Wrestling with the uncomfortable

I was invited to assist at a belt test not long ago, for a primarily self-defense focused martial art, which included a ground fighting component in which I was the grappling partner. Seeing that the grappling component was scored towards their test result, I was surprised to hear from the majority of the candidates that they didn't particularly enjoy the grappling segment of their test but as it was a requirement, they capitulated with reservations and were reluctant to invest in deeper study of them as a result.

Boss stage á la Kwai Chang Caine

Often the mark of integrity is to rise to the challenge and confront your dragon. This simple yet difficult element is what makes us grow and become a better version of ourselves. If you are familiar with Joseph Campbell's work, the monomyth that is prevalent in all our lives, minor or major, presents us all with the call to adventure every time we see something that scares us. Was that the sign you needed to rise to the challenge?

Sparring on the beaches of Hawaii

Growing up in my teenage years, I was heavily invested in Japanese traditional karate. In spite of the routine kicks and punches we endured (back in those glove-less days), the idea of boxing scared the wits out of me. I couldn't bridge the next step towards full contact boxing, being punched in the head as I didn't understand how it worked. Instead of investigating, I actively avoided boxing gyms preferring to remain in the comfort of my chosen sport.

It wasn't until one of my class seniors brought me to his boxing gym that I had my introduction to how it worked. Of course the intimidation factor was high due to several unrelated factors, however the sport intrigued me and I pursued it and immediately understood the blinkers I had imposed on myself and the limitations of my combative skills (or absence of) at the time.

I could say I had a similar experience with grappling. Like countless others who dove headfirst into BJJ, having watched the UFC on VHS tapes, I was excited as well as disappointed that a highly accomplished karate-ka was destroyed by the grappler in a matter of minutes. The bubble burst for me that day but I put my enthusiasm on hold as there were no instructors or even anyone familiar with BJJ back then in Malaysia.

But the questions begs, why grappling?

Grappling, is alive and popular in many countries; Laamb in Senegal, Gushti in India, Yağlı güreş in Turkiye, Bökh wrestling in Mongolia, Sumo in Japan, Ssireum wrestling Korean, Irish Barróg wrestling, and the list continues, was at one period in almost every nation's history on earth, the dominant combat art of its day. You can see it is referenced in most ancient sword fighting manuals, way before boxing and striking arts took center stage as the preferred skill, due to the fact that most people back in the day all carried a bladed weapon of some form and knowing how to use a sword or dagger coupled with grappling made you a formidable force to be reckoned with. Relying solely on empty hands marked the introduction of laws imposed by the noble elites on the working masses, essentially controlling and circumventing any potential armed revolution against the ruling elites, and therefore one perspective to this new, unarmed society was the necessity to be unarmed and law-abiding, yet not completely defenseless.

Even to today, in most countries, punching someone will get you into a lot more legal trouble than using a non-lethal force technique. Of course the law will vary between each country, but in most, punching anyone will land you in jail. Controlling and neutralizing a suspected bad guy on the other hand will probably not*. I'm not saying that this is the only way to deal with these situations, but having these skills gives you the option of using alternative methods.

The fact that grappling in its many variations is ubiquitous worldwide are ripples of the time when humans had only their bare hands with which to defend themselves against predators or unfriendly tribes. I would imagine picking up a rock or a stick, as observed in our primate cousins like the chimpanzees, would have achieved the same results. With a deeper understanding of hand-to-hand combat without firearms, or even with in certain situations, closing the distance to the attack would render their hand held weapon less effective, and our ancestors knew this and developed ways to expand and refine this knowledge. Perhaps this skill set was never formalized with a name but it was passed from one generation to the next.

I understand that its visceral nature may not appeal to many, however, understanding that any situation requiring the use of violence will be disagreeable to many. Possessing the skills to reduce the amount of violence used is a step in the right direction because you have the skills to control and minimize the use of force. After all grabbing is a very primal act of nature, whether in safety or fear.


Some of the many positive benefits that I have experienced

• Mindfulness
• Remaining calm in stressful situations 
• Seeing the physical strength and movement connection
  
• Appreciation of supplementary physical benefits with a matching mindset
  
• Community and belonging in suffering together
  
• Discerning eye for effective technique
• Efficient use of energy

Best training!

*disclaimer: This is not legal advice. The law varies accordingly to different community standards.