The Best Books to learn MMA

If you’re looking to start learning MMA or simply want to supplement your physical training, then using books is always a good place to start. Here, we have picked the top 10 books that reflect this mindset and it should be added that these aren’t based on the history of MMA, nor does this list include the biographies or stories of famous fighters.

Instead, these books are solely designed to improve your skills in an MMA setting. Whether that’s with your striking, grappling or general mindset – there should be something for everyone. Many of these authors are some of the best coaches in the game, as well as successful fighters so you know they’re legit in what they’re writing about.

Delavier’s Mixed Martial Arts Anatomy by Frederic Delavier

Although many people wrongly associate MMA fighters as knuckleheads, this book couldn’t be further from that stereotype. Here, Delavier approaches MMA from a scientific angle where he looks closely at the relationship between muscles and bone and how you can get the most power out of your body.

It also includes over 230 photos, 120 diagrams, and 20 exercise programs to help guide you through this process. In short, it’s a really well written book and you can tell that there’s been a lot of effort into it. Although a lot of time is obviously spent on technique when training, this book gives you something a bit different to think about.

The Mixed Martial Arts Instruction Manual by Anderson Silva

At his peak, Anderson Silva was arguably the greatest MMA fighter ever, so it’s important to listen to what he says in this book. Here, The Spider goes through more than 150 of his best striking techniques for MMA which is accompanied by a whopping 1500 pictures. As you may have figured, this book is primarily based around striking so don’t expect much on wrestling or BJJ.

However, the good news is that for martial arts such as Muay Thai and Wing Chun, very few did it better in the cage compared to Anderson Silva which means it’s well worth a read if you want to improve your stand up game. It also goes without saying that there’s loads of information on the brutal kicks that helped earn Silva his legacy.

How To Build the MMA Body by M Lawrence

If you’ve ever had the pleasure to spar with an MMA fighter, then you’ll appreciate their strength and conditioning. Often, serious MMA fighters are known for having endless cardio, ridiculous strength, and endurance. Of course, this isn’t done by accident and there’s a lot of hard work behind the scenes that contribute to this such as diet, workouts and weight training.

All of this and more is covered in a detailed way by the author. One small issue with this book is that it’s only 60 pages long. Whilst it’s still good enough for the average MMA fighter, the good news is that the price reflects its shortness so it’s very affordable too. If you want to adopt a healthy lifestyle and improve your body internally and externally then check this book out.

Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge by BJ Penn

Simply put, this book is a technique goldmine and was written by BJ Penn. He is a man that needs no introduction in the MMA world, being an ex-UFC champion and one of the greatest fighters of all time. Here, BJ Penn goes through his MMA strategies step by step. From the stand up game to takedowns, to ground and pound and submissions, everything is covered here.

It reads like a step-by-step guide on how to advance your position and ultimately win fights. If you want something that acts as a very literal guide then this book is ideal and will serve you well. It’s also worth noting that BJ Penn was one of the best BJJ practitioners at his peak, so the BJJ information is priceless too.

The Mixed Martial Arts Handbook by John Ritschel

The word ‘handbook’ probably does this book an injustice, as it’s nearly 200 pages long and has over 300 demonstrations photographs. This is more of a comprehensive guide that covers practically everything in MMA. It has sections on the clinch, striking, guard, and several pins. Because of this, it’s a pretty well-rounded book and you can tell it’s written by someone that knows what they’re doing. As a result, this is a really good book if you’re a beginner who is thinking about starting MMA as it will give you a solid overview of everything that you will need to expect as a prospective fighter.

Machida Karate-Do by Lyoto Machida

When it comes to MMA, very few have successfully implemented a Karate style better than Machida. In fact, you could say no one has. Therefore, this is a bit of a unique book as it suggests how to use Karate in an MMA setting, which isn’t too common these days. This means that if you are a Karateka looking to get into MMA, then this book is ideal as it will help tailor your style to an MMA setting, which may be difficult otherwise.

Here, Machida also looks at other disciplines, such as how to mix Karate with wrestling, and how to use it alongside certain other disciplines. As mentioned, this book may not be so good if you’re not into Karate – but if you are then there are no better resources out there compared to this.

Mixed Martial Arts Fighting by Danny Indio

If you’re a visual learner, then this book by Danny Indio is perfect as it has over 700 photos that demonstrate various MMA techniques. What’s great about this is it also comes with a DVD which shows the techniques carried out in person too. This means if you prefer watching moves compared to reading about them, then this book has you covered. Interestingly, this book also covers street fighting and even Filipino knife fighting techniques. Obviously, these categories aren’t relevant to MMA but it’s still interesting nonetheless. Visually though, there’s very little on the market that comes close to this.

Wrestling for Fighting by Randy Couture

As the title suggests, this book is geared towards wrestling in MMA. Whilst this may be a staple of modern-day MMA, the likes of Randy Courture used this at his peak to win two UFC Championship titles. Here, the man himself writes about how to wrestle in MMA which is arguably the most effective strategy these days. In fact, without it, most modern MMA fighters seem to struggle.

Here, Courture also breaks down the key differences between MMA wrestling and regular wrestling and the tweaks you will need to apply when using it in the cage, such as watching out for BJJ traps or boxers looking to punch you. Although this book maybe well over 10 years old, it’s still as applicable today as it’s ever been and offers a great technical insight into wrestling in MMA.

Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts by Greg Jackson

This book is written by one of MMAs best ever coaches, Greg Jackson of the legendary Jackson Wink gym which was home to the likes of Jon Jones and other UFC regulars. The point of this book is based on the stand up game of MMA. As it happens though, Jackson also released a similar book which was tailored towards the ground game.

As you can imagine, this book is based on striking; from boxing to Muay Thai practically everything you can imagine is covered and there are probably few that can provide such an insight into these disciplines like Jackson can. From defensive work to combos and winning punches, there’s a lot that is covered here.

Fight Like a Physicist by Jason Thalken

Like Delavier’s book, this one also offers a scientific approach to MMA. In this case, it’s literal as the author Thalken has a Ph.D. in physics, maths, and philosophy. All of these skills are used in fighting, whether you know it or not. What’s great about this book is that it delves deep into the intricate, scientific details of fighting. For instance, he explains how a haymaker is far more powerful than a jab, and why – as well as looking at how angles can significantly enhance your power and chance of winning.

It even has a section devoted to self defense which is pretty cool if you’re into that sort of thing. As mentioned, there’s a lot of similarities between this and Delavier’s book so if you’re interested in a nerdy take on fighting that may give you an edge on your opponents, this book is a great read.

Ground Fighting Techniques to Destroy Your Enemy by Sam Fury

Sam Fury’s book is based solely on ground fighting and grappling for MMA, so don’t expect anything regarding stand up or boxing. Instead, it shows you how to work from your back, as well as pass and advance positions, resulting in ground and pound or submissions. One thing that should be noted is that this book is pretty basic at times.

In other words, if you’re already experienced in MMA or BJJ then this book may be too simplistic in parts. However, if you’re new to both MMA and BJJ then it’s ideal and serves as a great introduction. Too often, MMA fighters lack the knowledge and understanding of having a ground game and despite how good they are standing, this can seriously hinder them. This is where Sam Fury’s writing comes in handy.

Boxing for MMA by Mark Hatmaker

This book is really handy if you’re thinking about applying boxing to an MMA setting. Whilst boxing in isolation is a great skill to learn, it becomes more complex when you throw in wrestling, submissions, and kicks. The aim of this book is to address this and tailor your boxing around these issues that boxers may typically come up against in the cage. It’s also accompanied by hundreds of photos which help which is especially useful if you’re a visual learner.

A nice part about this book is that it’s not too fancy and focuses on the fundamentals. These are priceless when it comes to both boxing and fighting it’s worth it from that standpoint alone. Not to mention the great strategic advice is also brings.

Ultimate Fighting Techniques by Royce Gracie

Without Royce Gracie, the face of MMA would look drastically different, because this is the man that bought BJJ to MMA and made it work. Winning the early UFC events through his clean BJJ, he proved that submissions could be applied with strikes involved too. With this in mind, this book is mostly based on the grappling and submission aspects of MMA which is where Royce Gracie is at his best.

What’s nice about this book is that if you’re a beginner, Royce also goes through the terminology and clearly breaks down everything so you won’t get confused with what is going on. The beauty of learning BJJ for MMA is that it can end a fight in seconds and turn bad situations into winning ones. This is where the book excels and will teach you how and when to submit people, as well as control and sweep them.