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Grappling

Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the
opponent.[1] Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent,
either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling is a broad term that encompasses
many disciplines. These various martial arts can be practiced both as combat sports and for
self-defense. Grappling contests often involve takedowns and ground control, and may end
when a contestant concedes defeat, also known as a submission or tap out.[2]

Masahiko Kimura vs. Hélio Gracie was a high-profile 1951 bout between two grapplers, Japanese judo fighter Masahiko
Kimura and Brazilian jiu jitsu founder Hélio Gracie, in Brazil.

Grappling most commonly does not include striking or the use of weapons. However, some
fighting styles or martial arts known especially for their grappling techniques teach tactics that
include strikes and weapons either alongside grappling or combined with it.[3]
Types of technique

Hawaiian State Grappling Championships, August 2004.

Ancient Egyptian wrestling


A Greek bronze statue from 2nd century BC depicting Pankration. The standing fighter is applying an armlock, a grappling
technique. From the Staatliche Antikensammlungen in Munich.

Grappling techniques can be broadly subdivided into clinch fighting; takedowns and throws;
submission holds and pinning or controlling techniques; and sweeps, reversals, turnovers, and
escapes.

Clinching: or clinch work, takes place with both competitors on their feet using various clinch
holds applied to the upper body of the opponent. Clinch work is generally used to set up or
defend against throws or takedowns.

Takedowns : A takedown is used by one grappler to manipulate their opponent from a


standing position to a position on the ground. The grappler completing the takedown aims to
end in a dominant position.

Throws: A throw is a technique in which one grappler lifts or off-balances their opponent and
maneuvers them forcefully through the air or to the ground. The purpose of throws varies
among the different disciplines of grappling with some emphasizing throws with the potential
to incapacitate the opponent, while leaving the thrower standing, or to gain a takedown or
controlling position.

Sprawling : A sprawl is a defensive technique usually used when the opponent attempts a
takedown. It is performed by shifting the legs backwards and spread out in one fast motion. If
done correctly one will land on their opponent's back and gain control.
Submission holds: There are generally two types of submission holds: those that would
potentially strangle or suffocate an opponent (chokes), and those that would potentially cause
injury to a joint or other body part (locks ). In sport grappling, a competitor is expected to
submit, either verbally or by tapping the opponent, to admit defeat when they are caught in a
submission hold they cannot escape. Competitors who refuse to "tap out" risk
unconsciousness or serious injury.

Securing or controlling techniques : A pin involves holding an opponent on their back in a


position where they are unable to attack. In some styles of competitive grappling a pin is an
instant victory, and in other styles it is considered a dominant position that is awarded with
points. Other controlling techniques are used to hold an opponent face down on the ground or
on all fours in order to prevent an escape or attack. Either of these types of technique may
also be used as a prelude to a submission hold.

Escapes: In a general sense, an escape is accomplished by maneuvering out of danger or


from an inferior position; for example when a grappler who is underneath side control moves
to guard or gets back to a neutral standing position, or when a grappler is able to maneuver
out of a submission attempt and back to a position where they are no longer in immediate
danger of being submitted.

Turnovers: used to maneuver an opponent who is on all fours or flat on their stomach to their
back, in order to score points, prepare for a pin or in order to gain a more dominant position.

Reversals or sweeps: These occur when a grappler who was underneath their opponent on
the ground is able to maneuver so that they gain a top position over their opponent.

Use

The degree to which grappling is utilized in different fighting systems varies. Some systems,
such as amateur wrestling, pehlwani, judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu are exclusively grappling arts
and do not allow striking. Some other grappling arts allow some limited forms of striking, for
example in sumo and in combat jiu jitsu it is possible to strike with open hands (slapping).[4][5]
Many combat sports, such as shooto and mixed martial arts competitions, use both grappling
and striking extensively as part of the sport.[6]
Grappling is not allowed in some martial arts and
combat sports, usually for the sake of focusing on other aspects of combat such as punching,
kicking or mêlée weapons. Opponents in these types of matches, however, still grapple with
each other occasionally when fatigued or in pain; when either occurs, the referee will step in and
restart the match, sometimes giving a warning to one or both of the fighters. Examples of these
include boxing, kickboxing, taekwondo, karate, and fencing. While prolonged grappling in Muay
Thai will result in a separation of the competitors, the art extensively uses the clinch hold known
as a double collar tie.

Grappling techniques and defenses to grappling techniques are also considered important in
self-defense applications and in law enforcement. The most common grappling techniques
taught for self-defense are escapes from holds and application of pain compliance techniques.

Grappling can be trained for self-defense, sport, and mixed martial arts (MMA) competition.

Stand-up grappling

Two wrestlers engaging.

Stand-up grappling is arguably an integral part of all grappling and clinch fighting arts,
considering that two combatants generally start fighting from a stand-up position. The aim of
stand-up grappling varies according to the martial arts or combat sports in question. Defensive
stand-up grappling concerns itself with pain-compliance holds and escapes from possible
grappling holds applied by an opponent, while offensive grappling techniques include
submission holds, trapping, takedowns and throws, all of which can be used to inflict serious
damage, or to move the fight to the ground. Stand-up grappling can also be used both
offensively and defensively simultaneously with striking, either to trap an opponents arms while
striking, prevent the opponent from obtaining sufficient distance to strike effectively, or to bring
the opponent close to apply, for instance, knee strikes.
In combat sports, stand-up grappling usually revolves around successful takedowns and throws.
Grappling is a major part of combat glima and Løse-tak sport glima, and the fight continues on
the ground if both combatants end up there. In other martial sports such as MMA, the fight may
continue on the ground.

Ground grappling

In judo, the aim of ground techniques (ne-waza) is to obtain a chokehold, joint lock or to pin the opponent.

Ground grappling refers to all the grappling techniques that are applied while the grapplers are
no longer in a standing position. A large part of most martial arts and combat sports which
feature ground grappling is positioning and obtaining a dominant position. A dominant position
(usually on top) allows the dominant grappler a variety of options, including: attempting to
escape by standing up, obtaining a pin or hold-down to control and exhaust the opponent,
executing a submission hold, or striking the opponent. The bottom grappler is, on the other hand,
concerned with escaping the situation and improving their position, typically by using a sweep or
reversal. In some disciplines, especially those where the guard is used, the bottom grappler may
also be able to finish the fight from the bottom by a submission hold. Some people feel more
confident on the bottom because of the large number of submissions that can be accomplished
from having the opponent in full-guard.

Applications
When unskilled fighters get embroiled in combat, a common reaction is to grab the opponent in
an attempt to slow the situation down by holding them still, resulting in an unsystematic struggle
that relies on brute force. A skilled fighter, in contrast, can perform takedowns as a way of
progressing to a superior position such as a Mount (grappling) or side control, or using clinch
holds and ground positions to set up strikes, choke holds, and joint locks. A grappler who has
been taken down to the ground can use defensive positions such as the Guard (grappling), which
protects against being mounted or attacked. If a grappler is strong and can utilize leverage well,
a takedown or throw itself can be a fight-ending maneuver; the impact can render an opponent
unconscious. On the other hand, grappling also offers the possibility of controlling an opponent
without injuring them. For their reason, most police staff receive some training in grappling.
Likewise, grappling sports have been devised so that their participants can compete using full
physical effort without injuring their opponents.

Grappling is called dumog in Eskrima. The term chin na in Chinese martial arts deals with the use
of grappling to achieve submission or incapacitation of the opponent (these may involve the use
of acupressure points). Some Chinese martial arts, aikido, some eskrima systems, the Viking
martial art of glima, as well as medieval and Renaissance European martial arts, practice
grappling while one or both participants is armed. Their practice is significantly more dangerous
than unarmed grappling and generally requires a great deal of training.

Types of grappling
A Roman statue portraying grapplers.

There are many different regional styles of grappling around the world that are practiced within a
limited geographic area or country. Several grappling styles like judo, shoot wrestling, Cornish
wrestling, catch wrestling, submission grappling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sambo, hapkido and several
types of wrestling including freestyle and Greco-Roman have gained global popularity. Judo,
Freestyle Wrestling, and Greco-Roman Wrestling are Olympic Sports while Grappling, Brazilian
Jiu-jitsu and Sambo have their own World Championship Competitions. Other known grappling-
oriented systems are sumo, shuai jiao, malla-yuddha and aikido.

In these arts, the object is either to take down and pin the opponent, or to catch the adversary in
a specialized chokehold or joint lock which forces them to submit and admit defeat or be
rendered helpless (unconscious or broken limbs). There are two forms of dress for grappling
that dictate pace and style of action: with a jacket, such as a gi[7] or kurtka, and without (No-Gi).
The jacket, or "gi", form most often utilizes grips on the cloth to control the opponent's body,
while the "no-gi" form emphasizes body control of the torso and head using only the natural
holds provided by the body. The use of a jacket is compulsory in judo competition, sambo
competition, and most Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition, as well as a variety of folk wrestling styles
around the world. Jackets are not used in many forms of wrestling, such as Olympic Freestyle,
Greco-Roman wrestling and Grappling.
Grappling techniques are also used in mixed martial arts along with striking techniques. Strikes
can be used to set up grappling techniques and vice versa.

ADCC

The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is the most prestigious full range
(takedown, position, and submission inclusive) grappling tournament in the world and is only
held once every two years.

Mundials

The World Jiu-Jitsu Championship, also commonly called the Mundials (Portuguese for
"Worlds"), is the most prestigious jacketed full range (takedown, position, and submission
inclusive) grappling tournament in the world. The event also hosts a non-jacketed division (no
gi), but that sub-event is not as prestigious as ADCC in terms of pure non-jacketed competition.

United World Wrestling

United World Wrestling (UWW) is the international governing body for the sport of wrestling. It
presides over international competitions for various forms of wrestling, including Grappling for
men and women. The flagship Grappling's event of UWW is the Grappling World Championships.

NAGA

The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) is an organization started in 1995 that holds
Submission Grappling and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments throughout North America and
Europe. NAGA is the largest submission grappling association in the world with over 175,000
participants worldwide, including some of the top submission grapplers and MMA fighters in the
world.[8] NAGA grappling tournaments consist of gi and no-gi divisions. No-Gi competitors
compete under rules drafted by NAGA. Gi competitors compete under standardized Brazilian
Jiu-Jitsu rules. Notable Champions Frank Mir, Joe Fiorentino, Jon Jones, Khabib
Nurmagomedov, Anthony Porcelli and Antonio Bustorff.

GRiND
GRiND is the first Indian Pro Grappling tournament series started in May 2017 conducting
grappling championships (position and submission included). There is a first time no "Gi" event
series in India.[9]

See also

Clinch fighting

Combatives

Grappling hold

Grappling position

Ground fighting

Submission wrestling

Judo

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Luta Livre

References

1. The Free Dictionary. Grappling (https://www.thefreedictionary.com/grappling) . Accessed 2019-06-05.

2. Panther Grappling Club. Frequently Asked Questions (https://www.pitt.edu/~sorc/grappling/labels/FA


Q.html) . Accessed 2019-06-05.

3. "Judo Self-Defense Forms: Goshin Jutsu" (http://judoinfo.com/katagosh.htm) . judoinfo.com.

4. Sumo Wrestling: Practical Techniques for the Martial Artist (https://www.grapplearts.com/sumo-wrestlin


g-practical-techniques-for-the-martial-artist/)

5. What is Combat Jiu-Jitsu? (https://www.bjj-spot.com/combat-jiu-jitsu/)

6. Krauss, Erich (1 December 2004). Warriors of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. U.S.: Citadel Press
Inc. ISBN 0-8065-2657-2.

7. "The Judo Rank System - Belts" (http://judoinfo.com/obi.htm) . judoinfo.com.

8. "NAGA Submission Grappling, BJJ Tournaments & Reality Fighting - NagaFighter.com" (http://www.nagafi
ghter.com) . nagafighter.com.
9. "ग्राइंड - भारत का प्रथम पेशेवर कु श्ती टूर्नामेंट" (https://web.archive.org/web/20170813220455/http://samagya.in/
epaper/edition/340/xcd/page/5) [Grind - India's first professional grappling tournament]. Samagya
Hindi Daily. 9 May 2017. p. 5. Archived from the original (http://samagya.in/epaper/edition/340/xcd/pa
ge/5) on 13 August 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.

Other sources

Gracie; Renzo, Gracie, Royler; Peligro, Kid; Danaher, John (2001). Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Theory and
technique. Invisible Cities Press. ISBN 1-931229-08-2.

Ohlenkamp, Neil (2006) Judo Unleashed (https://web.archive.org/web/20070913064230/htt


p://judounleashed.com/) basic reference on judo. ISBN 0-07-147534-6.

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