Noob questions about ground defense

[Stimpy]

I realize this is all gonna be very vague and open ended, but I'm just lookin for any sort of answers. I was watching the Fedor CroCop fight the other day, and seeing Crocop on his back so often made me think, what exactly are the best techniques for getting out of that situation? I think that's called being in guard in BJJ, where you're on the bottom with your legs wrapped around your opponent. I've seen a few videos of Royce Gracie demonstrating various techniques for escaping that situation, but they all seemed to be specific to BJJ and not very transferable to MMA since they all seem to rely on the fact that there's no punching; if I were to try the techniques in the video in an MMA fight, I'd probly get my face punched in before I could make my opponent say uncle.

So, to restate my question, what is the best way(s) of getting out of guard? Also, what is the best way to get out from under a full mount?

 

[Andrew Green]

You're right, that is a very vague question.

It is called guard, but like all ground work there is a MMA way of doing things, and a grappling only way of doing things. Mixing the two up is obviously not a good idea.

What to do from the bottom in guard is a big question, basically you got 4 options. Look for a submission, Look for a sweep, try to stand up or try and strike (you are at a big disadvantage here)

How is a complex question, which depends on a lot of different things. Kind of like asking what the best way to stand and throw punches is.

But basically you need to protect yourself first and foremost. This means tieing up the arms or using your legs to make enough space for a escape. It's the middle range that you are in the biggest trouble, where he is close enough to hit you, but not so close as to be unable to hit you effectively. Basically, tie them up tight, head beside there head.

Best advice I can really give you is to spend a little more time watching MMA, watch what the fighters do. Chuck Liddell is a good one too watch if you are looking to see standing up. Royce Gracie's early matches where good if you want to see surviving and looking for a submission on a much stronger and larger opponent.

 

[Stimpy]

Thanks, I'll look for some Gracie fights.

Tying up your opponents arms and hugging him to your body seems like the most obvious solution, but it is only temporary.. I guess, to narrow down the question range, what are good sweep techniques to get you out of trouble? Submissions aside, how can you either get on top of your opponent or stand up without taking a pummeling?

Also, any advice about escaping from when your opponent is sitting on your stomach reigning down punches? I've seen a decent amount of mma fights, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone get out from that.

 

[Andrew Green]

Guys get out of mount, but once the guy is there you're losing, badly, and it is very hard to recover when you are loosing that badly. Basically its either a bridge and roll into there guard or a elbow escape into your guard.

As far as reversing him, well, you need a little more of a strategy then just hug him in. You can climb up his back with your legs, looking for arm bars, triangles and I like a pendulum / flower sweep of that. If he is driving in hard and coming up on his feet a elevator sweep might be a option. If you prefer butterfly guard you got those options, A hip bump is another simple sweep that you might have luck with early on.

But I imagine little of that made sense.

Fighting off your back is a complex skill, and it takes a lot of time. There really is no one "do this to get out" answer. In the same way I can't ask "How can I hit a person?" and expect one answer on the best way to do so.

If you are interested spend some time watching fights, maybe order some MMA instructional videos. And if you are really interested join a MMA or grappling class, as thats really the best option to get good enough at any of this to be able to actually do it.

 

[Stimpy]

Thanks, that was very helpful. I'm gonna go look some of those terms on wikipedia ;p

 

[Kreth]

Thanks, that was very helpful. I'm gonna go look some of those terms on wikipedia ;p

Find a gym in your area and attend some classes. You'll get a much better understanding of how the techniques work with a good instructor, than trying to decipher them from video and Wikipedia.

 

[Stimpy]

very true, I just have trouble finding outside stuff when I'm at college in a place I don't know at all, but next year I'm transferring much closer to home so hopefully I'll be able to find some places that can fit with my schedule