This is my client’s third in the clinch/stand-up grappling series of lessons for martial arts cross training. Stand-up grappling is perhaps the most challenging of all ranges. The objective to throw someone who is trying to throw you is relatively more difficult to achieve than it is to land a strike or secure a submission. A lot of work needs to be done to attain a position, secure the dominant grip and break an opponent’s balance whilst trying to keep your own. This is why, considering that this course is a very general one, I opted to concentrate on getting above-the-waist grappling in first. I was influenced by my client’s decision to first pursue Western Boxing, which focuses on striking only with the fists, as a complete course before exploring Muay Thai, “The Science of Eight Limbs”.
The past two lessons have taken tactics mainly found in Greco-Roman and Cumberland Wrestling and some Judo. Today we continued with that theme, moving more into throwing and then I introduced lower line levels of attack found in Freestyle Wrestling and Judo. We began with a complete revision of specific two-man drills. As is the philosophy of CCMA coaching, all training should be time managed and relevant exercises prioritized. From cold I want my clients training movements that will improve muscle memory relevant to their area of study. This started with the highline and Thai neck wrestling. This progressed onto the highline with midline by “bulling” and the collar and elbow lock-up positioning. Exploring under-hooks and over-hooks, we did some pummelling.
With positioning covered, we looked at breaking posture and entries to throws. This began with headlocks and then moved onto set-ups for belly-to-belly and belly-to-back suplexes. Before actually throwing, we went back through all the breakfalls and rolls covered last lesson. Once these were confirmed, we then revised the cross-buttocks and standard hip throw.
I then introduced my client to throws involving the lowline. This began with the large outer reap throw (aka osoto gari), a very primal technique executed by many a school child in the playground. We then looked at entries into the double leg takedown. I demonstrated both the spearing wrestling version, where the person executing the attack ends up in guard and the Brazilian jiu jitsu variation, where the person executing the attack ends up in side control. The lesson was finished with gri-fighting into takedown sparring.