Grappling

Grappling is an element of many martial arts, and consists of techniques for handling the opponent in which the opponent is held or gripped rather than struck. This includes maneuvers to obtain a strong position (for example guard or mount), takedowns, various pins, joint locks, and pain locks. It normally excludes techniques such as biting and pinching. Grappling may be engaged in either standing or on the ground, although many standing techniques are takedowns, and thus used for forcing the opponent to an unfavourable position on the ground. Throws are considered grappling in some martial arts, whereas other arts consider them extensions of strikes or kicks.

When unskilled fighters get embroiled in combat, a very common instinctive reaction is to attempt to slow the situation down by grabbing the opponent and holding them still. As a result, grappling happens very often between unskilled fighters. Of course, skilled fighters can grapple much more effectively and may choose to grapple with an opponent. With sufficient skill, grappling offers the possibility of controlling an opponent without injuring them, so most police receive some training in grappling. Moreover, it is possible to design rules making grappling into a relatively safe sport; this is more difficult with other kinds of fighting.

Grappling is notably not a martial art, but a mode of fighting. Many martial arts contain grappling training, although the amount ant type varies. Judo, wrestling and Brazilian jiu jitsu focus primarily on grappling techniques, whereas boxing and Muay Thai contain practically no grappling. Some martial arts have their own name for grappling; for example, in Eskrima, grappling is normally called Dumog.

Some Eskrima systems practice grappling while one or both participants is armed. This practice is significantly more dangerous than unarmed grappling, and generally requires a great deal of training.

Many sports that are derived from martial arts have rules which forbid grappling (for example in boxing or savate competition, when competitors become too close, they "clinch" or grab each other and the referee immediately stops the fight). This is generally done to encourage practitioners to focus on other aspects of the match such as punching or kicking, which are deemed more important, more challenging, or more entertaining.