Striking and Grappling

[Ottman]

I've been thinking a lot about the contrast between striking and grappling lately, and wanted to get some other's opinions on the topic. Having trained in TKD and other striking arts for the last 12 years, I know the strengths and weaknesses of striking. I added BJJ about two years ago, and I love it, but I couldn't imagine not having a striking background.

I personally think that grappling arts and throwing arts (like Judo, Hapkido, and Aikido) offer better techniques to control a situation, and keep it from escalating into a very hostile, dangerous situation, but if all else fails, and you get into a situation where you need to strike hard and fast and then get outta there, grappling, IMHO, becomes a weakness.

To remedy this, I train in both striking and grappling arts to make sure I have both skill sets. I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth having just one or the other as opposed to both. These days you never know what an opponent's skills are, or where a confrontation will take you, and I feel that if you really are concerned with self defense, you have to have both striking and grappling skills, or else you're leaving yourself vulnerable. Anyone have any insight into this?

[Traditional-Fist]

I've been thinking a lot about the contrast between striking and grappling lately, and wanted to get some other's opinions on the topic. Having trained in TKD and other striking arts for the last 12 years, I know the strengths and weaknesses of striking. I added BJJ about two years ago, and I love it, but I couldn't imagine not having a striking background.

I personally think that grappling arts and throwing arts (like Judo, Hapkido, and Aikido) offer better techniques to control a situation, and keep it from escalating into a very hostile, dangerous situation, but if all else fails, and you get into a situation where you need to strike hard and fast and then get outta there, grappling, IMHO, becomes a weakness.

To remedy this, I train in both striking and grappling arts to make sure I have both skill sets. I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth having just one or the other as opposed to both. These days you never know what an opponent's skills are, or where a confrontation will take you, and I feel that if you really are concerned with self defense, you have to have both striking and grappling skills, or else you're leaving yourself vulnerable. Anyone have any insight into this?

You are right. I would however say that many traditional "striking" arts have grappling incorporated within them. Unfortunately many people who claim to be experts teaching these arts do not have a holistic understanding of what they teach, or to be less diplomatic, are plain mediocre.

As a result the grappling (and other important) aspects are not passed on to many practitioners, who in their turn end up learning incomplete systems that they will need to complement with "outside" training.

Having made the above statements (mainly about traditional kung fu and karate), I have no idea wether TKD, in its original form, had any grappling techiques. If it didn't/doesn't then I suppose that one will need to practise another system to gain these skills.

[Ottman]

Thanks for the post 'Fist. Actually throws and grappling techniques are not incorporated into traditional TKD. It is strictly a striking art in its original form. I am lucky enough to have an instructor with some Hapkido experience, and she has (thankfully) incorporated a number of Hapkido techniques into our self defense training. I had heard that Karate, especially Okinawan styles had a lot of grappling and takedown techniques, but I've been to a number of Karate schools, and I'm afraid that the majority of them are as you described: mediocre. It's a shame that so much has been lost in the pursuit of more marketable dojos.

[marie curie]

I agree that MA are most affective when combining striking and grappling. I do, however, realize that some people do not do MA for self-defense, but for fun, to get in shape, or to compete. Kajukenbo is a fun MA that combines them both.

[Ottman]

I've never heard of Kajukenbo before. What's it like?

[Menjo]

I've never heard of Kajukenbo before. What's it like?

I would also like to know more about this art. However my opinion is that I totaly agree with your topic. I've put quite a bit of time into being able to figure out how a person would fight and their strenghts and weaknesses, even if I just met them, its definatly unrealiable though. Its a way to train even if there are other people around.

[Red J]

To remedy this, I train in both striking and grappling arts to make sure I have both skill sets. I'm beginning to wonder whether it's worth having just one or the other as opposed to both. These days you never know what an opponent's skills are, or where a confrontation will take you, and I feel that if you really are concerned with self defense, you have to have both striking and grappling skills, or else you're leaving yourself vulnerable. Anyone have any insight into this?

Good Topic.

I agree with the premise of your post and comments. I would like to add that an even greater skill than striking/grappling is the ability to go from one to another. In other words to be able to transition between the skills. When I train techniques, I am always looking for new ways to go from hands and feet to felling and grappling and vice-versa and to use combinations of each. I think when you can put it all together then you really have something. Hopefully you can train this way with some skilled people.

[Ottman]

Thanks Red J.

I'm wondering if there is an MA that specifically focuses on this type of training. I've heard rumors about Aiki-jutsu, but haven't been able to find anyone who teaches this style.

[AndrewGreen]

Taken to either extreme they both loos practicallity.

A sport grappling school that always starts from the knees, jumps guard in competition and spends a lot of time working very sport specific stuff is not practical.

A striking school that allows no clinching or takedowns and restricts targets is also full of holes.

If you want what you do to be pratcial you need to do both, not seperate, but togethter. You need to learn how to punch your way into a clinch, how to take someone down if they are beating you on your feet, how to avoid ground'n pound tactics, etc.

[bushido_man96]

I think that having a knowledge of both striking and grappling is very important. When going to the ground, it is especially important to be able to work from the position that you are in, and to work to get into a better position.