June 27, 2004
Wrestler's Base in Guard
Have you ever grappled with a high-level wrestler and been frustrated by their uncanny sense of balance? You might be trying to use a guard sweep and just about have them swept over. Suddenly – pop – they somehow manage to end up back on top and driving into you again.
A training partner of mine who was a national-level wrestler helped provide one piece of this puzzle. “I always have 3 points of balance when I’m in someone’s guard: two points of contact on the ground with my legs, and a third where my weight is on his body”. I have since played with this concept, and call it "wrestler's base". Typically it involves keeping your hips low, driving with your legs (knees off the mat), fighting for inside control with the arms and keeping your head on the opponent's chest or under his chin. This position helps develop the forward driving pressure that wrestlers are so well known for.
Like all tools, wrestler's base has advantages and disadvantages. It's main advantages include neutralizing many guard sweeps and making your opponent carry your weight. The main disadvantages include that it may not be the best position to start most guard passes from, and that it the neck and arms may be vulnerable to chokes and armlocks. Know when to use wrestler's base and know when to switch to another tool in your toolbox.
In addition to takedowns and control techniques, wrestling encourages the development of strength, balance, aggression and gymnastic athleticism. These attributes are desirable in any grappling context, and we should all try a little harder to cultivate them.
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A training partner of mine who was a national-level wrestler helped provide one piece of this puzzle. “I always have 3 points of balance when I’m in someone’s guard: two points of contact on the ground with my legs, and a third where my weight is on his body”. I have since played with this concept, and call it "wrestler's base". Typically it involves keeping your hips low, driving with your legs (knees off the mat), fighting for inside control with the arms and keeping your head on the opponent's chest or under his chin. This position helps develop the forward driving pressure that wrestlers are so well known for.
Like all tools, wrestler's base has advantages and disadvantages. It's main advantages include neutralizing many guard sweeps and making your opponent carry your weight. The main disadvantages include that it may not be the best position to start most guard passes from, and that it the neck and arms may be vulnerable to chokes and armlocks. Know when to use wrestler's base and know when to switch to another tool in your toolbox.
In addition to takedowns and control techniques, wrestling encourages the development of strength, balance, aggression and gymnastic athleticism. These attributes are desirable in any grappling context, and we should all try a little harder to cultivate them.
Labels: the guard
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June 20, 2004
To Gi or not to Gi
Seeing as I train in both BJJ and submission grappling I find myself in the middle of this argument. I agree with the principle of sport-specific training, especially if your weekly training time is limited. However I also think that training with a gi has made my no-gi wrestling more technical, and that submission grappling (without the gi) has made my gi game more explosive.
One very important factor to consider in this debate is the issue of self-defense. I think that it is vital to expose yourself to different training environments if you are serious about self defense. That means occasionally venturing outside of your comfort zone and training in different environments.
Even the most dedicated BJJ competitor should occasionally roll around without his gi, and do some light vale tudo sessions. The goal here is not to turn him into an ultimate fighter, just to familiarize him with the fast and slippery world of gi-less grappling. This will help you learn how to apply your BJJ skills in a rough-and-tumble self-defense situation.
Similarly I think that submission grapplers and people training for mixed martial arts should occasionally put the gi on and enter into the world of lapel chokes and gi entanglements. You may be surprised at how the gi changes your game by adding friction and gripping options. As someone once said: “don’t fear the gi – in real life self defense your opponent may not be naked”. Spending at least 5 to 10% of your training time outside your comfort zone (i.e. on the other side of the gi vs. no-gi debate) is important for developing self-defense skills and becoming a well-rounded martial grappler.
One thing is for sure - the gi vs. no-gi debate will go on. Just make sure you've experienced both sides of the debate before making your decisions.
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One very important factor to consider in this debate is the issue of self-defense. I think that it is vital to expose yourself to different training environments if you are serious about self defense. That means occasionally venturing outside of your comfort zone and training in different environments.
Even the most dedicated BJJ competitor should occasionally roll around without his gi, and do some light vale tudo sessions. The goal here is not to turn him into an ultimate fighter, just to familiarize him with the fast and slippery world of gi-less grappling. This will help you learn how to apply your BJJ skills in a rough-and-tumble self-defense situation.
Similarly I think that submission grapplers and people training for mixed martial arts should occasionally put the gi on and enter into the world of lapel chokes and gi entanglements. You may be surprised at how the gi changes your game by adding friction and gripping options. As someone once said: “don’t fear the gi – in real life self defense your opponent may not be naked”. Spending at least 5 to 10% of your training time outside your comfort zone (i.e. on the other side of the gi vs. no-gi debate) is important for developing self-defense skills and becoming a well-rounded martial grappler.
One thing is for sure - the gi vs. no-gi debate will go on. Just make sure you've experienced both sides of the debate before making your decisions.
Labels: training
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June 13, 2004
Working Your Weakest Link
People like doing what they are good at and avoid doing things that they are not so good at. It’s an ego thing: nobody likes looking like an idiot, and once martial artists get good at something they tend to stick with it.
The tendency to specialize isn't necessarily bad thing – in fact it is essential to improving – but don’t get so caught up on improving your strengths that you ignore your weaknesses. Your fastest progress may come from working your weakest link. As in so many things, my inspiration here is Dan Inosanto. The protégé of Bruce Lee and a black belt in many martial arts (including BJJ), he is always the first to tie on a white belt and try something that he is not good at. He loves learning new material, and is not put off by the possibility of looking like a beginner.
Weak links come in many forms. Your weak link could be
-Takedowns (drill takedowns for a few minutes after every class)
-Endurance (start working your cardio)
-Pin escapes (let your training partners start with you pinned)
-Flexibility (do yoga)
-Armlocks (don’t allow yourself any submission except armlocks)
-Strength (lift weights)
Don’t be a slave to your ego and stay in your comfort zone all the time. If you are honest with yourself you can figure out what is holding you back - be strong enough to put on the white belt, acknowledge your weak link, and do something about it.
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The tendency to specialize isn't necessarily bad thing – in fact it is essential to improving – but don’t get so caught up on improving your strengths that you ignore your weaknesses. Your fastest progress may come from working your weakest link. As in so many things, my inspiration here is Dan Inosanto. The protégé of Bruce Lee and a black belt in many martial arts (including BJJ), he is always the first to tie on a white belt and try something that he is not good at. He loves learning new material, and is not put off by the possibility of looking like a beginner.
Weak links come in many forms. Your weak link could be
-Takedowns (drill takedowns for a few minutes after every class)
-Endurance (start working your cardio)
-Pin escapes (let your training partners start with you pinned)
-Flexibility (do yoga)
-Armlocks (don’t allow yourself any submission except armlocks)
-Strength (lift weights)
Don’t be a slave to your ego and stay in your comfort zone all the time. If you are honest with yourself you can figure out what is holding you back - be strong enough to put on the white belt, acknowledge your weak link, and do something about it.
Labels: training
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June 06, 2004
Don't Get Sick, Don't Get Injured
At the risk of stating the obvious, getting sick or injured is the best way to bring your training progression to a screeching halt. Fortunately most illnesses and injuries are preventable.
Avoiding ego-driven training can prevent many injuries. If your sparring partner catches you in a submission, don’t be a hero - just tap out. If an injury starts bothering you when you are doing an exercise, stop or modify the exercise.
The important thing to remember is that you are training, not fighting, and that the purpose of training is to learn. There is no better way to prevent learning than sitting on the sidelines nursing an injury.
The best way not to get sick very often is to avoid overtraining. Overtraining occurs when the amount and quality of recovery time is insufficient to fully recover from the stresses of training. In other words you are putting too much strain on your body for it to recover properly.
Overtraining can be remedied in two ways: less stress and/or more recovery. The first cure for overtraining is to cut back on the stresses on your body. This might mean not training as much, not working as hard at your day job, going for easy jogs instead of hard runs, etc. The trick is to train hard enough, but not too hard, for your current level of fitness. This is a difficult, but worthwhile, balance to achieve.
The second cure for overtraining is to improve the amount and quality of recovery time. Sleep more. Relax more. Do more yoga and massage. Improve your nutrition. Sleep is probably the most neglected element here: there is a lot of research suggesting that most athletes need a lot more than 8 hours of sleep a night for optimal recovery.
Read my article on
overtraining in grappling and mixed martial arts
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Avoiding ego-driven training can prevent many injuries. If your sparring partner catches you in a submission, don’t be a hero - just tap out. If an injury starts bothering you when you are doing an exercise, stop or modify the exercise.
The important thing to remember is that you are training, not fighting, and that the purpose of training is to learn. There is no better way to prevent learning than sitting on the sidelines nursing an injury.
The best way not to get sick very often is to avoid overtraining. Overtraining occurs when the amount and quality of recovery time is insufficient to fully recover from the stresses of training. In other words you are putting too much strain on your body for it to recover properly.
Overtraining can be remedied in two ways: less stress and/or more recovery. The first cure for overtraining is to cut back on the stresses on your body. This might mean not training as much, not working as hard at your day job, going for easy jogs instead of hard runs, etc. The trick is to train hard enough, but not too hard, for your current level of fitness. This is a difficult, but worthwhile, balance to achieve.
The second cure for overtraining is to improve the amount and quality of recovery time. Sleep more. Relax more. Do more yoga and massage. Improve your nutrition. Sleep is probably the most neglected element here: there is a lot of research suggesting that most athletes need a lot more than 8 hours of sleep a night for optimal recovery.
Read my article on
overtraining in grappling and mixed martial arts
Labels: Injuries
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