Warm Up
Discuss these questions with your partner before you start the lesson.
Question 1
What parts of the body does a fighter use to hit?
Question 2
What part of the body do fighters protect most?
Question 3
Where do fighters get hurt?
Vocabulary
8 key words for this lesson
JAB
A fast, straight punch with the front hand.
She used her jab to keep the other fighter away.
CHIN
The bottom part of your face. A fighter with a good chin can take hard punches.
He has a strong chin. Three big punches hit him and he did not fall.
TEMPLE
The side of the head above the ear. A hard hit here can end a fight.
The punch hit his temple and he fell to the mat.
RIBS
The bones on the side of the body, around your chest.
A hard kick to the ribs makes a fighter slow.
KNEE
The middle part of your leg. Fighters can hit with it.
He hit the other fighter in the body with his knee.
ELBOW
The middle part of your arm. In MMA, fighters can hit with it.
She hit him with her elbow and cut his face above the eye.
GUARD
The position of your hands and arms to protect your head and body.
Keep your guard up or you will get hit.
STANCE
The way a fighter stands, with the feet and body ready to fight.
In his stance, his left foot is in front.
Phrases
4 phrases and their meanings
KEEP YOUR GUARD UP
Protect your head and face with your hands during a fight.
The coach always says, "Keep your guard up!"
BODY SHOT
A punch or kick aimed at the body, not the head.
He hit the ribs with a body shot. The other fighter was in pain.
TAKE A PUNCH
Get hit and keep fighting. You do not fall.
She can take a punch. A big punch hit her, but she stayed calm.
DROP YOUR HANDS
Put your hands down. Now your head is not safe.
Never drop your hands in a fight. The other fighter will hit you.
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Mia
CarlosCarlos, the commentator keeps saying "he dropped his guard." What does that mean?
It means he put his hands down. When you drop your hands, your head is open. That is when you get hit.
Oh, so keep your guard up means always have your hands high?
Exactly. You protect your chin and your temple. Those are the dangerous places.
Now he is hitting the body. Is that to the ribs?
Yes, a body shot to the ribs. If you hit there a lot, the fighter gets slow and cannot breathe well.
He also used his elbow. Is that allowed?
Yes, you can use elbows in MMA. They can cut the skin. And knees to the body are allowed too.
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
Always keep your— — —up. Protect your head.
Sentence 2
He hit the ribs with a hard— — —and the fighter fell.
Sentence 3
She has a strong— — —. Two big punches hit her and she kept fighting.
Sentence 4
His— — —cut the other fighter above the eye.
Sentence 5
In his— — —, the left foot is in front.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.What is your "guard" in MMA?
2.What is a "body shot"?
3.What does "drop your hands" mean?
4.Which body part is the "temple"?