Everything about Grappling: Useful Information for You to Know

The word grappling has two meanings. On the one hand, it denotes a fighting technique with the help of numerous hooks and tackles. This term is used as an opposition to a kicking technique that is applied in boxing, kickboxing, and similar martial arts. On the other hand, it is a kind of face-to-face competition that includes techniques of all grappling sports and implies the slightest limitations as to using painful and submission holds. It is considered a European variation of Japanese ju-jitsu.

This kind of sport does not allow athletes to kick or hit one another and use any arms. The desire to end a grappling fight ahead of schedule with the help of a painful or submission hold is the most determining feature of the given sport. It is much different from many other kinds of sport where athletes pay attention either to positional dominance (freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestling) or gathering an appropriate number of points for throws or kicks (sambo and judo). Thus, successful performance of a painful or submission hold that makes an opponent surrender is the best way to win in a grappling fight.

Allowed and Forbidden Actions

In this kind of sport, the list of the allowed actions looks in the following way:

• standing grappling and groundwork;
• throws, submission and painful holds to hands and feet;
• 3-second covers (dominance positions);
• performing lift-overs and other technical actions in while in groundwork.

At the same time, the list of prohibited actions consists of much more points. Thus, it is forbidden to:

• injure bones or joints that deprive an opponent of enough time to surrender while a painful hold is being performed;
• tweak, kick, bite, grapple hair, nose, ears, and pelvic area;
• dab eyes, nose, and mouth with one’s fingers;
• throw an opponent with his head and neck down from a standing position;
• kick an opponent on the mat when he is performing a painful or submission hold;
• fall on one’s back from a standing position when an opponent is performing a grapple from backward;
• perform throws immediately after painful holds;
• choke with fingers and belts;
• twist soles;
• direct kicks to the opponent’s chin;
• intentionally grapple the opponent’s skin or uniform;
• graze the skin or cover it with any materials or use some protecting, bandaging and other materials without doctor’s permission and referee’s approval;
• argue or abuse anyone, including opponents, officials, and even spectators;
• exaggerate an injury.

Scoring System

Every successful action in grappling fight results in a corresponding number of points being awarded to an appropriate athlete. Takedown denotes any change from standing position into groundwork with the following control over an opponent for three seconds. This action is worth two points if it is performed without amplitude and three points with amplitude. If this scenario is followed by the situation when an athlete keeps holding an opponent in this position, he will be awarded additional points for a particular development. For example, three points if the takedown is followed by a side mount, four points for full mount, and four points for back mount.

Fast takedown action is when within three seconds after the referee’s command to continue a fight from a natural position, an athlete manages to perform a controlled throw; this action results in two points.

2 points are also given for reversal, i.e., changing one’s position from a vulnerable to dominant one or escape from any position on the back with the following entering a dominant position. Additional points are given depending on the particular dominant position – side mount – 3 points, full mount – 4 points, back mount – 4 points.

Now, it is time to describe all those mounts that are also known as dominant positions. Thus, a 3-point side mount denotes a situation in which an athlete manages to suppress his opponent sideward/perpendicularly/from the side of his head/having his knee on the opponent or without this condition. A 4-point full mount is an upper suppression that is performed while the opponents are sitting face to face. A 4-point back mount, in turn, is a back suppression when an athlete suppresses the opponent’s back with his chest. It is possible to perform the back mount in a standing position.

For keeping the dominant positions, points are awarded according to a progressive system. In other words, it means that an athlete can get points only successively Side Mount – Full Mount – Back Mount, but not vice versa. The points reset to zero and start counting from the beginning if a defensive athlete manages to escape this position, performs reversal, and takes a standing position within three seconds.

In addition to that, 1 point can be awarded for an uncontrolled throw with amplitude when it makes an opponent leave the borders of the mat. Besides, a real attempt of a painful or submission hold during three seconds will also lead in one point.

Furthermore, an immediate victory is awarded to an athlete in one of the following cases:

1. Successful performance of a painful or submission hold.
2. There is an evident advantage (the difference in points earned by the opponents is 15 points and more).
3. An opponent refuses to continue a bout.
4. A doctor declares that one of the opponents is unable to continue a bout.
5. A coach declares that his athlete is unable to continue a bout.
6. An athlete is disqualified.

Starting and Continuing a Bout

Opponents take Neutral Positions before a bout begins. In this case, the grapplers stay opposite to each other in the center of the mat awaiting the referee’s signal. Furthermore, opponents should take this position when neither of them managed to get an advantage in a standing position.

Opponents should take a Closed Guard Restart Position when they were in a closed guard position for at least three seconds before they left the mat boundaries.

Half Guard Restart Position occurs when the grapplers were in a half guard position for three seconds before the left the mat boundaries.

Open Guard Restart Position should be taken when groundwork did not happen to be successful for any of the athletes and they left the mat boundaries.

Opponents should take a Side Control Restart Position when an attacking athlete was awarded points for a side mount, which was followed by the opponents leaving the mat and an attacking athlete managed to preserve the dominant position over his opponent.

Mount Restart Position occurs when an attacking athlete was awarded points for a full mount, which was followed by the opponents leaving the mat and an attacking athlete managed to preserve the dominant position over his opponent.

Finally, Back Control Restart Position happens when an attacking athlete was awarded points for a back mount, which was followed by the opponents leaving the mat and an attacking athlete managed to preserve the dominant position over his opponent.

Punishment System

The following sanctions can be imposed:

• verbal warning;
• the first warning – 1 point is to an opponent;
• the second warning – 1 point is to an opponent;
• the third warning – 1 point is to an opponent;
• the fourth warning – a guilty athlete is disqualified.

History

The kind of sport under consideration derives from an Arabic grappler, Sheikh Takhnun bin Zayed Al Nahyan. According to another theory, however, grappling was created by a professional American wrestler, Gene LeBell. In addition to this kind of sport, he is said to have created the world ‘grappling.’ This kind of sport is based on various martial arts, including ju-jitsu and others.

At the proper time, Takhnun studied grappling peculiarities in the USA and learned how to master the skills of self-defense without arms (sambo). In addition, he was interested in other martial arts and used to listen to more experienced mentors that his system was better than others. Thus, the theory claimed that it was possible to beat any opponent if one knew all the grappling peculiarities. However, the truthfulness of this hypothesis could be tested with the help of a real fight. Considering the fact that any martial art had a number of its own peculiarities and limitations, Takhnun decided to develop a set of rules and limitations to organize the first face-to-face international tournament. That event was said to identify the efficiency of a martial art without harsh and mortal kicks and holds.

1998 saw the first grappling championships. At that event, the athletes were allowed to perform various kicks, hits, and holds. Nowadays, the given kind of sport is extremely popular throughout the whole world. European and World Championships are said to be the most popular competitions in the given sport.