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Pummeling as a form of judo dance


Pummelling is a common wrestling drill that has made its way into BJJ and MMA.  An interesting practice, besides the games that he mentions in the video, is to practice throws from this pummelling game - finding the grip you need to do the throw that you are working as your hands and feet are moving. This also forces you to learn to let your upper body work for grips somewhat independently while you are attending to synchronizing your feet to the opponent's feet.  Roy Dean shows this on his second Blue Belt BJJ Rank Requirements disk - pummelling into a drop-knee kubinage. 
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Similar to our 'judo dance' that we use to teach beginners the throws with an element of motion. In the judo dance you take a normal grip and leave one foot planted, stepping back-and forth with the other foot in synch with your partner. The player whose left foot is moving is usually defined to be the thrower.  This judo dance is a highly efficent way to teach players to recognize the point in randori (chaos) when their feet synch up with the opponent's feet. You might consider adding elements of pummelling to the judo dance with more intermediate-to-advanced students to better simulate the randori/shiai environment.

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12 comments (leave me a comment):

Dojo Rat said...

Dude!
That's push hands for wrestling!
I think that might work into some of our push hands drills, perhaps also for shoulder strikes...
I'll give it a try, thanks-
D.R.

Patrick Parker said...

Dude!
I had completely missed that connection, but it does seem a bit push-hands-ish. Cool!

Patrick Parker said...

Here is a 3-part series of videos on pummelling from a Kempo instructor. I admit I haven't watched all of it, but it appears to be pretty good application of pummeling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4k_mv-TX_I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE7_26YHFpA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjn35UrWblI

John Wood said...

in the process of pummeling from what's shown in the video, don't you end up leaning on your opponent and go in and out of breaking your posture?

Patrick Parker said...

That's right, John, but you don't have to 'fall chest to chest' like the guy says in the video. you can do it maintaining your own posture or you cal learn to use the shoulder bumps as offbalances for your throws.

Roy Dean demonstrates it on his video from a neck and elbow tie-up. The arms move as demonstrated in this video and each time both guys' hands change position the feet change so that you stay lead side on his neck. It's the changing of the feet with the changing of the hands that I thought was so much like the judo dance.

Kevin Leavitt said...

Pummelling is where it is at. In Aikido we say "all techniques are ikkyo". Well one day a few years ago I was working Pummelling in my MMA class and I had a epiphany when I realized that Ikkyo and Pummelling are the same.

What we are trying to accomplish with both is "controlling the upper cross" of the body.

This is what Ikkyo is all about IMO.

I now teach pummelling as a core thing when starting out new students. I think that we should start all students pummelling as it is what everything else is based on, even your ground grappling.

Ikkyo is much, much more advanced IMO. Students that have a grasp on pummelling have a better foundation for developing Ikkyo, and they also begin to learn some very practical tactical skills.

Good post, I was actually going to do a write up on this on my blog as well soon!

Patrick Parker said...

Kevin, It sounds like you still have a lot of material for a post on your blog about the aikido-pummelling connection. I'd sure like to read some more of your thoughts about ikkyo and pummelling.

Glad you liked the post!

Rick said...

This should look familiar too. Sifu Tony Chan of the Wu Family Style of Taijiquan teaching push hands:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUf1llA3HXg

Patrick Parker said...

THAT was cool, Rick! One of the best taiji push hands videos I've seen.

But what went with all the bouncing out and throwing people 15 feet without touching them and that sort of thing that all the fat old masters like to demonstrate? Maybe this master is still in too good a physical condition to throw people 15 feet with his chi? :-)

really that was a great demo.

Dojo Rat said...

Great push hands video.

Now, the Kempo guy clearly shows the weakness in a strictly grappling art. Kempo guy uses pummeling to insert strikes, which would likely defeat a pure grappler not accustomed to striking in a clinch.

Patrick Parker said...

Yeah, that Kempo guy made me want to do Kempo. Alas - too mant arts too few years.

Rick said...

"But what went with all the bouncing out and throwing people 15 feet without touching them and that sort of thing that all the fat old masters like to demonstrate? Maybe this master is still in too good a physical condition to throw people 15 feet with his chi? :-)"

I think he missed class the day they taught that.

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