Of all the styles listed, Grappling is the only style that is truly at home on the ‘ground’. The sole intent of the grappler is to take the fight to the terrain, intentionally and immediately. There, they will twist and maneuver their opponent with the intent of delivering gravity-induced punches, pendulum-like knee drops or even, the famed, submission.
Submission is a specific trait of the grappler, virtually unknown in all the other styles. By using the aspects of a fighter’s body against them, the grappler can induce mass amounts of pain, break bones or kill an opponent with a short sequence of interlocking body parts. Do not tread through this style lightly, many may undertake it’s lessons, but few will be able to endure it.
Stance
- Standing: The combatant’s body is low, almost in a crouch – waiting to ‘shoot’ into their opponent to carry them to the ground.
- On the Ground: the Grappler uses myriad ground stances called ‘mounts’ that can range face to face, from the side, from behind etc. to give the practitioner the best advantage for the circumstance or goal.
Striking
By using their body to “lock” an opponent, the grappler is at home delivering single-appendage strikes (i.e. elbows, knees) to points of critical trauma.
- Submission: for the purposes of this style, a ‘strike’ can also be the ‘capture’ of an opponent’s body part which induces submission.
Defense
The most famous defense is the ‘guard’. As soon as their opponent shoot’s in, if they cannot manage the counter, the defending grappler will wrap his legs around his opponent’s hips. Once ‘caught’ the defending grappler may thrust his hips upward to increase the distance needed for the offensive grappler to punch – usually rendering fist attacks nil. Form that position, the defending grappler can wait indefinitely to try and trap the hand of his tiring opponent, for example.