"Grappling strength"

[ShoriKid]

Just seeking the opinion of the board here on something I've been thinking about. When watching MMA commentators often speak of the tremendous strength of this or that grappler. Usually this is made in reference to someone with a wrestling base. The comment is often framed in a "that guy is scary strong for his size/weight class" sort of way.

So I'm posing a chicken/egg sort of question. Do wrestlers/grapplers develop great strength as a result of the training? By coming to grips with someone all the time and having lots of resistance as part of daily training. Or do those grapplers who make it to the highest levels of their sport/art, ie. college wrestlers, Abu Dhabi competitors, have a greater natural strength base? A leg up in genetics that is selected through competition. Or, the shorter version, do only the naturally strongest athletes make it to the top grappling, or do the top athletes happen to be strong as a result of training?

[pittbullJudoka]

Good subject. I've wondered myself for some time. I think that there a diffrent strengths. After training in BJJ for a couple years I don't feel I've gotten any stronger but I do feel that I've learned to better apply my strength. Sure it helps when you add strength traing into the mix. You learn the proper application of strength for given situation and technique being applied properly can be mistaken for strength.

A person with decent strength and good technique can seem very strong on the ground.

You'll develope the strenght to you most practiced application. For example if you are mostly training stand up your strength will lie in the power of your strikes, if your are grappling you'll learn to apply you strength in that fasset.

And some power maybe devloped through training but a work out developed for your give sport at the top of the game I would say is a must.

[ps1]

Guys at the pinnacle of their sport train strength and conditioning relentlessly. It's their job. There may be a natural ability, but it's certainly something trained.

[sensei8]

That's one of the ways that I increased my grip; mixing it up with others. Grip strengthening devices helped as well. Climbing ropes by only my hands helped as well. Peg climbing was another way to build up my gripping strength. Rolling devices build up strength in both the hands and the wrist.

What also helps my grip whenever I'm in a test of gripping strength is to go with my opponents movements. When he pushes, I allow him to push. When he pulls, I allow him to pull. Therefore, I'm not an opposing force but I'm more of an apposing force, but, I'm an agreeable force, and then at that right moment, I use his actions against him. Ask Brian, he'll tell you that I'm not easy to "throw off" as it might appear.

[ShoriKid]

I realize that any high level athlete has to strength train, or they won't make the high levels. I* guess what I was wondering about was if it's a result of just training or that training and a natural gift. The players in the NFL aren't there just because of good weight training and skill programs. Those guys have physical gifts that make them the very best at the position they play. Are grapplers the same at the high end? Do natural gifts separate those at the very highest levels of competition?

Being hands on, knowing when to turn on the muscle and use it instead of being tense and tight all the time greatly increases your effective strength. Decreasing antagonistic muscular action lets you use the force you've got better. Grappling or striking, you're better off relaxed and lose. Going off on a tangent, and Pittbull knows this as I've talked to him about it before, a trouble I'm having now is learning to turn the physical force back on at the right times. For a long time when we've grappled I've had enough weight on folks that it was an issue. Now there are a couple of guys heavier than me in the dojo (we're a small-ish bunch in general I guess) and I don't have to wonder if it's the technique or the muscle as much. Anyone else ever dealt with that sort of thing?

[pittbullJudoka]

I know it sounds I told ya so-ish. But when you pull something of wether it's a sub or a pass you'll know if it's was because of muscle or technique. Like the arm bar you saw me pull out the other night zero muscle all technique I'd like to think that's why it locked up so fast.

You'll know young Jedi, you'll know.