How to keep a grappler off of you?

[Kane Fan]

ok I put the question mark to show I am no expert lol
what do you guys think
grappling is my weakness
it's my weakness because my standup is strong (or at least has potential to be strong) but sadly it is also my weakness because it is my weakness!
I plan on learning some grappling (I plan on leanring as much as I can actually) but I want to get some ideas of how to keep a grappler off of me
my biggest problem is my 'ego' I put it in quotes because it's not really my ego, when someone comes in to grapple I tend to want to meet them on that front. It is not because I am an egomaniac and want to beat them however they like, but it's just natural for me to go to a grapple if someone wants
so I need to break myself of that habbit (unless I turn out to pick up grappling fast)
I know about stiff arming people or pushing them to the ground
another option would be backing up with a jab when they come in
I used to be fast enough to get out of the damned way, now I am like 80 lbs heavier then I used to be and I am out of practice so going to the side and laughing at the guy who shot in is no longer an option

any other ideas or ways to improve stiffarming/retreat+jab/flatten out?
retreat and jab I'm a little uncomfortable with because unless they shot in like a damned fool to land on their knees, they can just come forward again
then again I am strong and if I jab someone it may well stop a lot of their momentum but I still would prefer to use the other two

 

[PICK3]

It's very difficult for an inexperienced fighter to keep a grappler off of you. A grappler will use your aggressiveness as a striker against you.

The single most important defense you can learn is the sprawl.

 

[dicedgunz]

start grappling. and learn to think like a grappler. learn the moves and learn how to counter them. i'm a grappler and my weakness is standing and striking but i still try to learn it and be comfortable doing it. get with some grapplers and grapple

 

[casualbb]

I AM mostly a grappler, seeing as the majority of my training has been in wrestling. I'm pretty confident I could stay on my feet, unless my opponent is much larger or much more skilled at wrestling.

There are a few scenarios:
1) The approach... he'll probably try to close the distance as some point, and either grab you in a neck-tie or shoot. Use your jab or a front kick to keep him off you. Usually a wrestler will will drop their body and their hands before a shot... PUNISH HIM. Make him overly concerned with not getting hit. Jab can be almost a stiff-arm to keep him off you

2) Shot from standing: learn how to sprawl well. Get someone who knows how to shoot to shoot on you a whole bunch of times. Basically a good sprawl,
-flip your legs back, soles of feet NOT on ground (so tops or sides of feet on ground)
-most of your weight should be on him by your HIPS
-basically, you provide forward pressure to counter his forward pressure, so it's not just sprawling down onto him
-Use at least one hand to push his head away, the other maybe on the body somewhere. Use these hands to push him away while you circle to his back. You can also hit the face

3) For a shot that's too high to sprawl, like a hillbilly tackle or something
Sidestep his momentum while pushing the head and shoulder away. Alternatively you can hold onto the head and shoulder and land knees in the face.

4) From a nectie: same things, but try to keep inside position and don't let him grab your arms. Try not to let him jerk you around, this can screw up your balance and set up an easy shot. Otherwise it's easier to defend against a shot from here, because you're on each other so you can feel him go for the shot before you see it.

 

[Kane Fan]

thanks guys
I have some access to good grapplers

one thing handy, I'm not that aggressive as a striker actually
well, I an't actually say that for sure

 

[Judo Tom]

if 2 people are fighting.. and both are skilled and one wants to close the distance then normally the distance will be closed.. i mean its not too hard to get close to someone.. especially in a street fight.. but still you have options..

jabs and fast low kicks are 2 of the best
learning to sprawl is another
and just learning the basics of the clinch or tie up or whatever.. learn about over hooks under hooks head locks and differen positions that grapplers are going for and dont clam up if they close the distance

this is the reason that if you want to compete or truly be prepared to defend yourself that you need to know every range of fighting.. striking, standing grappling and ground grappling...

its good to know what your weak at and try to improve on it.

good luck

 

[Jacob Creutzfeldt]

Fight using lateral movement and and counterpunch. Don't step forward to strike, because if you can hit a grappler, they can shoot on you. Favor low strikes like leg kicks as they seem to be universally difficult for grapplers to block and the fast return doesn't let them time a shoot off the hit.

 

[Kane Fan]

cool

 

[Area5150]

jabs and fast low kicks are 2 of the best

I never would have put much stock into using a jab on someone who's shooting in. I'm not dissing it, not at all. I just thought that a shooters head is angled down, face down, with the top of his head pointed directly at the guy he's trying to take down as he shoots on into him.

Having said that, I would think that a jab to the crown of the head might not be much of an impact as that's the part of the head that's the hardest. Hey, but if it works, use it.

 

[Judo Tom]

i meant that he should be jabbing before the guy shoots in.

most people underestimate the power of a true jab if you can land one before the guy sets up to shoot in there is a good chance you can land a 2nd and keep it in striking range as long as possible.

if he is shooting in after he moves only a few inches a punch isnt going to stop him from coming in and you will quickly be forced to grapple. knees, elbows or other strikes might still be effective.