When the Fight Goes to the Ground. Lori O'Connell
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Название: When the Fight Goes to the Ground
Автор: Lori O'Connell
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Спорт, фитнес
isbn: 9781462909926
isbn:
Ground Fighting: Competition vs. Self-Protection
These days when people talk about ground fighting, most often they think of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ), as created by the Gracie family. There is no doubt that modern BJJ is one of the most proficient ground grappling systems in the sporting arena. It has become synonymous with the “ground game” of mixed martial arts (MMA). The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) itself was created by the Gracies with the goal of making it a proving ground for their style. In the early days, before people knew what to expect from BJJ, it reigned supreme in these competitions in which different martial arts styles were pitted against each other. Because of this, many people believe that learning to defend one’s self on the ground means learning BJJ. It is not as simple as that, however.
In any form of competition, there are rules. This is true even for competitions that try to simulate a real fight like the early UFC contests. Rules are put in place for a variety of reasons; for the competitors’ safety, to keep the competition true to a particular style of martial art, to make the fight more exciting for spectators, etc. On the street, in a real attack scenario, there are no rules or referees limiting your attacker’s or your actions. There is no control over the size or gender of the opponent you must face. There are no special rewards for achieving certain positions or using fancy moves, and people are not likely to let you go if you “tap out.” An attacker can and will fight “dirty,” and can do anything to get the advantage, whether it means biting, eye gouging, groin attacks, scratching, hair pulling, pinching, or using some sort of weapon.
“There are no rules, only results.”
—Professor Georges Sylvain, Founder of Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu
While BJJ may have started out as a self-protection oriented martial art back in the 1920s, it has proliferated in North America as a sport. As a result, the vast majority of BJJ dojos are teaching the style in the context of the submission grappling and MMA as sports. When students train, they usually do so under the confines of the same rules that govern the competitions associated with the style. This means that they don’t necessarily learn tactics and skills that are outside of the rules; ones that can help them get the advantage in a street context. Nor do they necessarily learn to protect against someone using such tactics and skills.
Moreover, the goals are quite different in a competitive context as compared to a street context. In competition oriented training, you apply your skills with the goal of earning points, knocking the other person out, or submitting them. In a street context, if your goal is self-protection and self-preservation, you use your skills to stop an attacker by disabling them or hurting them badly enough to make them stop, creating an opportunity for you to escape. Competition rewards engagement. In a street context, however, disengagement, when it can be safely accomplished, is the goal.
That is not to say that sport BJJ or any other form of sport grappling has no place in self-protection. Quite the contrary, the principles of body shifting, weight transference and limb control developed so keenly for sport BJJ, Judo, wrestling, etc, have very practical applications on the street. These skills, in combination with street-oriented tactics and considerations, provide a strong base for self-protection.
The Disadvantages and Dangers of Ground Fighting on the Street
There are a number of potential disadvantages and inherent dangers when it comes to ground fighting in a street context. Anyone interested in self-protection should be aware of them, and they should all be taken into consideration when developing a personal ground defense strategy. Of course, every situation is different and some of these may be more relevant than others depending on the specific situation you find yourself facing.
1. Size Advantage. If your attacker is stronger than you and/or outweighs you (which is often the case in a street defense context), he can use his extra strength and weight to a greater advantage when on the ground. It is generally easier for a stronger or larger person to strike, choke, or control their victim. Given two people of equal technique, the person who is bigger and stronger usually dominates. Moreover, size/strength difference by a large margin diminishes the effectiveness of good technique even more so on the ground than it does in a standing position.
2. Environmental Dangers. Debris may be strewn about on the ground or floor from which you have to defend yourself. Whether it’s broken glass, rocks, a board with a nailing sticking out, or the concrete itself, these things can easily cause injury to you as you fight.
3. Exposure to Disease. When you fight from the ground, you are in very close quarters, making you vulnerable to bites and scratches. It can also potentially put you in contact with any open wounds your attacker may have. These factors increase your risk of exposure to communicable diseases.
4. Multiple Attackers. If your attacker has any cohorts nearby, they can easily deliver potentially fatal kicks to the most vulnerable parts of your body, particularly your head, while you are tied up fighting on the ground with their buddy. This is a common cause of death in street fights.
5. Edged Weapons. When you’re on the ground, you are more vulnerable to attacks with edged weapons, like knives, which may be concealed on your attacker’s person. It is more difficult to defend against such attacks from the ground as it is harder to move quickly, create space, and control the weapon arm.
6. Inability to use physical barriers. In most ground defense situations, you lose the ability to take advantage of any physical barriers the environment may offer. When standing, you’re more likely to be able to put things between you and your attacker, like chairs, cars, trash cans, trees, etc., to help you get away.
Legalities Regarding Use of Force
(*Note: The following is not legal advice and should not be treated as such. These are only broad guidelines to help you determine how much force might be considered acceptable for you to use to defend yourself in the case of a physical confrontation. Consult your local laws and/or talk to a lawyer to be sure.)
Most countries have a section in their criminal code of sorts intended to present the circumstances under which you are legally justified to defend yourself from a physical assault. The laws are intended to provide the victim legal grounds with which to defend themselves. They also prevent a person who perceives themselves as a victim from using excessive force against an attacker that could have been subdued more humanely. In Canada, this information is presented in Section 34 of the Canadian Criminal Code. In England and Wales, it is presented in section 3 of the Criminal Law Act of 1967 with a further provision about when force is «reasonable» contained in section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. In the United States, the laws can vary from state to state. No matter where you live, it is a good idea to look into what your area’s laws are regarding self-defense and use of force, especially if you are training in self-protection skills.
Determining if You are in Imminent Danger of Being Assaulted
Below are a set of questions that you should be prepared to answer for any situation in which you physically defend yourself from an assault. If you can answer “yes” to all these questions, and be able justify these answers, you will be in a better position in which to defend yourself legally if the case ever goes to court:
Did the assailant have or appear to have the ability to physically assault you in the way you perceived?
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