The #1 Area of Control Tactics You Need More Of (And How to Get It)

Have you ever noticed that nearly half of the time spent in boxing matches involve the referee separating the fighters from the clinch?  Today we’ll talk about why the clinch is so common and why it is so critical for officers.

So, what is the clinch?

Think of it as the point in which you’ve seized hold of a person’s head, body or limbs in an effort to control or restrict movement.

​Can you see how getting good at this type of stuff might be helpful for law enforcement? Well in case you can’t, in today’s tip I’ll give you 3 advantages of the clinch, 3 disadvantages, and why these advantages far outweigh the disadvantages.

Advantages of the Clinch

• It allows you time to recover if you get rocked with a hard shot.

Just as you see in practically every fight (street or combat sport), we naturally move to a clinch position when we are in danger and can’t disengage. And that’s because it works!

• It’s generally the starting point for getting the subject on the ground and into cuffs (but not always!)

Clinch is the middle ground between striking and ground-fighting, and for cops it’s usually the most effective prerequisite for arresting a resisting subject. I don’t know about you all but in my 7 years as a cop, I never placed a resisting subject in cuffs without some form of clinch.

• It slows everything down (contrary to popular belief, this is what you want!)

There’s a commonly taught rule in policing that you want to effect the arrest as quickly as possible. Well, I say we should be careful about this mindset. Yes, the sooner you get the subject in cuffs the safer everyone will be. But that shouldn’t be at the expense of the officer potentially gassing themselves out quickly and losing control of the situation. Clinch positions can be a great way to slow an explosive subject down while the officer conserves energy and methodically transitions to the ground and into a cuffing position.

Clinch positions also comes with their disadvantages.

Disadvantages of the Clinch

• It puts the subject within range to access the tools on the officer’s belt.
• It can become a contest of strength without proper angles, technique, and hours of quality training.
• It is dangerous when dealing with multiple subjects.

While these are legitimate concerns, the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. Why? Because circumstances dictate tactics. With a position as common as the clinch, it is much better to know it and not need it, than to need it and not know it.

You want to be in control of where and how the fight goes. The only way to accomplish this is to be well trained in this range of combat. Becoming proficient in these positions will allow you to disengage if necessary to protect your weapons or address multiple subjects, and use proper angles and technique to account for any strength deficits. Without this knowledge and understanding, you are a fish out of water.

For the purposes of clinch range, I would recommend Greco-Roman wrestling or Judo. Greco is great for directly controlling the body and Judo is great for using a subject’s clothing to control the body. Although both arts, along with many others, are transferable to any close quarters situations.

I live in Illinois, and out here we experience really hot summers and freezing cold winters. With that, I adjust my training accordingly. In the summer months, I like to focus on drills, techniques, and controls that do not rely on clothing. In the winter months, I like to practice using clothing as a weapon for gaining control, taking the opponent down and submitting them.

So, your mission, if you choose to accept it, is as follows:

Step 1: Go find a good Greco-Roman wrestling coach or a good Judo practitioner (preferably one who has police experience), and learn some basics. Or if you are a coach or instructor, find a cop and teach them!

Step 2: Work various clinch drills at a low intensity. Then, when are more comfortable, practice live rounds at a low to moderate intensity against a resisting training partner. Practice working for superior position AND disengaging from the clinch. This type of consistent training is what will get you comfortable and proficient in this range.

Step 3: Let me know how it goes!

Be safe and go train!