Grappling

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What is Grappling?

grappling - the act and or sport of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat or physical engagement between persons, in which each strives to get an advantage over or control of their opponent. Physical techniques which embody grappling are clinching, holding, locking, and leverage

Grappling is an element of many martial arts, and consists of techniques for handling the opponent in which the opponent is usually held or gripped rather than struck.

This includes maneuvers to obtain a strong position (for example guard or mount), takedowns, various pins, joint locks, and pain locks. In the forms seen today it normally excludes techniques such as biting and pinching. In submission grappling there are no strikes. 
 
Grappling may be engaged in either standing or on the ground, although many standing techniques are takedowns, and thus used for forcing the opponent to an unfavorable position on the ground.  
 
Throws are considered grappling in some martial arts, whereas other arts consider them extensions of strikes or kicks. When unskilled fighters get embroiled in combat, a very common instinctive reaction is to attempt to slow the situation down by grabbing the opponent and holding them still.  
 
As a result, grappling happens very often between fighters. Of course, skilled fighters can grapple much more effectively and may choose to grapple an opponent to the ground.  
 
With sufficient skill, grappling offers the possibility of controlling an opponent without injuring them. Moreover, it is possible to design rules making grappling into a relatively safe sport; this is more difficult with other kinds of fighting. Grappling is notably not a martial art, but a mode of fighting.  
 
Many martial arts contain grappling training, although the amount and type varies. Jujutsu, judo, aikido, wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu focus primarily on grappling techniques, whereas Boxing, Muay Thai, and Tai Kwon Do contain no grappling or only standing grappling known by most as clinching.  
 
Some martial arts have their own name for grappling; for example, in Eskrima/Kali, grappling is normally called Dumog.  
 
Some Eskrima/Kali systems practice grappling while one or both participants is armed. This practice is significantly more dangerous than unarmed grappling, and generally requires a great deal of training.  
 
Many sports, that are derived from the martial arts, have rules which forbid grappling.  
 
For example in boxing or savate competition, when competitors become too close, they "clinch" or grab each other and the referee immediately stops the fight. 
 
This is generally done to encourage practitioners to focus on other aspects of the match such as punching or kicking, which are deemed more important, more challenging, or more entertaining.

At PMATC the grappling arts taught consist of a combination of Judo – Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) – Shoot wrestling.  These Grappling styles are martial arts that concentrate on defeating an opponent on the ground. While most grappling styles train on a limited amount of stand up fighting, the idea behind it is to take an opponent down and defeat him or her with a choke, a lock or any other number of techniques designed to submit an opponent.

As opposed to relying on brute strength alone, the grappling styles taught at PMATC utilize leverage, conditioning, precision and knowledge of anatomy to defeat an opponent. These grappling arts are very precise arts and the student will be taught to be very aware of one's own body, and of the movements of the opponent. The skilled grappler will be able to feel an opponent's intentions with their movements and will be able to control the fight.

Grappling arts appeal to a wide variety of people, including experienced martial artists from other styles. They are an excellent venue of exercise and conditioning and a truly well rounded martial artist will train for and be able to defend themselves both while standing and on the ground. Grappling arts are an excellent choice for those who give a serious commitment to training and skill will only come through extensive practice in that environment.