How to Enter a Grapple in Sword Fighting, with Kyle Griswold - Understanding HEMA

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Our patreon list for this video is slightly outdated, we would also like to thank MetroScorpio for two big thumbs up! Also some terminology, Kyle refers to "ringen am schwert" at 0:30 - this means Wrestling at the Sword and refers to when two practitioners begin grappling with swords in hand.

[@MaverickCulp]

As a wrestler/boxer getting into HEMA, I love that grappling can be used, and when done well it is quite effective.

[@MrKenpokarate]

As a guy who formerly did Judo/Jiu-Jitsu it can be difficult fighting your muscle memory when you do get into a grapple with a sword. I'm currently training Fiore and he doesn't like sweeps much

[@TheHardout2005]

@@MrKenpokarate Meyer has a double-leg haha

[@sirwooley]

@@MrKenpokarate I'm also coming from wrestling background here and fighting muscle memory from wrestling. I would instinctively go for a single leg when I'd be in a proper body positioning for it. Instructor had to beat it out of me.

[@ЕвгенийПетров-ы9и]

All episodes with Kyle Griswold are great.

[@shadowblaster124]

6:38 It's not huggin', it's bro grips

[@iseslc]

Nice cuddling at the end!

[@PurrsPlace]

"The comma in that title is pretty important." Ha ha! I love it! That comma changes everything! =) Good lessons here, too!

[@sebastianpalimaka3348]

Are you going to do some video about historical wrestling?

[@codycarter5902]

They actually have one on GLIMA

[@yvesgomes]

Dude looked like a vampire going for a bite on the neck, on that joke grappling at the end. >8[~

[@teosorin]

Great video! Would love to see grappling techniques with other swords, though. Or is it just more prevalent with longsword?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Absolutely. Especially with some one handed swords grappling becomes a very large part of finishing off a fight (Messer comes to mind), and with a free arm it's especially effective.

[@Tyler_Lalonde-]

Blood and Iron HEMA I can't wait for that vid! Great job guys.

[@sirdanielsmalley9657]

Awww! They did a bro hug at the end

[@LegionaryCohort480]

Great video as always! Will you be doing a video on how to deal with an opponent that likes going in for grappling? Seems like a natural follow-up to this one and I'd love to see something on that topic. :)

[@benjaminchen8857]

I think the important thing is to always be in alignment with your opponent. Notice the importance of stepping to the side as Kyle described at 5:10. In that tempo, you can turn your pressure from the front to their angle. If they have too strong of a push, pull back and attack as they trip. If they have too weak of a push, attack into it.

[@CebuXGeeks]

this is great! just wanted to say im very thankful for your videos as it has helped me a lot since me and my friends are planning to start a lightsaber club with HEMA and FMA as a basis. more power to blood and iron!

[@action-b4st4rd87]

57 seconds in, and I'm screaming "SHOOT AND GET THE SINGLE LEG!" at the top of my lungs.

[@VelmiVelkiZrut]

Interesting, to say the least. Although for me the problem isn't so much entering the grapple as then doing something with it besides just controlling their blade.

[@seanpackham210]

Fiore longsword techniques have plays for arm locks, breaks, throws and when to enter with the pommel. He's does the most from the grapple that I know of in HEMA

[@MasterDrewboy]

Awesome stuff guys! Do any of you know aikijutsu or jujutsu, which also has many grapples that implement into Japanese sword fighting?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

No, sorry. We're not too familiar with Japanese Sword fighting, and don't want to make any videos on a subject we're not confident in.

[@MasterDrewboy]

Blood and Iron HEMA I see, I only asked because some of your techniques looked similar. Thank you for the reply

[@effigytormented]

Drewster oh that's incidental if of body mechanics, you can only move that meat in so many ways

[@Deynus1500]

Verdadera destreza intensifies

[@iswearallthetime]

No. Sean needs to circle with you as you make your passing step with one of his own. You take your hand off the sword and Sean gets you. Having Sean do a one hit static not moving again strike isn't typical of good swordplay.

[@vedymin1]

What is your opinion on chlebowski swords ?

[@robinmarks4771]

Brilliant video. Your unarmed clinch fighting needs work though. :P

[@anathamon]

Robin Marks true, but i think they were faking it for the camera

[@sohamdas6401]

Boys this is the og mikiri counter

[@Robo0595]

I miss Sean.

[@cadethumann8605]

Out of curiosity, how would you avoid getting grappled in a sword fight?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Cade Thumann footwork, being able to keep distance and circling, and good handwork

[@cadethumann8605]

Blood and Iron HEMA And how would one keep distance especially if the opponent rushes at you faster than you can walk back? Is it valid to simply step to the side? The reason I ask this is for ideas for a female character of mine in my story. I'm aware that men are biologically stronger than women. While I do know that grappling doesn't have to rely in strength, it is still risky to take on a stronger adversary, so I thought it'd be best for my female character to instead use a tactic to keep distance and only use close combat moves in emergencies.

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Cade Thumann yeah you would need to circle out. Just going backwards can be a bad time when someone wants to grapple

[@cadethumann8605]

Blood and Iron HEMA Another question: what did you mean by using handiwork? How does it help avoid getting into grapples?

[@BloodandIronHEMA]

Cade Thumann grappling often relies pin getting your opponent jamming you and getting stuck. With good handwork you're able to keep the sword moving

[@Alpha.Phenix]

Now I know this obviously a stupid question, but quriosity is a cat. Stopping a cut with only your hands, just how fantasy is it?

[@HEMASimian]

Alpha PHENIX Better max out that luck stat

[@benjaminchen8857]

yes, stop it with your guts instead. That'll show 'em!

[@scottmacgregor3444]

Little late to the party, but Mythbusters did this one. Look it up.

[@obi-one-shinobistansolo3646]

This shit dope

[@jadekayak01]

i saw no grappling "devices". i only saw grappling techniques. "devices" are physical objects and in this case would be used to assist grappling

[@jadekayak01]

@@alexrentz5191 no. i used a dictionary. but you are correct and ive just learnt something

[@lukemcinerny8220]

KDF Klingon defense forces? lol

[@samarkand1585]

fuck you're ripped

[@nobodyimportant4778]

I have no idea wtf is going on

[@RandomAllen]

nobody important Why?

[@oscarclaudio2848]

Same me I dont speak english

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

2:26 So, sure this is probably a good technique. I can't say it's not. I'm not an expert. I freely and fully admit that but here's the thing. The guy on the right in this little move is all bent over, fully submissive all "Uh oh, I've been beaten.". That's not realistic. The opponent wouldn't be so predictable. I know it must be annoying when people nitpick like that but that one moment really started to remind me of some of those ridiculous Aikido moves where you're guiding your opponent all over the place and he just goes with it. So now please continue with your very educational and insightful video. I am enjoying it BTW but I had to point that out. Thanks for understanding.

[@vold2268]

Maybe the torso won't move but he apply pressure on a weak point:An articualtion.Since you mostly want to control the opponents blade that seem like a good technique.If you disagree feel free to say so.

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

I'm not exactly sure what would happen but I've been in the situation where someone tries to demonstrate some Aikido move slowly on you and if you do everything he says you're under his power like a ragdoll but that's not how it works in real life. The uke, as it were, must give some resistance or do what he might do if he or she has some out to take or some opening in which to strike. It makes for a better learning experience for everyone. Again, I'm not saying this doesn't work or is a bad technique. All I'm saying is when someone gently pushes you over that your whole self, your whole body doesn't comply 100%. If it were me, I'd probably do something very similar but follow it up with some short quick pommel strike or halfhand technique and retreat quickly. The guy is not just going to crumple over and stay there.

[@seanfranklin1591]

I this demonstration Kyle is definitely being anything but gentle. I'm not actively resisting, but I'm not complying either. He jarred me hard enough that it rattled my head a little bit. ;) This is the type of response you get when someone isn't expecting to be grappling, they are still thinking about their sword. If they are not expecting the force, and you apply a lot of it, having this type of collapsing is very realistic. I've seen it done, and done it myself many times. Now, if they are expecting to be in the grapple then they will not crumple like this. When applying the technique you must assume this will be the case. However even if they don't crumple you still have a hand checking their sword, and have your sword in the position to attack. So in a sense this isn't a magic throw a light touch into their weakness technique, it's a throw the strength of your whole body into their weakness technique. :)

[@PaulTheSkeptic]

Okay, fair enough. Thanks for responding.

[@thatguy237]

Paul TheSkeptic as an aikido student I can say with confidence that when the skill gap is large enough one person can take complete control of the other through the wrist. The amount of pain that wrist techniques cause is enough to induce the preferred reaction out of most people. Sometimes it’s choreographed sometimes it isn’t.