grapplator

5 Awesome Grappling Dummy Throws

If you own a grappling dummy there are so many techniques you can do that will help you get better at grappling. On my grappling dummy I do heaps of throws but Osoto gari, Seoi nage, Tai otoshi, O goshi and Harai goshi are some of my favourite techniques to throw my dummy with. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to throw your dummy.
Osoto Gari
- Start with a standard grip
- Step forward with your left foot and pull your opponent off balance
- Keep your opponents arm tight to your chest
- Bring your foot forwards ready to sweep your opponents leg
- Keep this leg slightly bent with toes pointed downwards
- As your leg sweeps your opponents leg, make sure your head travels forwards towards the mat (simulating a seesaw movement)
Seoi-nage (Shoulder throw)
- Begin with a standard grip
- Start your entry by stepping forwards with your right leg as you simultaneously open up his right arm
- Simultaneously punch your right elbow up into your opponents' armpit, as you pivot on your front right foot so that you are facing the same direction as your opponent
- Make sure both your feet are inside your opponents' feet
- Make sure your knees are bent and your back is straight
- Pull your opponent forward and straighten your legs to lift your opponent off the ground
- Finish by bringing your right arm down alongside your left knee
Harai-goshi

- Begin with the standard grip
- Step forwards with your right leg, as you simultaneously pull your opponent off balance
- Pivot on your right foot and place your left foot inside your opponent's feet, as you simultaneously wrap your arm around your opponents head

- Quickly start the sweeping action with your leg

- Keeping your sweeping leg slightly bent, hit your opponent in the knee with your hamstring to finish the throw
Tai-otoshi (2 on 1 Grip)

- Begin with a standard grip

- Step forwards with your right foot as you pull your opponent forwards with your left hand

- Pivot on your front foot so you are facing the same direction as your opponent. Make sure your left foot isn't too wide

- As you pivot, simultaneously bring your right hand into your opponents elbow and step across your opponents' legs, then sharply pull him over the leg to finish the throw
O-goshi (Hip Throw)

- Begin with a standard grip

- Step forwards with your right foot as you under hook your opponent with your right hand
- Pivot on your front foot so that you are facing the same way as your opponent, and both of your feet are in between their feet

- Keep your knees bent and back straight
- To finish the throw, straighten your legs and rotate your opponent over your hips.

Author: Matt D'Aquino

I have written a book called "The Complete Guide to the Grappling Dummy." This eBook contains over 100 techniques for Judo, BJJ and MMA as well as 65 workouts catered for Judo, BJJ or MMA. The Complete Guide to the Grappling Dummy also comes with 2 bonus eBooks. The first is "40 Kettlebell Workouts for MMA, BJJ & Judo" as well as "99 Tips for fighters" which is a collection of nutrition, fitness and technical tips that helped me become an Olympian.

Grappling: An Introduction to Submission Grappling

Grappling, in martial arts, refers to any method of fighting that involves gripping your opponent as opposed to striking your opponent. For instance, wrestling involves grappling techniques while Muay Thai typically does not (unless you consider the clinch used in that sport).

Submission grappling focuses mainly on ground fighting. Submission grappling involves not only grappling but the use of submission holds including joint locks and chokes. Joint locks may include various armlocks and leglocks. For instance, an arm bar submission involves hyperextending the elbow joint. Chokes are usually "blood chokes" involving the constricting of the carotid arteries in the neck restricting blood flow to the brain and leading to unconsciousness. Submission grappling can be gi or no-gi. In gi grappling, competitors may grab their own and their opponent's gi to gain an advantage. In no-gi grappling, a shirt and shorts are the common uniform.

FILA (The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles) now sponsors submission grappling as one of its wrestling styles. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) is probably the most popular form of submission grappling. The International Federation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu sponsors many contests including the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. NAGA (The North American Grappling Association) sponsors many grappling and BJJ tournaments as well. The ADCC (The Abu Dhabi Combat Club) sponsors The World Submission Fighting Championships allowing grapplers from any grappling discipline to compete against one another in one the most celebrated grappling competitions in the world.

I come from a high school wrestling background. When I began to learn about submission grappling I found it very interesting. One the first forms of submission grappling I learned about was Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I found some similarities between wrestling and BJJ and many differences. Wrestling and BJJ both involve grappling, proper positioning and leverage.

In wrestling, the ultimate goal is to "pin" your opponent by pressing his shoulders to the mat. However, in BJJ it can actually be advantageous to be on your back and there is no penalty for it. Both sports have a hold referred to as an armbar. In wrestling, an armbar involves using your opponent's arm as a lever to force him to his back. But, an armbar in BJJ is something entirely different. In BJJ, an armbar hyperextends the arm at the elbow joint.

In wrestling, one has takedowns, escapes, reversals, and pinning combinations. In BJJ, one has takedowns, sweeps, passes, and submissions. Thus, the terminology is somewhat different. The goal in submission grappling (e.g. BJJ) is to get your opponent to "tap" (i.e. give up).
Many forms of grappling and submission grappling exist.

Some forms of grappling include:

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ)
Judo
Wrestling
Sambo (a.k.a. Sombo)
Catch-as-catch-can wrestling (i.e. Catch wrestling)
Aikido
Japanese Jujutsu

BJJ, Sambo, and catch wrestling all involve the use of submissions. BJJ seems to employ more armlocks and chokes. On the other hand, Sambo and catch wrestling appear to employ more leglocks. Sambo and catch wrestling practitioners seem to have a penchant for manipulating their opponent's ankle joints via Achilles locks, toe holds, and heel hooks.

Professional wrestling actually descended from catch wrestling. Professional wrestling actually used to be "real" and not just scripted entertainment. Grapplers like Martin "Farmer" Burns, Frank Gotch, Karl Gotch, Ed "The Strangler" Lewis, Billy Robinson, Lou Thesz, and Judo Gene LeBell were the real deal and experts at submissions. On a humorous note, in a Bugs Bunny Cartoon called Bunny Hugged, Bugs defeats a wrestler called The Crusher.

Some modern day grapplers that carry on the catch wrestling tradition:

Erik Paulson
Josh Barnett
Kazushi Sakuraba
Tony Cecchine
Matt Furey

Wrestling and judo both involve gripping and clinching to throw or take down an opponent. In addition, wrestling involves much grappling on the ground.

Aikido and Japanese jujutsu seem to employ a variety of wrist locks and arm locks.
Mixed martial arts competitions (e.g. UFC, PRIDE, Shooto, Pancrase) employ many submission grappling techniques. For instance,former UFC Lightweight Champion B.J. Penn has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
You can see grappling techniques employed in various movies and television shows including Air Force One, Under Siege 2, Fist of Legend, The Protector, The Rebel, Sherlock Holmes, Iron Man 2, Boondock Saints 2, Bobby Z and Walker Texas Ranger to name a few.

Grappling is mentioned in two ancient works of literature: The Epic of Gilgamesh and Beowulf.
Some people argue that grappling arts are good for self-defense.

Many grappling and submission grappling techniques can be found in videos and articles online.

Tharin Schwinefus is a former high school conference wrestling champion and state qualifier. He maintains a passion and interest in all things related to the sport of wrestling. He is also passionate about the grappling arts and submission grappling. If you would like to read more information regarding grappling and wrestling then

Grappling Dummy Techniques for MMA Athletes

Mixed martial arts has literally burst onto the TV screen and it looks like it is here to stay. At my martial arts club the mixed martial arts classes are overrun with people wanting to learn MMA and I constantly have people asking me what can they do at home that will help increase there MMA skills. I tell them to invest in a grappling or throwing dummy. There dummies are designed for MMA athletes to throw, punch, kick and pound without ever hurting a single training partner.

Compared to other combat sports, MMA training is extremely easy to get injured either through a stray elbow, knee or headbutt. Drills such as punching when in knee ride or driving through wildly with a double leg can accidentally injure your opponent so there are times when you have to not punch, kick or throw with as much force as you would really like. While running MMA classes I sometimes get the occasional fighter who cannot control his strikes and so I assign him to using a grappling dummy.

If you are the sort of person who cannot regularly attend training then I highly advise you to purchase a dummy. This way if you ever miss training due to work or family commitments you can still drill your techniques in order to continually improve your MMA skills.

Grappling dummies are designed so that you can drill your MMA techniques without ever having to worry about injuring your opponent. You can perform various 'ground and pound' techniques such as strikes from mount, elbows from side control as well as vicious elbows when your on the bottom. Drilling knees and elbow strikes while on your feet is also a great technique you can drill with a grappling dummy.
Grappling dummies are built very well and can be picked up and slammed over and over again which is great if you are looking at practicing take downs against the cage, in a clinch or shooting in straight after a few strikes.

MMA fighters require a high level of fitness and conditioning due to the fact that a fight goes for anything from 3-5 rounds of 3-5 minutes (depending on the fight being amateur or professional). Therefore it is crucial that the fighters have a high level of fitness and adding different dummy techniques can assist in raising your aerobic threshold.

In conclusion grappling dummy's are a fantastic investment for MMA fighters looking at training one hundred percent without injuring their opponents or for those fighters who cannot always get to training but are keen on practicing their skills in the comfort of their own home

Grappling and Submission Wrestling Defined

Some people often wonder what is the difference between grappling and wrestling. Are they the same?

What is GRAPPLING
Grappling generally refers to a series techniques used in martial arts against an opponent. They are movements and strategy used to make an opponent surrender, retreat or topple over. This has to do with gaining advantage viewed from position and the exertion of energy or force on the opponent. These techniques are employed in various martial arts and could depend on the specific discipline you are engaged in. Usually, weapons are forbidden. In some advanced disciplines, grappling be used alongside other tactics like strikes and weapons that might evens allow injuries. If you are interested in martial arts, wrestling or boxing, you might equally be interested in knowing some of these techniques.

Most people use the clinch fighting technique to gain advantage as well as to subdue an enemy or an opponent. This tactic deals occur while both opponents are on their feet. The force is exerted on the upper part of the body and is an effort to keep off from takeovers or being threw down. Clinching works as a powerful defence against throw-downs. Takedowns and throws are part of the grappling technique in martial arts. You would like to have the great advantage and control over your opponent. This method offers that advantage. If you and your opponent is on the same level, standing, a throw-down will enable you to set your opponent off his or her feet, bringing him or her to the ground position. The idea behind this is to take control by sitting over his or her body or exerting energy to keep him or her down.

You also have the submission holds and pinning controlling techniques. The terms suggest the same thing. By using holds, you would aim at strangling your opponent through holds or by wounding through locks until the latter surrenders or declares defeat. Having the opponent pinned to a position where s/he cannot act anymore is one of the grappling techniques. This technique results to automatic victory in some disciplines.

Beside the above mentioned techniques used in grappling, you also have the sweeps, reversals, turnovers and escapes. Sweeps and reversals occur almost simultaneously. They are the movements enabling a competitor who has been in a losing situation to take control, say one being locked down and dominated. Escapes are the manoeuvres that help a competitor out of danger. Mastering all these techniques could enable you gain both efficacy and style in grappling matches. They do not just happen overnight, they come with a lot of training, trial and error and hard work

What is SUBMISSION WRESTLING
Submission wrestling is the term commonly used to describe the form of martial art that involves clinching or submission holds as the principle method of leading a competitor or an opponent to defeat or submission. It is very common in Japan and is a ground form of fighting. It is referred to under different terms. Some of these may include but not limited to submission fighting, sport grappling and submission grappling. Grappling generally refers to the fighting techniques used to subdue an opponent; they can be subdivided into various parts which include throw downs, clinching, reversals, turnovers and escapes.

There are things you would definitely like to know before getting into this form of martial art. The ultimate goal is to lead your opponent to surrender by using grappling techniques to disadvantage him and bring him or her to a position of utter helplessness where he or she is compelled to surrender. This kind of submission wrestling occurs most often on the ground with each party striving to get a definite hold of the other through hold locks, choking and other weakening techniques that would make the opponent helpless to the point of surrender.

To succeed with submission wrestling, it is important to develop defensive reflexes that enable you to side-step, to escape and to get yourself out of the way of danger. Most people fail because they do not consider this aspect. Wrestling is an art that engages a lot. As much as you would like to dominate your opponent, so much more would you want to stay out of reach of surprising grips. Some opponents can be very smart and full of surprises. A little carelessness and you find you in a tight gap, uneasy to unwind from a solid grip or mercilessly pinned to the ground. Knowing how to get out of the way of your opponent allows you the luxury to prepare for surprises also.

It is also important to know how to use reverse techniques and turnovers to shift the advantage on your side. This happens when your opponent is on you are you had to turn things around. Sweeps and reverse techniques are very effective in this light. A pin would enable you to gain more points or to remain in a dominant position. You can arrive at dominating your opponent by having him or her pinned to the ground that s/he cannot but submit. To arrive here, you would need a lot of time for training, for exercise and for errors also. But understanding these techniques will certainly help you know what to expect in submission wrestling matches.

Edited by John Brink - BJJ Black Belt. Owner and Head instructor at Impact Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Academy in Dallas

21 Tips to Improve Your Grappling Game

Goal oriented training
Have a specific technique or area of focus for each rolling session. For example, I will come into training thinking "Today I am going to work on passing the butterfly guard". You may even want to let your training partners know this and start in those positions.

Consistent Training
Make BJJ a priority in your life, training 3-5 times a week EVERY week. It's no coincidence that the best guys in class also have the best attendance.

Set a schedule for yourself and don't let anything that isn't really major interrupt it. Some guys get good really quick, but the best guys have all put in countless hours to get there. You will never see your game improve as fast as it should if you are missing classes or weeks of training.

Take advantage of your training partners
Make a mental note of who has the best guard, takedowns, passing, pins, or escapes. Then work with them, allowing them to use their strengths. This will highlight your mistakes and help you monitor your progress. Once you can consistently overcome their strong points then you know you are seriously improving. I never pull guard against someone if I know they have a slick bottom game, I want to be on top.

Study everyone else's game - When you aren't sparring study your teammate's games and try to pick up their effective moves. Go over it in your head as they spar. Think about when you would be able to use that move, or how you would counter it. Ask them what little adjustments they make so that the technique works better.

Ask your instructor questions
All too often I see brown and black belts teach class and ask, "Any questions or things you guys want to work on?" and everyone is SILENT. Always have a question in mind, unless you are an absolute phenom there will always be a position where you don't feel 100% confident.

Try new things
I always use white belts for this. I will take a move or setup that I haven't tried yet and try to pull it off on the beginners. This works well because if you are still unsure about parts of it, you most likely will not be able to pull it off at all on the more advanced guys. For example, I'm trying to learn the twister right now, so whenever I roll with white belts or new blues that is what I go for. It also helps because it makes rolling with those much less skilled than yourself challenging.

Work on a new area until you feel it is one of your strengths, then move on to another. Work on keeping your guard, for example, until it is almost impossible for any others close to your level to pass, and really difficult for someone advanced to get by. Then add your sweeps. Once you are sweeping blues easily and higher belts on occasion, move to subs from the guard, etc...

Individual attention
Privates with your instructor work wonders. Roll with them or have them watch you roll with someone who usually get the better of you, then have them point out areas you need to improve upon or blatant mistakes you are making.

Train at different gyms
I realized that having new perspectives helped me greatly. Also, the experience of rolling with guys you don't know anything about will make your moves much sharper. This is especially true if you are the most technical one in your academy, don't fall into the "big fish in a small pond syndrome".

Compete as often as possible
Under the stress of competition the true nature of your skills come out. Also it helps to let you know where you stand in the larger scheme of things by giving you a realistic look at where you stand against other guys with the same belt level.

Teach new guys
If you can get a pure beginner to do a move 100% accurately then you know that you have it down. It is good practice to make sure you are aware of each little detail that makes a technique work.

Roll until you are exhausted at every training session
I see many guys pack their bags and go home when they have barely worked up a sweat. I always try to train until my instructors tell me they have to lock up and go home. Even if I'm so tired that I'm getting my ass kicked by someone of lower rank, the experience of training when you have no strength left will vastly improve your game both mentally and physically.

Your cardio is a technique. You may know a lot, but you won't be able to express it well if you are worried that you are going to run out of air. You can really open up your game and keep pressure on your opponent if your lungs can handle the constant movement and explosiveness.

Train in inferior positions
Allow your training partners to get your back, pass your guard, or mount you. Don't let them know that you are allowing them to have the position (I say this because if they think they got it legitimately they tend to get excited and really work for the finish, which is good for you). Stay in the inferior position and work on simply avoiding the submissions, then work your escapes. This will help you feel comfortable in even the worst situations, which in my opinion is a major difference between an inexperienced grappler and a experienced one.

Have a good balance between top and bottom
If I tap someone from my guard, then I will make it my goal to pass and tap them from side control during the next roll. If I tap someone from the top, I will pull guard the next time. When I was a new blue belt I had a decent guard and I would tend to neglect my top game while rolling because I could tap most people from the bottom, it was an ego thing I had to get over and it held me back some. Now when I roll I always alternate between top and bottom, not allowing myself to neglect either area.

Find someone who can manhandle you
Never back down from sparring the toughest guys in class. Each sparring session, put your ego aside and roll with the best guy you can find, also spar with heavy guys, quick guys, and guys with unlimited endurance. As a beginner or intermediate grappler, you are under no pressure to be brilliant, so use that time to open up your game and test the positions you know against guy who know what they are doing.

Drill things to death
Take about ten minutes before or after you roll to just work on the techniques you've been shown over the past few days of class. Also try to take one day a week and make it your drilling day. That day spend at least a half hour - 45 minutes just repeating techniques and sequences over, and over and over. It's boring and I hate doing it, but it helps a great deal.
Although it is boring, many of the best guys I know devote a portion of every training session to drilling a basic movement with a partner.

Specialize
Find positions that fit your game and work them in sparring until you can rely on them against just about anyone. For example, there was a time when my all-around game was weak, but I knew that I had one sweep from my half-guard that I could catch just about anyone with. Didn't matter what level they were,

I knew I would sweep them if I got the underhook in the half-guard. You need a technique like that from every position to go to against tougher guys. You'll start to learn set-up for those specialized techniques and areas and then it will keep branching off from there which will then lead to you developing a game/style for yourself.

Share your tricks
Share your tricks with anyone who asks. As they get better, they will be more competition for you. When you have tough competition, you will inevitably get tougher to beat yourself.

Use training sessions as a time to learn not win
Think of a move you want to pull off and the situation that would require it. When training, the sparring sessions should be more about pulling off that move/moves than winning the match. To me, it's more important if you pull off a move you've been wanting to implement in your game then tapping your teammate in class. It's a great feeling finally getting a move you've been wanting for a long time, even if the end result is you getting tapped. Tourneys are about playing your best game and playing to win; class is all about experimenting.

Visualization
Training isn't just on the mat. It is also in the mind. When you learn a technique that you feel works for your game or you've been having trouble pulling off a certain move. Think about how you can make your technique better and practice in your head. Visualize your movements and try to feel and react in your mind what it is you can and will do to beat your opponent. I also recommend a book called "The Mind Gym" to aid in your mental training.

Be Technical
Just like stated before practice isn't the time to go full force and try to maul your partners. It is a time to learn and improve. True there are times in class where you do want to play to win. I would say maybe 1 out of every 5 classes, but for the most part you want to improve and become as technical as possible. It is important to focus on good technique first and then add your attributes. It will make things much easier in the long run. If you feel your self muscling out of position or using your speed instead take a moment to stop and thing what the proper technique it is you can use to accomplish your goal. If your not sure you can always "ASK QUESTIONS". Remember this the more technique you use the less energy you waste.

Don't Ever Forget The Basics
A lot of people get wrapped up in the newest techniques that are coming out. While some are very good and some are not. It is also extremely important that you don't forget about the basics. If you watch any major tournament you will see that most matches are won by using mostly the basics. If you are not proficient at the basics you will never be able to properly expand upon your skills and add any new techniques and make them work easily for you.

Train Takedowns
I know BJJ is a ground fighting art but too many schools neglect the importance of the stand-up game. Most altercations start from the feet and ALL tournaments start on the feet. Especially when you start to move up the ranks and as time goes on you will see that more and more people are getting comfortable with there takedown abilities.

When you are the one that dictates where the fight is going to be and when and how it will go to the ground that is a big confidence booster. If you are the one to take your opponent down chances are you not only physically gave yourself an advantage but you did mentally to, because you felt confident on your feet and you startled your opponent because you just dictated the fight from the beginning. It is always nice to be able to stand in front of your opponent and not be afraid of getting taken down and resorting to pulling guard.
Thanks for reading!

Jason Scully is a teacher and competitor with 12 years of grappling experience. He is the owner of a very comprehensive grappling learning resource The Grapplers Guide - Dedicated 100% to the Improvement of Your Grappling Performance

Grappling and Submission Wrestling Are A Great Base For Mixed Martial Arts

If you are training in mixed martial arts, then having a sound grasp of ground fighting techniques is essential for an all-around game. A close range technique, coupled with a decent striking ability allows the fighter to be confident in all situations. Submission wrestling or submission grappling allows the smaller fighter to negate much of the reach and weight advantage of larger opponents.

Being proficient in these techniques requires dedicating time in training your cardiovascular fitness. Drilling particular moves so they are second nature, and working this into regular sparring, so that you are a step closer to performing them in a real situation is essential for submission grappling. Submission wrestling concentrates on being in control over your opponent and not bludgeoning them into submission. Cardiovascular fitness is very important in submission wrestling.

It is easy to get gassed, or be too breathless after a couple of minutes of work. This can make all the difference, when most grappling techniques require you to move at speed. Working on your fitness with a form of intense cardiovascular training is important. Circuit training, barbell complexes, interval training will help develop the endurance to go through a bout. It is one area that can be improved upon without a training partner and vital if you are to become a proficient fighter.

Technique in submission grappling and submission wrestling is developed from intensive drilling of clinch positions, joint locks, chokes and take downs. Eventually, drills should encompass a speedy and efficient transition from a clinch to a submission, while maintaining control over your own balance and your opponent. Not only should the technique to entering a clinch, or a submission be drilled, but also the counter and escape techniques. However, it is far better to teach and master the submission technique first, before learning a counter, so that you have confidence in the drill. There are a myriad of different techniques from different positions. Drilling the techniques over and over allows them to become second nature, and allow you the confidence to rapidly and fluidly move from one position to the next.

The last component of working in a technique is to transition into light sparring so that you can practice your submission grappling and submission wrestling techniques into competitive situations. Sparring will teach you how to conserve your energy and teach you when to use certain techniques. Sparring can be set up to ensure that a certain technique is used and practiced. For example, practicing take downs and transitions will be trained if the sparring starts with the training partners standing apart. It is important that the sparring sessions that you do are structured, so that you use what you have learned, rather than allowing sessions to degenerate.

training sessions are typically divided into cardiovascular conditioning, drilling, and then a quick session for sparring. This helps prevent injury, and gets both body and mind warmed up for the sparring session. It is worthwhile training against a variety of different partners, those who are bigger, or smaller, and of different standards.

To learn more about submission grappling or submission wrestling
Jack B. Starkey