Martial Arts Takedowns

Takedowns refer to the act of engaging with and purposefully taking an opponent to the ground in martial arts and combat sports. Usually, the martial arts techniques classified as takedowns result in the applier landing on top of his adversary on the ground, though this is not always the case. The process of engaging an opponent quickly in the hopes of taking them down is commonly referred to as shooting in for a takedown or shooting. Different Kinds of Takedowns
There are several different kinds of takedowns. Oftentimes, the term is used to describe the kinds of martial arts techniques that wrestlers use. However, throws are also considered takedowns. Throws come from the throwing styles of martial arts, some of the more popular of which are Judo, Aikido, and Hapkido.
Martial Arts Styles That Teach Takedowns to a Significant Extent

• Aikido
• Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
• Judo
• Hapkido
• Russian Sambo
• Shootfighting
• Shuai Jiao
• Wrestling

Five Top Takedown Artists

• Randy Couture: Couture was an All-American collegiate wrestler. However, he’s best known for being the only five time UFC Champion. His ability to take opponents down at will has made him one of the greatest ground and pound fighters ever.
• Dan Gable: A lightweight gold medal wrestler at the 1972 Olympic Games and loser of only one match while wrestling for Iowa State, Gable once had some of the greatest takedowns going. From there he went on to coach the Iowa Hawkeyes wrestling team, where his teams won 15 NCAA team championships from 1976-98.
• Alexander Karelin: Nicknamed “The Russian Bear”, Karelin was an absolutely dominant super heavyweight Greco Roman wrestler for the former Soviet Union and Russia that won Olympic gold medals in 1988, 1992, and 1996. He went undefeated in international competition from 1987-2000 and went the last six years of that unbeaten streak without even giving up a point. He is widely considered to be the greatest Greco Roman wrestler of all-time, and his takedowns were absolutely brutal.
• Masahiko Kimura: Kimura, who passed away in 1993, is widely considered to be one of the greatest judokas of all-time. His takedowns and overall fight game was amazing. Along with this, he won numerous judo championships and even had a submission hold named for him (the “Kimura) after defeating Helio Gracie with the move in 1955.

Submissions in Martial Arts

A submission is a combat sports term that has become commonly used throughout the martial arts world. When a practitioner applies a submission hold, it generally means that they have sunk in a joint lock or choke hold designed to cause an opponent give up or face injury. When an opponent submits in martial arts competition, it generally means they have given up either by tapping out (tapping their hand or other body part on an opponent or the ground, clearly signaling that they cannot continue) or verbally indicating such. A technical submission refers to a submission in combat sports where the referee ended the fight. Some common reasons for this are when a fighter becomes injured (their arm is broken from an armbar, for example) or they are choked unconscious and do not tap.

Styles of Fighting That Stress Submissions

1. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
2. Russian Sambo
3. Shootfighting
4. Catch Wrestling

Six of the Greatest Submission Fighters in History
This is hardly an exhaustive list. But these fighters certainly deserve some notoriety for their contributions to submission fighting.

• Helio Gracie: Gracie is widely considered to be the inventor of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Given Brazilian Jiu Jitsu’s impact on the art of submissions, he should make any list of the greatest submission fighters in history. Gracie died in January of 2009.
• Rickson Gracie: Rickson is not as well-known as his brother Royce or father Helio. But he never lost in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu or MMA competition and is widely considered to be the best Gracie fighter ever. Which, of course, makes him the best submission fighter of all-time in many people’s eyes.
• Royce Gracie: Helio’s son, Royce, showed the world once and for all how effective Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was when he won three out of the first four UFC Tournaments. All of his wins in these early UFC encounters came by way of submission.
• Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira: This former PRIDE and UFC Heavyweight Champion utilized submissions to become one of the most feared MMA grapplers on the planet.
• BJ Penn: You’d be hard-pressed to find a fighter that’s more dangerous with submissions than Penn. He’s one of the most flexible fighters ever.
• Kazushi Sakuraba: Most of the guys on this list are pure Brazilian Jiu Jitsu fighters. But Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is not the only submission fighting art. Enter Kazushi Sakuraba, a great catch wrestler whose nickname, “The Gracie Killer,” was given due to a host of victories over Gracie fighters, with many of these coming by way of submission.

Striking in Martial Arts

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What the Striking Styles Teach
The striking styles in martial arts teach practitioners to defend themselves while in the upright position. They do this through the use of punches, kicks, knees, and blocks. Each martial arts style, however, does this in its own unique way. Thus, all striking styles are hardly created equal.
Striking Styles
The striking martial arts styles are a part of almost every culture. That said, here are some of the more popular ones being practiced in the world today.

A History and Style Guide of Shotokan Karate

Early History of Shotokan:

Gichin Funakoshi was born around 1868 in Shuri, Okinawa. While in elementary school, he became friends with Anko Asato's son and eventually began to train under Asato in Okinawan karate. Later, Funakoshi would also train under Shorin-ryu master Anko Itosu. Interestingly, Funakoshi never actually named the fighting style that he refined from Itosu and Asato's teachings, just preferring to call it karate. But when he started a dojo in 1936, his pen name of shoto (meaning pine waves) was used along with the term kan (house) by his students to erect a sign above the entrance to the establishemnt that said Shotokan.

The Legacy of Gichin Funakoshi and Yoshitaka Funakoshi :

Beyond building the foundation of Shotokan, Gichin served as an ambassador of karate, eventually helping to popularize it through public demonstrations and by working to bring it to karate clubs and universities. However, his development of the philosophical points or foundations tied to the style called the Twenty Precepts of Karate or Niju kun is perhaps what he's best known for. Gishin's third son Yoshitaka later refined the art tremendously. By changing several aspects (such as lowering stances and adding more high kicks) Yoshitaka helped to separate Shotokan from the other Okinawan styles.

Goals of Shotokan Karate:

In essence, many of the goals of Shotokan can be found in the Twenty Precepts of Karate. That said, one of these (#12) seems to say a lot: "Do not think of winning. Think, rather, of not losing." In fact, it's something that one could imagine another martial arts master, Helio Gracie, saying. In "Karate-do: My Way of Life", Gichin Funakoshi also noted that, "The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of the participant." In combat, Shotokan is a striking style that emphasizes stopping an opponent with powerful kicks and/or punches quickly and without injury.

Characteristics of Shotokan:

As was previously mentioned, Shotokan is a striking style of martial arts that teaches practitioners through a series of kihon (basics), kata (forms) and kumite (sparring) how to defend oneself. Shotokan is a hard martial arts style that emphasizes powerful strikes, long stances, and a lot of in and out techniques in sparring designed to avoid damage and end a fight quickly. Higher belts also learn some grappling and jiu-jitsu style techniques.

Famous Shotokan Practitioners:

• Gichin Funakoshi: Funakoshi was the founder of the Shotokan karate style.
• Yoshitaka Funakoshi: The third son of Gichin Funakoshi, Yoshitaka took his father's art and refined it to make it more unique. Higher kicks and lower stances were just some of the things he brought to the table.
• Lyoto Machida: The son of Yoshizo Machida, Lyoto has done a lot to show the world just how effective Shotokan can be via his success in the UFC. Machida is known for his ability to strike before anyone realizes that he is coming. He is a highly technical stand up fighter.
• Yoshizo Machida: A Shotokan karate master and the father of UFC fighter Lyoto Machida.

A History and Style Guide of Kyokushin Karate

Kyokushin History and Style Guide Introduction: You walk into the karate tournament as a spectator and immediately notice the difference. Rather than referees solely acknowledging points, you actually hear the grunts from opponents that signify a strike has landed. There's no need to guess at the damage a connecting strike may have caused; rather, you see it firsthand. We're talking full contact karate, people. And in this case, the style goes by another name as well. Kyokushin.
The Founder of Kyokushin Karate Mas Oyama and His Martial Arts Background
Masutatsu Oyama (then Choi Yong-i) was born on July 27, 1923 in Il-Loong, Korea during the Japanese occupation of the area. When very young he was sent to live on his sister's farm in Manchuria and began learning martial arts for the first time there from a Korean man when he was only nine years old (Chinese Kempo). In 1938 (age 15), he enrolled in an aviation school. However, when circumstances forced him to leave he took up at a university in Japan and while there was exposed to karate. Enamored with the art, he began studying Okinawan karate under Giko Funakoshi, the son of Shotokan founder Gichin Funakoshi. Let's put it this way: the training stuck. Along with this, he eventually moved to Tokyo and began training with Gichin himself for two years before getting involved in the style of Goju-ryu. In fact, throughout his lifetime Oyama connected with several more outstanding instructors including So Nei Chu, Yoshida Kotaro, Matsuhei Mori, Gogen Yamaguchi, and even trained in judo at Sone Dojo, where he achieved 4th Dan status.
Early Kyokushin History
So Nei Chu had a particularly profound effect on Oyama as an instructor. As the story goes, he compelled him to follow the martial way in his life and convinced him to set out on a retreat to a mountain hideout (at Mt Kiyosumi) in order to train his mind and body (the first of many).
By the time Oyama broke from the Goju-Ryu style that he had achieved 8th dan status in and opened his own dojo named "Oyama Dojo" in Tokyo in 1953, Master So's influence on the martial arts he practiced was very clear. And by 1957, his teachings, which were very tough, practical, and contact-oriented, were named "Kyokushin" by him during a ceremony.
In 1964, Oyama formed the "International Karate Organization Kyokushinkaikan" (IKOK), to organize the many schools of Kyokushin. He also sent instructors to many other countries in order to spread the word of his style of fighting. Upon his death, as is usually the case, several splinter groups formed under the Kyokushin heading.
Kyokushin Characteristics
Kyokushin is arguably the first full contact karate style. In other words, students practice hard sparring with no gloves in order to emulate situations they might encounter on the street as much as possible. Kicks, hand strikes, and sometimes knees are utilized in practice.
In competition, a variety of full force strikes are allowed to the body. Hand strikes are not allowed to the face, though kicks are.
Kyokushin is a hard martial arts style that emphasizes more circular, than linear movements. However, given Oyama's background in both Shotokan (more linear) and Goju-ryu (more circular), elements of both can be found within the art.
Kyokushin Training
Training is comprised of kata (forms), kihon (exercise technique), and kumite (the hard sparring referred to earlier).
100 Man Kumite
The 100-man kumite is a challenge that was both invented and first completed by Mas Oyama. It is a test of Kyokushin skill, as well as physical and mental endurance that consists of 100 rounds of sparring against ideally 100 opponents (one and a half to two minutes per round). Oyama himself reportedly completed the kumite on three separate occasions, and only 17 people are known to have finished the 100 Man Kumite to date

A History and Style Guide of Goju-Ryu Karate

The History of Goju-Ryu Karate
The history of Goju-ryu is somewhat clouded in mystery due to the lack of documentation regarding the art. Still, it is believed that during the 14th century Chinese Kempo was first introduced to Okinawa. At the time in Okinawa, ‘te’ was practiced as a native fighting art. Kempo eventually combined, at least to an extent, with the native martial arts there to form Okinawa-te globally, or Tomari-te, Shuri-te, or Naha-te depending on the area of origin. It should be noted that in 1609 Japan invaded Okinawa, and during this time Okinawans were banned from carrying weapons or practicing martial arts.
Therefore, for a long time martial arts were practiced underground there.
In 1873 a martial arts master by the name of Kanryo Higashionna in Japanese or Higaonna Kanryo in Okinawan (1853-1916) traveled to Fuzhou in the Fujian Province of China. There he studied under various teachers from China, including a man by the name of Ryu Ryu Ko (also sometimes called Liu Liu Ko or Ru Ko). Ryu Ryu Ko was a great master of the art of Whooping Crane Kung Fu.
Eventually, Higashionna returned to Okinawa in 1882. When he came back he began teaching a new martial arts style, one that comprised both his knowledge of the Okinawan styles with the martial arts he learned in China. What he came out with was Okinawan karate.
Higashionna’s best student was Chojun Miyagi (188-1953). Miyagi began studying under Hiagashionna at the tender age of 14. When Higashionna died, many of his students continued to train with Miyagi. Miyagi also traveled to China to study martial arts, just as his predecessor did, bringing his knowledge back to Japan where he began to refine the martial arts he and his students practiced.
In 1930 at the All Japan Martial Arts Demonstration in Tokyo, a demonstrator asked Miyagi’s number one student, Jin’an Shinzato, what school or kind of martial arts he practiced. When Shinzato returned home and told Miyagi of this, Miyagi decided to call his style Goju-ryu.
Characteristics of Goju-Ryu Karate
Goju-ryu karate is generally a stand up style, characterized by both hard (closed fist) and soft (open hand or circular) techniques. Many Goju-ryu practitioners feel as if they are martial arts technicians, in that they utilize angles to deflect strikes rather than trying to meet strength with strength. In addition, Goju-ryu tends to emphasize meeting opponents with the opposite of what they are utilizing. For example, striking the head (a hard part of the body) with the open hand (a soft part of the body) or striking the groin (soft) with a groin kick (hard).
Beyond this, Goju-ryu karate is known for teaching breathing techniques to a great extent. It also utilizes some takedowns, throws, and weapons. Interestingly, because of the Japanese suppression that occurred in the 1600s when they invaded, Okinawan martial artists tended to use weapons that were really farm tools such as the Bokken (wooden sword) and Bo (wooden staff) so as not to bring attention to the fact that they were practicing martial arts.
Basic Goals of Goju-Ryu Karate
The basic goal of Goju-ryu karate is self-defense. It is primarily a stand up form that teaches practitioners how to block strikes by using angles, and then subdue them with hand and leg strikes. The art also teaches some takedowns, which tend to set up finishing strikes.
Interesting Facts About Goju-Ryu Karate

1. Goju-ryu karate was the style of karate that Ralph Macchio practiced under his teacher, Mr. Miyagi, in the movie, The Karate Kid.
2. The Crane Block was spoken of in the The Karate Kid as an unstoppable move. It is not. There is no such thing.
3. The breathing techniques taught in Goju-ryu are helpful in all fighting disciplines and sports.

A History and Style Guide of Karate

The History of Karate
In early times, natives to the Ryukyu Islands developed a fighting system that was simply referred to as 'te'. The largest island in the Ryukyu chain is Okinawa Island, which is generally considered the birthplace of karate.
In 1372, trade relationships were established between the Ryukyu Islands and the Fujian Province of China, and this eventually spurred several Chinese families to move to Okinawa. These Chinese families began to share Chinese Kenpo with the native Okinawans they came in contact with, which was a blend of Chinese and Indian fighting styles. Through this, traditional Okinawan fighting techniques began to change, even if many families simply developed their own styles of martial arts in isolation. Still, there were three general styles that emerged and were named after the areas they developed-Shuri- te, Naha- te, and Tomari- te. The differences between the three styles were small and more about emphasis than anything else, as the cities of Shuri, Tomari, and Naha were all very close to one another.
The fact that weapons were banned in Okinawa in the 1400's by the invading Shimazu clan (Japanese clan) was a factor that spurred on the development of not only martial arts and karate in Okinawa, but also the use of inconspicuous farm tools as weapons.
As relations with China strengthened, the blend of the more traditional Okinawan fighting styles with those of Chinese Kenpo and the empty handed Chinese styles of Fujian White Crane, Five Ancestors, and Gangrou-quan, became more obvious. In addition, Southeast Asia influences were also brought into the fold, though perhaps to a lesser extent.
Sakukawa Kanga (1782-1838) was one of the first Okinawans to study in China. In 1806, he began teaching a martial art he called "Tudi Sakukawa," which translates to "Sakukawa of China Hand." One of Kanga's students, Matsumura Sokon (1809-1899), then taught a blend of te and Shaolin styles, which would later become known as Shorin-ryu. However, it is a student of Sokon's by the name of Itosu Anko (1831-1915) that is often called "the Grandfather of Karate." Itosu is known for creating simplified kata or forms for less advanced students and helped karate gain more mainstream acceptance. Along with this, he brought karate instruction to Okinawa's schools and the forms he developed are still used to a great extent today.
Characteristics of Karate
Karate is primarily a striking art that teaches practitioners to utilize punches, kicks, knees, elbows, and open hand strikes to disable opponents. Beyond this, karate teaches practitioners to block strikes and breath properly.
Most styles of karate also extend into throws and joint locks, with the extent of this dependent upon the style. Weapons are utilized in most styles as well. Interestingly, these weapons are often farm tools, as the use of them originated during a time when weapons were banned in Okinawa by invaders. By using farm tools, Okinawans did not bring attention to the fact that they were practicing to defend themselves.
Basic Goals of Karate
The basic goal of karate is self-defense. It teaches practitioners to block the strikes of opponents and then disable them quickly with pinpoint strikes. When takedowns are employed within the art, these tend to be used to set up finishing strikes.