sports. There are numerous examples and a complete system based on the methodology in the book. it is easy to use and implement and even has some exciting bonus material! Comes in Kindle and/or paperback versions.
#3. MMA AUTOBIOGRAPHIES
Finally, we arrive at the last category in our best MMA books in 2021. These are books that most people won’t consider helpful for their MMA quest. They do not offer anything very technical or in terms of getting in fighting shape. or so you think. Books written by professional fighters are actually complete guides to the world of MMA fighting. They’ll teach you not only how to train and fight, but how to cope with life and common issues that arise from the MMA lifestyle. And we got nothing but the best below:
GSP: THE WAY OF THE FIGHT
Georges St. Pierre. What can I say more? He is a true legend of the sport, and one of the few to retire while holding on to a championship belt. Two, in fact. GSP is one of the smartest tacticians and one of the most technical fighters to ever fight in MMA. His legacy as a GOAT contender is going to last forever. thankfully, he also has a book where he shares everything that accompanied his rise to the very top of MMA. Normally, his book is in the best MMA books for 2021.
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“The Way Of Fight” is a title most befitting for a GSP book. He has always been big on the traditional martial arts approach, with lots of respect. He is also a big fan of martial arts philosophy, which was apparent in his fighting style. The book is all about the lessons Georges his approach is really unique. Through five chapters, he outlines his entire life. Appropriately, the chapters look into his standing game, transition, and ground game, respectively. Finally, there’s the champion mindset and approach to making it all work together. Available in plenty of formats, including paperback, hardcover, Kindle and as an audiobook.
RONDA ROUSEY: MY FIGHT / YOUR FIGHT
The quintessential face of women’s MMA is without a doubt, Ronda Rousey. “Rowdy” is the one main reason why women’s MMA is right up there with the men’s. She had one of the most amazing championship runs across two huge MMA promotions, Strikeforce and the UFC. She also had a huge fall of grace in the most brutal way ever. Exactly the person you want guiding you through your MMA journey.
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Let’s be honest, we could never do the best MMA book guide without including Ronda’s autobiography. She is the one person that has crazy lessons to teach us all. She’s been in martial arts her whole life, from a Judo Olympian to a legendary UFC champion and now a WWE mainstay. Her story is written similarly to GSP’s in terms of life and sport lessons learned throughout the years. However, in this book, Ronda’s unique personality is apparent throughout. I’ve got to admit every chapter, from her reasons for fighting to deal with loss and her hard-learned lessons on people and trust are captivating. This is one of those books you won’t be able to put down. And, it’ll teach you stuff about MMA you can’t learn in any gym. Available in virtually every format: paperback, hardcopy, Kindle, Audiobook, Audio CD…
CHAEL SONNEN: THE VOICE OF REASON – A V.I.P. PASS TO ENLIGHTENMENT
Our final entry in the best MMA books of 2021 is a different one from anything listed above. This is not surprising, as the person behind it is also as different from anyone as it is imaginable. The people’s champion, and original bad boy Chael Sonnen, as usual, has lots to say. This time, though, he does it in written form.
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Chael is one of the most entertaining and charismatic characters to ever grace the UFC octagon. We all know how eloquent Chael is, so reading his book is a real enjoyment. This book is about tales of Chael’s MMA experiences, from fighting, winning and losing, to training, dealing with different people, and discovering support. This book is not just a guide to MMA – it is a guide to life, and a good one at that. Granted, Chael is unusual but he is extremely smart nonetheless and has plenty of solid points throughout. Everything from early life to recent USADA trouble and steroid use is laid bare in this book. The man behind some of the most exciting fights in UFC history can teach you everything about MMA. All you have to do is read, in either Kindle or hardcover.
#4. BONUS CATEGORY – STRATEGY
But why stop there? If we’re truly after the best MMA books have for us, let’s explore one more category – strategy. I know that most fighters tend to discuss strategy with their coaches and let them do the tactical thinking. However, why not have a strategy of your own? Why not learn the different battle strategies of legendary warriors and use them to devise your very own game plan? then you can just use coaches to help you adjust it to specific opponents. To that extent, we have a couple of timeless classics to help you with the strategic portion of MMA:
MIYAMOTO MUSASHI: THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS
By some, this is thought to be the ultimate strategy book for warriors ever written. Miyamoto Musashi was a legendary Samurai who did something quite unusual for the time – wrote a lot. Thankfully, his work survived and is now one of the most sought after books for warriors. Of course, it has a special spot in our best MMA books.
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The book, available in Kindle, hardcopy, and audiobook format is written in a very unique manner. Since the samurai based most of their fighting effort on swordsmanship, the book is also all about wielding the katana. However, the principles inside are applicable to any sort of warfare or martial arts, for that matter. There is a total of five chapters, each covering a huge aspect of the philosophy of war. The chapters are named Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Emptiness chapter. All n all, this book is going to transform your life, particularly if you are an MMA or BJJ fighter.
SUN TZU: THE ART OF WAR
Another real classic of Asian literature. While “The Book Of Five Rings” is of Japanese descent, Sun Tzu’s work represents neighboring China. IN that sense, the book is all about military strategy. it may sound completely out of place for martial arts, but you have to remember that at the time, warfare was all about chest-to-chest combat. The strategies in this book are still the subject of study for all military strategists and many MMA fighters today.
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Sun Tzu’s take is a deeply philosophical one, written in the 6th century. It has 13 chapters in total each covering a different aspect of warfare. This book is considered to be the oldest one on the subject in the world. The book follows a progressive pattern, covering things from the very beginning – how to lay plans for battle. It goes further to explore how to wage war, how to maneuver and most importantly, how to outsmart your opponents. It is perfect for MMA fighters that are coming up with both a general and specific game plan.
How to Learn From Books
In this modern-day and age of digital learning and technology, people do need a reminder on how to use books. We wouldn’t really have the best MMA books 2021 guide if we didn’t include a few pointers on how to use martial arts books to actually improve at martial arts.
First of all, forget about learning new techniques from books. Even from technical books, what you’ll learn are details and, more importantly, the application of technique. Video instructionals show you things in context, and it often restricts people to just those aspects. Seeing something in a book gives you the option to think, and figure out how and where it fits your plan. This is a much better way of acquiring knowledge than just copying moves.
Moreover, reading causes you to use your brain more and fill in the gaps when photos are not included. In terms of strategy, or understanding techniques or conditioning, this is irreplaceable. It also boosts your creativity and remains in your memory for much longer. this information is then easier to access under duress than recalling moves you’re trying to copy.
Final Thoughts
Finally, we arrive at the conclusion of our best MMA books. If you manage to get each title in the guide, you’ll not only have the best MMA library ever but you’ll also be set for life. All the books above have something different and valuable to offer every fighter that’s interested. In case you need a system for using them, start by acquiring one title from each category first. That way, you’ll get well-rounded knowledge, plus you’ll figure out where you need to develop further the most.
