MAKING CLINCHWORK FUN

(This one's for Frank.  He and Eugina know why. Or do they?)

When I first began competing in MuayThai events in 1993, my striking was god-awful.  I was heavy on my feet, my footwork was all but non-existant, I threw sloppy/looping punches, and I had trouble rotating my support foot and rolling my hip over when I kicked.  Despite this, I was winning my matches because I could clinch!

Admittedly, my clinch game in the early 90's was far from technical.  I was simply adept at the double-neck tie and straight knees.  Defensively, I had a strong posture.  Basically, I was able to dish it out WITHOUT taking it in return... 

My competitive days are behind me now.  Currently, I focus on coaching and promoting.  The aspect of the sport I focus most heavily on is clinchwork.  I'll never understand why so many MuayThai students/practitioners appear so reluctant to clinch.  It is one of the most challenging  and exciting aspects of the sport!  If I were to take a guess as to why the clinch is often so neglected, I would say that most martial artists and fighters tend to gravitate towards the particular skillsets where they feel most comfortable. 

For me, it boils down to dividing the population between those who like striking vs. those who like grappling.  This is plainly evident in Mixed Martial Arts competition.  MMA demands that fighters develop skills as both strikers and grapplers, yet as we watch most MMA matches, it is readily apparent which competitors favor which facet of the fight.  Those who gravitate towards striking will try to steer the fight towards a boxing/kickboxing match, while those who favor grappling will try to take their opponent to the ground.

MuayThai is an interesting situation.  While it is, by nature, a striking sport, a strong grappling game is essential for success.  I feel that most people who gravitate towards MuayThai choose to do so because they are drawn to the striking element, but eschew the clinch for the same reason they do not study Judo or Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  Combine that with the fact that you face the prospect of knee and elbow strikes coming at you, and its understandable that the MuayThai clinch can be so intimidating.

As a coach, I have found that teaching a few simple tools go a long way towards taking away the intimidation factor of the MuayThai clinch....

First and foremost is proper posture.  When fighting from range, a MuayThai fighter typically stands with his weight towards the rear, his chin tucked, and his shoulders hunched forwards, creating a formidable barrier between his head and his opponents weapons.  However, once the fighters close the gap to clinch, one should be trained to "posture up".  A fighter should rise up onto the balls of his feet, straighten his back, and lift his chin.  At the same time, the practitioner should press his hips forwards into his opponents hips, leaving no room for his opponent to strike. 

For me, drilling my students and fighters on this simple concept is the essential to successful clinchwork.  Once a fighter is conditioned to automatically posture up when a clinch is initiated, they find that the clinch is no longer a frightening experience.  They understand that having and maintaining the proper posture nullifies most of their opponents weapons.

Now that the student has achieved this level of comfort, we begin to sprinkle in the actual techniques of the clinch.  We start with the simple things first....  pummeling for the double-neck tie or body control, shoulder rolls to break your opponents structure, and the various arm positions and holds.

Finally, the real fun begins.....  strikes and throws!  The methods of striking and throwing from the clinch are endless.  As they say, the MuayThai Clinch is a fighting art in and of itself.  One can spend a lifetime mastering just the clinch, but by focusing your training on the principle of proper posture, a student will no longer fear the clinch, learn to relax and genuinely have fun with it!