Getting up from the Ground

Be aware of your stability when kneeling on the ground. Spread your legs slightly apart for a wider base, and rest on the balls of your feet (not the insteps). Resting on the balls of your feet allows you to get to a standing position quicker, while resting on the insteps may cause injury to your ankles if you are suddenly pushed off balance to the rear. Bend your upper body slightly at the waist. This lowers your center of gravity and limits frontal exposure to your opponent.

If you have to kneel on the ground, assume a stance that affords you stability as well as mobility. Your hands can be planted for support when throwing a kick, and your knees can be used as pivot points.

Note that lowering your butt slightly toward the ground increases the stability of the four-point stance. You may end up in a four-point stance when attempting to get up after a fall.

Misaligning the Posture on the Ground

Taking an adversary down through neck manipulation from the four-point stance is identical in principle to the standing neck takedown. But because your opponent has much of his weight forward, unbalancing him to the rear is slightly more difficult. However, it is possible to take him straight back, if the technique is done with intent and preferably from a side position, where you are not working directly against his weight.

Fighting on the ground is very exhausting and requires strength. However, a small person may have an advantage over a larger adversary, if he knows how to use the leverage points on the human body to destroy his opponent’s balance. The over and under, which is not a technique but a wrestling concept, may work well. Although you won’t concern yourself with the rules of wrestling in a street confrontation, many of the concepts still hold true. The over and under simply means that in order to destroy your opponent’s balance, you should place one arm over your first point of leverage, and the other arm under your second point of leverage, and use the push-pull principle (the half Nelson, for example).

The half Nelson from the kneeling position uses the over and under concept, and can be used to misalign your opponent’s posture to the side. One of your arms comes under your opponent’s armpit, with your hand over the back of his head. Use the push-pull principle to dip your opponent’s shoulder toward the ground. When you have broken his postural alignment, it will only take minimal strength to manipulate his balance.

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About myackulic

Arashi Do North has been open since Jan 2004 (since 1985 in Alberta). We offer Karate, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai classes to Children 4-7, 8-12, 14-16 and adults (16+). Come try out a class with use and check out our other social media for neat videos and photos.