Going to the ground

90% of all street fights go to the ground. This statement has been repeated (with only a few mild variations as to the percentage) often on martial arts forums, magazines and post MMA, BJJ or Vale Tudo competitions. It has been said so many times that its precise origins are uncertain, although the Gracies are a commonly cited source. It has been repeated so many times that it has become what an MA acquaintance of mine in Chicago calls a factoid – something that is not a fact but has become such in the public consciousness.

There is a small element of truth in this fact. Most serious street fights do end up with a person on the ground; the loser. Most of the street fights of the original person who voiced the above statement probably did go to the ground, because that was where he took them and was good at doing so. But ask any military person who has used unarmed combat for real, any police officers or bouncers how often in their fights they have found themselves on the ground and the answer is likely to be below 10%. Look at the CCTV footage of fights that grace our television screens from time to time or study the Home Office statistics on violence on our streets and again you will find no evidence to indicate that groundfighting is common on our streets or inside our clubs. (Up to date statistics and research papers based upon data from police, social services, victims of crime and A&E units can be found at http://www.crimestatistics.org.uk/.)

So, when do fights go to the ground? In my opinion this only happens in the following cases:

1. When both fighters are so unskilled and/or intoxicated that they simply cling to each other and wrestle rather than manage coherent strikes. The event of one of them falling pulls the other down.

2. When one of the combatants, following a number of strikes, instinctively drops to the ground and curls into a ball to protect themselves (foetal position).

3. When one of the combatants is a skilled groundfighter who deliberately takes the fight to the ground.

Why shouldn’t we go to the ground:
1. The surface. Even for a skilled person, the risk of landing badly on tarmac or a surface with broken glass, chairs, ashtrays etc is high. You cannot guarantee that you will be the one on top.

2. Company. If you are on the ground you have even less chance of defending yourself against any bystanders who may or may not take your side than you do if you are standing up. Many people will not commit assault unless they have mates nearby who can back them up (who may appear to be just part of the crowd) – going to the ground increases the danger of a multiple assault and makes it harder to run away.

3. Weapons. Some people carry knives but are ‘decent’ enough only to use them if they feel that you aren’t playing fair by just taking a regular beating (for example those who deliberately seek a fight every Saturday night). Deflecting any type of stab while on the ground is harder than when standing up.

4. The law. The police will naturally treat both people involved that they find as aggressors. You will look far worse trying to choke a person beneath you (or hitting them in the face) than you would trading blows while standing. Even a choke or joint lock from below looks worse than any standing attack and puts you at risk of all sorts of floor related injuries.

5. Intent. Do you want to control your opponent until help comes? Do you intend to choke them and then walk away? Do you want to knock them out? Do you hope to deter them with some strong strikes?

Should we practise submission groundfighting techniques then? I would not consider them essential. It is more important to practice methods of getting back up and striking on the ground in order to do so than to practice applying controls on the ground. That being said, it does not hurt to have some of the latter techniques in your repertoire and you should really seek out a groundfighting specialist for some cross training rather than practice a few isolated technique from your kata in a horizontal position. At the end of the day, given the odds of meeting a professional groundfighter who wants to take the risk of going to ground outside the ring or dojo, it is your striking skills that require more work if you wish to avoid making the oft quoted factoid a reality.

This article first appeared in Traditional Karate Magazine October 2006.

Coach John Titchen teaches Defence Attack & Resolution Tactics to students, education professionals and corporate clients and can be reached via his website http://www.d-a-r-t.org.uk/, e mail jwt.dart@gmail.com. He is a Personal Defence Readiness™ Coach with Blauer Tactical Systems and is available to teach both self protection and Karate Bunkai seminars. The author’s new book, Heian Flow System - Effective Karate Kata Bunkai, is available on Amazon and through all good bookshops.

Setting Objectives

Article by Bill Burgar author of Five Years, One Kata.

In the last article, I gave a brief overview of "karate context", touching on each area of relevance including: key areas, objectives, rules, instructors and peers. In this column, I'm going to go into more detail about setting objectives. This is a key area for each karateka to get right so that practice time is spent wisely and we get what we want out of our study of karate. When you've finished reading you will know how to write down your objectives, which will give you a clearer focus about how to approach your training.

Last time, I suggested that each karateka should write out a brief list of headings that covered their main priorities; their reasons for studying karate. There may be just one thing on the list or there may be many - it all depends on the individual. So, for example, one person may just have one heading: self-defence. That shows a clear intention to study karate for just one reason and no other. Other people may have several, for example: social, fitness, competition, and self-defence. This shows that there is no one special reason for practising karate. You can see that this person just enjoys the atmosphere at the dojo, likes to keep fit, has some fun with competition and likes to think that, if he needed to, he could look after himself.

Making a 'high-level' list is a very quick and easy way to get started on creating a written statement of your objectives. Once you have made your high-level list it is time to start to get into more specific details for each item. Your objectives should always be SMART, that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Rewarding and Time limited.

Specific: We must make clear and unambiguous statements about what it is we are going to achieve.
Measurable: There must be some way to determine when the objective has been met. We therefore make a statement that describes how we will measure success or failure of the objective.
Achievable: It must be possible to reach the objective. It is important to understand in advance whether or not the objective is achievable. It is important to remember, however, that many tasks when first approached seem insurmountable, so it is important to be optimistic and to take on a challenge.
Rewarding: The objective should bring sufficient reward that it is worth undertaking. There is always a cost / benefit ratio to consider. Every task has its cost or, as the old saying goes, "you don't get owt for nowt". It is always important to consider what the cost and benefit will be before initiating a task.
Time limited: There should be a clear time frame set out for when the objective will be met. Many things of worth are not achieved quickly and it is important to approach tasks consistently rather than sporadically. Breaking the task down into sub-tasks and estimating time frames is essential if we are to understand the cost of the task.

Now, take the first of your high level items that you listed last month and think about something specific that you need to improve in that area. For example, if you are into competition you might want to increase your repertoire to include another winning technique, say, a leg-sweep. Your specific statement would be "Learn and use a leg-sweep successfully in a competition".

Now make it measurable; "In the competition I'll use at least one leg-sweep in each bout".

Looking at the objective it ought to be achievable. Remember it's a statement about your intent.

Is it rewarding? Well it should be; dumping someone on their back with a well timed sweep is hugely satisfying as well as earning you points.

Finally, set a time limit. Maybe a particular competition that you know is due to take place in three months’ time.

So, your objective statement might be something like the following:
Train to use a leg sweep in competition in such a manner as to win points. Then use the technique in competition within 3 months (i.e. before ) at least once in each bout in the competition.

This type of objective setting can be used for all areas of your karate study. I suggest you start gradually by setting one or two objectives and build up from there. I also suggest you talk about your objectives with your instructor. If you are an instructor then encourage your students to write down their objectives and to discuss them with you.

Between now and next month make the following your objective:
Write down one objective statement for each of your key areas of study before next month's magazine arrives at the newsagent.

I strongly advise that you take the time to write down some objectives. Just as you can't hope to get a technique polished by watching someone else do it, so too, you cannot expect to get anything out of these articles if you don't do the work. Start today!

The next job is to make a statement about the rules you'll be operating under, which is the subject for next month's column.

About the author: Bill Burgar is a 6th Dan, a member of Rick Clark's ADK organisation and author of the advanced karate text Five Years, One Kata which is available on-line and to order at all good book shops.