Wrestling, judo, jiu jutsu, sambo, mixed martial arts and aikido are combat styles that focus on grappling with instead of striking an opponent. In some cases, the styles apply technique to realistic self-defense. In others, the style is focused around competition according to specific rules and parameters. Regardless of a grappling style's focus, grapplers and wrestlers draw from a limited repertoire of basic techniques.
Purpose of Sport Techniques
In sport grappling, the purpose of a technique is to score points or to win by fall, says Oregon-based wrestling coach Andy Brick. An individual sport will define conditions that score a point such as a two-point takedown in a wrestling match, after which specific moves develop to efficiently achieve those conditions. Most grappling and wresting arts define a fall, a condition under which the match ends immediately and one competitor wins. Some examples of fall conditions include a pin, choke or tap out. Like with point scoring moves, a move intended to create a fall evolves out of the conditions defined by the sport.
Purposes of Combat Techniques
Martial arts instructor Dave Coffman points out many combat techniques are externally identical to sport techniques. The difference, Coffman says, is the intention of the person performing the technique. A wrestler might execute a double-leg takedown to score two points. In a defense situation, a fighter might use the same double-leg takedown to slam his attacker's head on a concrete parking divider. Combat grappling techniques are often performed faster than sport techniques to maximize the damage they cause.
Takedowns
Takedowns and throws are techniques intended to take a standing opponent to the ground. According to former Olympic judo coach Phil Porter, takedowns and throws occur when you rotate a body around a central point. A double-leg takedown immobilizes the hips, then rotates the body around that point by pulling the legs while pushing the torso. A figure-four throw immobilizes the shoulder and pushes on the wrist and forearm. Pain from the lock pushes the upper body back and the lower body forward. The difference between a takedown and a throw is the end result. In a takedown, the thrower goes to the ground with the throwee. A throw ends with the thrower upright and the throwee on the ground.
Control Holds
Control holds hold and move an opponent by immobilizing and/or applying leverage to different parts of the body. A half-nelson is a common wrestling control hold. In a half-nelson, one wrestler snakes an arm beneath his opponent's armpit and over the base of his head. This allows him to lever his opponent, rotating him from his belly to his back for a pin. Control holds do not do damage, score points or cause a fall on their own. Instead, they allow one fighter to position his opponent to then do damage, score points or cause a fall.
Submissions
A submission hold fulfills the fall conditions for a sport or causes fight-ending damage in a street fight. The arm bar is a classic example, used in mixed martial arts, judo, aikido and jiu jitsu. An arm bar consists of immobilizing the arm, then bending the elbow in the opposite direction it's supposed to bend. According to Porter, using an arm bar in sport competition causes pain that forces a fighter to tap out. In the street, it can break the arm and render an attacker incapable of continuing the fight. Other examples of submissions include the wrestling cradle, choke holds and leg bar.
References
- Andy Brick; Wrestling Coach; Hillsboro, Oregon
- Dave Coffman; Martial Arts Instructor; Hillsboro, Oregon
- Phil Porter; U.S. Olympic Judo Coach (retired); Sacramento, California
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