Every third month at Ronin Self Defense Academy, we shift our training emphasis to Defensive Grappling.

The term sometimes raises eyebrows in the BJJ and MMA communities, but our approach is straightforward and purpose-driven. With grappling’s massive popularity today, even the most unskilled assailant likely knows a takedown or two. That means responsible self-defense training must include solid ground combatives — but not the way sport grappling teaches them.

Here’s what sets our Defensive Grappling apart:

• We never intentionally go to the ground. Blades, multiple attackers (“buddies”), and the environment (concrete, curbs, walls) make prolonged ground fighting extremely dangerous.
• If we end up on the ground (because the opponent forced us there or due to a slip/fall/mistake), our primary goal is getting back to our feet quickly — not pulling guard, hunting submissions, or playing for a choke. Staying tied up on the mat risks getting stomped, kicked in the head, or worse while you’re busy channeling Royce Gracie.

We train under two realistic scenarios: A) The opponent has deliberately taken us down because that’s where they want the fight. B) We ended up there accidentally.

In either case, our priority is extrication — escaping and standing in 1–2 efficient movements.

Ukemi: Mastering Safe Falling and Recovery

We revisited foundational falls and expanded the toolkit:

• Neutral Roll position
• One-Hand Forward Roll (palm up and palm down variations)
• No-Hands Roll — especially valuable when your hands are bound or occupied

We then drilled the Rear Breakfall, transitioning directly into our Default Ground Recovery Position — the posture we default to for maximum protection and fastest stand-up.

Ground Striking: Creating Space, Not Ground-and-Pound

We focused on striking from three of the four basic ground positions: Guard, Mount, Side Control/Base, and Bottom/Base.

Unlike sport ground-and-pound training, our goal isn’t to finish the fight on the ground. Instead, we use knees and elbows aggressively to create space, disrupt control, and set up our escape. (It’s a brutal conditioning workout on its own!)

Ground Defenses: Escapes and Counter-Offense

Key areas we covered:

• Escapes from opponent sitting on the chest (High Mount / “Bully Mount”)
• Dealing with being trapped in the opponent’s guard — and how to pass or escape it safely
• Knee Rip Escape — a powerful tool when you’re inside the opponent’s guard and want to inflict damage while exiting
• One of our favorite classic WW2 combatives techniques: Stomp the Ankle. It’s exactly what it sounds like — a direct, heavy stomp to the ankle joint. Pro tip: A slight angle adjustment turns this into something truly devastating.

These are battle-tested, gross-motor movements designed for high-stress, real-world chaos — not points or submission chains.

As always, the best way to understand how these techniques fit together (and feel their effectiveness) is to experience them firsthand.

Ready to train smart, realistic self-defense? Get in touch today for a free trial class and see what Ronin Self Defense is all about.

We look forward to meeting you soon!