How To Use The Cage Wall To Escape Takedowns In MMA

Gravity isn’t your pal once you’re defending towards takedowns. It’s working alongside your opponent to get you on the bottom. Happily, you even have an ally: the cage. The cages utilized in trendy MMA are as sturdy as partitions, permitting you to lean your weight to remain balanced.

Cage strolling, additionally known as wall-walling, is the artwork of utilizing the cage that can assist you get again in your ft. The wall will be simply as helpful in defending towards takedowns.

This text will discover learn how to use the cage to extend your odds of efficiently stuffing takedowns, learn how to wall stroll, and different sneaky techniques you are able to do with a cage.

Why The Cage Wall Issues In MMA

The cage separates blended martial arts from conventional martial arts like Judo, Karate, and Kung Fu, which usually happen on platforms or mats. MMA introduces a brand new variable into fights with the cage wall. It’s not only a boundary; it’s a instrument that fighters can use to their benefit.

The cage can work as a 3rd base throughout scrambles, a backstop that forestalls opponents from driving you again and finishing takedowns, and an escape ladder you employ to get again in your ft.

Some methods to make use of the cage to your benefit in blended martial arts embrace:

1) Don’t Get Flattened

Don’t permit opponents to flatten your physique towards the cage in the event that they efficiently drive you backward. That’s the worst place to be in, as your choices are restricted. As a substitute, pummel and safe an underhook on one facet whereas posting your different arm in your opponent’s hips or the bottom.

2) Get To A Hip

Wall-walking is without doubt one of the useful abilities MMA fighters can have on the bottom. When achieved accurately, it must be extraordinarily troublesome for opponents to interrupt down your posture and drag you again to the bottom.

Right here’s the breakdown:

Flip to your facet. The very first thing you wish to do is shift your weight to one in all your hips. The cardinal BJJ rule holds right here: by no means permit anybody to flatten you on the bottom.
Publish your hand or elbow. Use it to create a base so you possibly can prop your self up. If crucial, body to create area.
Plant the foot of your backside leg towards the cage. You’re going to make use of this base to push your self up.
Lean towards when pushing your self up so that you’re not carrying all of your weight. Let the cage do among the work.

Take note of your head positioning when attempting to wall stroll. Hold your brow near your opponent’s head or shoulders so that you’re more durable to regulate. You’ll have a a lot more durable time returning to your ft if they will pull or push your head down.

3) Win The Underhook Battle

Going for underhooks is at all times a good suggestion when grappling, providing you with extra management over your opponent’s physique. You’ll have a neater time combating your manner again up towards the cage when you’ve gotten an underhook.

Safe double underhooks, and you should not have any drawback reversing the place and disengaging. The fighter who’s higher at securing underhooks sometimes dominates clinch positions.

Bonus Transfer: The Whizzer

Can’t get an underhook? No drawback—use a whizzer (an overhook). A powerful whizzer with a large base can stuff takedown makes an attempt and open up reversals.

To defend takedowns with a whizzer: Thread your arm over your opponent’s shoulder and below their armpit. Dig in as deep as you possibly can and widen your base. Drive your hips into your opponent and circle to the facet of the whizzer to flee.

4) Safe Wrist Management

Wrist management is the following neatest thing when you possibly can’t safe underhooks. Controlling one in all an opponent’s wrists prevents them from locking their palms collectively and finishing takedowns.

Wrist management additionally makes it simpler to peel their management of your legs or torso, flip and escape, and publish. Wrist management is a kind of tiny particulars that may significantly impression clinch positions.

Practising Your Wall-Combating Methods

Observe makes good, particularly relating to scrambling towards the wall. Listed below are a number of drills that may enhance your capability to make use of the cage to your benefit:

Wall-Stroll Stand-Ups: Begin seated together with your again towards the wall and a coaching companion on prime. Work by means of posting, turning to your facet, and strolling up utilizing the cage. Carry out so many reps that you simply’re in a position to wall-walk in your sleep. You’ll even have to fret about punches, knees, and elbows throughout an MMA match, so this motion should change into instinctive for you.
Pummeling: Begin in a clinch on the wall. Combat for underhooks and head place with a coaching companion. This drill helps you study to pummel and use the cage to create angles.
Wrist Management And Grip Breaks: This companion drill entails your companion attempting to lock their palms whilst you attempt to management one in all their wrists. You’ll be able to carry out this drill whereas standing or on the bottom.
Whizzer To Escape Or Reversal: Have a coaching companion shoot in on you whilst you use a whizzer to sprawl out of it and escape.

Widespread Errors To Keep away from

A number of the errors to keep away from when studying learn how to battle towards the cage embrace:

Getting Flat: Staying flat in your again together with your knees up limits your defensive choices. At all times work to get on a facet.
Pushing Up With Your Arms As a substitute Of Your Legs: Your legs are stronger—use them to push off the cage, not simply your arms.
Ready Too Lengthy: The longer you wait to maneuver, the extra time your opponent has to enhance their place.
Giving Up Head Place: Hold your head tight and inside to dominate the clinch.

Wall-Combating Is A Should In MMA

Utilizing the cage to defend towards takedowns or battle your manner again to your ft is a kind of abilities that separates freshmen from veterans in MMA. Keep in mind, the cage will be an extra base if you understand how to make use of it.

You may additionally like: 

The Finest No-Gi Chokes That Each MMA Fighter Ought to Grasp