How to practice the grip by yourself

Before we begin, if you don’t know me, I have been on a wrestling mat or judo tatami (mat) since 1975. I won my first National Championship at the age of 12 and won my last victory last year at the age 39. I also just got inducted into the High School Hall of Fame for Wrestling and American Football. I’m no stranger to the art of gripping and things like that. I will go on to say that at least 4 times a week I am still on the mat.

My answer is simple, you cannot practice the grip alone. You also can’t do boxing, wrestling, judo, bjj, mma, basketball, american football, soccer (sorry I’m a yankee) or any other sport, you are a martial art all by yourself. You can practice specific skills without a partner, but when it comes to developing good martial arts and sports skills, you need a partner.

So how do you practice street grappling? You don’t “fight” on the street, YOU FIGHT ON THE FIELD! There are no maneuvers to position yourself, trying to find an opening, it is a systematic method of dismantling your enemy, and fighting has nothing to do with it.

Self-defense IS NOT A MARTIAL ART or SPORTS. Self-defense is more like firearms training than sports training. Don’t confuse one with the other.

You cannot fully practice these methods with a training partner. To train properly, develop power and confidence, you have to do your best when you practice. The techniques required to survive a street fight are too vicious and brutal to apply to a sparring partner.

When you train you train clothes. When you practice with a partner, you develop a habit of holding back. When we train we never hit the air, we hit something, we hit something, we stepped on something and we always do it with sense or urgency.

Do you want proof, why don’t you see it for yourself? In Module 3 Ground Fighting For Keeps, you will learn how to fight and win (survive) on the ground. Learn step by step what you need to know and how to do it. Take the test drive, look at it and then call me a liar, send it back and they won’t charge you a penny more. I can’t make it simpler than that and you can only do so much in one article.