When you first start into clinching and pummeling with a partner, go easy. If you’ve never sparred with guys who wrestle by tying you up like this, your neck will be very sore the day after. To strengthen your overall clinch and pummeling performance, workout the neck with proper back bridging. NOTE: It’s very important to do this correctly by bridging with your forehead on the ground, pushing your nose to ground instead of bridging on the top of your head – see Matt Furley’s book Combat Conditioning for more detailed instruction.

Here’s a vid with fighter Yves Edwards showing the basic plumb clinch and pummelling.

Here’s a video of Daniel and Jenny working the pummel for several minutes. Watch how they work the head, push off from the hips, and use angles to break out. Copycat what they do to train your pummel and clinch. Flow from one tie up to the next, just grappling. Later you incorporate practicing strikes, but for now, just get the motions down.

Pummeling: Stand-up grappling 3/18/07 Jenny and Daniel

If you want more info on pummeling, consult either Randy “The Natural” Couture’s book Wrestling for Fighting or this devilishly under-priced Amazon.com download, Learn to Fight and Win with Randy Couture . Between the two, they cover all sorts of neat stuff – single collar ties, takedowns, advanced  pummeling, ect. I’ve gone through both, and their filled with awesome stuff. Randy is a fighter who knows his stuff and pummels really well.