Arrestling

So Friday at Zenyu Dojo I met Gabe, who invited Matt & I to Saturday's Defensive Tactics Class. I showed up quarter to 9 the next day at Zenyu Dojo and Gabe introduced me to Butch and Don. Don is the founder of Arrestling and he does some practical training for LE.

We did some work with target acquisition from the ground, while maintaining distance from your opponent. Then we worked on ground work. We worked on the crucifix hold. Then we worked on protecting from the guard position from strikes and striking from the guard, mount, and side control position. This was quite new to me as I never practiced strikes on ground work before. The majority of time through judo, jujutsu and submission wrestling (pretty much the same thing) has been dominance of control, positioning, and then a submission.

Striking puts a new angle on things. Things that I commonly felt comfortable in left me vulnerable to strikes. And strikes puts a new angle in self defense. Not that judo doesn't teach you self defense, but it's more of a sport. Akin to the boxer, never worrying about low strikes or throws. A grappler is not used to strikes. Getting hit/stunned on the ground was a new experience for me. It was cool as it was light-medium contact. Enough to know that you have a vulnerability open and that it's good to be aware of these vulnerabilities.

Case in point is the groin. In most sports, groin punching is not usually allowed and therefore not thought of; and consequently not defended actively. Granted I always turn during an uchimata throw as I just don't want to get hit in the 'nads. Same thing with a failed tomoe nage or a guard pass. The thing is you can (usually) seen when a disturbance in the force is going to happen; and so turn/move/avoid it. Now it's another thing in a Defensive Tactics class where your opponent doesn't know nor care about the rules; this is in fact a place where there are no rules.



Don was an awesome teacher and it was cool to actually learn from his class. I may stop in and try the class again sometime when my Saturdays are free. Don has a background in judo, wrestling and some other martial arts.

Anyways it was fun and a different change of pace.