One of the hoary myths that people will try to use to discredit grappling for self-defense is something along the lines of “I don’t want to be rolling on the ground with someone while their friend kicks me in the head”.

If you hear someone say this, you will know immediately that they have spent ZERO time actually training grappling in a legitimate gym against varied opponents under the eye of an experienced coach. Why do I say that? Because if they had done that, they would know how utterly foolish that line is. But, since they have not actually bothered to really train any real grappling, they only have second and third hand ideas to go on. So they look at  what is happening in a sport BJJ match, or a MMA fight. They see two fighters of matched skill having to play a strategic game of chess, and they assume that is how an encounter in the street will play out.

Let me tell you how that encounter will truly play out. That high level grappler will maul the non-grappler in SECONDS. If you don’t know how to counter the moves of an experienced, knowledgeable grappler, your friend is not going to have time to kick the grappler in the head, because the fight will be over before he can wind up said leg.

And that is a fact, that is proven night after night in every BJJ gym in the world. Every night somewhere, a new guy walks in to try it out, and is soundly beaten in seconds. Usually by someone with about six months of experience. Often the new guy is some young, muscular tough guy, who is matched up with a skinny, nerdy computer guy, and the nerd stomps him like a narc at a biker rally.  Of course, it is done in the nicest way possible, generally with no real pain or injury to the tough guy. He just realizes he has a lot to learn! This is not hyperbole, but easily verifiable fact.

So the next time you hear someone go on a rant how you don’t want to be rolling around on the ground for hours in a fight, understand you are listening to hot air.