I’m using this blog to collate and track my exploration of grappling, among other things. For those of you who came to this page looking for a Steampunk angle, please remember the “Baritsu” that Sherlock Holmes practiced is probably based upon Barton-Wright’s Bartitsu, an art comprised of judo, boxing, wrestling, fencing and savate, and there’s an interesting subchapter of the Suffragette movement that is also concerned with women’s self-defense so this grappling stuff just might be of interest!
One thing that is not really being taught in the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu classes I’ve attended as yet is grip fighting, so I’ll add videos, articles, and any experiments I’ve undertaken and their results. I’ve had minimal training in no gi grappling, with or without weapons, and have some experience with basic wrestling wrist, bicep ties, 2-on-one grips, and arm drags, but the finer points of grip fighting are definitely foreign to me.
Jimmy Pedro’s DVD and workbook have come highly recommended, so I’ll likely be picking that up in the next few weeks. Until then, here’s a few videos to get everyone started:
A teaser from a Jimmy Pedro DVD
Another good tutorial from the Judo for Jiu Jitsu series
Many of these throws and grips are readily adaptable when the opponent doesn’t have the common decency to wear a gi, coat, or velvet smoking jacket. Note the underhook and wrist tie leading to the same result that a lapel and sleeve grip would provide: tai otoshi
The Obsession Engine 