Of all the styles listed, grappling is the only style that is truly at home on the ‘ground’. A common misconception is that all grapplers want to take a fight to the ground as quickly as possible, that they never want to remain standing. Quite the contrary. Well-trained grapplers know when the fight should go to the ground, and when they should remain standing. It has been said, very accurately, that grapplers are perhaps the most-capable of remaining on their feet should they choose to. However, all fights eventually lead to the ground, and it is here that a grappler is the most capable of those in the conflict.
Once on the ground, the grappler will twist and maneuver both themselves and their opponent with the sole intent of winning the fight, whether it be through delivering devastating punches from a dominant, mounted position, through various body strikes including knees and gouges, or even delivering the infamous submission hold. 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 grappler's body is low, almost in a crouch – waiting to clinch with, or ‘shoot’ into their opponent to carry them to the ground.
- On the Ground: The grappler uses myriad ground stances called ‘mounts’ that can range from Guard, Side Control, taking the Back 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. A grappler will generally not attempt to strike except in a dominant position, typically that of Mount or Back, but this is not always the rule.
- Submission: For the purposes of this style, a ‘strike’ can also be the ‘capture’ of an opponent’s body part which may lead to a submission.
Defense
The most recognized defense is the ‘Guard’. Should an opponent shoot in, if the grappler 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 ineffective or less-effective. From that position, the defending grappler can wait indefinitely to try and trap the hand of his tiring opponent, for example.
There are other forms of defense in grappling, including specific defenses to mounting maneuvers and otherwise. Grappling as an art is as complex as any other, and should be taken seriously for those who wish to study it. Neither should it be taken lightly as an effective, and combat-necessary art.