Aurora/ Naperville, Schaumburg, Minooka IL and Merrillville IN - Wrestling Programs

Technique Differences - MMA Training, Workouts, Jujitsu and Muay Thai

2011-01-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Maeda had been heavily influenced by Kano's training methods, which were centered on live sparring and by the influx of ground-fighting technique that entered into judo as a result of the tournament loss to the jujitsu of the Fusen ryu. We should note that judo is quite different today than it was before 1925, when it was much less restricted by rules and referee intervention. Ground grappling was far more prevalent than it is now. Indeed, ground grappling dominated judo so much that Jigoro Kano instituted wide-ranging rule changes in 1925 to prevent ground grappling from completely dominating judo.

Since then, numerous additions to the rules and regulations of judo have progressively eroded the amount of the ground grappling allowed in judo competition. This is due to a range of factors. First, Kano definitely had Olympic aspirations for his sport, and concern about spectator interest may have caused him to limit ne waza. The result has been a lack of interest and training among judo players in ground grappling, since the current rules of judo make it unlikely that extensive training in ne waza will pay and dividends.

But there is one important exception to this general trend. One particular branch of judo-kosen judo- has consistently avoided the pressure to emphasize standing-throwing technique over ground grappling, In kosen judo, ne waza almost always determines the outcome of the match. If there is any martial art that Brazilian jiu jitsu most resembles, it is doubtless pre-1925 judo. which today is seen only in the few kosen judo organizations still in existence. The only traditional style of jujitsu that Brazilian jiu jitsu has close links with is Fusen-ryu jujitsu, which was itself a direct forebear of kosen judo. It appears, however, that Fusen-ryu jujitsu largely died out after being assimilated into judo. The similarities, then, between kosen judo and Brazilian jiu jitsu are far greater than those between traditional jujitsu and Brazilian jiu jitsu.

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Settings - MMA Training, Workouts and Jujitsu

2011-01-18T12:49:00.000-08:00

1. Motion: Retreat backward to get an opponent moving in toward you. Lower your level, then shoot as he moves into you. This will create a combined velocity that makes it difficult for your opponent to successfully resist the shot.

2. Angle: Step out to one side to create and angle on your opponent. A wise angle to work with is the one in which your step outside your opponent's lead hand. This position puts you in a relatively safe place and marked the shot easier.

3.Range: Step into contact range, thus giving your opponent the opportunity to strike. As he commits to strike, lower your level and shoot into the takedown.

4. Striking: By attacking your opponent with strikes, you preoccupy him with defense and thus make the task of shooting into a takedown much easier. The jab is the best strike to set up shorts, but fighters have also used the rear cross and various kicks with some degree of success.

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Positional Control

2011-01-14T11:24:00.000-08:00

We noted earlier that modern grappling approaches to jujitsu employ strategy at two separate levels. There is an overall strategy based on phases of combat the grand battle plan, as it were. Once the two fighters begin the match, however, they uses strategy at another level, a strategy that guides their actions minute by minute, second by second, throughout the course of the fight. This is the concern to constantly strive for superior position over their opponent-their positional strategy.

At any given moment in a fight, the two fighters occupy certain positions relative tot each other. Some of these positions give one fighter a considerable advantage over the other, allowing him to attack more readily and successfully than the other can. Other positions are neutral, offering neither fighter any real advantage. Still others are disastrous, giving the opponent a considerable advantage in offensive possibilities. These positional concerns become especially important once the two fighters lock up in a clinch and go to the+ ground. Should one fighter attain a really dominant position, he can attack with virtual impunity while his hapless opponent can only think of escape. If an opponent is not skilled in grappling, the chances of his escaping unscathed from a dominant position are remote.

Indeed, in early MMA matches, the establishment of a strong, dominating position was nearly always enough to finish a fight. The fighters of that time simply lacked the grappling skill to get out before unacceptable damage was done to them. The current generation of MMA athletics are much better trained in grappling jujitsu skills and theory. As a result, they are much better equipped to avoid or escape dominating positions and resume the fight.

To clarify the theoretical underpinning of positional strategy, we can offer clear definitions of the terms dominating position or inferior position. A dominating position is any position that allows one fighter to control the body and movement of an opponent in such a way that the fighter can attack with strikes and submission holds with greater efficiency than the opponent can. Obviously, an inferior position is simply the opposite of this.

Note, however, that domination comes in degrees. Some dominant positions are simply more dominating than others, and there are many dominant positions. The mounted position, knee-on-belly position, side-control position, and some versions of the headlock are all examples of dominating positions, though this is by no means an exhaustive list. Of these, the mounted position and the rear-mounted position are often considered more dominant than the others because an opponent by attaining good position. Once a good controlling position has been attained, the opponent can be put under severe pressure with strikes and grappling technique. This intimidating pressure almost always forces the opponent into error and greatly increase the likelihood of a submission hold being successfully applied on him.

The advantage of this workmanlike approach to combat is that it greatly increases the likelihood of a fighter's success when well applied. Fighting is a game of chance, There is always a chance of victory and a chance of defeat, no matter what respective skill level exists between the two fighters. The strategic fighter constantly looks to stack the odds in his favor. This is best done by striving to put oneself in a position where one can easily attack an opponent while his ability to strike back is severely undermined. This is a high-percentage approach to fighting, and it has proven its effectiveness countless times in MMA combat.

Without doubt, there is something rather callous about such an approach to fighting. Usually, we are raised with a sense of a 'fair fight" in which the two opponents square off with an equal chance of hitting each other, the idea of putting yourself in a position where you can hit while your opponent cannot certainly runs counter to the notion of "fair fighting." However, the central concept behind jujitsu as an approach to fighting is not fairness, bu efficiency.

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MMA Training and Conditioning in Illinois and Indiana

2011-01-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

Most major styles of martial arts to enter the West from Asia since World War II have enjoyed a certain vogue status. In fact, judo was the most well-known Asian marital art in the 1950s, but with each succeeding decade came karate and kenpo, kung fu, taekwondo, and ninjitsu. Little attention, however, was paid to one of the oldest of the Asiatic martial arts-jujitsu. This changed dramatically when mixed martial arts competition was introduced to North America in the 1990s.

The guiding idea behind this type of event was to pit the various styles, methods and philosophies of combat against one another under few rules to see which prevailed. The unexpected and dramatic success of certain styles of jujitsu brought tremendous recognition and interest to this previously neglected style of combat. In a short time, the public's perception of jujitsu went form an obsolescent and ineffective art to a formidable fighting style indeed. Along with this change in perception came a massive interest in learning the techniques that enabled jujitsu fighters to do so well in MMA fights. Soon, almost every martial arts school in North America was offering "grappling and ground fighting" as part of their instruction and syllabus. This inclusion was in direct recognition of the success jujitsu had experienced as a result of its highly effective grappling technique, most of which was applied on the ground.

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Rise of Koryu Jujitsu - Jujitsu, Muay Thia and MMA Training

2011-01-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

With the gradual decline of battlefield combat in Japan after 1601, the emphasis in combat instruction changed from battlefield art to personal protection in a civilian setting. It became more and more a means for an individual to defend himself in the face of attack in daily life. Thus, the nature of jujitsu changed in response to changing social conditions. It was the last period of open feudal warfare in Japan that gave rise to what generally considered the first jujitsu ryu, as opposed to bugei ryu, which was concerned only with military combat.

The Takenouchi ryu was founded in 1552. Although it certainly taught many military weapon skills, it also taught a large array of empty-hand combat skills that were derived from yoroi-kumichi grappling arts. (grappling in armor). Takenouchi ryu began a shift in emphasis toward hand-to-hand skills that grew stronger in the peaceful Edo period. Succession was passed on only to family member, and within two generations, the emphasis was almost entirely on nonmilitary technique. This shift was due to the wish of the school's founder, Takenouchi
Hisamori. He declared that his sons should divorce themselves from allegiance to any powerful warlords. This decision was the result of his own bad experiences with the warlords, and this declaration meant that school taught people from all social castes, most of whom were not allowed weapons and were not of the military classes. Thus, the emphasis naturally had to fall on civilian self-defense.

The Takenouchi ryu had a tremendous influence on may ryu in Japan. As the long-term peace of the Edo period wound on the military arts withered, it became the standard model for the koru jujitsu schools. IT was in this time that traditional jujitsu, arose as an independent predominantly weaponless system of self-defense in everyday situations. Whereas the roots of the earlier bugei/bujutsu arts are set in the aristocratic warrior caste, the roots of koryu jujitsu are much more plebeian. Most of the demand for a weaponless fighting art came from the commoners, who were forbidden from carrying weapons. This "common people's yayara" became popular in the Edo period with manuals that demonstrated techniques written and released for the public. The idea was to give civilians the techniques written and released for the public. The idea was to give civilians the techniques to defend themselves from the kinds of situations that they might find themselves in during the course of daily living. Old documents show the existence of at least 170 koryu jujitsu schools by the mid-Edo period, demonstrating well the degree of popularity they enjoyed as they came to replace the classical military arts.

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Example of Range and Technique : Jose "Pele" Landis- MMA Training and Jujitsu

2011-01-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

An instructive way to analyze the question of range as the basis of strategy and technique selection is to look at a concrete example drawn from contemporary MMA competition. Jose "Pele" Landis, a distinguished MMA fighter from Brazil, is an apt example of a fighter who demonstrates the limitations of classical theories of range and distance in real fighting.

Pele came from a background in Muay Thai kick boxing and Brazilian jiu jitsu. The former is a style that strongly emphasizes knee strikes from many positions and ranges. Pele's natural body type-long legs and flexible hips-made him ideally suited to the use of the knee as a striking weapon. In MMA events around the world, Pele made the knee strike the basis of his offense, often catching unwary opponents from the unlikeliness of angles and positions. In both the free movement phase of combat and the clinch, Pele was without doubt one of the most dangerous and unpredictable fighters in MMA, largely as a result of his uncanny use of the knee strike.

One might ask, then, what was the basis of Pele's successful use of the knee strike? According to classical theories of range and distance, it ought to be due to the fact that Pele was an expert at controlling distance and range, since there is supposed to be a range at which the knee strike is the optimal weapon. The fact is, however, that Pele used the knee strike at all ranges. Range was not the relevant factor is predicting how he would attack. Rather, his training background and body type made him unusually suited to knee strikes, and it was these factors that made him continually select the knee strike as his weapon. It did not matter whether his opponents were short, medium, or long range, or at "kicking range," "punching range," or "grappling range," or at any other distance for that matter. Pele would look to score with some variant of the knee strike.

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Basic Elevator Sweep- MMA Training, Jujitsu and Mauy Thai

2010-12-29T09:38:00.000-08:00

This great move is best employed when your opponent is on his knees in your open butterfly guard (your two feet are hooked under your opponent's thighs). Sit up and lock your arm around your opponent's upper arm (overhook). With your other hand secure your opponent's elbow or wrist. Fall directly to the side of the wrist or elbow you have grasped. As you fall, lift with the foot on the opposite side you are sweeping towards. Push off the ground with your other foot. This combined action topples your opponent over to the side and onto his back. Keep driving until you end in the mounted position or across his side.

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Escaping the knee-on-Belly Position - MMA Training in Illinois and Indiana

2010-12-27T13:19:00.000-08:00

Only sightly less dangerous than the mount is the knee-on-belly position. Once again fighters face a real danger of being beaten into submission from this position of being locked in a choke or joint lock.

When you are caught under the knee-on-belly position, a good escape method is to off-balance your opponent forward. Do this by bumping your knee into your opponent's buttocks to bring his weight forward. Your opponent will need to base out on his hands to prevent toppling over. Turn toward your opponent and shoot your arm (the one furthest from the opponent) around your leg (at the knee) that was placed on your belly. Scissor your legs and get quickly up to your knees, tackling your opponent's legs and taking him down.

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Drills for the Top Position- MMA Training and Fighting in Illinois and Indiana

2010-12-21T10:05:00.000-08:00

Live drills are the best way to develop the skills and attributes that make you a proficient fighter in any proficient combat.

Positional Drills
We looked at a series of positional drills where you and your partner begin in the basic ground-grappling positions and work front here. The very same drills can also be used from the top man's perspective. Start in any of the dominant pins we have looked at. From the top position, look to either maintain and further improve your position or submit your opponent as your partner attempts to escape the pin. When any of these goal are accomplished, stop and start the drill again.

Repetitive Guard- Passing Drill
Start in your partner's closed guard. You attempt to pass the guard into either the side-control, knee-on-belly, or mounted position. Your partner attempts either to apply submission holds, to perform sweeps, to stand up, or to get to his knees. If any of these goals are accomplished, stop and start the drill again.

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Inside step to double under-hooks clinch - UFC Training and Conditioning

2010-12-20T09:27:00.000-08:00

Very often confrontations get physical in ways that are not very serious. Arguments and disagreements can turn into pushing and shoving matches that are not likely to escalate much further. What is needed here is not brutal technique that result in serious injury, but simple control. This double under-hooks clinch is a great way to control an opponent and resolve a situation without doing any real harm . Lower your level and step deep inside your opponent's feet. Pass your hands under his arms and lock your hands palm to palm around his lower back. Your head is on his chest, pushing into him. Keep your hips in under his for control. Pull his hips and lower back in right as you drive your head forward. In this manner you can totally control his movement and walk him where you want. IF the situation demands, you can easily take him down with the outside trip.

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Turtle Position (cont) - MMA Gyms in Illinois and Indiana

2010-12-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

Rolling Position. Position yourself out to your opponent's side. Place one arm under and around your opponent's neck. The other goes over his back and under his far arm. Lock your hands tightly. Push your shoulder down on the back of your opponent's head so that his forehead touches the floor. Sprawl your legs out and position yourself perpendicular to your opponent. Making sure your chest is tight to your opponent's upper back, roll over the shoulder that you placed on the back of your opponent's neck. You will land in a position stretched out in front of your opponent' with your hand-grip still in place. Pull strongly with both arms to whip your opponent over on top of you. he will land in your lap. Place your hooks in and attack with the sleeper hold.

Wrist-control-to-arm-bar method. From on top of your opponent in the turtle position, reach in behind his armpit and grasp his wrist close to the hand. Pulling on the trapped wrist and leaning your weight down on your opponent, begin to circle around his head. stand up and step all the way round your opponent's head, still controlling the wrist and pulling it up and across your opponent's head, still controlling the wrist adn pulling it back. Sit down(shuffling backwards as you sit down helps the move), and fall into the arm bar position. Be sure to clamp your knees together and control the wrist of the locked arm. Keep the thumb of the captured arm uppermost to make for a more efficient application of force.

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Turtle Position- MMA in Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates and Streamwood Illinois

2010-12-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

Whenever you go to pass the guard on a tough opponent, there is an excellent chance that he will roll up to his knees into the turtle position, rather than allow you to pass into the dominating side-control pin. Another possibly is that you go to stack him, he will roll over backward and surface in the turtle position. Therefore, you must be prepared to deal with the turtle position, as you go to pass the guard.

Attacking the turtle position can be a frustrating experience. We look at two excellent means of doing so. The first is to break he turtle position down by rolling the opponent over into a sleeper hold. The second is to attempt an armlock. We shall look at an effective and reliable example of each.

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Passing the Guard - MMA in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville and Minooka IL

2010-12-09T14:27:00.000-08:00

We have seen that the basis of positional control in a real fight is the ability to get past an opponent's legs and into a truly dominant pin. When looking at the guard from the bottom fighter's perspective, we saw that there are two basic varieties of guard position.

1. The closed guard: Here your opponent is on his back with his legs wrapped around your waist and his feet crossed. The first problem that confronts you when you attempt to pass the closed guard is breaking the guard open by uncrossing his feet. Until this occurs, you are not able to pass the guard.

2. The open guard: In this case, your opponent is on either his back or his buttocks with his legs in front of you. Here, you have no need to break the guard open, the issue becomes one of simply getting past the legs.

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Heel Hook - UFC Training and Conditioning

2010-12-08T10:47:00.000-08:00

The heel hook is a great way to attack an opponent who is standing up in your open guard. With both feet hooked inside your opponent's legs at the knees, reach out and grab the heel of whichever foot is closet to your. Pull your hips in close to that foot and kick your foot inside and around that leg until your foot lands on the hip of the leg your are attacking. Your other foot is tucked under the hamstring of the leg you are attacking. Squeeze your knees together for control. Pull the toes of the foot that you are attacking under your armpit. Hook your wrist under the heel of that foot and lock your hands together. Torque the heel across your chest to put breaking pressure on the ankle and knee. Be careful in the application of this technique-injuries are common. Give your partner time to submit while training.

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Top MMA Chokes - Carlson Gracie MMA

2010-12-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

Anaconda Choke (from the gator roll position) - This is a submission that has been gaining in popularity. It tends to begin with a sprawl.The sprawling person then catches their opponent in a headlock. Next, they dip their other arm below the neck and behind their opponent's arm, eventually locking it up with their other arm. Then the performer dips their right shoulder and rolls both combatants over. In the end, the performer turns toward his opponent and squeezes the back of their head into his or her own body.The Anaconda choke isn't used very often in MMA.

Arm Triangle Choke (from the side, often termed a side choke) - From the side of an opponent, the performer uses his or her forearm along with their opponent's own outstretched arm/ shoulder to cut off the air/ blood to an opponent. The performer actually squeezes a forearm into their opponent's neck to accomplish this.

Guillotine Choke (front) - A favorite for jiu-jitsu fighters taking on wrestlers with limited MMA experience as the guillotine choke punishes those who might try a takedown with their head down.

In short, a guillotine choke often happens after a sprawl that ends with an opponent's head in the performer's armpit. The performer then reaches around the opponent's chin without going around their arm and grasps the hand of the first arm with the second. From there they lift up, cutting off their opponent's air.This move can be applied from a standing position. However, oftentimes performers choose to fall back into their guard for leverage. It is a popular MMA move.

Neck Crank - This submission can be applied when a person is in a dominant position (mount or side mount). It involves pulling or twisting the head farther than it should go with two arms. Not really a choke, but better suited here than anywhere else.

North-South Choke - The performer must be on top in the north- south position to apply this hold. From there the performer cuts off the flow of blood to the neck with his or her bicep. This hasn't been extremely effective in mixed martial arts, primarily because few mixed martial artists end up in the north - south position and it's a slow working submission.Thus it gives fighters too much time to get out.

Rear Naked Choke - The performer must have access to their opponent's back to pull this off. From there they curl one arm around the their neck, bicep against one side of the neck, forearm against the other. Then the performer tugs it close and place the hand of the choking arm on the bicep of their other arm as that arm comes up behind the opponent's head and touches their hair. Last, the applier tucks their head, expands their chest, and squeezes. Oftentimes MMA fighters use their legs as 'hooks' for leverage.

Triangle Choke - This move was made famous by Royce Gracie in an early MMA bout against Dan Severn. While in the guard, the performer traps an arm and extends their opposite side leg across their opponent's neck so that it lands on the other side of the combatant's body. Then their other leg crosses over that leg to tighten the hold. In effect, this choke traps an opponent's neck in a triangle utilizing the perfomer's leg and their opponent's own arm.

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Positional Strategy - UFC Training, Conditioning and Self-Defense

2010-12-01T09:57:00.000-08:00

The most important difference between the two arts is the use of a comprehensive positional strategy that is unique to Brazilian jiu jitsu. This positional strategy has its roots in the observations of real combat made by the Gracie family as they engaged in training and actual fights during the developmental years of their art. We have seen that the crucial idea is this; As two people engage in combat, there is a vast number of positions they can occupy relative to each other. Some others are more or less neutral. For example. if one fighter was able to get behind his opponent, he would have a significant positional advantage and could effectively strike his opponent, who would on the contrary find it difficult to strike back as effectively at the person behind him. Thus, it makes good sense for a fighter to strive to get behind his opponent in the course of a fight. Doing so significantly increases one's ability to harm an opponent while greatly decreasing the changes of getting hurt by the opponent.

Effective control of position is also closely related to another crucial skill of all jujitsu styles- the ability to finish a fight with an effective submission hold. Traditional jujitsu has a vast array of submission holds designed to force an opponent to cease resistance or risk serious injury and possibly unconsciousness. Many of these submission holds. however, are difficult to apply effectively in real combat for the simple reason that the opponent is no t under sufficient control when the hold is attempted. The positional strategy at the heart of Brazilian jiu jitsu makes the use of submission holds much more effective because Brazilian jiu jitsu encourages the use of submission holds only when sufficient control of the opponent has been attained through dominant position. This is a key idea that goes a long way to explaining the unrivaled success of Brazilian jiu jitsu in MMA events, challenge matches, and real fights. This positional strategy is best carried out by a grappling style of martial art. The reason is obvious enough. Once you get hold of your opponent, you can constrain his movement and thus hold him in the positions you seek. If you do not hold him, he is free to move out of any disadvantageous position you place him in.

The best place to constrain a person's movement is on the ground because most people do not move efficiently on the ground and also because body weight can be used to pin and immobilize a person much more easily on the ground than in a standing position. This is why Brazilian jiu jitsu usually advocates taking a fight into a clinch- where you can attain a dominant standing position on your opponent- and then, if appropriate, you can take the fight to the ground, where a more dominating position can be easily held and maintained.

Although Brazilian jiu jitsu has quite a large number of moves in its repertoire, they can all be placed under tow broad categories:

Those that allow a fighter to enact the strategy of advancing from one position, into a more dominating one.(positional moves)
Those that allow a fighter to finish a fight quickly and efficiently (submission moves)

In general, it is the case that positional moves lead one fighter into the opportunity for submission moves. Positional control gives one the optimal conditions for applying a submission hold while at the same time severely limiting the ability of you opponent to apply his won submission holds on you. In this way, concern over position generally precedes concern over submission.

So much for the basic positional strategy that forms the strategic core of Brazilian jiu jitsu. We need to go on now and see the other crucial differences between Brazilian jiu jitsu and traditional jujitsu.

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Reactive Clinch Entries - MMA Positions and Workouts

2010-11-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

Another means of entering a clinch is to use your opponent's aggressive forward movement as the way to close distance and clinch. Whenever an opponent comes forward to strike you, the distance between you is shortened so that it becomes easier to step into the clinch. However, you will need to cover up and block the incoming strikes, then lower your level slightly and step in, finally locking your opponent up in a clinch.

One of the most common forms of reactive clinch entries arises when an opponent shoots into you with the hope and intention of taking you down. As you sprawl in reaction to his takedown attempt, you both come up into a clinch.. A particularly appropriate form of clinch here is the neck clinch.. As you sprawl out on top of your opponent, wait for him to come back up. As he rises, lock up a tight neck clinch. It becomes easy now to throw strong knee strikes into him as he tries to get up. This kind of clinch work has been responsible for many knockout victories in MMA competition. It is doubtless one of the best ways to aggressively counter takedown attempts.

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Uppercut-

2010-11-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

The uppercut is a powerful blow when you are close to your opponent. It relies on exploding your body weight upward to generate great knowledge power.

From a fighting stance, dip a little and bring your lead shoulders and hip slightly forward. Do not drop you lean hand before the punch. In a short, snappy motion, turn your palm to face you, and rip your uppercut between your opponent's hands up to the chin. Return to a fighting stance, unless you are going to the next step of a combination.

The uppercut can also be thrown successfully with the rear hand. Utilize the rear hip and shoulder to add even more power to the blow. The uppercut is an excellent counter tot the opponent who changes level into a takedown. Time his level change, and launch the uppercut with commitment straight to the chin, catching his forward movement and generating great power.

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Top Rear Mounted Position - MMA Training and Conditioning

2010-11-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

The top rear mount occurs when your opponent is perched on top of you riding your lower back and hips with both his legs hooked into your hips. From this position, he can stretch you out and put you under great pressure. Once possible escape is the elbow escape method.

The elbow escape is by far the most useful and important escape method in jujitsu. It enable s you to escape the pins and holds of opponents far larger than yourself with relative ease. Generally it result in you placing your opponent's back in the guard position. People usually think of the elbow escape as an escape from the regular mounted position, but there are many variants, including this one form the top-rear mount. This can seem like a complicated move, but with a little practice, you will be able to do it quickly and efficiently. Your opponent is on top of you in a full rear mount. The most important thing is to remove his "hooks":, which give him stability and control over you. To remove the hooks, kick one of your legs back and place it flat on the ground between your opponent's legs. This removes one hook immediately. Slide the knee of the leg you have just kicked across and under your opponent's remaining hook. Try to touch the knee of that leg to your opposite elbow. This prevents your opponent from getting his hook back in place. To remove the remaining hook, kick your other leg back. Now both hooks have been removed. Get up to your knees, keeping your knees and elbows tight together to prevent your opponent form getting his hook back in place. Reach up and grab his arm. Roll him over your shoulder. The fact that he is not hooked in place makes this easy. As he falls off your back, stay on your knees so that you can take a top pinning position.

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Breaking out of a Rear Clinch - MMA Training and Workouts

2010-11-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

Skilled grapplers often work their way behind their opponent, knowing that this position affords them considerable positional advantage. They seek to lock their hands around their opponent' s waist for control, then they look for takedowns or submissions.. One useful way to get out of this potentially dangerous situation is to attack your opponent's arms in a tight lock, which goes by several names in different grappling styles. Often, it is referred to as kimura keylock, double wristlock or ude garami.

When your opponent locks his arms around your waist to control you, look down to see which hand is on top of the other. This is the arm you will attack. Begin by lowering your hips then moving out and away from your opponent. This maneuver makes your bas more solid and lessens the danger of you being picked up and slammed as you attempt the move. Grab the wrist of your opponent's uppermost arm-if you are attacking his right arm, grab the wrist with your left hand, then place the wrist of your other arm under the elbow of the arm you are attack. Push his wrist down, using your wrist under his elbow as a fulcrum. Thread your hand under his elbow and grab your own wrist. This move puts you in position to perform the lock. Break his grip around you but pausing his wrist down with both hands and lowering your hips. Turn around to face your opponent, maintaining the lock on his arm. This position puts great pressure on his trapped arm.

Having broken the lock and turned around, you now have a choice. First, you can continue holding the lock. Jump toward your opponent, placing one foot deep between his legs. Sit down and roil your opponent cleanly over you and into the same lock on the ground. Aid the move by flicking your opponent over with the foot you placed between his legs. Your second choice is if you wish to avoid fighting on the ground. In that case, you can simply let go and return to the free0-movement phase.

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Level Changing- MMA Workouts, Conditioning and Training

2010-11-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

The ability to lower one's level as the prelude to a shot is a truly crucial skill for the jujitsu fighter to master. All the main shots, especially those to the legs, are preceded by a change in level. If you fail to change levels properly before your shot, the chances of a successful takedown are slim. By lowering your level, you drop into a stance that enable you to propel yourself forward at high speed, underneath your opponent's defenses and into his hips and legs. This makes for quick and efficient takedowns that are difficult to defend. The guiding idea is to drop into a stance that is similar to a sprinter's stance, which makes it easy to shoot forward by driving off your rear foot and penetrating into your opponent's hips and legs. You can even fake level changes to confuse an opponent and make him nervous.

A way to ensure that your are changing level correctly is to keep your lead shoulder directly over your lead knee as you lower your level. If your lead shoulder goes too far forward, it becomes easy for your opponent to snap your head down to the mat and ruin any chance of a takedown. If your posture is too upright as you change your level, you ca be knocked straight back. Keep your lead shoulder directly over your lead knee, and all will be well.

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Stance and Motion (cont)

2010-11-02T08:34:00.000-07:00

The ability to move freely and efficiently while maintaining good balance and stance is one of the most crucial skills a fighter must master. Footwork allows a fighter to evade his opponent's attacks in an efficient manner. In addition, it carries a fighter into a range that he can enter into his own attacks. It is no exaggeration to say that without good motion skills, a fighter is little more than a punching bag. He can be struck at will and has little hope of successfully returning fire.

Fighters must be able to move quickly in any direction at a moment's notice. To do so, they must be in good stance. Therefore, you can see then that stance and motion are linked skills. If one is lacking, so will the other. Many students show a strong preference for showy techniques, and they have disturbingly little interest in practicing foundational skills such as stance and motion. This is a great pity; since it is the foundational skills that are really the most important to learn. They prove to be far more useful in a real fight than any of the more exciting-looking moves.

A general rule of thumb in basic motion drills is that a fighter should move with the foot that is in the same direction to where he wishes to move. For example, if you wish to move forward, step with your forward leg first, then your rear leg. If you want to move right, the right foot moves first, the left follows. At all times, your feet should brush the floor as you move, and your weight must be carried on the balls of your feet. Do not let your weight rock back onto your heels because any movement then becomes difficult.

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Stance (cont) - MMA Conditioning

2010-10-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

The most efficient stance for combat in the free-movement phase of combat is without doubt the standard boxer's stance. This stance is more or less standard in Western boxing and in most styles of kick boxing.. It allows for good protection of the head from punches and kicks along with good offensive striking potential. In addition, it permits rapid movement tin any direction for both, offensive and defensive purposes. Of course, small differences existing stance among fighters in arts such as boxing, kick boxing, and MMA. Some fighters crouch more than others, others stand more erect. Some fighters stand slightly more square to their opponents, others more side on . Small variations in stance are certainly acceptable. However,the core ideas behind an efficient fighting stance-the hands up tot protect the head, the feet slightly more than shoulder-width apart, the weight evenly distributed on the balls of the feet, the rear heel slightly off the floor, the chin tucked down, the elbows in, the knees bent-these are common to all.

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The Achilles Lock - MMA Training in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Chicago and Minooka

2010-10-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

We noted earlier that there are times when a direct attack to your opponent's legs can be a useful alternative to passing the guard. One effective means of doing so is by using the Achilles lock. Done well, it can end the fight quickly and efficiently.

If you feel that a direct attack on your opponent's legs is a viable option, step one leg between your opponent's legs. Left the foot of the leg you wish to attack slide your hip and place your hand on the knee of that leg to stabilize it. Wrap your arm around the leg where the Achilles tendon runs into the lower leg. Step the foot of th leg you have place between your opponent's leg under the buttocks/hamstring of the leg you are attacking. At the same time, place your other hand on the knee of the leg you plan to lock for stability. Fall down in a controlled manner and place your outside foot on your opponent's hip, toes turned out. To finish the lock, clamp your knees together. Grip the wrist of the hand around your opponent's ankle and pull up to your sternum. Lie down on your side until your shoulder touches the ground. Push your hips forward and arch your back strongly. This puts great pressure on the ankle and result in quick submission.

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Stance and Motion- MMA Workout and Training

2010-10-21T09:51:00.000-07:00

The most important foundational skill in the free-movement phase of combat is without doubt the ability to maintain a solid fighting stance while moving quickly and efficiently around, away from, and toward your opponent. Because little glamor is associated with this skill, people tend to overlook it and not practice it nearly enough. Poor stance and motion skills quickly become apparent when you begin to fight. Your opponent will have little difficult in striking you or taking you down when your stance and motion is flawed. Most people can hold a stance easily enough when asked to; this skill, however, is not enough. You must be able to hold stance while moving fluidly into attack and defense under the pressure of live combat- this ability is much more difficult to acquire, and it requires constant drilling and practice.

For more on MMA, visit; MMA gyms in Chicago

Pummeling Drill (cont)

2010-10-19T13:16:00.000-07:00

Remember that one of the main uses for the neck clinch is to control an opponent's head so that one of the main uses for the neck clinch is to control an opponent's head so that you can throw knee strikes at him. If your head is low, then the chances of a knockout knee to the jaw are quite high. Therefore, keep your stance upright, your hips in, and your head high for this particular drill. If you are bent over, you are not only vulnerable to knee strikes, but it will also be easy to be off-balanced by snap downs and pulling on the head.

As you can become more confident, you can begin incorporating some knee strikes as you work the neck clinch. Do not preform this exercise too hard. Aim for the ribs, stomach and thighs with light contact. IF you hit too hard, injuries are the obvious result, which will quickly put a stop to your training and, hence, your progress. The emphasis is on controlling the opponent's movement and balance while maintaining your own. Once this is down, the knee strikes are the easy part; therefore, there is no need to hit hard in everyday training.

By working hard on these drills, you quickly develop the most important skills and attributes that allow you to fight successfully in the clinch. Your ability to control the movement and balance of your opponent, while maintaining your own, will dramatically increase. This is really the essence of successful fighting in the clinch. All the offensive techniques in clinch fighting-strikes, takedowns, and submissions- rely on this control of movement and balance. Soon, you will apply the positional strategy of seeking better position and control in a live situation, rather than merely repeating moves with no resistance. This level is as close to the pressure that you will experience in a real fight and is thus excellent preparation. It is rely the equivalent of sparring in the clinch, and it plays the same crucial role that live sparring plays in the free-movement phase.

For more info on UFC/ MMA Training and Conditioning, visit; Carlson Gracie Fight Team

Pummeling Drill- UFC/ MMA Training in Hoffman Estates, Roselle and Schaumburg Illinois

2010-10-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

A truly vital skill in the clinch is the ability to work your way into a more dominant position as you grapple. The single best way to develop this skill is the pummeling skill.

Begin in an over-under clinch with your partner. This position is a neutral clinch. The idea is to work from it into a dominant clinch. A point is scored every time you either get behind your opponent to a rear clinch; bring his head down and secure a front headlock or guillotine;or lift both his feet off the ground. You will find it much easier to lift your opponent if you first succeed in getting under both his arms with your arms. This move gives great control over your opponent's lower back and hence his whole body; making the lift much easier. Your opponent will therefore not let you secure double under hooks, but he will instead fight hard to secure his own double under hooks. It thus becomes a grueling battle for positional dominance. Should your opponent lock his arms under yours, you need to move your hips back and get square to your opponent, then swim your arms back under his arms to recover your position. Failure to do so results in your opponent's crunching you down to your back.

The pummeling drill is physically exhausting and will get you in great shape for the tough work of upper-body clinch fighting. Nothing else can prepare you so well for the all-important struggle for positional control in the standing position.

You can also play a similar game with the neck clinch. The idea is to lock up a neck clinch on your partner and to keep your hands in position with both arms inside his arms, giving you inside control and, hence, a measure of dominance. Your partner will seek to beak your dominant clinch position by swimming his own hands, one at a time, inside yours. This move allows him to lock up his own neck clinch with his arms inside yours, thus reversing the dominant clinch. Each of you must try to prevent the other from maintaining the dominant inside-arm position.

For more on the pummeling drill, and for MMA Training, visit; MMA in Hoffman Estates/Roselle and Schaumburg

Rear- Mounted Position - UFC/ MMA Training

2010-10-11T12:33:00.000-07:00

Of all the basic positions that can occur in a ground fight, the rear mounted position is probably the best. It offers a tremendous combination of control and offensive firepower, in the form of submission holds and strikes. At the same time, it makes it difficult for your opponent to effectively attack you, especially if he is not well versed in grappling technique.

As a fighter, you have two distinct ways to apply the rear mount. First, you can either be on top of your opponent or underneath him. Begin on top offers a little more control. especially if you can stretch your opponent out by thrusting your hips forward into his lower back. Although this move has many alternative, the most common method of finishing an opponent from this position is the rear naked sleeper choke, also referred to as simply the sleeper hold.

The bottom rear mount involves your getting behind your opponent and wrapping your legs around him by placing your feet inside both his hips. In this position, your legs and feet serve a crucial role: They lock you into place, functioning as hooks that enable you to ride your opponent no matter which way he rolls and moves. Be sure not to cross your feet in this position, because this makes it easy for your opponent to apply a simple yet effective foot lock on you. Simply place your feet, toes pointed out, inside his hips. Although it is still possible for your opponent to attack your feet in this position, it is not only much more difficult form him to do so, it is also much easier for you to counter any such attack.

From the perspective of your opponent, the man on the receiving end of the rear mount, escape to a better position is the first priority. With certain submission holds, your opponent has possible avenues form which to attack, even form such a disadvantageous position. Nonetheless, these attacks only have a low chance of success. They serve as setups to escape rather than genuine attempts at submission.

For more on mounted positon and UFC/ MMA Training, visit: Carlson Gracie Team

Side- Control Position - Wrestling and MMA in Schaumburg, Aurora, Merrillville IN

2010-10-06T10:32:00.000-07:00

The side-control position is a powerful pinning position that has a great number of variations. The common element in all of them is that you are on top of your opponent, lying across his body, out to one side. This range of positions goes by many names, such as the side mount or across side. It is a great position to control an opponent and submit him. In addition, it is a great position from which to transition into other positions, such as the mounted position and knee-on-belly position. The great virtue of the side-control position is its stability. No other position offers the degree of control that is possible form the side position. This advantage makes it a great place to slow the tempo of a fight down, exerting a fatiguing and frustrating positional control on your opponent that makes him tire quickly.

Fighters have many ways to hold a side-control position, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. The key elements common to all of them are as follows:

Always pin your opponent chest-to-chest. Make sure that the center of your chest is directly on top of the center of your opponent's chest; ensure that it does not slide down to his stomach or over his side.
Keep your hips low and base wide. If your hips rise up, it becomes easy for your opponent to forcefully bridge and carry you to a bad position, Sink your hips down to use your weight much more efficiently, creating an unpleasant and tiring pressure on your opponent. Also be sure to keep your bas of support wide. By this, we mean that you should keep your legs wide apart as you sink your hips down, which makes it difficult or your opponent to roll you over.
Keep mobile. Do not simply hold on grimly to your opponent. No matter how tightly you hold him, he will eventually work his way out. Instead, move in response to his movements, keeping your hips low and staying chest-to-chest as you do so. If he attempts to put you back in guard, do not be afraid to move your hops aways form his. You can even walk around his head to the other side of his body. This is a great way to set up submission holds and counter your opponent's movement.

An interesting and important variation of the side-control position occurs when the man on top walks over and around his opponent's head, then stops. This move put him in a controlling position, often referred to as the "north and south" position. This pin has a slightly different feel to it for both the top and bottom fighters.

For the man underneath the side-control and north-south pins, the chief concern is escape to a better position. The most common forms of escape involve getting back to the guard position or getting up to one's knees. It is also possible to completely turn the top man over for a reversal or even attempt to submit him. These alternatives are more difficult on an experienced opponent, however.

For more on positions and wresting or MMA training, visit: Bulldog Wresting and Pure MMA

Submission Grappling - MMA in Crown Point/ Hobart/ Merrillville IN

2010-10-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

Many different rule systems exist for submission grappling. It is fair to say, however, that in recent years the form of submission grappling that has taken precedence around the world is that used in the unofficial world championships of submission grappling in Abu Dhabi. In a sense, it is simply the standard Brazilian jiu jitsu without the gi. After all, the positional point system is nearly identical, so there is a lot of truth to this claim.

However, there are some important differences between the two sports as well. Fewer restriction are put on submission holds in submission grappling. Unlike Brazilian jiu jitsu competition, all manner of twisting-leg locks are legal. A simplistic but fairly accurate statement would be that the takedowns of Brazilian jiu jitsu are more similar to those of a judo match, whereas those of submission grappling closely resemble Olympic wrestling. Thus, the games have a different look, feel, and dynamic from each other.

The takedowns of submission grappling are different because competitors, do not wear a judo gi. The judo gi has a dramatic slowing effect on the competitors in a Brazilian jiu jitsu match, which is a result of the fact that it provides the competitors with a multitude of grips and handles that can be used to stall an opponent's progress. Because of this element, there are often long periods of comparative inactivity, where both player appear deadlocked. In submission grappling, on the other hand, the matches appear faster because of the reduced friction and the comparative lack of handles and grips to hold an opponent and slow his motion.

For more on submission grappling and MMA in Hobart/ Merrillville IN area, visit: MMA in Merrillville IN

Mounted Position- MMA Training in Schaumburg, Naperville, Crown Point, Griffith and Merrillville IN

2010-10-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

Another dominant position is the basic mounted position, which involves your straddling your opponent's chest and kneeling over him. To execute this move, you can sit up straight to create room to strike, or you can wrap one arm around his neck and get down low to control him. From the mount, it is easy for fighters to launch a barrage of powerful punches, and it is difficult for your opponent to respond, since his shoulders and hips are pinned to the amt, thus robbing his punches of any real power. In addition, you can apply a large number of effective submission holds from the mount whereas your opponent has little opportunity to reply.

Often, especially in a street fight against an inexperienced grappler, fighter have opportunities to transition from the mounted position to the rear-mounted position. This move normally occurs when you begin striking from the mount: Your opponent turns away to avoid the punches, giving you his back. By opening your legs a little, simply give him a little room to turn in, then lock in your hooks yo secure a rear-mounted position, and thus an easy opportunity to finish the fight with a rear naked choke. This transition is much less common in contemporary MMA, since most people know that it is foolish to turn under the mount and give up one's back. However, this happens all the time in street fights, so you must be able to make this transition at a moment's notice. From the persecutive of the man underneath the mounted position, escape is still the number one priority. The bottom man is generally looking to bridge over and end up on top, just inside his opponent's guard, or he is looking to scoot out and out the top man inside his own guard.

For more positions and MMA Training, visit: MMA Training in Crown Point and Merrillville IN

Escaping the Mounted Position - MMA Training in Schaumburg, Aurora, and now Merrillville IN

2010-09-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

The mounted position has ended many MMA fights. It allows the top man to strike almost at will. Without a sound means of escape, the bottom man is virtually helpless-thus, the need for the elbow escape.

We have noted already the massive importance of the elbow escape- the king of escapes. In addition to requiring little strength and being effective against much larger opponents, it also exposes the user to little danger as it is beign performed. Here we look at a cariant that finishes with an offensice move- the Achilles lock. With your opponent mounted on top of you, form a defensive frame by placing both hands on your opponet's hips. Bridge to get you rhops off the floor. Push with both hands toward your geet adn turn to one side. As you frop your hops, scoot them out to the opposite side that you have toward and bring the opposite knne between your opponent's legs. You knee should be drawn up to your chest. Wrap your other leg around the leg you intend to attack and place your foot on the opponent's hip. Wrap your arm around your opponent's ankle at the Achilles tendon so that the bony part of your wrist is under the Achilles tendon. Grab your wrist with your other hand and pull both hands high up to the sternum. Push your hips forward and arch your back to put breaking pressure on the ankle. Perform the lock on your side, not flat on your back.

For more on MMA Positions and Wrestling positions, visit: chicagommatraining.com

Range and Distance - MMA fighting in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Merrillville IN,

2010-09-29T09:41:00.000-07:00

Earlier, we talked about the inadequacies of range as the basis for a complete theory of combat. Range proved to be seriously incomplete, as it did not pertain to the clinch or ground phases of combat. This does not mean that range and distance are irrelevant or unimportant in combat. In the free-movement phase of combat, range and distance are crucial concepts. When two fighters square off, there is always a distance between them. This distance or range varies as the two fighters move around each to her and attempt to launch attacks. Controlling and policing that distance is a crucial combat skill that often determines the course of the fight int he free movement phase.

The problem, however, is that the major theories of range and distance have not proven useful in actual MMA competition. We saw that certain theories of range define the use of range via technique. For example, there is the kicking range, punching range, elbow range, and so on. Actual experience, however has clearly shown that once two fighters are close enough tot hit each other with any form of offensive technique, it is useless to talk of a given range as being appropriate only for one category of techniques.

Consider the knee strike. Most people think of the knee as a close- range weapon, yet one of the most successful means of knockout victories in MMA is the flying knee strike, which launches from long range. The free-standing knee strike has also been used successfully by fighters. They strike at each other at what appears to be punching range. In addition, knee strikes are used with great success in all the variations of the clinch and indeed, on the ground as well. You can clearly see, then, that it is pure folly to talk about a range that is suitable for only the knee strike, since experience shows the ease toward the need for a new theory of range, one that can be of use in a real fight and that is in accord with the observable facts seen in MMA competition.

For more on MMA techniques, visit: ChicagoMMAtraining.com

Escaping the Turtle Position- Wrestling in Chicago

2010-09-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

The true position is difficult to categorize in terms of a hierarchy that is based on degree of danger. In actual MMA competition, the turtle position has been used with great success to defend against attacks in certain cases. In other cases, however, the true position has gotten fighters into a lot of trouble, especially from the front-headlock position. Quite often, the top fighter is able to throw strong knee stokes into the bottom fighter's head as he turtles up, which result in know outs and severe damage. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that in some cases, the bottom of the true position is even more hazardous than the bottom of the mounted position.

The trap-and-roll method is an effective means of escape. When you are in the turtle position and your opponent is on top of you in a controlling position secure the wrist of the arm that your opponent has over your back. He has to put his arm over your back in order to hold you down and clamp your elbow to your ribs. It is best to get perpendicular to your opponent before you attempt the roll. Get your hips in close and under your opponent. Look toward him and roll over your shoulder. You want to rotate your body under your opponent. This will take him right over your shoulder and onto his back. Roll over with him and turn toward his legs. This is important. If you turn the wrong way he will end in a good position. By turning toward his legs, you come out with a clean side-position pin.

For more on wrestling positions, visit: Bulldog Wrestling

clash at the kilt

2010-09-13T14:58:00.001-07:00

Two approaches to Fighting in the Clinch- SMS and Email Marketing

2010-09-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

Not all fighters look on the clinch phase of combat in the same way. Many fighters, especially those from a grappling style of combat view the clinch as a great opportunity to negate their opponent's striking offense while opening their own offensive possibility. As such, they consider it a safe haven from dangerous strikes, and they try to secure and maintain the clinch as quickly as possible. Quite often, such fighters use the clinch as a way to set up takedowns and take the fight to the ground.

However, a second way of looking at the clinch is to see it as a last chance to keep the fight in the standing position. This view tends to be the one of fighters whose specialty lies in striking position.The primary effort of this type of fighter is to break out of clinches at the first opportunity and return the fight to the free- movement phase. What is interesting about these two different approaches to the clinch is that they both recognize two essential facts:

The clinch plays the role of an intermediary phase of combat, somewhere between the free-movement phase and the ground-fighting phase.
The clinch is largely unavoidable in a real fight. If two combatants are serious about fighting each other, they will almost always end up in a clinch in a short time. In a real fight, fighters face a tremendous forward pressure, which is often a shock to those whoa re not used to it. This makes it almost inevitable that they will quickly run to each other and clinch.

For more on Fighting in the Clinch, visit: Bulldog Programs

Victory in the Free - Movement Phase - Wrestling in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville,, Merrivillle IN

2010-09-07T12:26:00.000-07:00

The most crucial means to victory in the free-movement phase lies in superior striking ability. If you can hit harder, faster, and more accurately than you opponent can, while at the same time taking fewer hits and preventing him form taking you into another phase of combat, then you stand an excellent chance of victory on your feet. In an MMA tournament, you must be able to strike while defending takedown attempts. This is striking in a real fight. In the former, you can commit to full-power punching and kicking without fear of takedowns, since these are illegal in boxing and kick boxing. The problem confronting strikers is that fully committing to striking open you up for takedowns. The result is that strikers must be much more cautious in their offense in MMA than in normal boxing matches. Strikers must limit the duration of their striking combinations, and they must also work hard on their takedown defenses if they are to avoid being quickly and unceremoniously dumped to the ground by a quick grappler.

Because a fight will go to the clinch quickly once striking begins, most MMA striking specialist use the head as the primary target for punches in the free-movement phase. Fighters execute little body punching since they simple do not have the time to work the body as if it were a boxing match. Kicks also tend to be focussed on the legs and not the body; there is much less chance of begin grabbed and taken down with a low kick than a high kick. in general, fighters tend to use high kicks only late in the match when their opponents are tired or hurt and therefore less likely to counter. When a fighter works with powerful, chopping kicks to the same time defending takedowns, a striker can present himself as a very formidable opponent. As a result of following this strategy, far more fights are being won in the free-movement phase than was the case in early MMA competition, when strikers tended to use the same tactics they would in a boxing or kick boxing match. This assumption, combined with a total ignorance of the crucial ground-fighting game, had spelled disaster for specialist strikers in early MMA competition.

For more on Wrestling and to find a local program check out: Wrestling for kids

Sprawling - MMA Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Merriville IN

2010-09-02T14:38:00.000-07:00

Whenever your opponent shoots in, he is looking to pull in your legs or lower back (or both) to take you down. You can prevent this by lowering your hips and sprawling your legs back. Make sure your back is arched. When preforming this move, always remember the following: do not lock your hands around your opponent's waist!

To do so is to allow a simple counter. As you sprawl, you want your opponent to bear all your weight. Avod putting your knees on the ground as well because doing so takes weight off him. After you sprawl, do not simply stay in front of your opponent. He may recover after the initial failure and still take you down. Instead, look to spin around behind him and to put yourself in an attacking position. If you do no favor ground fighting, get up and move away; look to counter with strikes as your opponent rises.

For more on Sprawling and MMA/ Wrestling gyms, visit: MMA in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Merriville IN

Combat Strategy of Jujitsu - Wrestling in Naperville, Aurora, Schaumburg, Merriville IN

2010-09-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

The classical jujitsu of old Japan appeared to have no common strategy to guide a combatant over the course of a fight. Indeed, this was one of Kanos' most fundamental and preceptive criticisms of the classical program. The lack of strategy many have been because classical empty-hand jujitsu was considered a last resort when a warrior had lost his weapon, rather than an independent fighting style. Even Kano's radical changes did not involve a clear statement of a grand combat strategy. The principal strategic element he empathized was the notion of kuzushi, keeping an opponent off balance so that he could be easily controlled and thrown. Along with kuzushi, he added notions such as "minimum effort, maximum effect," and various other interpretation of ju. However, this is far from a complete and specific fight strategy.

Only with the rise of Fusen-ryu jujitsu, and the first era of jujitsu challenge matches with Tani and Maeda, does a clear fight strategy emerge among jujitsu fighters. This strategy was perfected over time by the Gracies, and it rose to prominence in contemporary MMA events. This strategy has town main elements. First, there is the overall strategy. We have seen that the overall strategy is based on the notion of single combat being divided into three phases, each of which has a set of skills that area independent of each other, which means that a fighter can be good in one phase but poor in the other two. Mataemon Tanabe was the first to show that by taking a highly skilled opponent out of his favored was the first to show that by taking a highly skilled opponent out of his favored phase and into a phase where he was less killed, he could be easily defeated. Tani, Maeda adn the Gracies adopted this overall strategy and added to it over time. Maeda applied it in the case of MMA fighting, and Tanabe applied it only in the submission grappling tournaments.

The Gracies added a tactical strategy of positional dominance to this overall strategy of phases of combat. It is the second strategic element on modern grappling jujitsu, and it has been an essential part of the dominance of modern jujitsu in contemporary MMA. It ahas been so successful that it is now the standard modus operandi for all fighters in MMA events when a fight goes to the ground. The central theme here is to attain a position from where you can attack your opponent while his ability to counter is severely undermined. This execution can be done while in a standing clinch, but it is easier on the ground-hence the preference that most contemporary jujitsu fighters have for ground grappling.

For more on Combat Strategy and Wrestling in local areas, check out: Bulldog Wrestling

Mastering Jujitsu - MMA Training in Naperville, Chicago, Aurora, Schaumburg, Merriville - Hobart, IN

2010-08-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

Most people think of a marital art as a collection of techniques, and they tend to associate a given fighting style with its most distinctive technique. This response is a natural enough consequence, seeing that most styles put an emphasis on technique as the basis of their art. But it is a rather unfortunate state of affairs. The truth is that technique by itself is on little value. Technique is only as useful as the degree to which it can be used by a practitioner under combat conditions. All the technique in the world is useless if it cannot be applied well. The missing link in most fighting styles is an adequate training method that allows a student to successfully master a technique under combat conditions.

We saw earlier that Jigoro Kano, the founder of judo, was the man most responsible for the adoption of a superior training method as the basis of his style. What was fascinating about Kano was the fact that he taught a relatively low number of techniques, few of which were original. Despite this fact, his students were able to totally dominate their competition in the grappling matches of the 1880s that quickly took judo to absolute prominence in Japan by the end of the 19th century. The underpinning of his success was the adoption of live training as the basis of judo training. By engaging in live training, the kodokan team was able to utilize their techniques far more efficiently than their competitors could.

Kano realized that there was a tremendous gap between theoretical knowledge of a technique and practical knowledge of a technique. In other words, the knowledge of how to do the technique ans apply it on an unresisting training partner is radically different from the ability to apply it under combat conditions on a fully resisting opponent. Repetitive drilling and kata can build great expertise in the former but does not guarantee expertise in the latter. It was this gap between theoretical and practical knowledge that Kano was able to exploit and thus destroy his competition.

For more on Jujitsu and MMA Training, check out: MMA workout

Sprawling - Wrestling in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Merriville IN

2010-08-30T09:21:00.000-07:00

Sprawling comes into play when your opponent drops his level and penetrates in for a takedown. Although there are many ways to block your opponent's takedown, such as changing your angle, utilizing those options won't always be possible, especially if your opponent is an experienced wrestler and has a mean shot. Whether you plan to wrestle or fight, it is imperative the you develop a strong sprawl. Shooting your legs back and dropping your hips tot he dirt might seem like an easy technique to master, but this is far from the truth. Sprawling is an art form the needs to be practiced on a daily basis.

Having a good sprawl is mandatory in both wrestling and fighting. When your opponent shoots, the goal is to get your hips to the mat as quickly as possible to prevent him from reaching your legs and completing the takedown. If you bury your opponent's head underneath your hips, it becomes very difficult for him to lift his head up and get the elevation he needs to shoot a second time. It also becomes very difficult for him to squirt his body out to the side. The biggest mistake I see people make with their sprawl is they throw their hips up into the air as they shoot their legs back. This can give your opponent the space he needs to seize your legs. When training, you should practice dropping your hips to the dirt as quickly as possible so your opponent runs into a brick wall.

After you sprawl, it is important to maintain proper posture to keep your opponent trapped beneath you. To apply as much downward pressure as possible, you want to stay up on your feet and keep your head up. Dropping a knee to the canvas removes a large portion of your weight from your opponent's head and shoulders, and dropping your head forces your hips backward, which also takes pressure off your opponent's head and shoulders. The less downward pressure you apply, the more mobility your opponent has to lift his head, increase his elevation, and finish the takedown. To keep your opponent from tipping yo to one side or the other, it is also important to maintain a wide base with both your arms and legs.

Sprawling correctly should be second nature, and the way to make it so is by practicing your sprawls as much as possible. When warming my guys up for practice, I'll have them move around in their stance and execute shots and sprawls for fifteen minutes. They do it every single practice, day in and day out. If you have to think about the proper way to sprawl while wrestling or in a fight, you haven't put in the necessary work.

For more on Sprawling and Wrestling programs, visit: Bulldogs Wrestling Program

Two views of the Ground Phase - Wrestling in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Merrillville - Hobart, IN

2010-08-27T09:50:00.000-07:00

When MMA competition first revealed the importance of the ground phase of combat, there were two types of reaction. Grapplers received it with delight, a vindication of their styles's effectiveness. Traditional strikers, however, were generally horrified, since ground combat largely negated their game. Over the last decade, this dichotomy in viewpoints has persisted, even with the evolution of MMA. In fact, most fighters still have a definite preference for either the ground game or the standing game; only a small percentage are equally comfortable in both. This loyalty to style is due to the fact that most fighters come from a background in one fighting style that puts an emphasis on one phase of combat. Boxers and kick boxers tend to prefer the standing game; grapplers, the ground game. Depending on their background, fighters still have a definite tendency to consider the ground phase of combat as either heaven or hell, which leaves us with two fundamental outlooks.

1. The first outlook is that the ground phase is the place to take a single-combat, weaponless fight, since this is where the greatest degree of positional control is possible. This is the means by which a fighter can negate an opponent's striking offense and by which he can set up submission holds to allow the fight to be won efficiently. Obviously, this attitude is the trademark of grappling styles of jujitsu have been the prime examples of this outlook. Mataemon Tanabe, Yukio Tani, Maeda and more than anyone else, the Gracie family, have all extolled the ground phase as the way to dominate and control a fight.

2. The second outlook is that the ground phase is an inevitable, but undesirable, phase of combat. A fighter needs to know how to get out of the ground phase and back into the standing position as quickly and efficiently as possible. Failing this, needs to know enough grappling skills to survive on the ground- such a as how to avoid submission holds and dangerous pins-until the round ends or the referee intervenes. This outlook tends to be that of fighters who come from a strong background in striking. Their real interest is in keeping the fight in their favored phase of combat, free motion. They recognize, however, the likelihood of being taken out of the phase and into a ground fight - hence, the need to address the question of ground grappling.

A third outlook that does not merit serious attention is often voiced by many in the traditional marital arts community. This is the claim that the ground is the worst place to be in a real fight and that, consequently, they would simply never go there. This attitude was common in the early days of MMA, but it has since been rejected by virtually all rational martial artists. Experience has proven time and time again the inevitability of ground combat in a real fight. To claim that you simply would not go down is to turn your eyes from the massive store of empirical evidence that demonstrated the contrary. Even those who do not favor ground combat almost always concede the need to address this phase of combat seriously, at least for the purpose of avoiding it as much as possible. As such, we need not consider this third attitude as being relevant.

For more on ground phase and wrestling in these areas check out: Aurora, Naperville, Minooka, Schaumburg, Chicago MMA Training

Two on One - Wrestling in Schaumburg, Naperville, Aurora, St. Charles and Merriville - Hobart, IN

2010-08-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

Two on one control is when you grab one of your opponent's arms with both of your hands and then pin his arm to your chest. This essentially makes his arm a part of your body, so when you move, he is forced to react to the a movement. The key to becoming proficient with take downs off two on one control is learning what movements will create the reaction you need to set up a specific take down.

The nice part about the tow on one is that it's a very low-risk control position, which means you can execute your take downs without exposing yourself in the process. However, two on one control isn't as well suited for MMA because both of your hands are tied up, giving your opponent an opportunity to punch you in the face. I feel the under hook is more effective for MMA because you have a free arm at your disposal, which you can use to either throw punches or defend against strikes. The two on one is still important to learn for MMA because you'll sometimes end up there, but it is generally not a control position that you should focus on establishing in a fight.

For more on Wrestling moves and to join a program near you check out: http://www.chicagommatraining.com/wrestling.htm

Wrestling Stance - Wrestling in Aurora, Schaumburg, Naperville, Merriville - Hobart, IN

2010-08-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

In wrestling there are tow stances that will serve you well; the square and the staggered stance. To assume a square stance, spread your feet a shoulder's width apart, keep your head up, slightly bend your knees and press your elbows tightly against your sides. Instead of having one foot farther back than the other, both feet should be planted on the same horizontal line. Although this foot positioning makes it difficult to drive forward and attack, it squares up your hips and provides strong defensive posture. If you opponent should attack, he'll have to confront your power head on.

The staggered stance isn't as strong in the defense department, but it's more offensive because on foot is positioned behind the other, allowing you to drive forward off your rear good and penetrate in fro the take down. How much you stagger your stance is a matter of preference. With my stagger stance, I draw an imaginary horizontal line between my legs. I bring the toes of my back foot up to the line, and I bring my heel of my lead foot up to the line. It is very important not to get too spread out. You want to be in a position that not only allows you to shoot in on your opponent, but also sprawl if he should shoot in on you. Just as with the square stance, you want to keep your head up, arms tight to your sides, and your knees slightly bent.

Whether you are standing stationary or moving your feet, it is critical with both stances that you maintain proper posture. When your opponent attacks, you have three primary lines of defense - your hands, elbows and head. If you get sloppy or tired and let your elbows float away from your sides, it gives your opponent a chance to slip past your first two lines of defense an gain access to your body.

It's important to remember that having a strong stance is more than keeping your feet in the right places, it's about creating an impenetrable wall. It doesn't matter if you have been wrestling for two months or twenty years, stance is something you must work on developing and maintaining on a daily basis.

For more on Wrestling Stances and to find local programs check out: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

Slide out from Under - Wrestling in Schaumburg, Aurora, Naperville, Chicago

2010-08-20T10:08:00.000-07:00

When the wrestler's opponent moves his leg back too far for the wrestler to get a lock at the hip, the wrestler should step around with his trailing leg and assume a side single leg hold at the thigh. At this point the wrestler should ensure that he has a tight lock around his opponent's thigh before he tries to take him down. If there is space between the wrestler's body and his opponent's thigh, his opponent can get movement and therefore energy to counter. The wrestler should apply pressure down on his opponent's thigh. The wrestler's arm should pull up at his opponent's knee. The wrestler's feet are back so as to form an arch from his feet to his opponent's knee an form his feet to his opponent' s foot that remains on the mat. When, and not before, this position is achieved, the wrestler should perform a side step with his inside foot and a back step with his outside foot. He remains on his feet with his hands locked at his opponent's knee.

At this point, the wrestler has a hand lock behind his opponent's knee. He is not in a position to lift or turn his opponent. In this case, the wrestler should swing his opponent. A locked position below the knee will not allow the wrestler to perform an of the aforementioned movements efficiently, although some variation of those movements can be applied. The simplest way to take a man down form here without a lot of hand changing and fancy foot sweeps is to base his weight on the heel of the foot that is supporting him. The wrestler should then lock his opponent's knee with his chest and lock his opponent's heel with his hand. Then pull his opponent's legs apart and sit him down.

As a defensive move, some wrestlers will catch their opponent in front of their opponent's shoulder with their arm.

For more on different techniques on wrestling and to join a wrestling program near you, check out: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

Top Position Control - Wrestling in Naperville, Aurora, St. Charles, Schuamburg

2010-08-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

The following top mat position is called the "chest ride". This is because the point of contact and pressure on teh wrestler's opponent is applied from the chest of the wrestler, which is touching his opponent. The wrestler can apply pressure to his opponent's upper body by lowering his front hip.

To pull his opponent's hips to the mat, the wrestler should direct his force to his right near corner, through left and right front corners. Front hip pressure may result i the wrestler's opponent collapsing his front left corner support. If his opponent collapses his front left corner support, the wrestler should move his front hand to gain control of the near wrist. The wrestler should use his front arm as a lever to drive forward and collages his opponent to the mat. The wrestler should move the long axis of his body to a side position that pins his opponent's shoulder tot he mat. The wrestler should force his opponent's head toward the controlled shoulder with his knee, and pull him to his right hip to keep him on the mat and gain control of his arm.

At that point, the wrestler should change his hand positions to a waist lock and half-nelson pin. Many other arm bar and hammer lock combinations can be worked from these basic movements. If the wrestler's opponent's right front corner support collapses, the wrestler may do other actions. The wrestler should group his opponent's far wrist and use his body to drive tot he right front corner and collapse his opponent to the mat.

The wrestler should keep constant pressure through the opponent's near shoulder into his far shoulder. The action should not be rushed. The wrestler should then move his hips slowly around his opponent's arms to allow his opponent's shoulders to touch the mat.

On some occasions, the wrestler's opponent will move in the direction of the pressure applied by the wrestler. If this occurs, the wrestler should pull his opponent's hips to the mat with his rear elbow and secure a near wrist ride. An opponent who creates a strong base and does not fall readily into the aforementioned situations may present another opportunity.

The wrestler should create a situation where his force and weight go through his opponent's shoulder and into the far front support point. This will take his opponent's weight off of the near arm. When the wrestler feels the weight come off of his opponent's near front support, he should change his front hand position an sweep the near support into his lap.

At this point the wrestler may apply a far half nelson to a pin. The trapped arm should be kept in a position that locks all joints of the arm. This provides a longer and stronger lever for the wrestler to use and puts his opponent's arm in a position where maximum use of his opponent's muscles is not possible.

For more on wrestling and to join a program check out: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

Basic Hip Throws - Wrestling Program in Naperville, St. Charles, Schaumburg, Aurora

2010-08-16T08:14:00.000-07:00

To make a successful hip throw, it is necessary to create a situation where the wrestler's center of gravity is below his opponent's. The wrestler's hips must be positioned to create a fulcrum over which his opponent will be lifted and thrown.

1. Back-step
2. Step around
3. Pull around
4. Sequence for back-step:

position front foot
position back foot
pull opponent to wrestler
rotate hips to throwing position
bend and hop punch
cast opponent out to mat
thrust lead leg back so the wrestler will and on his stomach
pull opponent's arm tightly around the wrestler's body- no space should be allowed between the wrestler's chest and his opponent's armpit

5. Sequence for step around:

position front foot - lead foot is opposite one from lead foot on the back step
pivot on front toe
step around to get hips in throwing position

6. Sequence for pull around:

move opponent to position where the wrestler's hips are in thrown position
finish throw as above.

To learn more wrestling moves and to join a program; check out this site: http://www.chicagommatraining.com/wrestling.htm

The Stance - Schaumburg, St. Charles, Aurora, Naperville Wrestling Programs

2010-08-13T11:25:00.000-07:00

The wrestler's feet should be placed on the mat so the wrestler's body weight is distributed through the arch of this foot tot he balls of his feet. All movable joints are flexed. His knee and hop joints are positioned so they are under his shoulders and in a balanced position over his body's center of gravity. The long axis of his body is inclined forward and erect. The vertebrae are in a vertical position and not bent to the left or right. His shoulders are held ina position perpendicular to the long axis of his body. his head is held up and not allowed to drop toward the mat. his upper arm is close to his body and essentially parallel to his backbone. His forearms and hands are in front of his body forming a 90 degree angle to his upper arm.

These positions are designed to keep the major muscle groups in a functional position in relation to the body's center of gravity and the individual muscle's maximal functioning position. The totality of mind, muscle, nerve and heart must be in a relaxed state ready to initiate or react.

A great deal of time must be spent learning a correct stance that enables the wrestler to be ready to wrestler and to be free of any self-imposed emotional, psychological and physical limitations.

For more on wrestling stances and to join wrestling programs in your area check out: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

Wrestling Basics - Scahumburg, Naperville, Aurora, St. Charles Wrestling

2010-08-12T09:51:00.000-07:00

There are two major components of wrestling that are essential for a fighter to master: the clinch and the take-down . A clinch occurs when two fighters grapple for positions and lock hold of one another. The clinching techniques found in MMA are often derived from Greco-Roman wrestling and Muay Thai kick-boxing. In Greco-Roman wrestling, attacks below the waist are not allowed. As a result, more throws and sweeps are utilized in their Olympic style of the sport.

The second component of wrestling in MMA is the take-down. Many fighters have adapted the take-down techniques of freestyle wrestling, which is the second version of Olympic wrestling. This style incorporates the use of the legs for both offense and defense and has its origins in catch wrestling. To the take match to the ground, a fighter often shoots in against his opponent and tries to secure a take-down. The most widely practiced techniques are the single-and double-leg take-downs.

For more on wrestling and local gyms, check out this website: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

MMA Training in Schaumburg, IL

2010-08-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

COMING SOON!!!!!! NEW CARLSON GRACIE MMA TRAINING GYM IN SCHAUMBURG!!!!!!!

CARLSON GRACIE will be opening on September 1st, in Schaumburg IL. The CARLSON GRACIE new gym will be located at:

1207 Remington Rd., Suite 105, Schaumburg, Illinois,60173

This extraordinary gym will feature everything listed below among others. The Gracie name is synonymous with honor, tradition, and dedication – the values that the team at continues to uphold. The history of the Gracie name is very important to our coaches.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a form of self-defense that focuses on grappling and ground fighting. It promotes the principle that a smaller, weaker person can successfully defend themselves against a bigger, stronger assailant using leverage and proper technique; most notably, by applying joint-locks and chokeholds to defeat them

Boxing

Boxing has existed as a means of combat and sport for thousands of years. In-fighters, out-fighters, punchers and brawlers, boxing has an extensive and broad wealth of technique and skill.

Wrestling

Wrestling is an ancient martial art that uses grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, generally between two people, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position

MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

MMA is a blending of various standing and striking techniques such as Muay Thai and traditional Boxing as well as ground fighting techniques from judo, jiu-jitsu and wrestling, MMA utilizes a vast array of combat techniques to knock out or cause an opponent to submit.

Beginner Programs

We offer a beginner Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes.

Kids Programs

Carlson Gracie Team MMA provides an outstanding kids program that is both engaging and entertaining

Private Instruction

Carlson Gracie Team MMA offers private instruction sessions 7 days a week to addresses specific disciplines and aspects of your martial arts that you may need to improve upon

For More on the CARLSON GRACIE TEAM and other locations please check out our website: MMA fighting

The Implement - Naperville,Chicago, St.Charles, Aurora Wrestling

2010-08-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Wrestling is a series of positions one moves into, out of, or maintains. The relationship of these positions to a wrestler's opponent, the mat an the wrestler's posture in space determines whether or not an adjustment of the wrestler's position is required. Some positions are better wrestling positions than others. The constant maintenance of a good wrestling position is essential.

To participate in the sport of wrestling, it is not necessary to learn to use an implement such as a ball, racquet or bat. The implement in wrestling is the wrestler's body. Therefore, each movement pattern and position must be considered as a total body function. These functions are prepared and learned so the proper position for a wrestler's body in it;s relationship to his opponent, the mat and his own center of gravity is maintained.

For more on Wrestling in Naperville, St. Charles, and Aurora, check on this link: http://www.bulldogswrestlingprogram.com/

Youth Wrestling: A Foundation For all Sports - Naperville, Aurora, St. Charles Wrestling

2010-08-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Wrestling as a physical activity has a unique advantage to offer children. It is an activity that requires no unnatural implements. There is no ball too big, no bat too heavy, no basket too high. Every child can push, pull, stretch, and hold another body of like age, size and weight. A minimum of equipment is required and total participation can be easily arranged.

When a person is young, his body weight is light, his level of flexibility is at its maximum and his level of strength is not developed to the point where on e child typically has advantage over another. Therefore, competitive activities can be arranged on as close to an equal basis as possible. Age, weight, height and ability grouping are all that are needed before a child begins to learn how to wrestle. The obvious size advantage that occurs in other sports simply does not occur in wrestling.

The basis for all movement activity begins witht he ability to control one's body. The relationship among balance, movement and body position is crucial to body control. Teh act of wrestling is a series of body movements and adjustments that demand and dictate bio-mechanically correct positions in order to perform the activity. If your movement pattern puts up in a bad anatomical position, strength and the ability to move are lost. You cannot wrestle.

The body control and balance of movement, which a child learns naturally when wrestling, has extraordinary carry-over value to the exevutionof other spports activities. Just a few of these are:

The gymnastic nature of wrestling movemtns lends to the development of space awareness
Wrestling on the mat is a series of isometric and isotonic movements and positions. Strength and flexibility are natural byproducts of the activity.
The pushing, pulling, lifting, turning and holding that occur in wrestling demand an understanding of food balance and position without the threat of serious injury.
The one-on-one nature of the sport offers opportunity for the development of personal confidence and self-relaince.
The open and easily observed competition readily displays emotional, psychological and character flaws.
The opportunity for displaying individual and team good sportsmanship is created but the manner win which the activity takes place.

For more on Kid's Wrestling Club and Wrestling Clubs in Chicago, check out this website: Bulldog Wrestling Program