Tips on improving self defense grappling

In my previous post "grappling for self defense vs. grappling for UFC" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2017/01/grappling-for-self-defense-vs-grappling.html), i outlined the differences between grappling for self defense and grappling for sport. In this self defense guide, i will explain in further detail how to apply grappling in the streets.

* Know when grappling is applicable and when it isn't - Sometimes, you cannot win a street fight with grappling alone. You will need striking and kicking skills. There's many fights on youtube where the grappler tries to take it to the ground. While the grappler wins, he is still hit in the process and struggles to apply grappling holds well. You don't want to take a fight to the ground where your vision is limited and you are very vulnerable. This is an example of such a case where grappling failed. Understanding when grappling is useful and when it isn't is key in self defense.

* Embrace dirty fighting - Learn about all the illegal moves in grappling arts and use them to your advantage. Headbutts, biting, eye gouging, groin strikes, elbow strikes, throat grabs, bashing someone's head repeatedly against the concrete, weapons, etc. are all legal in a street fight. Use your environment to your advantage. Simplify your grappling techniques by incorporating these dirty fight tactics in your grappling skills. Raw Combat International gives useful grappling moves for self defense.

* Throw away unessentials - In order to effectively use grappling in self defense, forget about the sports mindset and making your opponent tap out. Discard grappling rules and anything that hinders you from learning grappling for self defense. Self defense is a matter of survival, not of competition.  

* Control your opponent - Controlling your opponent is very important in grappling. You will want to target certain areas such as the arms, legs, and the head to establish a firm hold on your opponent. Once your opponent is under control, you can choke or strike and do whatever you want. Make sure that the grappling holds you choose prevent your opponent from attacking you effectively.

* Use your opponent's momentum against him/her - Don't fight force against force. Absorb your opponent's force and use it against him or her. Let's suppose you are on the ground and your opponent is on a high mount trying to strike you. Feel the energy, redirect it, and allow it to carry your opponent over out of balance. If someone tries to choke you from behind, you could also use momentum to carry your opponent over and break free from the hold.

* Protect your balance - Balance is very important to avoid being taken to the ground. Lower your center of gravity, use momentum, sprawl and brawl, strike, etc. to keep your opponent from executing a successful takedown. Make sure that you have quick and mobile footwork to stay outside of someone trying to grapple with you.

* Set up a takedown - In order to be skilled at setting up a takedown, you need to trick your opponent and understand the range to do it. You will also want to use a takedown useful for self defense. You don't want to go to the ground with your attacker but you'll want to take your attacker down. For example, i like to grapple my opponent from a side position before i sweep him or her down. Rather than go down with my opponent as seen in sports, i release my hold the moment my attacker is falling over. I find these takedown techniques also useful for self defense.

* Be fully aware of your surroundings - Generally, you will want to learn grappling techniques that don't limit your vision. You will also want to scan your surroundings if you are on the ground to make sure there are no multiple attackers. For example, applying a rear naked chokehold works well in choking someone out but my vision is limited. I cannot check to see if my attacker is reaching for a weapon in his or her pockets. I am also vulnerable to strikes to the face. Applying a full nelson is a better grappling hold because 1) My attacker's arms are within my control and vision 2) It establishes full control over my attacker.

* Grapple from a dominant position - The best position to grapple an attacker is when he or she is in the prone position as shown in the picture below. This is where your attacker is at his or her most vulnerable and it's very difficult to resist. Grappling holds such as the boston crab prevent your attacker from reaching for a weapon and escaping. Attacking from a side position where your free to strike and grapple is effective because you only have to deal with his or her arms than the legs.  

* Have a strategy - If you are to use grappling effectively for self defense, you need a strategy. Perhaps you know your opponent is a superior striker so grappling would be useful in neutralizing his or her striking ability. Perhaps you need a human shield against multiple attackers so applying a grappling hold on one as you move around is effective. Grappling can be used to escape from an opponent mounting you on the ground.

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The differences between MMA and Jeet Kune Do

There seems to be a misconception as to what MMA is and what Jeet Kune Do (JKD) is as taught by Bruce Lee. What Bruce did was NOT mixed martial arts. He developed a fighting philosophy that incorporated certain aspects of martial arts he found useful and scientific. While MMA and Jeet Kune Do share some similarities, they are not one in the same. Hopefully, this guide will help you get a better insight on how to adapt your training and mindset in the self defense setting. Here's a list highlighting the key differences:

MMA is made of styles, JKD is a liberation from them - MMA fighters typically train under traditional martial arts for ring fighting in the areas of striking, kicking, ground-fighting, and grappling. Jeet Kune Do is a non-traditional approach to martial arts or combat sport. Jeet Kune Do is only about taking certain efficient or useful tools or ideas of a martial art and discarding the rest of the style. Your focus is on creating your own fighting system and being proficient with what you skillfully use in combat. Jeet Kune Do focuses primarily on striking, kicking, trapping, grappling, possibly some groundfighting but practitioners don't necessarily have to train extensively in all of these ranges.

MMA is for sport, JKD is for combat - Another difference between MMA and Jeet Kune Do is that MMA typically suited for sport while Jeet Kune Do is for combat. Jeet Kune Do trains full contact no holds barred sparring with equipment and gear for safety. MMA training is typically suited for sports fighting rather than the streets.

MMA has rules, JKD doesn't - According to UFC rules, you are forbidden from doing certain moves and thus will not be trained to do them in an MMA environment. Jeet Kune Do has a no holds barred mentality and fighting dirty is allowed. That means you could headbutt, eye gouge, use weapons, elbow strike, bite, throw low blows, have help, pull hair, hit the eyes, the throat, use the environment to your advantage, brutal moves to vital areas, joint breaks, the list goes on.

MMA and JKD have different strategies - The purpose of MMA is to ultimately lead to submissions or knock out. The cross training in various martial arts is to counter their opponent's strengths. The strategies used in MMA may include sprawl and brawl, clinching, ground and pound, the list goes on. Jeet Kune Do on the other hand has a list of principles that the user can freely use or discard. In Jeet Kune Do, your goal is to simply end the fight through interception or other ways of attack in JKD concepts. There's no wasted movement or much thought involved. Rather than learn the best martial art to counter an opponent's ground-fighting ability for example, you either avoid a takedown or execute a counter-attack in the striking and/or other ranges.

MMA has structure, JKD is fluid - In MMA, you have time to study your opponent before a fight and devise a strategy. For example, you might note that your opponent is a superb striker so you work on your long range attacks and stick to the attack plan. In Jeet Kune Do, you simply adapt to every situation whether you have time to devise a strategy or not. MMA has a set standard for using techniques or principles whether in the ring or outside of the ring. Jeet Kune Do doesn't. In Jeet Kune Do, it's about making your ideas work in combat. For example, conventional wisdom says "you should NEVER fight on the ground in a street fight as your enemy could have a weapon..." Jeet Kune Do's question is "can you make it work in training?" If you can, this saying doesn't apply to you under the right circumstances.

 MMA is about competition, JKD is about evolution - In MMA, you learn mixed martial arts to compete - that's it. While you could indeed apply MMA to self defense, you are limited by what the styles have to offer. Jeet Kune Do is about evolution of the self and the knowledge of the past through improvement. In Jeet Kune Do, you bring new insights into the art of combat and go beyond your limits or the ones placed upon you. One of the reasons why Bruce Lee did not compete in sports fighting was because he could not transcend as a martial artist in that environment. Jeet Kune Do is about constant refinement not just in martial arts, but in daily life.

In conclusion, these are several defining characteristics that ultimately separate Jeet Kune Do and MMA from each other. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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Should you groundfight in self defense?

Since the rise of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA, groundfighting has become increasingly popular especially in the area of self defense. A very important question that people have asked is "should you take a fight to the ground?" Many self defense instructors bring up legitimate reasons why this is a bad idea such as the possibility of weapons, limited vision, vulnerability to attack, and multiple attackers. I can't give you a solid answer. All i can tell you is generally, you should not groundfight in self defense but that does not mean there are no exceptions. Here's some considerations you ought to take into account before you end up groundfighting:

1. Are there weapons involved? If so, don't go to the ground.

2. Are there multiple attackers? If so, don't go to the ground.

3. Are you running out of options in defeating a difficult opponent? Ground fighting may be a measure of last resort.

This does not mean that you can use any techniques or strategies found in BJJ or other grappling arts. Groundfighting in UFC and groundfighting in self defense should have two completely different objectives. If your going to make groundfighting in self defense then you must have certain objectives. For one you should not go for a takedown against an intensely difficult opponent as it exposes your head, neck, and back to attack. Instead wait until your opponent takes you down. Second, your objective should be to immediately seize the opportunity to immobilize your attacker primarily through a chokehold or using armbars for armbreaks. Remember the goal is not to make your opponent submit. It's a desperate measure to cut off the flow of oxygen so he/she can stop attacking you. You don't want to apply an armbar or a leglock for a submission to make your attacker tap out only to risk getting hit after you release the locks. You'll want to break limbs and move into a better position for attack. Forget about point systems and treating groundfighting like a sport. Focus on ending the fight as quickly as possible on the ground with a self defense mindset and then get up.

This is just my opinion. If you've tried striking and kicking with no success then groundfighting may be a measure of last resort but i don't recommend it as your first priority. What do you think? Should groundfighting be apart of self defense? Why or why not? Let me know in the comments below.If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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Self defense against a baseball bat

Baseball bats can cause serious damage when used as a blunt weapon. The force of the impact can break bone and cause other injuries especially if delivered to the head. Loss of consciousness or even death can occur. This is why it's important to understand how to defend yourself against an attacker wielding a baseball bat for a weapon:

1) Stay close to your attacker - Keep at a close distance just enough to where the bat can barely reach you. Don't move too far back or you will likely get hit. 

2) Use a weapon - Get an improvised weapon such as a chair, a stick, anything that you can use to deflect strikes or deliver strikes to your attacker. 

3) Move in and control the weapon - Timing is critical in these situations. The best time to close the gap is before or after an attack is made. Once you move in whether it's through a takedown or by other means, control the weapon. Alternatively, you could also control the arms holding the weapon. 

4) Disarm - There's several ways you can disarm an attacker. You could use his own momentum against him by controlling his head and throwing him. You could use the bat as leverage and force it out of his grip. You could use a Judo throw. The overall aim is to disarm your attacker. 

Additional tips: 

* Don't try to block the bat with your arm - Some self defense instructors teach you should try to block the weapon with some part of your arm. This is a bad idea as the bat could break bone and damage tissue. 

* Avoid the tip of the weapon - The most dangerous part of the bat is the tip. Once the bat has passed the centerline, it becomes safer to intercept your attacker.

* Don't hesitate - The only safe zones are outside of striking range or inside the grappling range. If your stuck anywhere between those two ranges, you will get hit. Keep in mind that your attacker can change the direction of the bat. Do not hesitate to close the gap between you and your attacker when the opportunity presents itself. 

Practice your these principles especially timing and interceptions with a sparring partner using a foam bat.If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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Self defense against a Machete

If you've read my post on "how to defend yourself against a swordsman" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/11/defense-against-swordsman.html) then you should have an idea of how to takedown someone armed with a Machete. Here are several tips on how to disarm an attacker wielding a Machete following certain principles.

1) Use a weapon - Use whatever improvised weapon you have at your disposal as an equalizer to the Machete. The aim is to either deflect or deliver vicious attacks of your own.

2) Keep at a close distance - Like a sword, you must stay within a reasonable distance in order to rush in for a disarm. Remember that the goal of staying at a close distance from the blade is to intercept your attacker before he/she makes a strike. If you keep backing up and don't move in, you increase the chances of getting hit. This is a near perfect example of how defense against a Machete ought to be done. The man being attacked keeps at a close distance not straying too far away as he uses a chair to deflect the strikes before he performs a double leg takedown:

2) Close in and control the attacking arm - Once you have the opportunity, rush into your attacker and control the arm wielding the Machete by grabbing it. From there, you could headbutt or elbow strike and do whatever attack you want as a distraction. It's more risky if you try to move to the outside of the opponent's attacking arm as you will likely get hit due to the quickness of the weapon. Your best bet is to get into the attacker's inside first before you move to the outside. Quickly get in a position where you can control the elbow and wrist at once.

3) Disarm - To disarm, you could break the arm or knock your attacker off balance. Whether you do a Judo throw or a kick to the back of the knee and a joint lock, the goal is to ensure that your attacker cannot use the Machete against you. One of the best ways to do this is by knocking your attacker off balance as you force the Machete out of his/her hands.

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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How to beat an MMA fighter in Wing Chun

Unfortunately there are some MMA fighters who go around bullying those weaker than them out of self-centered entitlement. If you find yourself with an MMA fighter who is a bully, handle the situation without provoking him to fight. Report him to the police if need be and defend those around you. If things spiral out of control and you have no choice but to fight him, here are several tips on beating an MMA fighter.

There's no telling which styles an MMA fighter uses but generally, they train to be pro-efficient in these set of skills 1) Striking 2) Grappling 3) Ground-fighting. By being familiar with each one, you can devise the proper strategy to counter them all.

* Counter-attack the takedown - The takedown is one of the most crucial moves in ending the fight. If you get caught in the takedown, it's over. The MMA fighter can do what he/she wants once you are on the ground. To avoid it, simply widen your stance, lean your body forward, and stop the fighter with an attack to their upper body. You could palm strike the fighter in the neck as you hold it in place and grab the arm or elbow strike to the back of the head. From there, you could do all sorts of strikes. Ideally, you'd want to push the fighter to the ground and control his movements. If the fighter tries to grab your legs, you could trap his/her arms by bending your legs and lowering your stance. Once trapped, the MMA fighter is completely defenseless.

* Control the distance - The MMA fighter will usually have grappling skills in their arsenal of moves. Be cautious not to get grappled as he/she could easily go for an armbar or other submission hold. Use long ranged attacks and anti-grappling as you keep the distance.

* Counter-attack the Muay Thai clinch - Another attack that the MMA fighter may use is the Muay Thai clinch which would also be crucial in ending the fight. One knee to the ribs and it will result in a broken bone possibly organ damage. You could counter by chain punches to the centerline or preferably, sweep the fighter off balance as you attack him/her down to the ground then make your escape.

* Counter-attack high kicks - Another crucial attack in ending the fight are high kicks. If your opponent delivers a head kick, you could block or use tan sao to catch the leg as you kick the other leg (side of the knee) to get your opponent off balance. If the fighter's leg breaks, the fight is over.

* Counter-attack the running knee kick - Yet another attack that could potentially knock you off balance and end the fight is the running knee kick. When you see your opponent running towards you, it's likely he/she is setting up the kick. Move to the side and take advantage of the situation by kicking your opponent off balance or waiting until he/she lands before closing the gap to attack.

* Use your elbows - If you've read my other post "how to beat a boxer in Wing Chun" (http://everythingselfdefense.blogspot.com/2016/12/how-to-beat-boxer-in-wing-chun.html) then you know the use of your elbows to block and counter-attack would come in handy when facing an MMA fighter. If the MMA fighter uses elbow strikes on you, that's an ideal opportunity to quickly take control of fighter's elbows and end the fight by disrupting his/her balance.

* Counter-attack ground-fighting - Whatever you do, NEVER end up on the ground. Once you end up on the ground, you are put in a very dangerous position. If you ever find yourself on the ground due to a mistake, DO NOT let your guard down. Some Wing Chun teachers instruct that if your on the ground, you should simply get up quickly. This is bad advice especially when facing an MMA fighter. Soon as you try to get up, the MMA fighter will seize that opportunity and attack. Often overlooked, Wing Chun ground-fighting would increase your chances of recovering after being knocked down. You should learn some ground-fighting and how to counter-attack certain holds. What makes Wing Chun ground-fighting different from say Brazilian Jiu Jitsu? There's little to no grappling. You essentially apply the same principles and techniques as if you were standing up. If someone were to ground and pound you for instance, you still could simultaneously attack + defend. You also could knock your opponent off balance as well before quickly getting up and ending the fight.

* Fight dirty - The MMA fighter will likely see a street fight from a ring fighting sport mentality. In the UFC, there are several moves that are illegal in the Octagon but legal outside of it. This gives you an advantage. You could break his/her limbs, bite, hit the groin, use weapons, etc.

I hope this guide was helpful. Be sure to practice these techniques with a partner. If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my blog for updates, more advice, and exclusive content in the near future. I'm proud and excited to offer a FREE sample chapter of my E-book "Jeet Kune Do: How to build your own fighting system for self defense!" It's essentially a step-by-step guide on how to make your own self defense system suited to fit your own needs using Jeet Kune Do. If you would love to receive your FREE chapter of my e-book, click on the link below and share a post via. social media then it's yours for FREE! Be sure to also fill out the survey on the right and provide feedback on my blog. Leave questions, comments, and suggestions below.

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