As mixed martial arts continues to rise in its popularity, one question that many dedicated students are asking their instructors is, “What can I do to avoid someone from taking me to the ground”?
To keep this simple, we need to revisit our four key zones that you should be learning (especially in the intermediate and advanced levels of training) in American Kenpo Karate:
(1) Out of range control - when an opponent is far enough away where we cannot reach him with our hands or feet. There is still is an element of control, however, since a quick and deceptive feint could very well get the opponent to move and be caught off guard for a possible attack.
(2) Within range control - when we are close enough to be able to touch the opponent.
(3) Penetration control - we have passed the opponent's defense and are now able to effectively reach the opponent with punches or kicks to the body, legs, and head.
(4) Manipulation control - we are close enough to be able to apply joint locks, chokes, and so forth.
If our opponent is within range control, we are vulnerable for a potential takedown. And while it is possible to keep an effective distance from our attacker via good striking and footwork, the problem, of course, is that when we have reached penetration control, our opponent is, in turn, close enough to take us down.
In 2005, I had the opportunity of fighting full contact against a top-notch kick-boxer and jiu-jitsu black belt. I really didn’t know what to expect from my opponent until the fight had started, but one thing is for sure, I learned quickly what was so critical in the fight: (1) great footwork, especially moving off to a zone of sanctuary (2) endurance (3) perceptual speed. Perceptual speed allowed me to take quick steps off to a zone of sanctuary when my opponent attempted to lower his height, and reach for my hips. Sometimes it was close, in the sense that I had just barely avoided the takedown. I found, however, that stepping on the outside of his front leg was most effective because his forward motion when he committed the attack was still to 12 o’clock.
