Almost all martial arts in the world – the modern ones as much as the ancient, whether fought standing or on the ground – can be divided into two categories: punching FIGHTS or grappling FIGHTS.
In this article, we’ll talk about the main differences between those two kinds of FIGHT and show you some examples that fit each category. So let’s hit the mat!
What are grappling fights?
In this category are the martial arts that focus on controlling the OPPONENT’s body through clinches, takedowns, arm-bars, torsions and throwing movements… It also refers to the immobilization techniques in general and certain kinds of evasive maneuvers at close contact with the OPPONENT. It’s a form of combat widely present in police tactics and is also used in contact sports, such as wrestling.
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Those techniques are also KEY parts of martial arts like Sumo and Judo, Aikido and Sambo, Olympic Wrestling and submission wrestling, and… of course: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Grappling FIGHTS are especially advantageous when you’re in really close contact with the OPPONENT or when you’re FIGHTING on the ground. Also (in various degrees of efficiency) grappling FIGHTS tend to balance the scales when FIGHTING a larger or heavier adversary, favoring technique and combat strategy over brute force and strength.
What are punching fights?
Fans of Cobra Kai are probably already familiar with the concept of punching FIGHTs, but let’s review it. As the name suggests, those are the FIGHTs that focus on throwing punches and kicks against the OPPONENT. In regular competitions, those frontal blows can only be directed above the adversary’s waistline.
Its main advantage of the FIGHTS encompassed in this category is that they favor distance control and more vigorous attacks. Take the example of Boxing – probably the most iconic martial art amongst punching FIGHTS – or Muay Thai – the most efficient one.
To better understand the particularities of each of those categories, we’ll go through some martial arts encompassed by them.
Punching Martial Arts
Kickboxing
There are several styles of kickboxing. The most famous is called Muay Thai, which means something like “art of the eight limbs”. Kickboxing for self-defense has a fast pace that seeks to confuse the opponent and look for every possible opening. If the attacker has a knife and you are in range of it, that is what he will use. The defending party has more weapons: hands, feet, knees, elbows, and head.
For example, if the opponent doesn’t have a firearm, you can walk towards him and kick his chin as hard as you can. With kickboxing technique, the practitioner must be able to execute the kick quickly and without the risk of “awkward movements”.
If the kick is executed correctly, the attacker will probably break his jaw or teeth, or cause him to bite his tongue, among other possibilities. You can also take a step to the side, grab his arm where he is holding the gun, and strike his nose with your forehead. This blow will not hurt you as much as you might think, but your opponent’s nose will be crushed.
Western Boxing
Everyone has heard stories of muggers picking the wrong old man to rob. The old man was probably a boxer. They strike fast, hard and with much more precision than any other trained fighter. The reason is that a boxer trains on average 4 years just to punch in the right way. They are not allowed to kick, so their hands are all they need.
Boxers also train every day to increase the endurance and durability of their muscles. They don’t look like a bodybuilder, but they have muscles as hard and as powerful as any weightlifter.
In their training, they also learn how to protect themselves: the hands are at the side of the head, the posture is shrunk so that the body is ready for a burst of strength, and the front of the torso is protected by the forearms.
The target for those who use boxing for self-defense is the side of the chin, which when struck twists the attacker’s head to the side, and shuts down his brain by pressing the spinal cord into the neck. Strength and anger do not matter: the opponent must pass out on the spot.
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Karate
Karate was created in the 18th century on the island of Okinawa in Japan. In that region, the use of weapons had been forbidden. To respond to possible looting and robberies, the people started to seek self-defense techniques using only their own bodies.
The impossibility of using weapons was the main reason why this martial art received the name karate, which means “empty hands. Throughout karate’s history, different masters have developed their own self-defense techniques. Thus, there are numerous styles of this Japanese martial art.
Among the main styles of karate are Shotokan, Goju-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, and Wado-Ryu. Although there are different techniques, karate seeks essentially the discipline of body and mind, with the improvement of the character of its practitioners.
Grappling Martial Arts
Judô
Judo was created in 19th century Japan by master Jigoro Kano. To develop this martial art, he brought together some elements from other ancient Japanese techniques and – shortly after its creation – Judô was made official in Japan.
This technique is largely derived from Ju-Jutsu, which uses the FIGHTER’s own body to attack the opponent and defend himself. From the beginning, Judo was developed so that everyone could participate: men, women, children, and the elderly.
Besides developing combat techniques for the sport, the founder allied this martial art with the ippon-shobu (fight for the perfect point) philosophy. For this end, he developed 8 basic principles related to good actions by individuals:
- Courtesy, to be polite in dealing with others;
- Courage, to face difficulties bravely;
- Honesty, to be true in one’s thoughts and actions
- Honor, to do what is right and to stand on one’s principles
- Modesty, not to act and think selfishly;
- Respect, to live harmoniously with others;
- Self-control, to be in control of your emotions
- Friendship, to be a good companion and friend.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
This martial art mixes the movements of ancient Jiu-Jitsu with an EMPHASIS on putting pressure on the OPPONENT’s joints, thus gaining total control over them and ending a FIGHT fairly QUICKLY. The basis of all that is the lever principle: by using the adversary’s own weight against them, the larger the attacker – in theory –, the easier it is to throw them off balance. Once they’re on the ground, the next step is to lock a limb and put pressure at the joint or to choke them, by using the legs to immobilize the opponent’s torso.
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There are also martial arts that mix punishing and grappling techniques, such as Krav Maga. And we’ll talk about them in another article!
But regardless of the style you choose, here at School of Jiu Jitsu you’ll find the bases to improve your self-defense abilities with the best of grappling and punishing.