Grappled a little today

[bushido_man96]

I got to grapple a little bit today with a black belt friend of mine for a little while at class tonight. He is in the National Guard, and they do some BJJ in basic training, so he knows something about it, and he has wrestling experience as well.

We rolled a while, and he was trying to work a key lock on me I think, but he couldn't get it. I tried to shoulder lock him, but it wasn't working for me. A few times he tried a headlock or a triangle, but I wiggled free. But he kept control of my arm for the most part. He then got to my back, and had me stretched out and both hooks on. I felt that, but it wasn't enough to tap, so I grabbed a finger to loosen his lock, and then we broke.

I felt ok about this, but I felt like I was on the run all of the time. He didn't submit me, though, so that was kind of a personal victory.

Any help or suggestions on what to work on would be greatly appreciated.

I have a long way to go, and he is going to start working with me a little. I am looking forward to learning some real good grappling someday.

Thanks, all!

[Jiffy]

Great to hear you grappled. I gather this is your first time??

Grappling is great fun. There are two things I would say as tips for beginners..

1) never be afraid to tap. If you don't tap, you don't learn.

2) Relax! First of all you will be much more effective if you are relaxed and you will not run out of breath. Also, here's a little excersize for you... Get a brick. Weigh it. Then get a plastic bag and fill it with water till it weight the same as the brick. Pick the brick up. Move it from hand to hand, just kinda play with it. Then, do the same with the bag of water. You will find the bag of water is much harder to keep hold of!

You are the same. The more flexible you are, the harder it is to put a lock on your or throw you.

Well Done!

[bushido_man96]

Cool info, Jiffy. I have messed around a little with grappling, and wrestled one year in middle school. I try to keep my head, tuck my chin when the get to my back, and try to work something, but I just don't know enough yet. Going to go for it, though!

[alsey]

other than taking up a grappling art, just keep practicing. a lot of it is just getting a feel for rolling around with someone and trying to get position. position is everything. if you did some wrestling, you should have a good base. submissions are neat and fun to learn, but unless your opponent is pretty skilled, getting good position and laying the smack down is usually good enough.

[Jiffy]

MWAHAHAHA, "Laying the smack down". I love it.

He's right though. 90% of grappling is position. If you can get to a position that allows you to strike or lock, then you are most the way there.

[ps1]

MWAHAHAHA, "Laying the smack down". I love it.

He's right though. 90% of grappling is position. If you can get to a position that allows you to strike or lock, then you are most the way there.

100% correct. Position before submission!

[jeff5]

Yeah the only way to get good at grappling really is to do it. But even if I don't submit someone and I have position, I consider it a good thinig. On the street, I want position so that I can restrain the person, hit them, and/or get back on my feet.

[cathal]

Positioning is quite important in grappling especially if you can take advantage of a weaker muscle group or joint.

[bushido_man96]

Well, I got to roll again today. My and my friend did two bouts of it, but neither one ended in submission. He got me into an almost-submission hold, and from the spot I kind of talked him into one.

The problem I am having is seeing where I can apply a hold. It is very hard to tell, as we are almost always in a transitional state. I think it may take a while to get a handle on this, but I am going to keep at it.

If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to chime in!

I also managed to get tossed on my back, and then my head proceded to follow to the floor, making a nice flash. I've had a head ache for a few days now......got to learn to keep my head tucked!

[ps1]

Forget about submissons and work for positions. Get to a position where you are in control. This should include the cross-side position, mount, and north-south. These are positions that you would be able to effectively strike from in a self defense scenario.

If you have the opponent in the guard, you should be working for a sweep. If you are in your opponents guard, work for the pass-do not try to strike or submit the opponent from inside his guard!