Issue 063

June 2010

Understanding the importance of head position is the key to dominating high tie-ups. Regardless of whether you are utilizing overhooks or underhooks, the dominant head position dictates who controls the action.  

Over-under position

SHOULDER BUMP TO ELBOW STRIKE

1 Pete and Tommy are in the 50-50, or over-under tie-up position.

2 Reverse angle.

3 Pete twists his torso, pulling on his overhook and bumping his shoulder forward on his underhook.

4 Pete cocks his elbow back, anticipating Tommy’s reaction of pushing

back against the shoulder bump.

5 As Tommy pushes back Pete slams his elbow to Tommy’s face.

STRIKING FROM THE UNDERHOOK

Effective knee strikes allow you to commit both arms to controlling the opponent and still do damage. Understanding how to control the tie ups to expose ribs and organs to the knee is the key to causing damage with the knees.  

1 Pete is controlling Tommy with the underhook / wrist control combination. Pete’s head is on the same side as the underhook with his forehead buried in the pocket, looking into Tommy’s neck. Here Pete is holding a wrist control, but he can control the far side anywhere, at the wrist, elbow or collar.

2 Reverse angle. Note that Pete holds his elbow high and strong, and does not allow Tommy to whizzer the arm.

3 Pete moves from the wrist control, sliding up the arm to a collar tie and underhook combination. 

4 Pete hangs heavy on the collar, levering Tommy’s neck down. From the underhook / collar tie Pete can deliver a hard knee to the midsection, snapping Tommy into the oncoming strike.

5 As Tommy buckles at the waist when receiving the knee, Pete switches the collar tie to the opposite side, pushing away instead of pulling in.

6 From here Pete is perfectly positioned to knee the head.

STRIKING FROM THE OVERHOOK

1 From the over-under Pete buries his overhook deep into Tommy’s chest. Pete turns his head towards Tommy and drives his forehead in to Tommy’s neck. 

2 Reverse angle.

3 Alternative tie-up. Here Pete uses a block at the bicep, pinching his thumb and fingers around the elbow. From a wrist control Pete has a little more control over Tommy’s arm, but it is easier to escape than the bicep tie-up.

4 Pete uses the bicepS tie-up to push Tommy’s elbow away from his ribs and liver to create the space to knee.