Thursday Clinch Day

This week we had a great class for the thursday, looking at setting up a standing clinch (the "Radix" clinch) and then various attacks and options from there.

As we were going to be involving takedowns in the class we spent some time on safe falling in the warm up. This involved both forward and back rolls as well as side and back falls. Biggest points to remember:

1. When falling keep your arms in.- Don't try to catch your self or break your fall with your hands, that is how you injure shoulders and elbows.
2. Keep your head up. - When falling backwards or sideways be careful that you keep your head so that you don't hit your head on the mats/floor/pavement/street, you get the idea. This is one is a real danger again and again we here in the news of someone being hit or knocked to the ground and they are injured or killed because their head hits the ground, so it is a genuine danger and one to be careful of.

On to technique...

The factors involved in setting up the radix clinch are listed below;
Ÿ The Visor - the head cover position involvingboth arms covering the head and face with one arm slightly lowered so the elbow aims forward and the legs are slightly bent to lower the body.
Ÿ The spike - lowering the body and penetrating under your opponents strikes to "spike" their chest with your elbow.
Ÿ Clinch - Get a tight under hook, drive your weight onto the outside of the opponents leg and hold the opponents far wrist.
Ÿ Shuck and Duck - Shuck your underhook up high and duck your head so you end up behind your opponent with a harness grip.

In all cases we avoid the opponents strikes by using a Visor, to Spike and set up the Clinch, then shuck and duck to get the back with a harness.

1. Rear Naked Choke - Use a hip bump and step back to take your opponents balance, set up RNC by wrapping arm round neck (remember to reach right to your shoulder), shave the ear with your other hand and place your hand behind the head, remember to have your elbow in front of the shoulder. Expand your chest and squeeze your elbows together.
2. Figure 4 from front control - Use Hip Bum to take balance and then kneel down sharply to pull your opponent down. Grab their free wrist with your opposite hand and secure your own wrist with your other hand. Back away so they lie flat, then mount their head and straighten up so there upperarm is at 90 degrees to their body. Carefully rotate behind them to submit.
3. Lapel Half Nelson - Repeat above technique to the point of kneeling with the "figure 4" grip, roll the opponent onto their side (free arm down), step over their stomach to side mount. Open collar with a top hand, "scrunch a bunch" of collar with bottom hand, lift top hand high and put knife hand behind head. Wrap collar round neck and drive fingers of knife hand to the floor (like you are sawing the opponents head off).

Next week we will look at more of the same, but will try some alternate takedowns, such as high single, hip throw and bear hug takedown.