Essential Ground/Grappling Techniques for Strikers

[Capt Jakk]

I believe it has become evident that it is important to have experience at all ranges of fighting. A lack in one area can mean trouble in a self defense altercation where anything could happen. So I ask the good members of the Karate Forums, what are the essential grappling elements that a striker should know? I'm talking about the minimum knowledge a striker should have to increase the chances of making it out of a situation. Please also include your reasoning for why each something should be included.

I'll start with the suggestion of break falls. If something goes wrong and I get thrown I want to be able to land relatively safe instead of breaking something important.

Thank you in advance for any and all replies!

[JiuJitsuNation]

1. A good sprawl. Important to defend the legs.

2. Basic clinching, some fundamentals from Muay Thai and some basic Greco or Judo. The Thai will help you keep some space and set up strikes while being jammed up. The Greco/Judo will help your balance. And even if your take downs don't develop you should learn to defend and avoid.

3. You should learn to escape every dominant position, which I believe is self explanatory!

In a nutshell.

[tallgeese]

I'd concur.

The most important aspect has to be the sprawl. Keeping the fight in an area you're comfortable with is key. A good sprawl will go a long way to keeping you there.

In addition to the other two suggestions put forth by JJN, I'd add that understanding a couple of good dominate positions, say side and full mount, is important. How to technically apply them correctly and effectively and how to maintain them. This will give you a control edge if you land on top.

Futher, I'd learn to work strikes from said dominate positions. Good effective strikes without giving up posture. Again, just because you're dipping into your grapping bag of tricks shouldn't mean you forgo your comfort zone tools. But it's important to train this, and do so correctly so you don't lose position.

[pittbullJudoka]

I believe number one is a good sprawl. As stated above to keep the fight standing if you are a striker.

also having good break falls can make or break you. Also sweeps to get you off the bottom because you don't want to hang out on the ground any longer than nessicery. The sweeps get you off the bottom and closer to your home range of standing. Most people you may have a conflict withh aren't going to have a good ground is such things as a guard and subs.

[bushido_man96]

It looks like sprawl is unanymous.

JJN and tallgeese, when you guys instruct LEOs, what kinds of things do you tend to focus on for that purpose? Does it tend to change a bit, or is it more or less the same? Do you have a specially tailored package that you like to get to the LEOs?

[tallgeese]

I train pretty much the same things as have been talked about. Sprawl being primary, eascpes, holding position. The difference being I spend alot of time working controlling the sidearm while we do al those things.

I also work on presenting the sidearm under my terms. I also work on presenting and shooting from positions where cops get in bad shape. When in doubt, when all other options are exhausted, I want my guys to be able to present and shoot their way back up from unorthodox positions and get out of trouble.

[JiuJitsuNation]

I work the fundamental positions and the details involved in maintaining them. I also work the 101 escapes. But my philosophy is an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of escape. I break down for them how the movements used to get you out of bad position and into a neutral one can be used much earlier to prevent the situations all together. I address the side arm in the sense of keeping it away or covered but I am not involved in using the sidearm as tallgeese is. Not my area of expertise. The sprawl is actually part of our warm up and something they practice during two on one drills.

[Kuma]

I also work on presenting the sidearm under my terms. I also work on presenting and shooting from positions where cops get in bad shape. When in doubt, when all other options are exhausted, I want my guys to be able to present and shoot their way back up from unorthodox positions and get out of trouble.

That's a fantastic idea, as you never know where you'll have to shoot from.

A sad, but good example:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_667925.html

He was actually on top of her when she managed to draw her gun and fire, killing him before he killed her.

[brickshooter]

On the street, I'd imagine that the average attacker will look to ground and pound their victims. They're unlikely to be a sophisticated BJJ or Judo guy. So in addition to what has been suggested, I'd also add some defense versus the ground & pound particularly versus bigger opponents since street attackers tend to be bigger than their victims.

And it wouldn't hurt to add a basic ground game such as strangulations, armbars, etc. Some of the techniques are so natural that a person can retain it for a very long time with very minimal training.

But the whole point isn't to stay on the ground. It's to shock the attacker so that one can get up asap.

[JiuJitsuNation]

With all the combined suggestions we have just created a well trained individual. lol I was under the impression we were looking for bare minimum.