Continued
The Clinch/Bear Hug
The clinch has many positions. Both arms inside, both arms outside, one arm in, or one arm out. For maximum control keep both arms inside hugging your opponent's waist. This position is more commonly known as the "bear hug".
The Drill
Find a similar-sized opponent. (The bear hug can work on many different opponents. For training purposes, a partner of your own size and weight is best).
Face your opponent touching chest to chest. Each person wraps his right arm around the other person's waist. Place your lefr hand on your opponent's right elbow to control it. Each person takes tWo steps back and spreads his legs a little more than a shoulder-length apart without leaving the clinch. Both oppo- nents should bring their heads in tight (keeping to your left side) to avoid headbutts.
The idea is to get your left arm inside your opponent's right arm to achieve the bear hug. Accomplish this by tWisting your body to your left, finding the bend of your opponent's elbow and sliding your left arm down and around your opponent's waist.. He is now in the "bear hug".
Now you can start playing the game. While you are trying to slide your left arm down and around his body to put him in the bear hug, you are giving your opponent the opportunity to do the same. The battle begins. The one who successfully achieves the "bear hug" on his opponent wins!
As in all exercises, start slowly to acquire the proper feel or energy for the drill. Later
you may pick up the pace and make it as aggressive as you wish.
One option to keep this drill practical is to spontaneously deliver knee strikes or headbutts.
This will remind the individual to respect the striker despite training a grappling drill. ;
This type of training is very rigorous and strenuous, especially if you are faced with a larger opponent. Once you become more familiar with the energy of this drill you can explore different techniques such as flips,throws, foot stomps, and sweeps. Try one person kickboxing while the other person tries to clinch without getting hit). You should train your grappling drills at least three hours a week.
The Clinch/Bear Hug
Joe and opponent start 1.) Joe twists his body 2.) Joe wraps both 3.) Joe bends "Clonch" position and slides his left arm around opponents opponent to take
inside opponents right waist and puts him him to ground.
arm. in "Bear Hiug"
Groundflghting ,
Recently, groundfighting has taken center stage in the m~rtial arts world. Even though there are many proven techniques on the ground, the same rules hold true: energy and feeling determine the winner of the fight. The lunderstanding of energy and feeling deter- mine the progression of the martial artist.
I have seen expert grapplers of the same style who understand the exact same techniques become easily defeated by one who is superior in the understanding of ground energy. This type of energy is acquired by long hours of hard training year after year and does !not come easily. Ground energy features strikes, finishing holds and strong positioning.
Ground Drill
Joe climbs on oppo- 1.) Opponent tries 2.) Opponent rolls nd twist 3.) Joe maintains 4.) Joe finishes
nents back. throw Joe off his to escape holds. posotion and delivers opponent with a
back. strikes. choke.
The Drill
Oppopent A is on his knees with his hands and knees on the floor. Opponent B sits on opponent
A's back with legs wrapped around his waist, arms around the neck or shoulders. Opponent A
then tries to buck him off, roll, tumble, or do anything he can to get. opponent:B off his
back. Opponent B tries to stay on and maintain his position.
If opponent A gets opponent B off his back, they simply switch positions and start the drill over. This type of drill is best practiced on a matted area with a training partner of relative size. As in all grappling techniques, this is only a small piece of the energy needed to complete the ground
experience.
Also essential in your personal energy travels is diet, sleep and stress. There are many supplements to add to your diet to increase your energy level (vitamins, power drinks, etc.). I prefer a natural, wholistic approach to nutrition, including fruits, vegetables, pasta, herbs, and juicing. Keep in mind that some- times digesting food uses more energy than exercise itself. Choose foods which are easily digestible and your body will have more energy left for your training.
Sleep or lack thereof is easily overlooked yet can dramatiCally hinder a person's training
performance. Each individual has specificbio- rhythms. It doesn't matter whether you- sleep
five, six, or ten hours a night. Staying consis- tent is the key. Inconsistency in sleep habits is
what causes your body to misdirect your energy. You will always be playing "catch-up"
if you ignore your body's sleep requirements.
So much of what ails us these days is blamed on stress. And for good reason. Stress sneaks into our lives without our knowledge and reeks havoc on ur emotional and physical well-being. Whether or not we want to admit it,stress is a factqr in all our lives. Thus, we must treat stress and not just wait for it to go away.
One way to treat stress is to keep in touch with our breathing. Most people only use one-
third of their lJQg capacity. Full, deep breathing will supply more oxygen to your body, slow down your heart and pulse, and relieve tension. Continuous full breathing or relaxation exercises such as meditation or tai chi will create a smoother overall performance.
The fighter's secret is a balanced approach to training; only the true champion has the patience and timing to use it everyday. The exploration of your energy wiili\n takes time. Rush the process and expect to cheat yourself out of.natural abilities.
Only by discovering yqur own energy can you hope to capture your
opponent's. Understanding how to recognize, adapt and overcome your oppo-
nent's energy is a process that is not mastered overnight. If you take the time, you'll reap
rewards beyond your wildest imagination.
