All those various martial arts around the world, that we hear about often, share the same common ground when it comes to fighting methods. From the dynamic Tae Kwon Do fighter, and those kicks, to the wrestling expert.
The title of ‘Wrestling’ by the way was for a long time very popular but these days that area of the martial arts is now often called grappling. Still the same thing when it comes to armlocks, choke holds and all that goes with it of course. Wrist locks and restraining holds can also be found in the striking arts to various degrees but the striking arts are of course more aimed at punching someone on the nose. Just like the competition fighter that uses strikes and kicks and the wrestler that uses grappling methods both can also be practical in both the competition ring and also in a street fight. However the main question to consider when in a street fight situation is - which one is more practical? To understand the benefits, and the pitfalls, when comparing these two types of combat you do need to first look at how someone will attack you in a street fight situation. The most common form of attack, but not written in stone I hasten to add, is someone grabbing hold of you and hitting you. Often in a situation of that kind it will be a mix of pushing and shoving and kicks and punches all rolled into one. The assailant’s main aim in a situation of that nature is to throw that knockout blow, and if they can get you on the ground while doing so, then so much the better. So that being the case, having the ability to block, kick and punch back while you are still standing is vital. But of course also vital to have grappling and controlling skills if you end up on the ground. Having at the very least some skills in both striking and grappling combined together therefore is a worthwhile thing to have. Looking at the various grappling arts in the main first there are a few pitfalls to consider. Judo for example is ideal if you get grabbed and they try to get you on the ground, however, although Aikido and Shaolin Chin Na also have the same kind of benefits there are a couple of things to take into account. Unlike the soft Judo mat, or some other form of cushioned flooring in the Dojo, Kwoon or training gym, a street fight will be on a hard ground or even on a concrete floor more often than not. That alone can be more painful than the attack itself if you end up on the ground. The other problem is that if you find yourself on the floor and your opponent is able to get back up first then for sure you are at great risk in every sense of the word. That alone is why many in the striking arts will try their best to keep on their feet. One other problem to make a note of when it comes to a so-called street fight is when you find yourself facing not one but maybe two or more assailants attacking you, which of course can often be the case these days when it comes to facing street gangs. End up on the ground controlling one person and for sure someone behind you will kick you in the head. As stated already however, having skills in both the striking arts and wrestling methods is far better than being limited to just one or the other. No two situations are the same when it comes to a physical conflict situation and having restraining methods rather than killer punching skills may come in very handy at times, if the situation allows for that, but what if your assailant is more than determined to knock your head off? You may be lucky on the day and you find yourself in total control of your opponent with a choke hold, armlock or some other form of restraining method - but what then? Do you let them go and hope they don’t try again to knock your head off? Some will say they would break their bones or maybe dislocate a joint, but could you really do that? Have you done such a thing for real before? Are you even sure it would work at such a vital time? In the event of facing a real life threatening situation it would not be wise to use complex methods of defence that could fail you but instead the use of simple and direct strikes. Always remember that there is a very different mind-set between street and competition events. For a related article on the subject of ‘Shaolin Chin Na’ click >HERE< For the ‘site author’ page click >HERE< Comments are closed.
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