This weeks combat wrestling class looked at level one funk rolls and switches. I say level one because these versions are kind of a jumping off point for more complicated expressions of the techniques to come later. Both the Funk roll and the switch are great ways to salvage a bad situation. In the case we looked at today, we have been taken down with a double leg, but managed not to allow our back to hit the mat. In CW this a one point take down. The Funk roll and the switch give us a chance to get to dominant position fast and even the score. Since in our examples today we used both against a double, how do we decide which to use when?The check down for this is simple. If my feet and head are on opposite sides of my opponents body, like in standard side control, I will look for a funk roll. If my feet and head are on the same side of my opponents body, like sometimes happens in half guard, I will look for a switch.
In the first, more common way to finish the double, my head and feet will be on opposite sides of my opponents body. As soon as I know I am being taken down, that I can no longer sprawl to stop the shot, I will instead bend forward at the waist and reach for my opponents near foot. I look to pull this to my chest as my butt hits the mat and roll over, placing the foot in my armpit as I do. In the version we started with today, the attacker holds to the takedown and is rolled to their back as a result. This is what makes it a level one Funk. If they respond differently, say walking on his hands or trying to re-funk us, we will respond differently as well.
The switch comes up when we end up with our feet and head on the same side of out opponents body. You may be tempted to try to hit it in the above circumstance, and you can buy some time this way, but it is rarely as effective. In this case due to our own manipulations or theirs we have ended up with an unconventional finish to the double leg. We take the near arm, reach over the arm trapping our hips and grip palm up inside their thigh. This grip allows us to put a lot of pressure into the back of their shoulder. In my mind i think of a switch as something I am doing with my shoulder to their shoulder, my hand helps but it is the shoulder pressure that gets the job done. Once we have a good connection we shift our hips to point our belly button more at our opponent, this increases the pressure an break their grip allowing us to come up an attack the back.
Stay tuned for level two versions of both of these techniques in the coming classes.
