Grappling in Training

[Tengu22]

How many of you actually practice grappling techniques in your Karate training and/or bunkai? In most schools I have trained with the amount of grappling done in Karate classes is very limited. What amount of grappling (and how in-depth)is consistent with Karate training, and why do many schools not teach it? What are you thoughts on this topic?

[Sauzin]

How often? Every class, every kata, and with at least 80% of our bunkai. About 20% of our whitebelt partner drills all the way up to black belt where about 80% of our drills contain some kind of grab, entrapment, lock, or throw. Of course we practice things that are entirely grappling less often, most of the time what we practice are combinations of the above assisted by or leading to strikes. As far as in depth, well all our techniques are studied in depth. Examples of techniques include arm bars, head locks, belt grabs, wrist locks/throws/grabs, leg grab/take downs, and a general category I like to call extensions where you take an opponent and pull their weapon (arm/fist) as far from their head as possible while moving them outside their base. I personally believe grappling is not just consistent with karate training, but it is integrally part of karate training. You have to pay attention to your kata though and get out of the "block/strike" mentality.

[feels]

Occasionally, when one of us is too injured to spar, a senior will teach us some Daito Ryu Aikijutsu and newaza techniques.

[Jade]

With Bunkai you learn alot of grappling techniques...well...it depends also on the kata...for example....recently we are studing the Gangaku applications and there're alot of interesting moves.

Anyhow...you can personalize the bunkai.....my teacher accept every variation of the technique...but it has to be realistic.

[shogeri]

"As far as in depth, well all our techniques are studied in depth. Examples of techniques include arm bars, head locks, belt grabs, wrist locks/throws/grabs, leg grab/take downs, and a general category I like to call extensions where you take an opponent and pull their weapon (arm/fist) as far from their head as possible while moving them outside their base. "

We learned the above in Goju Ryu, plus more. In sum, it is controlling your opponents center line(s), both horizontal and vertical.

However, often we would get visiting Aikijutsu instructors come to the dojo, and help out the adult class (at the higher belt levels). Once we got to the point in kata where traditional the (Block, Control, Strike) technique ended or paused, we went a step further following up with a Jujutsu lock or takedown.

Although, we did not, actually do submissive based grappling on the ground, as this was not the focus of Okinawan Goju Ryu, which is a striking art founded upon both Naha Te and Quan Fa or Chinese Kempo.