Grapplearts: Blowing Through Sticking Points
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Stephan Kesting
Mar 4, 2009, 2:25:20 AM3/4/09
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I recently received an email someone with the title "Parents" and
ending in the words " Have fun out there."
I tried responding, but it seems like your email address isn't working
or receiving mail. Could you please email me with an alternate email
and/or your phone number?
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BLOWING THROUGH STICKING POINTS
I first truly realized how powerful drills can be about 15 years ago.
At that time I was I was teaching a self defense class. I had a
student of average size and strength with severely below-average
punching power. He was a chronic "arm-puncher," which means he just
couldn't get his body behind his punches to make them powerful
I tried explaining how to use his body. I tried showing him. Nothing
helped.
Finally I grabbed a heavy medicine ball and stood back-to-back with
him. From that position we passed the medicine ball around and
around, first in one direction, then in the other. To do this drill
you really have to twist your upper body, which is quite similar to
the movement required to punch properly.
A few minutes later, when I put the focus mitts on again, I was
shocked at the difference in his punches. He finally started moving
his body properly, and punch after punch thudded into the target.
His miracle cure was a single drill.
Sometimes you can have the same miracle cure for grappling problems.
If someone is having a rough time with a technique, it's often because
they're having trouble with a certain aspect of the technique - a
movement or transition that their body just doesn't want to do
(yet). If this is the case, then isolating that movement and
training it often goes a long way towards solving the problem.
Here's a concrete grappling example. Last year I wrote about a
'secret' of the Half Guard, about destabilizing your opponent by
bringing your knees up to your chest. (If you don't remember this
tip, you can read it again at the url below.)
www.grapplearts.com/2008/05/half-guard-secret.htm
Some people have a hard time getting this movement - maybe it's
because bringing both knees up to one's chest explosively is just not
a 'natural' movement.
So here's a simple solo drill that I've found helps people to
understand this movement, and then later apply it in grappling.
1 - First lie stretched out on your back, with your arms and legs
extended in a straight line.
2 - Then QUICKLY bring your knees to towards your chest and slap the
bottom of your feet.
3 - Then recoil back to the starting position and repeat.
It's a little bit harder than it sounds, so start with about 20
repetitions. For maximum benefit keep the following points in mind
A - Pull your knees up to your chest EXPLOSIVELY. This is NOT a slow
leg-lift type of exercise.
B - Touch the bottoms of your feet with your hands to make sure that
you've pulled your legs up far enough.
C - Remember what this is for; as you're doing the exercise visualize
trapping one of your opponent's legs between your legs. Imagine
pulling him over you and getting underneath his center of gravity
every time.
This movement resembles an abdominal exercise, but don't let that fool
you. It's true that it does challenge and strengthen your muscles,
but that's only a side benefit. It's main purpose is to put a killer
edge onto a very sports-specific movement.
Think about the sticking points in your techniques that bother you.
Then find, modify or invent grappling drills to make that sticking
point a thing of the past.
Stephan Kesting
www.grapplearts.com
P.S. Check out my blog tomorrow - I'll post this tip AND add a few
photos to illustrate the exact exercise I'm talking about.
P.P.S. There are several resources you can consult for more
information on sports-specific exercises. I put my favorite drills
onto DVD a few years ago, and there are also some free BJJ drills
online. Check out both resources by going to
www.grapplearts.com/Grappling-Drills-Info.php
and/or
www.grapplearts.com/2007/08/online-grappling-drill-videos.htm
I recently received an email someone with the title "Parents" and
ending in the words " Have fun out there."
I tried responding, but it seems like your email address isn't working
or receiving mail. Could you please email me with an alternate email
and/or your phone number?
----------------------------------------------------------------
BLOWING THROUGH STICKING POINTS
I first truly realized how powerful drills can be about 15 years ago.
At that time I was I was teaching a self defense class. I had a
student of average size and strength with severely below-average
punching power. He was a chronic "arm-puncher," which means he just
couldn't get his body behind his punches to make them powerful
I tried explaining how to use his body. I tried showing him. Nothing
helped.
Finally I grabbed a heavy medicine ball and stood back-to-back with
him. From that position we passed the medicine ball around and
around, first in one direction, then in the other. To do this drill
you really have to twist your upper body, which is quite similar to
the movement required to punch properly.
A few minutes later, when I put the focus mitts on again, I was
shocked at the difference in his punches. He finally started moving
his body properly, and punch after punch thudded into the target.
His miracle cure was a single drill.
Sometimes you can have the same miracle cure for grappling problems.
If someone is having a rough time with a technique, it's often because
they're having trouble with a certain aspect of the technique - a
movement or transition that their body just doesn't want to do
(yet). If this is the case, then isolating that movement and
training it often goes a long way towards solving the problem.
Here's a concrete grappling example. Last year I wrote about a
'secret' of the Half Guard, about destabilizing your opponent by
bringing your knees up to your chest. (If you don't remember this
tip, you can read it again at the url below.)
www.grapplearts.com/2008/05/half-guard-secret.htm
Some people have a hard time getting this movement - maybe it's
because bringing both knees up to one's chest explosively is just not
a 'natural' movement.
So here's a simple solo drill that I've found helps people to
understand this movement, and then later apply it in grappling.
1 - First lie stretched out on your back, with your arms and legs
extended in a straight line.
2 - Then QUICKLY bring your knees to towards your chest and slap the
bottom of your feet.
3 - Then recoil back to the starting position and repeat.
It's a little bit harder than it sounds, so start with about 20
repetitions. For maximum benefit keep the following points in mind
A - Pull your knees up to your chest EXPLOSIVELY. This is NOT a slow
leg-lift type of exercise.
B - Touch the bottoms of your feet with your hands to make sure that
you've pulled your legs up far enough.
C - Remember what this is for; as you're doing the exercise visualize
trapping one of your opponent's legs between your legs. Imagine
pulling him over you and getting underneath his center of gravity
every time.
This movement resembles an abdominal exercise, but don't let that fool
you. It's true that it does challenge and strengthen your muscles,
but that's only a side benefit. It's main purpose is to put a killer
edge onto a very sports-specific movement.
Think about the sticking points in your techniques that bother you.
Then find, modify or invent grappling drills to make that sticking
point a thing of the past.
Stephan Kesting
www.grapplearts.com
P.S. Check out my blog tomorrow - I'll post this tip AND add a few
photos to illustrate the exact exercise I'm talking about.
P.P.S. There are several resources you can consult for more
information on sports-specific exercises. I put my favorite drills
onto DVD a few years ago, and there are also some free BJJ drills
online. Check out both resources by going to
www.grapplearts.com/Grappling-Drills-Info.php
and/or
www.grapplearts.com/2007/08/online-grappling-drill-videos.htm
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