Thai clinch + MMA- Does it hold up against grapplers?

[NAKMUAY18]

Nak, I always held the plum by putting my hands around the back of the head and elbows below the collar bone.

It was always taught for mma by either wrestlers or karate guys. The one time I got to do this with a real Nak Muay he was a lot shorter than me and didn't speak English. He never tried it (he just kept overhooking my left arm and kneeing me).

I've never really been able to break posture this way, and reading your discription I'm sure it is because my hands are so low. That said, I've never had an issue with people ducking under and shooting on me either, because the elbows stop it. I just get the knees by pivoting or swinging them to the side and throwing one when they move a foot to balance.

What do you think of my discription?

Sounds pretty good to me. If your having problems bringing the head down try digging the points of your elbow on or behind the collarbone, it hurts like a bastard and gives you a leverage point.

 

[SummerStriker]

Sounds pretty good to me. If your having problems bringing the head down try digging the points of your elbow on or behind the collarbone, it hurts like a bastard and gives you a leverage point.

Thanks for the tip. Strangely enough, I can say for sure that I don't dig with the elbows at all.

 

[DaGenius]

how come you stay flat footed in the thai clinch for mma? i do it naturally and thought it was bad lol

Good question. Reason being is that being flat footed and hips back allow you to sprawl better and pull better (turn an twist em) vs an mma stance which is alway lower than a pure Muay Thai stance. You also have a lot more leverage to mash them up against the cage and hit them with big knees. If you are up on your toes vs mma stance he can easily get a single leg to either rest or take your balance away to say nothing of the double. Make sense?

 

[Rod1]

The correct technique is to have your hands on the crown of the head to maximize your leverage. The points of your elbows should be around the collarbone and are used to frame, and as the fulcrum to lever the head down/swing your opponent.
Your slightly misinterpreting knees too. The idea isn't to stand square, set, then throw a knee, obviously it will get snapped up. The idea is to swing your opponent off balance and down, then throw the knee.
I don't think anybody is advising using MT clinch INSTED of wrestling, but outside of a pure grappling context, I think it's essential.
You say you've grappled with mma guys, perhaps you should step in on some MT clinch work? It might help you understand a little clearer what some people are describing.

Which is exactly my point, tip of the head and collarbones gives you a lot of leverage but its also far more unstable and vulnerable which is the reason why it needs to be dynamic, which is not always an option specially if you arent dominating your opponent,

 

[Gambledub]

Good question. Reason being is that being flat footed and hips back allow you to sprawl better and pull better (turn an twist em) vs an mma stance which is alway lower than a pure Muay Thai stance. You also have a lot more leverage to mash them up against the cage and hit them with big knees. If you are up on your toes vs mma stance he can easily get a single leg to either rest or take your balance away to say nothing of the double. Make sense?

yep makes perfect sense! thanks!
do you feel this takes away your ability to pivot though?

 

[DaGenius]

yep makes perfect sense! thanks!
do you feel this takes away your ability to pivot though?

Well, I have to give up some of it because its tougher to pivot and turn a guy who is in mma stance ie knees bent, lower to the ground and lower center of gravity than a guy in pure mt stance. What I'm gaining is my ability to bulldog him down if he goes for a takedown. I can basically guide his head to the ground without sprawling unless he is really tough.