The Grappling Beginners Tips

This is a hobby/pastime for most, you are learning to fight but you should also be having fun. It will be hard at times and you may question if it’s worth it but you gotta be enjoying it deep down. If you don’t then find something else, life is to short.

Every newbie gets told to “relax” about a hundred times, it’ll take time to come but is important for productive training.

What they roughly mean is :

1. Pace yourself. Don’t try to go all out for 30 seconds then be unable to carry on rolling without passing out or throwing up. Learn that gassing sucks and that a purple complexion suits nobody.
2. Don’t be so tense. It’ll slow you down and make you tire quicker. Not every muscle in your body has to be working at full contraction the whole time!
3. Don’t freak out in bad positions or when you’re caught in a sub, it’s just training. By staying calm and reacting instead of panicking you’ll learn more.
4. Expend your energy as efficiently as possible.
5. Don’t try to do moves a hundred times faster than needed (or that your skill level allows). Mechanics and leverage are important too
6. Don’t try to bully moves. Use what is there, not just what you want. Also, learning when to let go of a move is as important as when to go for one.
7. Head squeezers suck. You’re there to learn, not to try and headlock someone to death.

When newbies tense up they tend to hold their breath as well. Try to keep a regular breathing pattern. Sounds simple but you’d be surprised how hard it can be when under pressure. You will gas anyway but breath and you’ll last a lot longer.

If you want to learn anything and get good it takes time. You aren’t going to be tapping everyone out after a weeks training. Have patience and put in the work, it’ll come.

If you want to make progress then consistent training is key. A session here and there is no good, make the effort to get down to regular classes. Consistency in attitude is also important.

Simply turning up is not enough. No one else can make you good, a coach can only guide you, it’s down to you. Pay attention and try to get as much out of the class as possible. You should take something from every drill and roll.

If you don’t understand something then ask, you are there to learn. Ask more experienced students you train with as well as the coach. If someone keeps catching you with something during training ask what you are doing wrong. Correcting it will make you both better. As the saying goes “The only stupid question is the one not asked”.

Note :

Ask relevant questions, don’t be the nob who’s asks “Would Bruce Lee beat Rickson Gracie?” when a drill is being explained.

Don’t get hurt. If you are caught tap.

You’re supposed to get tapped, it’s part of the game. If you can escape go for it but if you’re going to get hurt tap. You don’t actually have to be in pain with gritted teeth to tap, sometimes that is too late!

We all end up learning this the hard way. Anyone with some mat time under his belt can probably think of times he wishes he hadn’t been so stubborn and had tapped earlier. Tapping and carrying on with the class is lot better than missing sessions while an injury heals.

Apply the final portion of submissions with slow even pressure, do not jerk them on without control. By all means enter quickly in to the technique, but when it comes to finishing you gotta control the limb and apply pressure slowly.

When you have a submission applied it is your partners job to tap, but it’s yours to notice the tap. Don’t just wildly apply the submission without being a aware of your opponent, he may not be able to use his hands on you and could signal vocally, tapping the mat or by stamping his feet, .

** Take injuries seriously **

Another biggie we all learn the hard way, and some of us never get in to our thick heads.

If you pick up an injury, stop and get it treated before you go back on the mat. Missing the end of a session to ice an injury and skipping the rest of the week is better than creating a problem which will blight your training for months or even years. Seriously, if you need to take time off, do it.

Going down to watch the classes during your break is encouraged, but only if you can resist going on. If it’s too much temptation find something else to do.

Learn to treat your injuries. R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevatinon) will be your best friend.

You WILL get your ass kicked. At the start you will get tapped lots. Remember that everyone went through the same thing, even the best. Even with some experience you’ll always get caught and have days when you get schooled by people you normally clown. Bad sessions are part of training. Don’t get discouraged. Have patience, keep training and try to enjoy the workout.

You can learn a lot from watching others. Being able to see and understand what others are doing will increase your understanding. You may be able to pick up a technique, detail or movement that will help your game. Everyone has their own way of grappling, differing styles can teach you different things.

Also, studying someone better than you and modeling how they roll can be a good way to make progress.

Shouldn’t really need to include this but you never know.

Wash your kit every session. Wash yourself every session. Keep nails trimmed.

Show respect to the people you train with.

On the mat keep your partners safety in mind and don’t go bullying less experienced players.

Off the mat some piss taking is part of being a team but bad blood and gossip can kill a group.

This is a motto at many clubs. Training can be competitive but you are there to learn, not fight. Training and drilling is about improving performance, not “winning”. Don’t bring your insecurities on to the mat.

Good position skills are what makes a good grappler.

Pin escapes and guard passing are the two most important aspects of your game, they are what you are going to need when rolling with better opponents. Add to that your pinning game and sweeps. This should be your focus, not just when you start training but always.

Submissions are great fun but good position skills are where it’s at, they are what get you to the sub and keep you out of bad positions. Not much point learning a submission combo from the mount if you can’t get there or hold the position.

Spending the time on the fundamentals is the way to get good at grappling.

The “basics” may seem a boring after a few months but in time you will see the depth of understanding there is to gain in their application. Little nuances will become apparent and you will have the foundation to take your game to the next level.

We all have areas we need to train but try to put off. It may be your side control escapes, your penetration step or your leg kick. You need to learn to enjoy this training, it is focusing on these areas that improve your game, not relying on your strong moves. Train the things you hate in the knowledge you’re making progress and putting in that extra bit of effort others at your club might not.

Finding a good drilling partner is great for making really progress, someone who understand how you train and will challenge you.

However, training with just one or two people can put you in a rut, make sure you roll with as wide a cross section of the club as possible.

“Set daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. Write them down and share them with someone close to you.” – Randy Couture

You must constantly set realistic and relevant goals, have a plan to achieve them and stick to it. Goals keep you motivated and give you a map for improvement.

When evaluating your physical skills in fighting/martial arts the only thing that matters is performance. Performance is measured by success against a resisting opponent (ie sparring and live drilling).

Get plenty of sleep and rest. Your body needs time for recuperation, repair and growth. Over-training, tiredness and stress will all hamper performance.

Your nutrition is your fuel. You must find a good balance in your food, drink and supplements to support your training.

Remember that fighting ability doesn’t mean @#%$ in the big picture. If it brings enjoyment to your life that’s brilliant. But, at your funeral do you want the mourners missing you and grieving over the loss, or saying “well, he had a really tight side control”. Be nice and let your family and friends know how much you love ‘em.

Source : grapplearts

Strengths and Weaknesses of 5 Popular Grappling Arts

Part of being a complete martial artist is knowing how practitioners of other styles think, train and fight. This article will provide an introduction to five popular grappling arts — Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, sambo, shootfighting and wrestling — and clue you in as to how you might defeat people who train in them.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

The basic strategy of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist is to mount or submit his opponent — by outlasting him, if necessary. He’s almost always superbly conditioned aerobically (to endure a long fight) and muscularly (to prevent the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles when clinching for eternity). He generally is very patient, slim and smart, and often described as “unbelievable on the ground.”

His weaknesses include the fact that he usually trains and fights while wearing a uniform. Without it, he has no extra “handles” on his opponent and loses the ability to execute many chokes. His standing techniques, including takedowns and striking, are often weak.

Secret: Overpower him in the first moments of a fight. Don’t stay in his guard. Use techniques that are illegal in his type of competition: low strikes, groin attacks, etc. Whatever you do, don’t try to beat him at his own game, for then you will be the underdog.

Judo

The strengths of the judoka include throws, chokes and joint locks. Therefore, his basic strategy revolves around throwing his opponent to earn points and, if possible, making him submit.

His weaknesses are most easily exposed by strikes. Also, competitive judo is one of the more “lopsided” methods of fighting in that it has strict rules (no tackles, neck locks, strikes or leg locks; and the referee can make the players break and stand up). The judo practitioner spends an eternity practicing throws, but he often neglects other critical aspects of a real fight.

Secret : Beat him with strikes or “dirty tricks.”

Sambo

The strengths of a sambo stylist lie in his locks first and his throws second. He’s usually very strong and tough. His basic strategy is the same as that of the judoka — takedown and submission — but because he spends most of his time practicing locks, his takedowns may not be so refined.

Secret: Beat him by using tactics that are illegal in his art. When he shoots in, you can use this very brief opportunity to strike the face and go for a front face lock. If he doesn’t shoot, keep a fist in his face. Remember that the sambo practitioner is not used to blocking punches.

Shootfighting

A shootfighter is almost always superbly conditioned, knowledgeable and clever. This makes him very tough. You must be in great condition to face this type of fighter. If you tire first, he wins. His basic strategy is to straighten a limb — thus exposing a weakness — and lock it.

One shortcoming is that the shootfighter competes under rules such as no closed-hand strikes to the face. That can impart a false sense of security and may cause him to fight in a relaxed, almost casual manner. This prohibition of punching also can lead him to develop a habit of resting while in his opponent’s guard. In a no-rules fight, he’ll get punched if he does this.

Another weakness is that the shootfighter may be used to grabbing the ropes to bail himself out of a sticky situation. However, some proponents argue that this rule forces the shootfighter to learn how to apply locks more quickly than other stylists — so his opponent doesn’t have time to grab the rope.

Secret: Beat him at what he does not practice (i.e., punches to the face) by using a frenetic, “go-ape” style. This can thwart the shootfighter’s usual pace.

Wrestling

Bruce Lee said the hardest guy to beat is the wrestler, whose basic strategy is to crunch his opponent, flatten him and pop something — if he knows how to fight. (If he’s a sport wrestler, he may lack finishing holds and may not strike well.) The wrestler likes to ride his opponent to tire him out. This is effected by making the opponent carry the wrestler’s weight.

Source : blackbeltmag.

World War II Combatives

World War II combatives are close quarters combat techniques, including hand-to-hand, advanced firearm point shooting methods, and weapons techniques (knife/bayonet/improvised weapons) that were taught to allied special forces in World War II by such famous instructors as Rex Applegate and William Ewart Fairbairn. Distinctions between World War II combatives and modern combatives include:

1. The former is based upon explosive high percentage gross motor strikes to vital targets, whereas the latter is based upon fine motor skill grappling.
2. The former seeks primarily to disable the enemy as quickly as possible at all costs, whereas the latter seeks primarily to build "warrior ethos" and the courage to close with the enemy.

Description

• Focus : Hybrid
• Country of origin : UK / USA
• Famous practitioners : Rex Applegate, William Ewart Fairbairn, A.J. Drexel-Biddle, John Styers, Eric A. Sykes, Jack Dempsey, Bill Underwood
• Olympic sport : No

World War II combatives are rooted in British colonial history with the Shanghai Municipal Police (1854–1943), pioneers of modern SWAT, who operated in what was widely acknowledged as the most dangerous port city in the world at the time. After studying under some of the finest warriors of pre-Communist China and pre-war Japan, these officers condensed the most practical elements of these arts, combined it with elements of Shanghai gangster fighting, and field-tested their skills in over 2000 documented encounters, including over 600 lethal force engagements[citation needed].

World War II

Upon return to the UK and US, veterans of the Shanghai Municipal Police were tasked in training allied World War II commandos and intelligence personnel, including the British Commandos - SAS & SBS, the US/Canadian 1st Special Service Force ("Devil's Brigade"), the Office of Strategic Services (precursor to the CIA), the British Special Operation Executive, Marine Raider Units, and the US Army Rangers. Upon engagement with enemy personnel skilled in classical European arts and old school judo, the post-battlefield reports of the “Shanghai method” produced the highest number of documented kills[citation needed] of any combatives system to date.

Source : Wikipedia.

Wrestling Grappling

Wrestling is a form of combat sport involving grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two (occasionally more) competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position. There are a wide range of styles with varying rules with both traditional historic and modern styles. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into other martial arts as well as military hand-to-hand combat systems. The term wrestling is attested in late Old English, as wræstlunge (glossing palestram). Wrestling is one of the oldest forms of combat with references to it as early as the Iliad, in which Homer recounts the Trojan War in the 13th or 12th century BC. The origins of wrestling can be traced back 15,000 years through cave drawings in France.

Babylonian and Egyptian relief's show wrestlers using most of the holds known to the present-day sport. In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied a prominent place in legend and literature; wrestling competition, brutal in many aspects, was the number one sport of the Olympic Games. The ancient Romans borrowed heavily from Greek wrestling, but eliminated much of its brutality. During the Middle Ages (fifth century to fifteenth century) wrestling remained popular and enjoyed the patronage of many royal families, including those of France, Japan and England.

Early Americans brought a strong wrestling tradition with them when they came from England. The settlers also found wrestling to be popular among Native Americans.[citation needed] Amateur wrestling flourished throughout the early years of the country and served as a popular activity at country fairs, holiday celebrations, and in military exercises.

The 1st organized national wrestling tournament was held in New York City in 1888, while the 1st wrestling competition in the modern Olympic Games was held in 1904 in Saint Louis, Missouri. FILA was founded in 1912, in Antwerp, Belgium. The 1st NCAA Wrestling Championships were also held in 1912, in Ames, Iowa. USA Wrestling, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, became the national governing body of amateur wrestling in 1983. It conducts competitions for all age levels. Some of the earliest references to wrestling, can be found in wrestling mythology.

• The Mahabharata describes the encounter between the accomplished wrestlers Bhima and Jarasandha.
• The Epic of Gilgamesh: Gilgamesh established his credibility as a leader, after wrestling Enkidu.
• Greek mythology celebrates the rise of Zeus as ruler of the earth after a wrestling match with his father, Cronus. Both Heracles and Theseus were famous for their wrestling against man and beast.

By country

• Shuai Jiao, a wrestling style originating in China, which according to legend, has a reported history of over 4,000 years.
• In Pharaonic Egypt, wrestling has been evidenced by documentation on tombs (circa 2300 BC) and Egyptian artwork (2000-1085 BC).
• Greek wrestling was a popular form of martial art, at least in Ancient Greece (about 1100 to 146 BC).
• Roman Wrestling: After the Roman conquest of the Greeks, Greek wrestling was absorbed by the Roman culture and became Roman Wrestling during the period of the Roman Empire (510 BC to AD 500).
• Arabic literature depicted Muhammad as a skilled wrestler, defeating a skeptic in a match at one point.
• The Byzantine emperor Basil I, according to court historians, won in wrestling against a boastful wrestler from Bulgaria in the eighth century.
• In 1520 at the Field of the Cloth of Gold pageant, Francis I of France threw fellow king Henry VIII of England in a wrestling match.
• The Lancashire style of folk wrestling may have formed the basis for Catch wrestling, also known as "catch as catch can." The Scots later formed a variant of this style, and the Irish developed the "collar-and-elbow" style which later found its way into the United States.
• A Frenchman "is generally credited with reorganizing European loose wrestling into a professional sport", Greco-Roman wrestling. This style which was finalized by the 19th century and by then, wrestling was featured in many fairs and festivals in Europe.

Modern

Greco-Roman wrestling and modern freestyle wrestling were soon regulated in formal competitions, in part resulting from the rise of gymnasiums and athletic clubs.

On continental Europe, prize money was offered in large sums to the winners of Greco-Roman tournaments, and freestyle wrestling spread rapidly in the United Kingdom and in the United States after the American Civil War. Wrestling professionals soon increased the popularity of Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling, worldwide.

• Greco-Roman wrestling became an event at the first modern Olympic games, in Athens in 1896. Since 1908, the event has been in every Summer Olympics.
• Freestyle wrestling became an olympic event, in 1904. Women's freestyle wrestling was added to the Summer Olympics in 2004.

Since 1921, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) has regulated amateur wrestling as an athletic discipline, while professional wrestling has largely become infused with theatrics but still requires athletic ability. Today, olympic wrestling is the national sport of several of Russia's Republics, Iran, Turkey, Mongolia, Azerbaijan, Gambia, United States and several ex-U.S.S.R nations.

International disciplines (non-folk styles)

Wrestling disciplines defined by FILA, are broken down into two categories; International wrestling disciplines and folk wrestling disciplines. According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, there are five current International wrestling disciplines acknowledged throughout the world. They are Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling, Grappling, Beach wrestling and MMA.

Greco-Roman

Greco-Roman is an international discipline and an Olympic sport. In Greco-Roman style, it is forbidden to hold the opponent below the belt, to make trips, and to actively use the legs in the execution of any action. Recent rule changes in Greco-Roman increase opportunities for and place greater emphasis on explosive, 'high amplitude' throws. Pinning one's opponent to the mat is one way of winning. One of the most well known Greco-Roman wrestlers is Alexander Karelin from Russia.

Freestyle wrestling

Freestyle wrestling is an international discipline and an Olympic sport, for both men and women. This style allows the use of the wrestler's or his opponent's legs in offense and defense. Freestyle wrestling has its origins in catch-as-catch-can wrestling and the prime victory condition in this style involves the wrestler winning by throwing and pinning his opponent on the mat. American high school and college wrestling is conducted under different rules and is termed scholastic and collegiate wrestling. Outside the U.S., one can find professional wrestlers who compete by the rules of freestyle wrestling.

Grappling

striking and also includes the use of submission holds. It is also referred to as “submission grappling.” It starts from a standing position or on the ground after a throw, and the goal is to make the opponent submit via the use of immobilization techniques such as locks. Grappling, differing from the FILA definition, plays an important role in the practice of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and can be used as a self-defence technique. It brings together techniques from Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Freestyle Wrestling, American Folk Wrestling (catch-as-catch-can), sambo, and judo. Grapplers wear shorts and a tight shirt (No-Gi) or kimonos (Gi).

MMA and combat grappling

Combat grappling is a form of safe amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) that incorporates techniques from most existing Martial Arts systems, creating a unique fighting environment that alternatively takes the fight from standing to ground positions. Combat grappling matches are either won by grappling holds such as joint locks and chokes, or by striking and kicking techniques. Combat grappling also intends to be a realistic form of self-defense covering all aspects of standing and ground fighting, thus making it perfect and safe to use for military, police, and security training.

Beach wrestling

FILA codified the current form of Beach Wrestling in 2004. Beach wrestling is standing wrestling done by wrestlers, male or female, inside a sand-filled circle measuring 6 meters (20 ft) in diameter with only two weight categories, heavy and light. The wrestlers wear swimsuits rather than special wrestling uniforms. Wrestlers may also wear spandex or athletic shorts. The objective is to bring the opponent to the ground, push them out of bounds or pin their shoulders to the ground.

Oil wrestling

Oil wrestling (Turkish: yağlı güreş), also called grease wrestling, is the Turkish national sport. It is so called because the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil. It is related to Uzbek kurash, Tuvan khuresh and Tatar köräş. The wrestlers, known as pehlivan meaning "champion" wear a type of hand-stitched lederhosen called a kispet, which are traditionally made of water buffalo hide, and most recently have been made of calfskin.

Unlike Olympic wrestling, oil wrestling matches may be won by achieving an effective hold of the kisbet. Thus, the pehlivan aims to control his opponent by putting his arm through the latter's kisbet. To win by this move is called paça kazık. Originally, matches had no set duration and could go on for one or two days, until one man was able to establish superiority, but in 1975 the duration was capped at 40 minutes for the baspehlivan and 30 minutes for the pehlivan category. If no winner is determined, another 15 minutes—10 minutes for the pehlivan category—of wrestling ensues, wherein scores are kept to determine the victor.

The annual Kırkpınar tournament, held in Edirne in Turkish Thrace since 1362, is the oldest continuously running, sanctioned sporting competition in the world. In recent years this style of wrestling has also become popular in other countries.

Sambo

Sambo is a martial art that originated in the Soviet Union (specifically Russia) in the 20th century. It is an acronym for "self-defence without weapons" in Russian and had its origins in the Soviet armed forces. Its influences are varied, with techniques borrowed from sports ranging from the two international wrestling styles of Greco-Roman and freestyle to judo, jiu-jitsu, European styles of folk wrestling, and even fencing. The rules for sport sambo are similar to those in competitive judo, with a variety of leglocks and defense holds from the various national wrestling styles in the Soviet Union, while not allowing chokeholds.

Pankration

Pankration, from the Greek words "Pan" and "Kratos" meaning "the one who controls everything", is a world heritage martial art with the unique distinction of being the only martial sport in existence today that can legitimately trace its roots to the ancient Olympic Games from 648 BC to 393 AD. Today, pankration is developed by FILA as a mild form of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA),

Folk style disciplines

Folk wrestling describes a traditional form of wrestling unique to a culture or geographic region of the world that FILA does not administer rules for. Examples of the many styles of folk wrestling, include Backhold Wrestling (from Europe), Cumberland Wrestling and Catch-as-catch-can (from England), Kurash from Uzbekistan, Gushteengiri from Tajikistan, Khuresh from Siberia, Lotta Campidanese from Italy, Pahlavani from Iran, Pehlwani from India, Penjang Gulat from Indonesia, Schwingen from Switzerland, Tigel from Ethiopia, Nubian Wrestling from Sudan and South Sudan, Shuai jiao from China, Ssireum from Korea. Folk wrestling styles are not recognized as international styles of wrestling, by FILA.

Collegiate wrestling

Collegiate wrestling (sometimes known as scholastic wrestling or folkstyle wrestling) is the commonly used name of wrestling practiced at the college and university level in the United States. This style, with modifications, is also practiced at the high school and middle school levels, and also for younger participants. The term is used to distinguish the style from other styles of wrestling used in other parts of the world, and from those of the Olympic Games: Greco-Roman wrestling, and Freestyle wrestling.

Some high schools in the U.S. have developed junior varsity and freshman teams alongside varsity teams. Junior varsity and freshman wrestling teams restrict competitors not only by weight, but also by age and the amount of wrestling a competitor can partake in. For example, some junior varsity and freshman competitors are not allowed in tournament competition due to the amount of mat time a wrestler would accrue in a short time period.

There are currently several organizations which oversee collegiate wrestling competition: Divisions I, II, and III of the NCAA, the NJCAA, the NAIA, and the NCWA. NCAA Division I wrestling is considered the most prestigious and challenging level of competition. A school chooses which athletic organization to join, although it may compete against teams from other levels and organizations during regular-season competition. The collegiate season starts in October or November and culminates with the NCAA tournament held in March

Professional wrestling

Professional competitive wrestling is uncommon. Professional wrestling refers in practice to "sports entertainment", where matches are 'worked' to an arranged outcome, as a result of staged combat.

United States

Professional wrestling, can often be referred to as sports entertainment, which has predetermined outcomes, and is considered by many to be a performance. In some promotions, "feuds" are used to build up a championship match. The athletes mostly utilize the traditional Anglo-American catch wrestling holds.

Puroresu

Japanese professional wrestling, also known as puroresu, is treated as a sport rather than the entertainment style of wrestling found in North America. There are no storylines or any sort of angle found in most puroresu promotions. The matches have the atmosphere of real wrestling competition. Techniques include use of amateur or shoot wrestling tactics in addition to hard hitting martial arts strikes and complex submission maneuvers. This means that the wrestlers are more prone to injury. Popular Japanese wrestlers include Kenta Kobashi, Tiger Mask, The Great Muta, Jun Akiyama, Jushin "Thunder" Liger, and KENTA.

Lucha libre

Mexican professional wrestling, also known as Lucha libre is a style of wrestling that combines mixed-martial arts and the wrestling of North America. In Lucha libre the wrestler or luchador uses a mask to cover his face. Traditionally the match is for the best of three rounds without a time limit. The "Luchador" or "wrestler" athlete uses their own wrestling style or "estilo de lucha" consisting of aerial attack wrestling moves, strikes and complex submission moves. The most popular luchadores are Santo, Blue Demon, Rey Mysterio, Eddie Guerrero, La Parka, Dos Caras Jr./Alberto Del Rio and Mistico.

Germany

In Germany, "Berufsringen" refers to wrestling where professional wrestlers fight by traditional rules, and "Wrestling" refers to the professional wrestling of U.S. promotions. The German language makes this distinction clear, as the term 'Ringen' is used to designate sport wrestling in any of the Olympic or folk styles, while the terms 'Wrestling' and 'Catchen' refers to professional wrestling entertainment; a sport wrestler is a 'Ringer' and a professional wrestling star is a 'Wrestler' or 'Catcher'. Ringer-Bundesliga is the top level of professional team wrestling.

Mixed martial arts competition

Grappling and striking skills are both of importance in mixed martial arts competitions. Fighters who were accomplished wrestlers, gained respect during the early stages of MMA development. Some of these, went on to win several early Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12).

Successful fighters in modern MMA who began their training in various forms of wrestling, include Jon Jones, Frank Edgar, Cain Velasquez, former Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier and Brock Lesnar, a former UFC heavyweight champion who was a NCAA wrestling champion in 2000 and achieved 2nd place 1999, and former champions Dan Henderson, of PRIDE FC and Randy Couture, a multi-time UFC champion, both of whom competed extensively in collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestling before beginning their careers in mixed martial arts. Read more about Mixed Martial Arts ( MMA )

Source : Wikipedia.

North–South Position Or Four Quarter

In combat sports, the north–south position (also known as north/south or four quarter) is a ground grappling position where one combatant is supine, with the other combatant invertedly lying prone on top, normally with his or her head over the bottom combatant's chest. The north–south position is a dominant position, where the top combatant can apply effective strikes such as knee strikes to the head, or easily transition into various grappling holds or more dominant positions. Transitioning into side control can be done by first switching into a particular hold known as ushiro-kesa-gatame or reverse scarf hold, where the chest points to the side, and the opponent's arm is controlled similarly to kesa-gatame. Kami shiho gatame "upper four quarter hold down", and its variations kuzure kami shiho gatame "broken upper four quarter hold down", are the most common pinning holds applied from the north–south position in combat sports using a gi.

Kami shiho gatame involves pinning the opponent's arms to his or her side, typically by grabbing the opponent's belt and using the arms to press the arms of the opponent inwards. Kuzure-kami-shiho-gatame is similar, except that one or both arms of the opponent aren't pinned to the side, but can be controlled by for instance pinning them in between an upper arm and a knee. Kami shiho gatame is one of the seven mat holds, Osaekomi-waza, of Kodokan Judo. In grappling terms, it is categorized as a north–south hold. Shiho gatame is also one of the 25 techniques of Danzan Ryu's constriction arts, Shimete, list.

Technique description

• A straight over throw naturally leads to kami shiho gatame.

Escapes

• Ebi (Shrimp) Kami-Shiho-Gatame Escape
• Circling Bridge/Roll-over Kami-Shiho-Gatame Escape

Included systems

Systems:

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Kodokan Judo, Judo Lists
• Danzan Ryu, Danzan Ryu Lists

Lists:

• The Canon Of Judo
• Judo technique
• Similar techniques, variants, and aliases

English aliases:

• Upper four quarter hold down
• Top four corner hold
• The NSFW(Not Safe For Work) Position

Variants:

• DZR's Shiho-Gatame
• Sitting Kami-Shiho-Gatame
• Embracing Kami-Shiho-Gatame

Similar:

• Kuzure kami shiho gatame

Source : Wikipedia

Half Guard ( Grappling )

Half guard, or alternatively half mount, is a ground grappling position where one combatant is lying on the other, with the bottom combatant having one leg entangled. Sometimes the bottom combatant is said to be in half guard, while the top combatant is in a half mount respectively. In wrestling and catch wrestling half mount is called turk ride. The half guard is the position that is in between a full guard and side control or full mount. The combatant on top will try to untangle the leg and obtain side control or mount, while the bottom combatant will try to transition into a full guard or alternatively attempt a sweep or submission. The combatant on top is however in a better position, and can strike or attempt submission holds, although not as well as in side control. The Lock down is a variant of half guard where the defending practitioner further intertwines the legs to achieve a figure four. Using the more extended of their legs, the practitioner traps and drives the foot of the opponent upward; thereby attempting to limit the ability of the opponent to pass to full mount or side control. This position offers a slightly higher likelihood of executing successful sweeps, or reversals, while also offering limited submission options.

Mount

The mount, or mounted position, is a dominant ground grappling position, where one combatant sits on the other combatants torso with the face pointing towards the opponent's head. This is very favourable for the top combatant in several ways. The top combatant can generate considerable momentum for strikes such as punches or elbows to the head of the opponent, while the bottom combatant is restricted by the ground and by the combatant on top. Another advantage are various chokeholds and joint locks which can be applied from the top, while such holds are not feasible from the bottom. The top priority for the bottom combatant is to sweep the opponent or transition into a better position such as the guard.

Variations of the mount

A mount which is very high up on the opponent's chest is referred to as a high mount, and a very low one on the abdomen or even thighs as a low mount. A high mount can be used to pin one of the opponents arms under the knee, so as to prevent him or her from defending effectively. This however might increase the risk of the opponent being able to escape the back door, in which he or she is able to move under the opponent and escape the mount. A too low mount on the other hand will result in the opponent being able to sit up, and possibly reverse the position into an open guard with him or her on top.

Another variation of the mount is the unusual reverse mount, in which the top combatant's face is towards the legs of the opponent. Such a position can be used to transition into various leglocks. There is also the S-Mount where one knee slides next to the opponent's head while the other leg is curled under the opponent's armpit (for the legs to form an S) which adds additional pressure to opponent's ribcage and can be used to set up more advanced chokes and arm locks.

Attacks from the mount

Strikes from the mount

For those sports that allow striking from the mounted position, such as mixed martial arts, the most common strikes are punches to the face and head. Elbow strikes are also commonly used, and knee strikes are sometimes seen. In addition to punching the head, strikes to the ribs and chest can also be difficult to defend and thus effective.

Submissions from the mount

The mounted position is ideal for applying a variety of armlocks. By trapping the opponent's arm against the ground, the combatant in mount can easily apply a keylock, known in judo as ude-garami and in BJJ as either Kimura (medial keylock) or Americana (lateral keylock). If the bottom combatant attempts to push the top one off by extending one or both arms and pushing, the opponent can transition into a juji-gatame armbar.

Many chokes, especially collar chokes, are also available from the mounted position. Such chokes are generally limited to sporting contestants who wear a gi or, in real-life combat, opponents wearing thick jackets, which provide a collar as an aid to choking, but attempting them at a gi-less situation can be successful if the performer manages to hold his opponent. Other submissions such as the Triangle Choke, Arm Triangle and the Gogoplata can be used from the mount but are less common.

Pinning holds from the mount

Pinning holds in budō from the mount include tate shiho gatame "horizontal four quarters hold", also called hon-tate-shiho-gatame), which is similar to kata-gatame except that it is performed from the mount. The opponent's arm is pinned against his or her neck, and the head and arm are held tightly. This may result in a potent arm triangle choke. In its variations kuzure-tate-shiho-gatame "modified horizontal four quarters hold"), the arm is not held against the neck, but rather, one of the arms may be held. The stability of these pinning holds or the mount in general, can be increased by entangling the opponents legs with the own legs, a technique known as grapevining.

Defending from the bottom

It is critical for the bottom practitioner to be able to defend a mount by an opponent. Typical escapes include the back door escape (escaping by moving under the opponent), bridging (also called the upa escape; escaping by thrusting the hips upwards and to the side). An alternative also commonly used is the elbow escape, also referred to as the shrimp or shrimping, this involves using the elbows or hands to create space in between the opponent and the practitioner so that the practitioner can work one leg, then the other in between himself and his opponent, hence obtaining the half guard, or full guard. Another option for the defending practitioner is to rotate the body so that the face points downwards.

This will however place the practitioner in a very disadvantageous position, defending the back mount, but it is possible to escape while turning, if the opponent has not yet stabilized the position. By simultaneously escaping the back door, or by standing up in an attempt to dislodge the opponent, a practitioner may successfully escape. Still another technique is for the defending practitioner to sweep his opponent, thereby moving from a defensive position to neutral one, or in a best-case scenario a dominant position.

Source : Wikipedia.

Guard ( Grappling )

The guard is a ground grappling position where one combatant has their back to the ground, while attempting to control the other combatant using the legs. In pure grappling combat sports, the guard is considered an advantageous position, because the bottom combatant can attack with various joint locks and chokeholds, while the top combatant's priority is to transition into a more dominant position, a process known as passing the guard. In mixed martial arts competition or hand-to-hand combat in general, it is possible to effectively strike from the top in the guard, even though the bottom combatant exerts some control. There are various types of guard, with their own advantages and disadvantages. The guard is a key part of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu where it is used as an offensive position. It is also used, but not formally named, in judo though it is sometimes referred to as "dō-osae" in Japanese, meaning "trunk hold". It is called the "front body scissor" in catch wrestling. Transitioning directly from standing to the guard position is known as pulling guard. Tsunetane Oda, a judo groundwork specialist who died in 1955, demonstrated the technique on video.

Closed Guard

Sometimes referred to as full guard. The closed guard is the typical guard position. The legs are hooked behind the back of the opponent, preventing them from standing up or moving away. The opponent needs to open the legs up to be able to improve positioning. The bottom combatant might transition between the open and closed guard, as the open guard allows for better movement, but also increased risk of the opponent passing the guard.

Open Guard

The open guard is typically used to perform various joint locks and chokeholds. The legs can be used to move the opponent, and to create leverage. The legs open allows the opponent to stand up or try to pass the guard, so this position is often used temporarily to set up sweeps or other techniques. Open guard is also a general term that encompasses a large number of guard positions where the legs are used to push, wrap or hook the opponent without locking the ankles together around them.

Butterfly Guard

The butterfly guard being used during Judo training. The judogi of the top combatant is grabbed to prevent him from moving away. The butterfly guard involves both of the legs being hooked with the ankles in between the opponents legs, against the inside of the opponents thighs. The opponent is controlled using both legs and arms. The butterfly guard is often short-lived since the opponent might be able to move quite freely. The leverage in the butterfly guard allows for powerful sweeps. The butterfly guard also allows one to elevate or set the opponent off balance, because of this it is particularly useful in avoiding damage from ground and pound and for many transitions. Analogous technique in wrestling and catch wrestling is called double elevator.

X-Guard

The x-guard is an open guard where one of the combatants is standing up and the other is on their back. The bottom combatant uses the legs to entangle one of the opponent's legs, which creates opportunities for powerful sweeps. The x-guard is often used in combination with butterfly and half guard. In a grappling match, this is an advantageous position for the bottom combatant, but in general hand-to-hand combat, the top combatant can attack with stomps or soccer kicks. Likewise, skilled use of the x-guard can prevent the opponent from attempting a kick, or throw them off balance should they raise a leg. The x-guard was popularised by Marcelo Garcia.

Spider Guard

The spider guard comprises a number of positions all of which involve controlling the opponents arms while using the soles of the feet to control the opponent at the biceps, hips, thighs or a combination of them. It is most effective when the sleeves of the opponent can be grabbed, for instance if the opponent is wearing a gi. The spider guard can be used for sweeps and to set up joint locks or chokeholds.

De la Riva Guard

The De la Riva guard (also called the De la Riva hook and jello guard) is an open guard that was popularized in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by black belt Ricardo de la Riva Goded, who was successful with it in competition. In it, one of the legs is wrapped behind the opponent's leg from the outside, the ankle held with one hand, and the other hand grips one of their sleeves. The De la Riva guard offers many sweeps, transitions and submissions, and is often used in combination with spider guard.

Rubber Guard

Rubber Guard diagram, a red figure holding blue figure in the rubber guard. This is a position that keeps the opponent down in your guard. First used by Nino Schembri but popularized and made a system by Eddie Bravo, many techniques have been developed from this position including sweeps, submissions, and striking defense. By being flexible and using a leg to hold the opponent down, one arm is free to work on submissions, sweeps or to strike the opponent's trapped head.

50-50 Guard

The 50-50 (Fifty-fifty) guard is a position popularized by Roberto “Gordo” Correa and extensively used by the Mendes Brothers, Rafael and Guilherme Mendes, Bruno Frazzato, Ryan Hall and Ramon Lemos from the Atos Jiu-Jitsu Team. In other grappling systems such as catch wrestling and Russian Sambo, it is a form of the "outside leg triangle" type of leg control. In this position, the fighter on the bottom crosses a triangle on the opponent's leg, which allows for the leg to be dominated while leaving the arms free to work on sweeps and submissions. This position has been heavily criticized for use in competitions with restricted use of leglocks due to the potential of stalling a match when the fighter on top cannot pass the guard and the fighter on the bottom cannot successfully perform a sweep.

Passing the Guard

In order to overcome the primary defense of his opponent, his guard, and attain a more dominant position, such as side mount, full mount, or knee on stomach a practitioner must pass the guard. There are several ways of doing so; many involve pain compliance whereby the practitioner persuades the opponent to release his guard through an abrasive action. Examples of this type of action would be digging the practitioner's forearms into the inner thigh of the opponent, standing and attempting a can opener neck crank, or in the case of a mixed martial arts setting, to simply strike the opponent until the guard is released. Passing the guard however has perils of its own, as it has a tendency to leave the practitioner particularly vulnerable to counter attack in the form of sweeps and submissions.

Simple guard pass

Simple guard pass also known as the arm/leg pull is a guard pass demonstrated in The Essence Of Judo by Kyuzo Mifune, and it is an unnamed technique described in The Canon Of Judo. The main characteristic of the pass is the practitioner side-stepping around the opponent's legs whilst simultaneously pulling aside the opponent's leg.

Stacking guard pass

Stacking Guard Pass is also demonstrated in The Essence Of Judo by Mifune, and it is also an unnamed technique described in The Canon Of Judo. The main characteristic of the technique is one practitioner lifting the opponent and stacking him, into a possible neck crank submission, when the practitioner is in the opponent's open guard.

Near knee guard pass

Near Knee Guard Pass is also demonstrated in The Essence Of Judo by Mifune. The main characteristic of this pass is the practitioner driving their knee over the opponent's same side thigh while in the opponent's open guard.

Source : Wikipedia.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Grappling Arts

Traditionally, grappling was always synonymous with the combative sport of wrestling. Back then, wrestlers were called grapplers and grapplers were called wrestlers. During traditional grappling competitions, two unarmed opponents engaged in a hand-to-hand struggle, and the goal was to throw your opponent to the ground and gain control over him. These competitions separated themselves from boxing arts by disallowing strikes.

Nowadays, most use the word “grappling” to describe techniques that use holds and leverage, such as clinches, escapes, pins and controlling skills, sweeps, submission holds, reversals, takedowns, throws and turnovers. However, the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles considers grappling a wrestling style (aka submission grappling or submission wrestling).

Although many combative sports and martial arts use grappling techniques in conjunction with body strikes, combative arts like Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo and submission wrestling are pure grappling arts that do not allow striking.

Part of being a complete martial artist is knowing how practitioners of other styles think, train and fight. This article will provide an introduction to five popular grappling arts — Brazilian jiu-jitsu, judo, sambo, shootfighting and wrestling — and clue you in as to how you might defeat people who train in them.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

The basic strategy of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist is to mount or submit his opponent — by outlasting him, if necessary. He’s almost always superbly conditioned aerobically (to endure a long fight) and muscularly (to prevent the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles when clinching for eternity). He generally is very patient, slim and smart, and often described as “unbelievable on the ground.”

His weaknesses include the fact that he usually trains and fights while wearing a uniform. Without it, he has no extra “handles” on his opponent and loses the ability to execute many chokes. His standing techniques, including takedowns and striking, are often weak.

Secret: Overpower him in the first moments of a fight. Don’t stay in his guard. Use techniques that are illegal in his type of competition: low strikes, groin attacks, etc. Whatever you do, don’t try to beat him at his own game, for then you will be the underdog.

Judo

The strengths of the judoka include throws, chokes and joint locks. Therefore, his basic strategy revolves around throwing his opponent to earn points and, if possible, making him submit.

His weaknesses are most easily exposed by strikes. Also, competitive judo is one of the more “lopsided” methods of fighting in that it has strict rules (no tackles, neck locks, strikes or leg locks; and the referee can make the players break and stand up). The judo practitioner spends an eternity practicing throws, but he often neglects other critical aspects of a real fight.
Secret: Beat him with strikes or “dirty tricks.”

Sambo

The strengths of a sambo stylist lie in his locks first and his throws second. He’s usually very strong and tough. His basic strategy is the same as that of the judoka — takedown and submission — but because he spends most of his time practicing locks, his takedowns may not be so refined.

Secret: Beat him by using tactics that are illegal in his art. When he shoots in, you can use this very brief opportunity to strike the face and go for a front face lock. If he doesn’t shoot, keep a fist in his face. Remember that the sambo practitioner is not used to blocking punches.

Shootfighting

A shootfighter is almost always superbly conditioned, knowledgeable and clever. This makes him very tough. You must be in great condition to face this type of fighter. If you tire first, he wins. His basic strategy is to straighten a limb — thus exposing a weakness — and lock it.

One shortcoming is that the shootfighter competes under rules such as no closed-hand strikes to the face. That can impart a false sense of security and may cause him to fight in a relaxed, almost casual manner. This prohibition of punching also can lead him to develop a habit of resting while in his opponent’s guard. In a no-rules fight, he’ll get punched if he does this.
Another weakness is that the shootfighter may be used to grabbing the ropes to bail himself out of a sticky situation. However, some proponents argue that this rule forces the shootfighter to learn how to apply locks more quickly than other stylists — so his opponent doesn’t have time to grab the rope.

Secret: Beat him at what he does not practice (i.e., punches to the face) by using a frenetic, “go-ape” style. This can thwart the shootfighter’s usual pace.

Wrestling

Bruce Lee said the hardest guy to beat is the wrestler, whose basic strategy is to crunch his opponent, flatten him and pop something — if he knows how to fight. (If he’s a sport wrestler, he may lack finishing holds and may not strike well.) The wrestler likes to ride his opponent to tire him out. This is effected by making the opponent carry the wrestler’s weight.

The wrestler’s biggest strength lies in making his opponent perpetually “think defense.” It’s usually suicidal to try to out-wrestle him, since wrestling is all he does.
Secret: Be in better condition and do something he doesn’t know. For example, back up constantly and kick his legs as Marco Ruas used to do in the UFC. Or keep your fist in his face, as Benny Urquidez advocates. Always remember what master grappler Gene LeBell says: “The best way to beat any fighter is to do something illegal in his own game, something he doesn’t know.”

Source : blackbeltmag.