Clinch fighting
Clinch fighting is close-range combat in which standing opponents use grips and body position to control posture, strike, or set up takedowns.
Underhook: A wrestling grip in which an arm passes beneath an opponent’s arm to control the upper body. An underhook lifts and turns an opponent, creating striking and takedown opportunities.
Muay Thai clinch: A standing clinch in Muay Thai used to control posture and deliver knees, elbows, and turns. It is a specialized striking clinch with distinctive neck control and knee attacks.
Ground fighting: Combat performed while one or more opponents are on the ground, using strikes, pins, or submissions. Unlike clinch fighting, it takes place after standing control has ended in a grounded position.
Center of mass: The point representing the average position of an object’s mass for analyzing its motion and balance. Controlling an opponent’s center of mass helps create turns, trips, and takedowns.
Overhook: A grappling grip in which an arm wraps over an opponent’s arm to limit its movement. An overhook counters an underhook and can control posture or set up throws.
Greco-Roman wrestling: An amateur wrestling style that permits attacks above the waist and emphasizes throws from standing. Its restrictions make upper-body clinch control central to scoring.
Boxing: A combat sport in which competitors use punches under rules that restrict other attacks. Boxing limits sustained grappling, unlike clinch-centered exchanges.
Base (anatomy): The area of support beneath a body that helps it remain balanced. A wide, stable base makes it harder to move or throw a standing opponent.
Pummeling: A wrestling drill and exchange in which partners repeatedly fight for inside arm position. Pummeling is the basic contest for advantageous arm position in many clinches.
Judo: A Japanese martial art and Olympic sport centered on throws, pins, and submissions. Judo uses standing grips to break balance and execute throws.