Sticky Fingers: Becoming a Grip-Fighting Menace
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Sticky Fingers: Becoming a Grip-Fighting Menace
While this isn’t true for all gyms, I feel like grip fighting is often glossed over or ignored completely. Students will let their training partners grip and grab at them without addressing the issue early enough. Which inevitably causes issues for them as the round progresses.
Grip fighting is your first measure of offense and best line of defense, neglecting it is a bad habit that too many of us unknowingly embrace.
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Things To Consider
Relaxed Grips - Your grips should be relaxed but firm. I rarely grip with all my strength. Instead, my grip is relaxed and ready to transition to something better.
Reflexive - I want my grips and hand placement to be reflexive and reactive. There will be times when I want to push, pull, and circle in order to defend and counter. Rigidity uses up valuable energy and reaction time.
My Approach And Experience
For me, there isn’t a position where hand fighting hasn’t become an instinctual habit for me. It doesn’t matter if I’m playing the bottom position, standing, or top. My ability to mount a healthy fight against your grips will often either frustrate you and/or completely ruin your game plan.
As soon as I slap hands, I make sure that my elbows are in tight, my hands are up about collar level, and a few inches in front of my chest anticipating movement.
I want to be able to prevent any grips to my Gi top, my hands/wrists, or along the back of my neck. How I go about it is sometimes defensively if I’m slow or offensively by grabbing their hands.
When I grab my opponent’s hands, it stops their advances and it also allows me to be more strategic about mounting my follow up grips. For some reference, you can watch this Kit Dale Wrist Control game.
I have found this to be extremely useful with both my own approach when I roll and how I’ve been able to teach hand fighting.
Kit Dale’s Task Based Game - Wrist Control
Hand Fighting Concept
Closing Thoughts
You don’t have to necessarily be great at hand and grip fighting, you just have to be aware of it’s importance. Everything else with come with time and experience. Have fun with it and push yourself.
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