ps1

That's also true Bushido. The guy can still take me down in a split second. But I can hold my own against him once we get to the ground. That's only because he hasn't been training for the last 3 years and he's a little out of shape now.

You're right! Great article. Thanks so much for sharing.

Not a terrible tactic. Afterall, it's better than being tricked into the position and getting caught. That said, a skilled fighter will realize that you were doing it purposefully. They will move very tightly. It's not possible to muscle out of the armbar if it's done properly. You're better off using the elbow escape, upa or bump escape to get out of the mount. Remember that the key to escaping a bad position is to realize you're going to be there before the opponent is actually there. Then you can begin the escape before the opponent has had the chance to get tight. As a basic example, let's say you're being scissor swept. You have two options: either fight like crazy and end up swept with the opponent mounted on top of you or realize you're going over and begin the elbow escape before the mount is accomplished. What I'm saying is that the way you're getting out should be the last ditch effort! A good and experienced grappler isn't likely to fall for it.

I'm not going to disagree with you. However, you would be surprised how quickly even great standing martial artists fold under this pressure. It's not, in my opinion, because they are taught inferior techniques overall. Rather, because they don't train against people who can do what that grappler did to him. I was in a dojo that was pretty rough in terms of sparring (even groin shots were fair game). Sometimes we'd get a high school wrestler who would try to take us down. It was usually unsuccessful. However, this is because the technique of the young wrestlers wasn't good. As I mentioned earlier, when I came against a world class wrestler, I was down extremely fast. On the ground, everything changes. Especially when the opponent controls your hips. In my opinion, if tma practitioners spent more time training with grapplers instead of bashing them, they really would learn to thwart them well and remain standing. There are plenty of guys in MMA who have realize this. Look how Randy Cotoure handled Gonzaga in the most recent UFC. He did the whole thing on his feet and from the clinch. There are plenty of others who do well and remain standing for most of the matches. They learn how to get up properly and defend the take down. My point is this. We need to get past the idea that we already have the answer to everything and realize that we must always progress. Mastery is a journey, not a destination. And it must be maintained throughout your life. That doesn't happen by being stagnant.

I would venture to say that UFC has a higher degree of skilled fighters too; being that they are being paid.

Ha!

Better than Chess:)

On amazon.com I bought it used for about $8 plus shipping. It's normally around 20.

For now, I wouldn't hit anything. Since you haven't learned how they want you to strike, you'll just form bad habits that will need to be broken later. Your best bet is to pay close attention and train for 6 months or so. This way you'll have developed the good habits first. Then when you practice, you'll be doing it correctly. Also, a punching bag or makiwara is about the hardest thing you need to punch. The conditioning will build up and takes years to develop. There's nothing hitting hard stuff will do for you in 12 days. You'd be more likely to hurt yourself and not be able to practice well. Good luck!

Probably a little of both. None the less, when someone wants to clinch with you, they will. They just have to be willing and capable of accepting the abuse they get on the way in. If you don't believe me, work out with a good wrestler (not some guy who wrestled in high school). I'm talking about a wrestler that was all-american or went to a huge wrestling college. You'll be surprised that you don't land more than one or two strikes before you're clinched and probably on the ground. I was a national champ when I faced a guy who wrestled under Gable. He came at me from about 5 feet away. I never stood a chance. That day I decided I needed to begin studying BJJ.

I just bought a book written by Renzo Gracie that's called "Mastering Jiujitsu." It is excellent. If you want a book filled with techniques, this is NOT the book for you! It is an intellectually written book that discusses the various theories of how martial arts came to be, the various phases of combat and the techniques used in each phase. Rather than showing techniques, Renzo speaks more about the strategy of combat as he's learned it. Perhaps the coolest parts are his "case studies." He describes various theories and then presents times when those theories were put in use in MMA events. Overall, a great book.

Exactly!!

Every time I hear the elbow break it makes me cringe. Nasty. Anyway, there's no debating that Funakoshi did teach his system in schools. However, to say it was designed soley for that purpose is silly. In "Karate Do: My Way of Life" he speaks of several fighting encounters. I am more of the opinion that he simply didn't teach all of what he knew to the school children. I believe this because he taught them for physical fitness reasons and disipline. However, some of the incidents in his book lead me to infer that he did teach the more dangerous aspects of the art to, at least, some of his student. Anyway, Shotokan doesn't have much to handle itself on the ground. That's why the guy looses. I would like to believe that such a challenge match is unlikely to occur these days (with the obvious fighting capabilities of grapplers while on the ground).

It's really only feinting against people you are sure you could easily get it with. But it trains strong combinations. In the end, you should really go for the guillotine, if it's defended then go to the next portion of the combination. Another good one is if the opponent brings the wrong hand in to defend the guillotine you can trap it and begin to take the back. There's also a good way to set up the guillotine by attempting the sit-over sweep. If the opponent leans his weight into you with the head low, lock on the guillotine and drop back into the guard. There's another good one from the half guard, but it's tough to describe. Maybe I'll make a video of that one since you're fond of the choke.

While the guillotine is a "raw" technique, it's also an effective technique. Also, as you grow as a grappler you'll start realizing that you can use it to set up other things (such as the sit-over sweep from the guard). If you have me in a position where it can successfuly be applied, I must defend it. Here's my advice if you think you're abusing it. Don't use it against people less skilled than you. This will force you to practice your other weapons. You can still put your arm in place for the guillotine; but just to make the opponent defend. See what you can do off of it. Let us know how it goes.

In kung fu we just called it wide hand blow. I never knew the Japanese for it. Thanks for the education. I use it for the same applications that Bushido mentioned above.

Ummm...I think the Tokido tag has managed to survive. It has lots of fraying and nothing else. That's just how we do it. Wear it until it falls off. No markings or writing though.

I didn't think that. Hoped we helped you out a little.

I agree with you on that. I know they are allowed in the Abu Dhabi and No-Gi adult events for NAGA. However, many smaller tourneys disallow them. My opinion is that this is good. The reason is that many of the judges in smaller tourneys are just guys who grapple and train at the school hosting the tourney and they may not have the experience to see that a competitor is in about to be hurt and the match should be stopped. A prime example was at a tournament when a kid (teen division) was riding the crossmount. His opponent grabbed his head and twisted it until the kid rolled over. This is a clearly illegal move, however, the judge didn't even recognize it.

Finger and toe locks are not allowed in grappling because they require no skill (not putting them down, but it is very easy to do to just about anyone). It would make you very unlikely to attmept to grab if you knew you would be submitted for doing so. And yes, most tournaments, including Pan-Ams and NAGA consider wrists smal joints. In most tournaments they are only allowed to break hands open, not to submit the opponent.

They are still allowed in the ADCC (not including fingers, but wrists and ankles are fair game). Professor Sauer, Royler Gracie, David Adiv, Rickson Gracie, and Helio Gracie still teach them. I think most sport oriented schools have removed them completely. Only a few of us use them and even then it's only on our instructor (cause he can recognize them fast enough to tap or escape). A more novice practitioner would probably fight it and get hurt. Pros, they are very effective and because the leverage of the opponent is so great. Con: Very difficult to get the right grips smoothly before the opponent can defend. For one, it would be nearly impossible to get a good wrist lock wearing those cumbersome gloves. Additionally, the respective MMA orginizations would have alot of fighters out due to broken wrists. In most of them ankle locks and heel hooks are allowed. The reason fingers are generally not allowed, along with slamming your opponent (most grappling competitions) and can openers, is because it takes no skill or training to do. Other things that limit is the laws in the particular area of training or competition. Hopes that helps a little.

Not to the same extent as BJJ. In JJJ you could easily earn BB in about 5 yrs with regular practice (2 to 3 days/wk). I've been practicing BJJ for 3 1/2 years now and will be earning my purple in a couple of months. It takes about 8 to 10 years for the average practitioner to earn a black belt.

We used White, Green, Brown, and Black.

Rivalry is great. As long as you don't take it too far and aren't demeaning with it. That would only serve to break down self esteem and not fuel the fire to succeed.

NO WAY!! If you wait to do them later, you'll find you will stink at performing them. I perform my basic kata more often than the advanced kata (If ther is such a thing). Imagine you were given a gift of $5000. Then you decided you'd put it in the bank once you have a million. You'd lose money in interest and probably spend it before it ever got anywhere near a million. That's what you're doing when you decide not to practice your first few kata. The interest represents the move toward "perfection" that you were talking about. Practice them.