Don’t you just hate it when you shoot in for a take down and your opponent sprawls nicely, flattening you out on to all fours with him on top of your back? Me too. From this sprawl position, the top grappler has plenty of options – anaconda, guillotine, taking the back, you name it. But what does the bottom grappler have? Not much. I think the best option is to try to escape into a better position. Here’s one idea:
It’s basically the high school wrestling “sit out”, and I think it works pretty well. I’ve been experimenting with a couple of other ideas for this situation, and when I refine them I’ll post. If you have any techniques you like from this position, let us in on them!
Note: This post was submitted by a friend and fellow student at the University of Utah. If you want to submit an article to be considered for publication, drop me line.
Putting Basic Combinations together
One of the most elementary skills all strikers must learn is often one taken too lightly or quickly forgotten in practice; combinations. Most just associate the act of throwing combination punches more as routine to practice the individual punches themselves or simply as a violent aerobic exercise – but in reality, these punch sets are mainly designed to teach fighters how to roll their bodies with punches to increase the power and speed of each action.
One very basic combo that most people will associate is the basic jab, cross, hook combo. But why in that order? Why not just throw 3 cross punches? The reason is balance and the removal of the next punch’s windup.
Imagine you have just thrown a powerful cross, what does it take to throw that same cross again immediately afterward? It sounds fairly easy but in reality so much force is lost in the recovery. Assuming you threw the first cross correctly, your crossing shoulder would be in front of your body to lead your weight into the punch. In order to re-throw that punch you would need to recoil your arm and twist your shoulder back in your stance to its starting position.
It sounds like a simple motion but in the midst of a fight it is laughably slow especially if your intention is to throw another long cross once the starting position is regained. Instead you want to use your twisting torso to your advantage and allow each to punch to wind up the following action.
So in the cross scenario, the full extension of the punch in your leading shoulder (the one that throws the jab) has been rocked backward just as it would be if you were winding up a hard jab. As you throw your right, you simultaneously wind up your left; and as your throw your left you wind up your right and so on. This allows your punches to fly in at the maximum speed and power possible all while keeping your body balanced and well defended – should your opponent try to sneak through a well-timed counter punch.
From a birds-eye view, your shoulders should look like a teeter-totter with your head as the fulcrum. This same concept doesn’t just apply to basic striking – it applies in a to kicks, knees, elbows and even take-downs. A 1-2-3 combo doesn’t necessarily have to be a jab, cross, hook if you don’t want it to be. Try throwing a left jab, right elbow, left knee or a left jab, right cross, left kick or whatever other combination you feel like suits your skills and situation but remember to stay in balance with your moves.
Here’s a quick video of Frank Shamrock teaching a couple of points on basic punching. If you’re just beginning, don’t worry too much about getting everything right. With practice, you’ll get there. The first time you tied your shoes, you sucked at it. Same thing for all the skills in the combat arts – especially striking.
For those looking for information about the U of U MMA classes, look no further.
I’m extremely excited about this coming year. I’ve streamlined the course a bit and believe that students will learn more, faster, and with a greater degree of technique because of it.
For starters, we’ll make sure to emphasize the MIXED part of mixed martial arts. No matter the class title, if it’s taught by me, we’ll be doing MMA. Striking, grappling, conditioning. Every few semesters I’ll focus on a a specific martial art textbook. This semester I’ll be teaching a good deal from BJ Penn’s MMA Book of Knowledge. This hopefully will allow students to study at home and after the class is over. It’s a cheap textbook, and I think it’ll be invaluable to student’s MMA progression.
I’m teaching three mixed martial arts classes this semester. The scheduling department hasn’t been kind to me this year, so the classes may not be listed exactly correctly. However, the following should get you through without fear. Basically, for the morning classes if it says 9:40-10:30 AM and is taught in the HPR W 106 room, that’s my class.
Class Numbers and Times
ESSF 1415 section 001 and 002; W 8:15-10 PM
This class is posted as Martial Arts Elem: Mixed Martial Arts.
ESSF 1420 section 001 and 002; M/W 9:40-10:30 AM
This class is listed as Judo: Jujitsu grappling for beginners. Supposedly, the class name (not number!) will be changed to Judo: Mixed Martial Arts. It says that it will be taught by “Staff” and that really means me.
ESSF 1440 section 001 and 006 ; T/H 9:40-10:30 AM
This class is listed as Aikido: Elementary. Supposedly, the class name (not number!) will be changed to Aikido: Elementary : Mixed Martial Arts. Again, another strange listing error. I’m not listed as the instructor, but fear not. This is really my class. And yes, really, this is an MMA class, as I really don’t know any Aikido.
Additional Notes
Spring semester at the University of Utah starts Monday January 12.
Make sure to sign up for both half-semester classes to make sure you can get in.
You don’t have to be a U student to get into the class – take the class from the continuing ed department. Go directly to http://continue.utah.edu/noncredit/ and look for my classes under the ESSF course list. BTW, it’s super cheap to take the class this way.
If the class fills up before you can sign up, come to the first session and I’ll give you an add code.
This semesters textbook is Mixed Martial Arts: The Book of Knowledge by BJ Penn.
As always, if you have any questions drop me a line and I’ll do my best to answer them quickly.
Training in martial arts can make you ask yourself a lot of serious questions. Am I ready to kill or be killed? How many pull ups can I do? If a full kindergarten class attacked me at once, realistically, could I handle it?
Click on the picture and find out. (I can take 39!)
