Sparring Hand Grabs

WingChunChick

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I have one partner who I spar with, and everytime we spar she always grabs onto my hands. All the techniques I know to dislodge handgrabs involve actually injuring the person. What can I do?
 

Gerry Seymour

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I have one partner who I spar with, and everytime we spar she always grabs onto my hands. All the techniques I know to dislodge handgrabs involve actually injuring the person. What can I do?
Can you describe better what the grabs are like? There are simple grappling concepts that would let you use that grab against her without injuring her (just using it to compromise her structure). If you do that to her a few times, she'll probably find a more productive counter to work with.
 
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WingChunChick

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Can you describe better what the grabs are like? There are simple grappling concepts that would let you use that grab against her without injuring her (just using it to compromise her structure). If you do that to her a few times, she'll probably find a more productive counter to work with.

She'll pre emptivly grab both of my arms around the wrists when I'm in a fighting stance and then bull rush me backwards, it's pretty annoying more than anything else.
 

Kung Fu Wang

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she always grabs onto my hands. ... What can I do?
Turn your wrist to against his thumb (1 finger).

If you rotate your arm the same direction as your opponent's arm is rotating, it will be difficult for him to grab your hand. In other words, the moment your opponent tries to grab your wrist, you are ready to grab his wrist.

You can train this on yourself.

1. Your right hand grabs on your left wrist.
2. Your left arm rotates against your right hand thumb, and grab on your right wrist.
3. Your right arm rotates against your left hand thumb, and grab on your left wrist.
4. Repeat 2, 3, 2, 3, ...

Train this 100 times daily, after a week, spar with your partner again.

If you understand this strategy, rotate your arm the same direction as your opponent's arm is rotating, you will also know how to deal with under hook, over hook.
 
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Gerry Seymour

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She'll pre emptivly grab both of my arms around the wrists when I'm in a fighting stance and then bull rush me backwards, it's pretty annoying more than anything else.
Okay, so she's giving you two attachment points. I'm not a WC practitioner, but I think the term I'm looking for here is that she's connecting. Her grabbing your wrists and using force on them creates a direct connection. Now you can use that. Here are a few concepts to think about. They may or may not work first time - I could almost certainly get one or both working with a quick demonstration, but you'll have to fumble with them a bit, perhaps, without it.

First, you can dissipate this energy and redirect it. If she grabs and shoves on both hands, she can't hit you (both her hands are occupied). Lower your weight slightly (for foundation and structure) as you step back with one foot behind the other (like opening a door) and lower your hands, passing them to the open side. You're guiding her into the door you just opened. If she starts to pass in, keep pushing down with your rear hand, and start raising your front hand (her rear hand) to keep her moving. You may want to pivot more as she passes.

Second, if there's similar weight between you, you can use your structure to open up her centerline for attack. When she grabs, point your hands at each other and down a bit, then pivot them back up toward her center. At that point, you should be able to transition to a Wing Chun structure that's more familiar to you. If she's trying to push back, she won't be prepared to resist the circular motions this creates, pushing her elbows out (where WC elbows don't usually belong). You will have to play with your body structure/stance on this one - you need something rooted enough that this translates into her walking into you attacking her centerline.

Those are very rough answers, for a lot of reasons. I hope they give you some ideas of how to use those grips against her. Neither is a complete technique, but should make her want to not do that.
 

drop bear

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Okay, so she's giving you two attachment points. I'm not a WC practitioner, but I think the term I'm looking for here is that she's connecting. Her grabbing your wrists and using force on them creates a direct connection. Now you can use that. Here are a few concepts to think about. They may or may not work first time - I could almost certainly get one or both working with a quick demonstration, but you'll have to fumble with them a bit, perhaps, without it.

First, you can dissipate this energy and redirect it. If she grabs and shoves on both hands, she can't hit you (both her hands are occupied). Lower your weight slightly (for foundation and structure) as you step back with one foot behind the other (like opening a door) and lower your hands, passing them to the open side. You're guiding her into the door you just opened. If she starts to pass in, keep pushing down with your rear hand, and start raising your front hand (her rear hand) to keep her moving. You may want to pivot more as she passes.

Second, if there's similar weight between you, you can use your structure to open up her centerline for attack. When she grabs, point your hands at each other and down a bit, then pivot them back up toward her center. At that point, you should be able to transition to a Wing Chun structure that's more familiar to you. If she's trying to push back, she won't be prepared to resist the circular motions this creates, pushing her elbows out (where WC elbows don't usually belong). You will have to play with your body structure/stance on this one - you need something rooted enough that this translates into her walking into you attacking her centerline.

Those are very rough answers, for a lot of reasons. I hope they give you some ideas of how to use those grips against her. Neither is a complete technique, but should make her want to not do that.

They can punch you with your own hands.

I do that then shoot a double leg. Which is hilarious.
 

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Good advice from Kung Fu Wang. There is a Chinese term for it, but I don't remember what it is right now.

One significant Wing Chun technique to use in this circumstance is Kwan Sao.
 

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Take advantage of her wrist pull - dip down and shoot. Try to make it your grip. When I get my wrists grabbed while grappling I try to back-turn immediately to roll or maybe even throw.
 

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Wing Chun is always displaying the escape in their form.
 

Juany118

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Good advice from Kung Fu Wang. There is a Chinese term for it, but I don't remember what it is right now.

One significant Wing Chun technique to use in this circumstance is Kwan Sao.
OP, before I make a suggestion what do you mean by sparring? Are you talking what amounts to free forms drilling (essentially little to no contact at the end of a strike), light sparring or full spar.

Sent from my SM-G920P using Tapatalk
 

marques

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I have one partner who I spar with, and everytime we spar she always grabs onto my hands. All the techniques I know to dislodge handgrabs involve actually injuring the person. What can I do?
Learn wrist release, from jiu-jitsu, taijutsu, aikido(?), wrestling... Jut ask someone who trains this. It should be easy if it is an instinctive, rather than trained, grab.
Once I sparred a wing chun guy and I could not resist grabbing his lead arm, too. :)
 
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drop bear

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ok. when she grabs. Bring your hands together and grab her inside wrist. This should release one hand and also put you on the blind side. gives you a free shot with a hook.

You should also be able to hack out a little foot sweep if she is coming forwards. At least enough for her to let go.
 

Juany118

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Tan, Lau, Huen, Kwan, Lut.
All can be excellent counters to a wrist grab.

Indeed. I asked what she meant by sparring though since she said she didn't want to hurt her partner. If I am doing "real" sparing and someone does a bonafide grab (which to me implies yank or static) and not a lap/trap, I move towards them, elbow aimed for the head, which in that context has a protective helmet. I do this not only to get out of it but to also teach them something. If you are going to "grab" there must be a purpose. You are either trapping, which means as soon as the grab happens the other fist is headed to my face or, in my WC, setting up a take down. If neither of those are happening I tell them "say hello to my elbow" to remind them why they should grab. Also if you are doing one of the two "preferred" methods I shouldn't be able to do the elbow maneuver.

Obviously I wouldn't elbow without the helmet. So the number of techniques available in sparing is determined by the nature of the sparing itself.
 

oftheherd1

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Do you spar on mats? Are you belted in your art? If not, disregard the following.

As she bull rushes you, turn your wrists inside and up grabbing her wrists firmly. Fall back and down, placing one or both feet into her stomach, and monkey rip her. If she is willing to try it again, next time spread your arms. step in and to one side a little and with your other leg knee her in the stomach/solar plexus.

Then sit down with her and explain the dangers of being a predictable one trick pony. Have you asked your teacher what defenses your art would employ?
 

Kung Fu Wang

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You should not worry too much about when your opponent's grabs on your wrist. You should worry about what he may do afterward.

You can use "wrist grip" to

- pull yourself in, or pull your opponent in.
- "shake" your opponent's arm downward, force him to put move weight on his leading leg so he can't kick you.
- cross your opponent's arms, force his leading arm to jam his back arm so his back arm can't punch you.
- enter safely through his "side door".
- guide your opponent's arm away from your entering path.
- set up something else.
- ...

 
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Buka

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Welcome to MT, WingChunChick. Hope you enjoy it.

When she moves toward you - hard jab. Let her reach for those wrists all day.
Lot of other things you can do, but that's where to start.
 

Gerry Seymour

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Welcome to MT, WingChunChick. Hope you enjoy it.

When she moves toward you - hard jab. Let her reach for those wrists all day.
Lot of other things you can do, but that's where to start.
And there you go. I give a solution to the problem, and Buka solves the problem.
 

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