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The Prism/Spectrum Approach to Submissions Part 1
On the last several volumes of RAW we've been alluding to leaving behind the encyclopedic approach to submissions and evolving towards a reduced vocabulary attack. The reasons behind this are manifold.
First, allow me to say, I love submissions. Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em! I once heard it said of the great Gene LeBell "He's forgotten more submissions than most will ever know." I thought that a perfectly excellent goal to aspire to but, there came a turning point for me, that turning point was the adoption of fight metrics (covered in-depth in our book THE ESSENTIALS). The data shows (this is a nutshell explanation) that as far as MMA is concerned the vast majority of successes will be reaped by striking victories (both vertical and horizontal). Submission victories lag behind for more than a few reasons that we detail the aforementioned book.
If we accept the data as an accurate reflection of reality, the way to increase the value of submissions to the game in question, it seems, is not to seek ever craftier esoteric submissions (although in some limited cases this may be an appropriate tack) or, conniving cannier set-ups for under-performers. No, this strikes me as ad hoc work--extra effort being put into shoring up foundations built on sand.
Instead, it seems that a KISS approach (Keep It Simple Stupid) is in order. In other words, an argument for simplicity (Occam's Razor) might be the way to go. As we've already noted, the striking sports brought to mixed martial arts (boxing and Muay Thai) have a higher rate of return than submissions and these striking arts have remarkably reduced vocabularies. Boxing is essentially five punches: The jab, the cross, hooks, and uppercuts. Whereas Muay Thai is often referred to a the sport of Eight Limbs (both fists, both feet, both knees, and both elbows).
A reduced submission vocabulary composed of the higher yielding submissions plus a few outliers that just may be neglected diamonds in the rough bringing the "forgotten more submissions than you'll ever know" goal to a more attainable baker's dozen might be a bit more profitable. I see no reason why this culling of submissions should be disappointing to either the striking-dominant athlete or, the submission specialist.
The striking-dominant athlete can hear the goal of two heaping handfuls of submissions and decide that that low number sounds manageable. The submission specialist should not see the reduced vocabulary as hamstringing but rather set themselves to the task of increasing the complexity of the the applications of the stark vocabulary.
The submission specialist should look at the example of the reduced boxing and Muay Thai vocabularies. Yes, the tools are five and eight respectively but, we cannot deny the artistry, the subtlety, and the devastation with which those those scant vocabularies are applied. The submission specialist should look at reduced vocabularies as a challenge to the intellect, a physical quest to find numerous and multiple applications of a few handfuls of tools just as the boxer finds numerous and interesting uses for the lead hook.
Just as you can hook to the head, to the body, hook as a counter, as a combination leader, as a stop-hit, as a set-up for the straight punch, as a feint, et cetera, the submission specialist should see individual submissions no longer as a single submission that is necessarily position or situation dominant.
(Part 2 in Next Week's Legends) | 
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