You push, I pull – You pull, I push

Like all sports involving physical contact tackling requires the development of feel. Many tackling sport clubs employ wrestlers; ground fighting coaches and other martial experts to assist with improving the team’s tackling performance. I’ve read about Jeet Kune Do experts teaching NFL players and Aikido masters assisting Aussie Rules teams.

My many years involved in martial arts included a stint as a judo player. It was a time I really enjoyed but certainly one of the hardest training periods of my life. Take downs and throws are a big part of judo and so, as a consequence is balance and feel. The ability to feel your opponent’s weight moving one way or the other is essential. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for smashing things but that doesn’t mean that tackling is in any way devoid of finesse skills.

One of the drills we used to do at judo I have found extremely useful in helping tacklers develop feel when it comes to finishing a tackle or shrugging one.

You push, I pull

Stand facing a training partner within arms reach. Both of you remain relaxed with arms by your sides. Your opponent’s job is to push you backwards with one or both hands. You wait with relaxed anticipation. For your opponent to attempt to push you their weight must be driven forward to create force. Your job is to intercept this force by continuing its momentum forward. When your partner goes for the push you grab the arm or arms and pull your partner forward, making him lose his balance. This is coupled with you stepping to the side as you pull.

You pull, I push

This is simply the opposite of the above drill. Your partner attempts to grab you and pull you forward. Your response is to push into your partner as their weight is transferred backwards.

Rather than resisting the momentum of your partner you move with it encouraging it to continue in the direction it was headed, at a greater force than was initiated, often resulting in the initiator losing their balance.

Feel at Speed

The idea is to develop the ability to move with the force being generate as quickly as possible. This is primarily a feel development drill and although it is outside the bounds of tackling technique specifically, it is very useful as a means of developing reactionary speed when it comes to rapid adjustments in weight distribution. Just like Wing Chun’s ‘sticky hands’ this exercise is even more beneficial when performed eyes closed. Reacting to force as you feel it is far more demanding than simply seeing it coming. Let’s face it; you don’t always get a visual heads up on all incoming tackles.

It also has its more interesting applications. Once, while sipping beer in a pub some tosser came up behind me and to my right and gave me a shove. I was able to grab the offending hand in the process, pull the fool forward and apply a wrist lock that had him writhing on the ground. All without spilling any beer! I secretly have to admit though that the 2 beers prior might have had something to do with my relaxed speed on that occasion.

So drink some beer and go do some awareness drills.