Introduction

What is this document for?

This document provides a structure for the study of groundwork for Hapkido students through a series of games that increase in complexity and provide a safe environment for improving their groundwork skills and knowledge.

The objective of the Groundwork Games is to equip the Hapkido student with an understanding of ground scenarios that will allow them to use their Hapkido knowledge to escape from a committed attack by a grappler.

You should never deliberately take a fight to the ground, especially when there are multiple attackers. However in the event of being unexpectedly tackled, or pushed over, you should know what to do.

Is groundwork going to become part of the Syllabus – am I going to be graded on this stuff?

No, these groundwork games are not part of the grading syllabus.

These groundwork games are great as a warmup or at the end of a class to get everyone’s heart pumping before they go home. They are not expected to take up more than ten minutes of a class, if that.

Why should Hapkido include groundwork? Isn’t this a break from tradition!!

Aikijutsu in the early 1900s (ancestor of Hapkido) would not have had much defence against skilled kickers, but when it moved to Korea, where there are lot of good kickers, Hapkido introduced defence against kicking (we also picked up a few good kicks).

In the 1950s when Hapkido was being developed in Korea by the students of Choi Yong Sul, defending yourself on the ground was not a common situation that Hapkido had to deal with. Hence traditional Hapkido from that era does not have many techniques for dealing with attacks from a grappler.

Defence against Judo was added in the 1960s because there were many skilled Judo players coming onto the martial arts scene around the world (we also picked up a few good throws).

In the 1990s in Australia we had to work out how to deal with boxing punches (jab and cross) in a more realistic manner (we picked up some good punches as well).

Our own AHA syllabus knife defence is traditionally based on simple and obvious knife attacks. We have recently revised our knife defence to deal with skilled knife attackers and more realistic scenarios.

In today’s society with the growth in Mixed Martial Arts, Brazilian Jujitsu and other grappling-based martial arts, defending yourself on the ground is becoming a much more complex situation and attackers are becoming more skilled.

Yes, you should focus on becoming skilled in a core set of principles and techniques, but, you should also be open to working out how to use those principles and techniques in a wide range of situations, especially those they will probably encounter in modern society.

As illustrated above, Hapkido has always adapted to meet the challenges presented by the environment in which we live and the problems we face in that environment. The tradition that should remain is the 3 core principles (non-resistance, circle/redirect, water/flow). That is the challenge – how can you use these principles to deal with groundwork situations?

I don’t have to understand groundwork because I would never go to the ground?

In a real situation it is possible that you will be taken to the ground, even if you don’t want to, and to just ignore the problem is like putting your head in the sand (not a groundwork technique we normally encourage in Hapkido).

Yes but I already know Hapkido, can’t I just do Hapkido on the ground?

Typically Hapkido techniques require the use of your legs, hips and danjun as the main source of power. Leading an attack into a circle usually requires a lot of horizontal space. Most of our self defence techniques should start with an unbalancing or disruption of the attacker’s structure and we usually try to exploit the attacker’s balance tipping point (third leg).

Groundwork situations require slightly different solutions. Unbalancing occurs in a different plane and involves different angles. Balance tipping points are still there but not always so obvious. Hips are still important but in different ways, using different muscle groups.

Common natural habits like rolling over onto your stomach to avoid being punched by an attacker sitting on your chest can lead to getting choked from behind when the attacker is a grappler.

Key skills that you will need for effective groundwork include:

• how to use your weight to limit what your attacker can do

• the relative advantages and disadvantages of each position

• how to use the ground to your advantage

• an understanding of how your attacker will try to choke or lock you on the ground

• how to move around on the ground for more than 30 seconds without being completely exhausted.

If this is all you learn, then you greatly improve your chances in a ground situation. You won’t get these skills by doing more standup Hapkido.

Does this mean I will be able to out-grapple a grappler?

Probably not. Grapplers typically train 3-4 nights per week and 1-2 hrs on the mat each night doing nothing but grappling. They develop specific strengths and skills (and injuries) that you cannot hope to develop through just 10 minutes per class in Hapkido.

However, over time you will develop more confidence and become familiar with the options available to you. You will also find ways of applying your Hapkido knowledge in ways that grapplers are not expecting such as finger locks, joint locks, pressure points, strikes, etc.

Most grappling arts are practiced as a sport with many rules about what they can and cannot do, for example, no biting, groin strikes, pinching, hair pulling, eye gouging, etc. Hapkido is not a sport, it is a martial art.

So where do I start?

As an instructor: get your students to play these games for 5-10 mins during a class. The games increase in difficulty, so give the simpler games to junior belts and more advanced games to the senior belts (once they are good at the simpler games of course).

As a student: have a go, initially just try feel what is happening, where they are leaning, where they are pushing or pulling, how to maintain your balance, how to move around from one position to another. The first objective for most students should be to develop good mobility on the ground, this will create the most opportunities for you.

I am not comfortable rolling around with all those sweaty Hapkido students, do I have to do this?

We acknowledge that some of the situations and positions can be awkward to start with. But that feeling normally disappears after a few rounds (this is actually part of the learning experience that will better equip you to deal with groundwork situations).

We also understand that many students join Hapkido because it is a traditional study of martial arts and normally does not require them to roll around on the ground. If you would prefer not to take part in these groundwork games during a class, speak to your instructor and they can easily give you other exercises to do during this period of the class.

We also understand that for women, this situation may be slightly uncomfortable. Please speak to your instructor if you have concerns, we can also try to pair you up with students you are more comfortable with.

This document is still in development

Section 3 Principles and Concepts and Section 4 Techniques are still under development and will take another couple of years to finalise.

In the meantime we think everyone will benefit from playing these games and we hope you will all help us discover some great Hapkido applications for groundwork.

We hope you all enjoy these groundwork games and can help us take Hapkido to the next level.

Groundwork Games

Shoulders Game

• both start on knees

• try to make both of your partner's shoulder blades touch the ground

• no strikes, no locks, just balance, strength, sensitivity and leverage

• can grab any way you want

• play for one or two minutes and then rotate.

Pinning Game

• both start on knees

• try to pin your partner so they cannot escape for ten seconds

• no strikes, everything else OK

• play for one or two minutes and then rotate.

Escape and Stand Up Game

• instructor picks starting positions – eg. guard, mount, side control, north-south, seated rear choke

• when the instructor says go, the student has to escape and regain a standing position

• strikes (not full contact) allowed with caution

• can also do it from a successful tackle or throw - that way they get used to getting up after they have been thrown or tackled

• stop after 30 seconds or if they manage to get up and then swap or rotate.

Submit Game

• both start on knees

• try to apply a submission (joint lock, choke or just give up)

• strikes (not full contact) allowed to setup submission

• play for two or three minutes and then rotate.

Position Game

• two players – start in a set position (eg, mount or in guard or side control)

• one of the students is the “mover” the other is the “blocker”

• instructor shouts out the next position (eg. Side control, or mount or north-south)

• “mover” has 10 seconds to get to the next position

• “blocker” resists the transition (not too much to start with)

• every ten seconds the instructor shouts out the next position and the “mover” has to try and get to that position

• play for one or two minutes and then swap roles or rotate

• can also play this game without an instructor – the “mover” just has to change positions every ten seconds.

• Example sequence: Mover is in Blocker’s Guard > pass guard to left into side control > rotate into north-south > keep rotating into side control other side > leg over to mount > blocker rolls over onto all fours > 360 degree spin on back one way > 360 degree spin on back other way > forward roll into crucifix > release crucifix > blocker rolls over into side control > transition to bring blocker into you guard, roll Blocker over to mount …. etc..

For kids - one sock game

Try to get your partners sock off their foot while defending your own sock on your foot.

Principles and Concepts

POSITION BEFORE SUBMISSION!!

• Positions – what are the various strengths and weaknesses of the common positions – closed guard, open guard, half guard, top mount, rear mount, knee ride, side control, turtle

  • Escapes and Transitions – how do you get out of each position and which other positions can be transitioned to a more advantageous position by passing, sweeping or escaping. Also how do you prevent your opponent from passing, sweeping or escaping to a more advantageous position?

  • Locks and Finishes – how do you apply locks and finishes – which ones are best from which positions – eg. Arm bar, figure four locks, Kimura, chokes, leg locks, ankle locks, Z-lock

  • Entries – how is a grappler likely to get you onto the ground – what can you do about it – eg, the sprawl, knees, turn into a circle, etc.

  • Strikes – which strikes are suitable from each position – how do you protect from strikes in each position – eg, control tactics (using foot in hip, biceps, grabbing clothes), limiting damage from knees, elbows, punches, bites.

  • Strategies – what strategies suit your skills – what strategies suit different situations – eg class grappling vs street situation vs facing a kicker vs facing a grappler, ground and pound, etc.

  • Drills – what elements can you practice separately to develop the skills and conditioning required to be good at grappling.

Techniques

THIS SECTION IS WORK IN PROGRESS

Getting past the Guard

1. Posture (look up to keep back straight)

2. Place one knee under opponents’ coccyx

3. Place other knee so that it comes out to the side at an angle

4. Push down on leg with hand until opponents’ ankles are unlocked

5. Ensure that opponents leg is flush with the floor and isn’t able to move

6. Ride knee over opponents’ leg trapping with ankle

7. Hook arm around neck applying pressure to turn their head with your shoulder

8. Use other arm to control their raised leg so that it cannot trap you in a half-guard

9. Move furthest leg first and then the one trapping their leg on the floor second

10. Complete transition into side-control

Getting mounted person off

1. Turn hips to create gap

2. Insert elbow into gap created

3. Pull out hips and push on their leg with both hands at the same time (‘hip-escape’)

4. May need to repeat on alternate sides

5. Finish in guard or get up and run away

Getting out of side control

1. Elbow against neck

2. Elbow or hand against hip

3. ‘Hip-escape’ to create space between you and opponent (may require several attempts)

4. Try to get your legs into the space you created (so that your legs are between you and your opponent)

5. Pivot into guard position

Triangle from Guard

1. One arm in one arm out

2. One foot on their hip

3. Lift your hip to the sky

4. Hook calf around their neck (deep as possible)

5. Hold your leg in position with opposite hand (by grabbing your own shin)

6. Adjust your position by placing your free hand under their leg and aligning your body so that you are more perpendicular with them

7. Once comfortable, latch other leg and tighten triangle

8. Pull down head for additional effect

Courtesy of Paul Mystakidis – Sutherland Dojang

The End