Ground Fighting at Our Dojo

Our dojo offers ground fighting classes as enrichment to training. Not all traditional karate schools do. However, rolls, falls and take downs were part of many ancient Okinawan styles. We continue to preserve some of these basics in our curriculum of karate classes. Plus, many of our students appreciate rounding out their training with the option of more in-depth ground practice.

GROUND FIGHTING CLASSES

I usually tell new karate parents that ground fighting is like wrestling. It includes a lot of partner work on the mat. The drills and exercises center on getting comfortable with falling, rolling, and leveraging yourself, your partner and the mat. Submission grappling is a big part of many drills.

POPULAR OPTION FOR YOUTH    

Another thing I’ve noticed is that the ground fighting class is popular among students around the ages of 11 to 16. Many boys tend to naturally want to wrestle and ply their physical skills. In our ground classes they can more safely and efficiently learn these skills that increase their life protection abilities. Qualified supervision is a huge bonus to any youth working on these skills. Plus, these youth find the classes a lot of fun.

GROUND FIGHTING WORKOUT

If you have ever worked on falls or rolls, you probably noticed what a dynamic exercise they are for muscle-building. With all of the partner work in ground fighting classes, you also get a cardio workout. Many of the warm-ups and drills also build upon these physical skills which build the body.

GROUND FIGHTING SELF-DEFENSE

Just spending time working on the ground with various partners will help you improve your self-defense skills. The focus of ground fighting classes helps you become more efficient and proficient with submissions. In addition, you learn to apply other karate skills from ground positions in addition to stand-up practice. This experience in ground classes helps you to improve your ability to defend yourself and others.

Our dojo has developed this enrichment program as a benefit to our students’ training. It helps improve life protection abilities, offers a great, unique workout, and it’s fun!

-Jenifer Tull-Gauger