In the Entrapment Range, the main characteristic is the holding and engulfing of the head, an upper limb, or the body of one’s opponent. The most frequent goal is to throw the opponent to the ground and continue the fight there, obtaining an advantageous position. Certain blows are included in this framework, with the aim of loosening the opponent’s defenses, in order to place a hold on him. In ancient practice such blows were dealt with the knees, the elbows, or even with the head, according to recorded evidence. It is almost certain that such blows were not exchanged in order to finish off the opponent, but were used to inflict pain, possibly to cause him to lose his balance and to reduce the capacity of his defenses.
KNEE BLOWS
Figure 3.40. Pankration. Roman athletes, second to third centuries CE, Vatican Museum. (Drawing based on photograph by Michael Poliakoff.)
ANALYSIS
An important and revealing image. The athlete on the right—reacting to a front punch blow by his opponent—initially executes what is known in boxing as a “weave”: he leans his head out of the range of the blow. At the same time, he grabs his opponent’s arm and proceeds with a counterattack, delivering a blow with his right hand and a vertical knee strike to his opponent’s groin. This is a magnificent combination of a defensive block, avoidance, blows, and correct timing, which characterizes athletes of a very high standard. Unsurprisingly, the depiction dates from the era of specialization and professional athletes and gladiators.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
In order to deliver a powerful blow with the knee, the attacker must hold one of his opponent’s limbs to prevent defensive reactions. This could be the head, ideally, or an arm. Knee blows to the body must be executed vertically to the front rather than the side of the body, as this would offer the opponent the possibility of capturing the leg of the attacker.
The athletes are in the entrapment zone. The athlete on the left has ideal control of his opponent, holding his arm and head (A).
Powerfully pulling his opponent’s arm and head, he delivers a knee blow (B).
The knee blow to the head may also be delivered from farther away, while pulling the head with both hands (C).
HORIZONTAL OUTSIDE ELBOW
Figure 3.41. Pammachon. Temple of Zeus pediment, Olympia Museum. (Drawing based on a photograph from the museum.)
ANALYSIS
In figure 3.41 the centaur has captured the Greek woman from behind and she reacts by executing a horizontal outside elbow strike, supporting her blow by turning her body into the strike.
In figure 3.42 we see an excellent presentation, which shows a very high standard of technique and knowledge. The athlete on the right has grabbed his opponent’s throat. If such a hold is accompanied by movement from the waist, it could cause serious damage. The athlete on the left reacts initially by grabbing the arm of his opponent, mostly to restrict his mobility. At the same time he executes a front power kick and a horizontal outside elbow blow. The opponent bleeds, which shows the faultless execution of this action. Such use of knees and elbows is characteristic of contemporary Thai Boxing (Muay Thai).
Figure 3.42. Pankration. Part of a pot, fourth century BCE, Staatliche Museum, Berlin.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Outside Elbow Blow with an Arm Hold
The first priority in response to a single hand neck grab (choke) is to restrict the mobility of the opponent’s arm (A).
It is useful to restrict the mobility of his arm both at the wrist joint and at the elbow joint (B).
The defender then proceeds with an outside elbow blow, maintaining the hold on his attacker’s arm. While this blow would not ensure the defender’s safety, it would surprise and stun the attacker and offer the opportunity to continue a counterattack or attempt to disengage (C).
ANALYSIS
In figure 3.43 we see that the athlete on the right has trapped his opponent’s head and prepares to deliver a hammer fist with his other hand. It is worth noting that the defender—in order to save himself from choking— bites his opponent’s arm. The judge intervenes on the penalty by striking the offending athlete with his stick.
Figure 3.43. Pankration. Panathenean amphora, British Museum. (Drawing based on photograph from the museum.)
ARM PULLS AND CONTROL
Figure 3.44. Wrestling, Pankration. Athens, National Archaeological Museum.
ANALYSIS
In figure 3.44 the wrestlers are trying for arm control, while keeping a safe distance by forehead contact. In figure 3.45 Peleas’s intention is evident: he is trying to pull Atalante’s hand in order to achieve a rear body hold. Arm control is a basic point of concern, primarily in wrestling, but also in pankration, because a strong hold and pull of one or both arms results in successful positioning, offering a choice of techniques, mostly throws.
Figure 3.45. “Atalante against Peleas.” Attic amphora, Antikensammlugen Museum, Munich.
ARM PULLING AND REACTIONS
Figure 3.46. Attic cup, 480 BCE, Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. (Sketch based on photograph from the museum.)
ANALYSIS
This depicts a scene from a gymnasium, where youth trained in wrestling. The athlete on the left has grabbed hold of both of his opponent’s arms and pulls him. The athlete on the right reacts correctly, applying three important defensive options:
backward sliding, placing his hips at a distance,
forehead contact with his opponent, controlling and restricting his efforts to close in, and
inward turning of the palms, freeing his hands from the hold.
TRANSPOSITION AND REAR BODY HOLD
Figure 3.47. Red-figure vase, 525 BCE, Staatliche Museum, Berlin.
ANALYSIS
In figure 3.47 we see the transposition from an arm pull to a rear body hold. The athlete on the right has let go of his opponent’s arm, which he had pulled, and tries to get behind him. However, the athlete on the left has grabbed hold of his opponent’s left arm, obstructing the completion of his hold. At the same time, though, the attacker has caught his opponent’s arm behind his back, enabling him to pull it and complete a body hold. The artist has provided tremendous detail and sequence of techniques and counter-techniques.
In figure 3.48, we see the final phase of an arm pull: a rear body hold executed by the athlete on the right. He has achieved close contact on his opponent; he has also lowered his pelvis perfectly, to set his base lower than that of his opponent, giving him the advantage of being able to lift him off the ground.
Figure 3.48. Wrestling. Panathenean vase, 360 BCE, from Eretria, Eretria Museum.
Husking
Figure 3.48 also depicts the effort of the athlete on the left to disengage by attacking the top hand of his opponent. He passes his fingers under the right hand of his opponent while preparing to use his thumb on his left arm in order to open up the situation. This is called “husking” and is used today in submission wrestling.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Arm Pulling and Transposition to Rear Body Hold and Husking (Submission Wrestling)
Arm pulling in the entrapment and wrestling zone is decisive because it makes it possible to transpose to a rear or side body hold on the opponent (A).
It is important to use the whole body in arm pulling and not just the strength of the arms (B–D).
At the close contact position the attacker presses his head into his opponent’s back and lowers his pelvis below his opponent’s (E).
The defender reacts by lifting his elbows high and placing his thumbs between his body and his opponent’s upper arm (F).
After lowering his body suddenly, he pushes his opponent’s arm off, pressing it with both hands (G).
HIP THROW
ANALYSIS
In both depictions the wrestler on the right has grabbed his opponent’s right arm and pulls him in preparation for a hip throw. At the same time he passes his right arm around the waist of his opponent, infiltrating his defenses. Next, he will turn inward and lower his hips
in order to execute a hip throw, a move called ogoshi in judo and jujutsu.
Figure 3.49. Wrestling. Panathenean vase, 367 BCE British Museum, London. (Sketch based on photograph from the museum.)
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
The athlete on the left opens his opponent’s grip and passes his arm around his waist (A–B).
Figure 3.50. Wrestling. From tomb 15 at Beni Hasan, Egypt, 2000 BCE. (Drawing by P. E. Newberry, from the publication Beni Hasan, London, 1893.)
Turning inward and lowering his hips, he lifts his opponent up and throws him over his hip (C–D).
In submission wrestling, once one athlete is thrown to the ground, the attacker can either go to the ground also or can remain standing up and, ideally, entrap his opponent’s arm, a pammachon move (E).
BODY THROW
Figure 3.51. Wrestling, Pankration. The athlete on the left attempted a body hold, but his opponent on the right is using a body throw to overturn him. Attic vase, 520 BCE, Vatican Museum.
ANALYSIS
Both depictions demonstrate a precise application of a body throw, what is known today in judo and jujutsu as tai otoshi. The athlete executing the throw pulls his opponent’s hand, holding him with a headlock or controlling his body with his other arm. Next, he blocks his opponent’s leg and turns his body abruptly.
Figure 3.52. Wrestling, Pankration. Bas-relief, first century CE, the Delphi Museum.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
The athlete on the right, passing his antagonist’s defenses, grabs his opponent’s head and places his left leg outside his opponent’s distant leg (A–B).
The throw is executed with an abrupt turn of the body in the opposite direction (C–D).
He immobilizes his opponent on the ground with a hand lock and knee pressure on his head (E).
MAIN OUTSIDE THROW
ANALYSIS
The presentation of “Theseus against Kerkyon” in figure 3.53 is complex and demands detailed analysis. On the right, Kerkyon attempts the throw known as osotonage (“main outside throw”) in jujutsu on Theseus. It is certain that Theseus is not attempting osotonage (or even osotogari, “outside reaping”), as his balance has already been broken, shown by the position of his body and the way he is leaning backward.
Figure 3.53. Attic red goblet, fifth century BCE, British Museum, London.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
First, let us examine osotonage, the throw Kerkyon is attempting.
The athlete on the right “opens” his opponent’s guard, breaking his balance, outward (A–B).
Next, he attacks his opponent’s thigh with his own, sweeping at his base, throwing him to the ground under control (C–D).
ANALYSIS
In figure 3.53 Theseus, confronted by Kerkyon’s osotonage, has two defenses to choose from. In the representation on the goblet, Kerkyon’s right hand cannot be seen. If Kerkyon is armed (Theseus is shown carrying a sword on his back) with a knife in his right hand, Theseus must proceed immediately to execute an “outside throw reversal,” known in Japanese judo as osoto gaeshi.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Outside Throw Reversal
The athlete on the left attempts osotogari (A).
His opponent on the right lowers his base, regaining his balance (his “center”), while breaking his opponent’s balance (B).
Next, “launching” his body, the athlete on the right throws his opponent into the air and drops him to the ground, obtaining control of him (C–E).
ANALYSIS
Theseus’s second option is to accept the throw and take advantage of its force to turn it against his opponent. Such a clever reaction would be worthy of the hero who is considered to be the creator of pankration. However, in order to execute this technique—known in Japanese as yoko wakare, ”side flow”—it would be necessary for Kerkyon to be unarmed. It is our belief that the artist wanted to depict this situation, due to the way Theseus’s hands are placed, holding Kerkyon.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Side Flow Technique
The athlete on the right attempts osotogari. The athlete on the left accepts the throw, capturing the body and arm of his opponent, and twisting on his legs in such a way as to deprive his opponent of the possibility of holding on to him (A–D).
Next, this athlete throws his opponent over his body, holding his lower arm tightly; the outcome of this throw is a complex arm dislocation on the attacker’s elbow as his opponent keeps holding him and proceeds to mount and subdue him (E–G).
SHOULDER THROW
Figure 3.54. Wrestling, Pankration. Red-figure goblet, fifth century BCE, British Museum, London.
ANALYSIS
This is a depiction of a shoulder throw done in the best way, known in judo and jujutsu as seionage. In contests such as submission wrestling or judo, after the throw, the athlete aims to continue on the ground, usually in a headlock. However, in actual self-defense, he would remain standing. In this presentation, the fact that the athlete does not kneel, as well as the fact that he is on his toes on both legs, probably denotes that he does not intend to follow his opponent to a ground fight but to remain standing.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Shoulder Throw (Wrestling, Pammachon)
The athlete on the left moves inward toward his opponent, making a 180-degree turn while holding his arm, and “loads” him on his back and shoulder (A–C).
Using his hip, he throws him over his body (D).
He finishes off by controlling his opponent’s elbow joint (E).
ANALYSIS
In this sculpture from the Temple of Zeus in Olympia, the centaur has escaped from the strangulation hold of the Greek by biting his lower arm, and holding his triceps and his hand. Next, he will attempt a shoulder throw.
Figure 3.55. Pammachon. Sculpture from the fifth century BCE, Olympia Museum.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Shoulder Throw (Pammachon)
The attacker attempts rear “naked” strangulation (so called in judo because the bare forearm is used), intending to take his opponent to the ground and finish him off (A).
The defender first breaks his opponent’s balance as well as his hold, by turning his body and attacking his opponent’s thigh at the same time (B).
Next, while the attacker tries to pull him back, he grabs his hand and attacks his triceps (C).
With explosive force, the defender throws his attacker forward with a shoulder throw and controls him intending to continue with ground fighting (D–E).
“ARM-WRAPPING” THROW
Figure 3.56. Wrestling. Attic cup, 500 BCE, National Library, Paris. (Drawing based on photograph from the museum.)
ANALYSIS
This is an important representation of the variety of throwing techniques known to the ancients. It is not clear which type of throw it is. At first glance we would suggest that it is a final throw after a body lift on the shoulders, known in Japanese as kata guruma. It could also be a shoulder throw with a vertical body drop, known in judo terminology as seoi otoshi. However, the hand placement of the athletes is not in accordance with this technique. There is an unclear spot in the image on the cup where the face and perhaps the arm of the athlete attempting the throw would be seen. If it were a throw that included “wrapping up” the opponent’s arm, then it would be similar to the judo technique soto makikomi. To maintain a variety of applications in the text, we specifically present the latter technique here.
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
Reacting to an attempt at a headlock, the defender lowers his own head and escapes temporarily (A–B).
The defender continues and grabs his opponent’s arm with both hands (C).
The defender continues to turn. Having placed his leg outside his opponent’s legs, he sweeps him (D–E).
REAPING HIP THROW
ANALYSIS
This image constitutes one more interesting piece of information from ancient Egypt of 2000 BCE. The athlete on the right
is pulling his opponent by the arm while making an inward turn; then, using his leg to “reap” his opponent’s body, he can sweep him over that leg and throw him. In this case, the way he turns his body is a characteristic indicating he has applied correct technique, rather than trying to throw his opponent by brute force. This is a basic throwing technique known in contemporary judo as harai goshi.
Figure 3.57. Wrestling. From tomb 2 at Beni Hasan, Egypt, 2000 BCE. (Drawing by P. E. Newberry, from the publication Beni Hasan, London, 1893.)
CONTEMPORARY APPLICATION
We shall examine two different contemporary applications of this technique. The second option will be presented on page 144 as one of contemporary applications of the “Heel ‘Hooks’ as Means to Throw and as Counters” exercises.
The athlete on the right penetrates his opponent’s guard, controlling his head and arm. Next, he turns, placing his hip in front of his opponent’s body (A–B).
With a dynamic movement, he sweeps his opponent’s base, while pulling his head and arm simultaneously (C–D).
He finishes by trapping his opponent’s hand under his arm, and controlling his elbow joint. He applies knee pressure on his opponent’s head, restricting his mobility and his chance to turn (E).
INSIDE THIGH SWEEP
Figure 3.58. Wrestling. From tomb 29 at Beni Hasan, Egypt, 2000 BCE. (Drawing by P. E. Newberry, from the publication Beni Hasan, London, 1893.)
ANALYSIS
This throw is similar to the uchimata in modern judo, as shown in the contemporary application (A).
The Martial Arts of Ancient Greece Page 8