Grapple 'When to and When not to'

Back in the late 80's, I accompanied Rigan Machado from LA down to Rio in Brazil for a months training 'on the mat'; after which I think I wrote the first articles on such for Blitz magazine. At that time, very few in the 'states' and almost no-one out here had even heard of this now notorious Brazilian system. Back then, one would be lucky to find a grappling-based article featured in one out of every ten martial arts publications. Now though, we are seeing whole issues being devoted to the topic ... times have certainly changed!
As a result of this increased awareness of the effectiveness of grappling, and more likely, as a result of an increasing 'demand' for ground techniques by the public, we see grappling instructors crawling out of the woodwork. A few have something good to offer, many have a very limited knowledge on the subject, most haven't a clue. The hope though, is that more and more are at least willing to broaden their horizons and are doing all they can to find out more about it, and if so then, 'more power to them!'
In this article, I hope to offer something for both 'camps'. That is, more info for those who have a genuine interest in grappling; and something also for those also who feel threatened by this 'new wave' and who feel that somehow it devalues their longtime investment in the arts they already practice. For the latter, I offer my arguments on 'when not to grapple' ... some of which you may find handy to regurgitate from time to time.

APPROPRIATE SCENARIOS:
(WHEN TO GRAPPLE)

THE 'CHALLENGE': The 'challenge', or the 'one on one' contest between two people, doesn't necessarily have to be 'confrontational'. Although these types of challenges occur, many are also just a form 'trial by combat' between two people, to determine either the style or the individuals effectiveness as a fighter. These are an important aspect of the serious martial artists training and development. In some training places, this occurs on a daily basis; and so brings the question of effectiveness into sharp focus.
In the 'one on one' challenge (or 'the fair go on the common' - as Geoff Thompson puts it), grappling is definitely a 'proven winner'. The reasons for this are several, but the main one being that once the floor hits the ground, which on many occasions it will do, then the person with all the years invested in 'stand-up' only training, is basically left with nothing to do. The grappler however, is just starting to get to work. It really is that simple, and most people would agree.

PUT IT TO THE TEST!
What people do find objectionable though, is the very idea that they could be 'taken down' in the first place. 'But I would just kick him in the groin, and that would be that" they say! Hmmm, ever tried that, with maybe ten pounds riding on the outcome? Even with a fellow training partner, who also believes the same thing? Try it, make a bet, maybe a meal at a restaurant or a 'shout' to the movies, if your partner gets you down! Be ready though, to part with those hard-earned pounds. It's easier than many think.
The reason that people are frequently shocked by the fact that they can't knock the other guy out before the clinch, is that they simply have never trained to avoid it. Most people simply play the same game as their training partner plays, IE: Taekwondo players mutually agree to stand apart and throw techniques at each other (no offence intended guys) as do karateka, boxers, kickboxers, fencers, etc. Most do not train to effectively, and on a daily basis, to stop someone who genuinely wants to get in and grab a hold of them. Hence the big surprise when it happens.

THE REALITY: IN MANY NO-RULES ENCOUNTERS, THE GRAPPLER WILL CLINCH BEFORE THE KNOCK-OUT OCCURS. IF THAT HAPPENS, THE PURIST STAND-OFF FIGHTER HAS EVERYTHING STACKED AGAINST HIM.
BEST BETS: FOR THE STAND-OFF FIGHTER, MOVE AND DELIVER SHOTS WITH 'KO' POTENTIAL EVERY TIME. DON'T WAIT! FOR THE GRAPPLER, COVER UP, WORK YOUR DISTANCE WELL, COMMIT TO THE CLINCH, CRASH IN HARD.

THE ARREST PROCEDURE: Provided it is not a one against many situation, then grappling is an appropriate answer for many situations that arise during law enforcement procedure. Officers engaged in law enforcement cannot afford to stand back and 'punch' it out with an offender for several reasons:
1. It can often take to long, allowing other suspects to get away, or worse, better prepare themselves for 'deadly resistance'.
2. It is both more 'court' and 'media' friendly to grapple an offender and make arrest than to beat him/her into submission (even though he /she are violently resisting).
3. Grappling is simply more efficient, the altercation is less likely to develop into a three round bloodfest; it more likely to be brought to a conclusion within a short time.
4. Once brought to the ground, the ensuing struggle is contained to a single location, as opposed to an ongoing fight that may take the officer further from his/her support network; ie: car, radio, other officers, etc.
5. The Rodney King scenario (widely publicized arrest in the U.S.A) is a perfect example; if officers in that situation were allowed to apply a 'choke', or knew how to grapple, the situation would have been over in seconds. Millions of dollars would also have been saved in court costs.

Several months prior to writing this article I happened to be in a situation where I witnessed an offender just 'breeze through' three security guards in only a few seconds. He was well over the six foot mark and heavier and obviously more 'motivated' (adrenalin driven) than the guards who were trying to arrest him. He took off down the street, with the one remaining guard in pursuit. I intervened by driving ahead of him, and taking him down as he barrelled toward me on the sidewalk. The remaining arrest procedure took all of ten seconds, and he was 'strapped up', and handed over to the security personnel who took a 'back seat'. A stand-off slugfest with this man would have been extremely inefficient, and could also have possibly resulted in a lawsuit, as I was making a citizens arrest based solely on what I had seen take place between him and the security guards. That particular situation was, I believe, a perfect example of when grappling and controls were a better answer than a stand-off 'knock-out' solution.

THE REALITY: MAKING AN ARREST IS A 'HANDS ON' PROCEDURE. A NON-COMPLIANT OFFENDER CAN RARELY BE MADE COMPLIANT BY HITTING HIM. A COMPLIANT OFFENDER CAN ALSO HAVE A CHANGE OF HEART AND TURN 'NON-COMPLIANT' AFTER THE GAP HAS ALREADY BEEN CLOSED, LEAVING GRAPPLING THE ONLY OPTION.
BEST BETS: TAKE THE NON-COMPLIANT OFFENDER DOWN AND APPLY CONTROLS AND/OR CHOKE TO EFFECT ARREST. 'TIES' ARE BETTER THAN 'CUFFS', YOU CAN CARRY MORE AND THEY ARE EASY TO PUT ON.

THE ATTEMPTED RAPE: Although women should avoid grappling at all costs (unless highly skilled), I am including this scenario on the 'when to grapple' side of the argument, simply because in most attempted rapes, the woman has no choice. To put it simply, 'hey, don't grapple' ... but the facts are that if an attempted rape is in progress, the woman is already on the ground and the clinch has taken place.
By far the majority of rapes occur 'in the home' and by someone the victim knows. It is rarely a situation where standing back and slamming home a kick or punch will save the day. It is usually in close quarters, and disengaging can be more difficult than people think. In this situation, good ground skills and some simple chokes whereby the rapist can be put out within a few seconds, will serve more effectively than strikes. It can be extremely simple to put someone to sleep with a choke from the bottom position; particularly when the aggressor has little or no knowledge of groundwork. It is the single most efficient way of rendering someone unconscious, particularly when the assailant if larger, stronger and extremely motivated.

THE REALITY: RAPE AND ASSAULT ON WOMEN USUALLY OCCURS AT NOSELENGTH. KICKING AND PUNCHING USUALLY DON'T WORK. ONCE ON THE FLOOR, WHERE THE ACT OF RAPE OCCURS, GRAPPLING IS THE ANSWER; EITHER TO AFFECT A POSITIONAL CHANGE, ALLOWING THE WOMAN TO ESCAPE, OR A CHOKE OR JOINTBREAK, BRINGING THE ASSAULT TO AN END.
BEST BETS: FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! CHOKE HIM OUT! RUN!

THE NO-CHOICE SCENARIO: This is simple; it is appropriate to grapple when you are on the ground and have no other choice! For those martial artists who are practicing with 'self defence' and 'effectiveness' in mind, this is the most compelling argument for acquiring some grappling skills. For those martial artists who have no real interest in grappling or wrestling skills; at least acquire some of the basics for that 'worst case scenario'; in my experience, training for the worstcase scenario is time well spent. For inevitably, that 'worstcase' scenario will 'get you every time'.
Personally, I have heard the testimony of many martial artists, who have described fights they've had with phrases like 'too close to do anything' or 'we ended up on the ground' or more commonly yet 'not like sparring in the dojo'. The latter holds the key ... 'sparring'. Sparring is infinitely different from fighting. In that it's two people usually agreeing to stay 'at range', and usually also not performed 'flat out'! Also, in 'sparring' it is usually difficult to determine a winner. Grappling on the other hand, there is more often than not, a 'winner'. It is usually performed 'flat out'. And after not too much practice, the nitty gritty of 'too close' and too 'nasty' seems comfortable and 'normal'.
To me, the sensible approach for the stand-off martial artist, is not to say 'I don't want to grapple, I'll win all my fights by KO!' but rather to say 'Okay, I'll learn a little about it, just in case!'

THE REALITY: IT'S RARELY YOUR CHOICE WHETHER YOU GRAPPLE OR NOT, IT'S THE ENVIRONMENT, THE SITUATION OR THE OTHER GUY; SO LEARN A LITTLE GRAPPLING ANYWAY.
BEST BETS: CONSIDERING MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GROUNDWORK; IT ONLY TAKES A LITTLE TO GIVE YOU THE BIG ADVANTAGE; DO A LITTLE; IT CAN'T HURT. YOU MAY EVEN HAVE FUN! IF YOU WON'T PURSUE IT; THEN THE TIME WHEN YOU HIT THE GROUND (GOD FORBID); THEN STAY CLOSE, (NO SPACE IS BEST) AND LESS NASTY THINGS WILL HAPPEN TO YOU. IF YOU MANAGE TO GET ON TOP YOUR BEST STRIKES ARE HEADBUTTS AND ELBOWS.

LESS APPROPRIATE SCENARIOS:
(WHEN NOT TO GRAPPLE)

MULTIPLE ATTACK SCENARIO: When facing more than one opponent and you are alone; then it is of course, advisable not to go to ground. If they are many, and you are alone; I contend that you may well end up on the ground anyway; and so should be able to try something. I've taught several people who work regularly in the security (nightclub, pub) industry, who have on several occasions borne the brunt of an attack by half a dozen assailants and more. In several cases, they have reported that sheer numbers drove them down, and they could nothing at all to stay on their feet. In other words, they had no choice. They have gone on to say, that on several such occasions, they have emerged fairly unscathed. The problem for the 'bad guys' was one of 'too many' trying to do the same thing with the end result being that they just got in each others way. Also in several such scenario's, I've been told that the grapplers were able to 'choke out' one or more of the aggressors by fighting from the 'bottom position'; where they were to some degree protected from third party attack.

THE REALITY: DO NOT CHOOSE TO GO TO THE GROUND WHEN FACING MORE THAN ONE ATTACKER. DO WHAT YOU CAN TO WIN ON YOUR FEET. THOUGH THREE OR FOUR DETERMINED AGGRESSORS WILL ALMOST ALWAYS SEE YOU ON THE FLOOR. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THREE GUYS 'SPARRING' YOU, I MEAN A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY MEAN BUSINESS.
BEST BETS: IF YOU DO GO DOWN UNDER THE WEIGHT OF NUMBERS,THEN GO UNDERNEATH ONE, KEEP HIM CLOSE AND USE HIM AS A SHIELD. TRY TO CHOKE HIM OUT! MOVE ON TO ANOTHER, DO IT ALL AGAIN. TOUGH IT OUT.

CROWDED PLACE & ANONYMOUS SCENARIO: Even when you are only fighting 'one on one', but you are alone in a place where there are many people who don't know you, it is inadvisable to go to the ground. The reason being, that every now and then, some 'innocent onlooking samaritan' will intervene and cause you grief in his efforts to 'save' the other guy. This has personally happened to me; when I had mounted (achieved a stable position on top) my opponent and was busily putting him away and a bystander came to his 'rescue'. I then had to deal with the bystander in a like manner, for once he was 'underway' there was not stopping him with words. In that situation, an innocent party was also 'put out' for trying (wrongly) to do what he thought was right. A tough situation!
In a crowded situation, it's best to stay up, unless you have the support of people who can protect you from the well-meaning third party who might have missed the start of the fight and misinterpret events.

THE REALITY: SOMETIMES PEOPLE DON'T CARE WHO STARTS AN ALTERCATION, THEY JUST WANT TO STOP THE GUY WHO IS WINNING.
BEST BETS: FINISH OPPONENT QUICKLY IN THIS SITUATION, OR GO UNDERNEATH AND FINISH HIM FROM THERE; MISLEADING ONLOOKERS INTO THINKING HE'S WINNING BECAUSE HE'S ON TOP.

... CONSIDERATIONS ...

Don't choose to take the fight to the ground unless either:
1. You know something about grappling/wrestling.
or
2. You are taking a beating on your feet and have no choice but to try and equalise the odds.