Incorporating grappling

[JusticeZero]

TKD actually has a lot of hand techniques in it; TKD isn't known for hand stuff mainly because they don't drill them, not because they're not good. You don't need to crosstrain a different art to improve your hands, you just need to drill the heck out of the stuff you have.

[tallgeese]

I agree, I've seen hand movements in TKD. There are; however, arts that specialize in them more. This would allow another take on them and perhaps give an insight outside the parameter of TKD.

But the main question seemed to be about adding grappling to what he was doing already. This is something that is very minimal in TKD, if it exsisted in the syllibus of most schools at all prior to the UFC era. In this case, training at another facility to gain and enhance those skills would seem to be highly desireable.

[bushido_man96]

If you can work into some mitt drills or just bag drills with the hand techniques, you can really get them singing in TKD. Also, some Hapkido can work into the standing transition into the ground game you are looking for, if your school does any Hapkido. TKD and Hapkido are great complements to each other, and can lead to that grappling game.

[Gi-Unit]

Going straight from kicking into grappling isn't going to work too well. The advantage of kicking is that it gives you distance, which is the opposite thing that you need when grappling. You need some way of getting closer to your opponent yourself or luring him in. For example, you could set up a combo that starts with a kick, then a punching sequence to get inside. You could also wait for him to kick, then trap the leg and sweep. Now you've got a grappling game. Remember, just like in stand-up it is just as important (if not more) in grappling to use the other guys mistakes to your advantage.

[bushido_man96]

I don't think that going from kicking to grappling will work, either. But, TKD does have the hand techniques at its disposal to close the gap, and using low kicking techniques can help to close the gap as well.

[JusticeZero]

I would note that the most likely way it will happen is that someone will close in to grapple to get inside of the kicks. Work on using a takedown on any target that gets inside of kicking range probably..

[Megamad]

Thanks for all the tips guys, my long range training program includes boxing too, so that should probably close the gap between the kicks and Judo.

[gzk]

You can use strikes to set up takedowns; it's a matter of thinking about where your weight is going and where your opponent's weight is going. eg: you throw a jab or two, your opponent fades onto his back leg - there's your high single, because his weight is off his front leg. Or, you can use a right cross to "load" for a high crotch entry to a double leg, since the motion of your upper body in the high crotch pickup is very similar to a left hook, except you've dropped your level - as in this video:

[bub4444]

You can use strikes to set up takedowns; it's a matter of thinking about where your weight is going and where your opponent's weight is going. eg: you throw a jab or two, your opponent fades onto his back leg - there's your high single, because his weight is off his front leg. Or, you can use a right cross to "load" for a high crotch entry to a double leg, since the motion of your upper body in the high crotch pickup is very similar to a left hook, except you've dropped your level - as in this video:

Just want to say that that is not legal in Judo, so he might want to stay away from leg grabbing for a while.