Re-Pummel

SubFamily

リパメル(Ripameru)

Transliteration

Translation: re-pummel

Overview

The Re-Pummel subfamily covers the technique of swimming the arm back inside after the opponent has secured an underhook, re-establishing inside position and denying the opponent their underhook control. ^[1] Re-pummelling is the fundamental action of the clinch fight — both fighters continuously attempt to establish and re-establish underhooks through pummelling exchanges. ^[1],[2] The re-pummel uses a swimming motion where the defending arm dips under the opponent's arm and drives back to inside position. ^[2],[3]

Also known as

Pummeling^[1]Inside Fighting^[2]Hand Fighting^[3]

Used in

Wrestling MMA BJJ Sambo Judo

History & Origin

Re-pummelling has been a fundamental wrestling skill since the sport's earliest days, with pummelling drills being among the most commonly practised exercises in wrestling training. ^[1] The ability to re-pummel efficiently is considered a hallmark of skilled clinch fighters. ^[2],[3]

Effectiveness

Re-pummeling re-establishes an underhook after losing it, a critical wrestling skill. ^[1]

Lineage

Pummeling is fundamental in all wrestling and clinch-based arts. ^[1]

Competition Record

Used in wrestling, judo, and MMA competition. ^[1]

Images

No images yet for this technique.

Biomechanical Mechanism

Primary Action — Preventing or reducing the effect of an incoming attack through physical interception, evasion, or structural positioning

Joints Involved — Varies by defence type — blocks use arms/shins, evasions use head/body movement, sprawls use hips

Force Vector — Opposing or tangential to the attack — either absorbing, redirecting, or evading the incoming force

Defensive Principle — Economy of motion — the best defence uses minimal movement to neutralise the maximum threat

Position & Entry

From fighting stance (under fire) — Bring both hands to the head, elbows tight, tuck the chin — absorb the flurry while protecting vital targets

As emergency defence — When overwhelmed by volume, shell up in the cover position until the opponent pauses

Videos

JFLOJUDO

Hand fight and pummel like a pro!

Re-Pummel·JFLOJUDO

In this session, I dive into the art of hand fighting - breaking down key concepts that challenge and humble even the mo…

1 video

Learn This Technique

No instructional courses yet for this technique.

Ratings

Danger Rating

Risk of injury to the person this technique is applied to

Moderate3/10

Sprawls and stuffs involve sudden body weight displacement; knee/hip strain risk

Difficulty

Skill level needed to execute this technique reliably

Intermediate

Competition Legality

Whether this technique is allowed under major competition rule sets

— Unified MMA — Legal defensive technique

Unified Rules of MMA, August 2025PDF

— IBJJF — Legal — defensive techniques are fundamental to g...

IBJJF Rules Book v6.0, June 2024PDF

— IJF — Legal defensive action

IJF Sport and Organisation Rules 2025, Article 27PDF

— ADCC — Legal

ADCC Rules Update, April 2025PDF

— UWW — Legal defensive technique

UWW International Wrestling Rules, January 2026PDF

— FIAS Sport Sambo — Legal

FIAS International Sambo Competition RulesPDF

Training Notes

✓The re-pummel is the act of swimming your arm back inside the opponent's arm after they've established an underhook — the fundamental underhook recovery technique (Cael Sanderson, Wrestling Technique, 2010)

✓Execution: dip your shoulder down, thread your arm under the opponent's overhooking arm, and drive your underhook back to inside position

✓The re-pummel is a race for inside position — the faster you re-pummel, the less time the opponent has to use their underhook

✓Timing: re-pummel during transitions, when the opponent is adjusting their underhook depth, or when they switch their attack

✓The shoulder dip is critical — without dropping the shoulder, there's no space to thread the arm back inside

✓Combine the re-pummel with a slight hip turn away from the underhook side — this creates additional space for the arm to swim through

✓The re-pummel is continuous: the opponent will fight back; maintain the pummelling battle until you establish your position or separate

✓In wrestling, pummelling is considered one of the most important skills — Olympic-level wrestlers pummel for inside position constantly

Common Mistakes

!Trying to pummel without dipping the shoulder — the shoulder dip creates the space; without it, the arm can't thread through

!Re-pummelling too slowly — the re-pummel must be quick and explosive; slow pummelling lets the opponent consolidate

!Pummelling with a stiff arm — the arm should swim fluidly, not push rigidly

!Not using the hips during the re-pummel — a slight hip turn creates the space needed for the arm to swim inside

!Re-pummelling but leaving the other arm unprotected — the opponent may switch sides; protect both

!Stopping after one successful re-pummel — the pummelling exchange is ongoing; maintain the battle

!Not training re-pummelling as a specific drill — dedicated pummelling rounds (2 minutes, continuous pummelling) build the skill

Related Techniques

Counter-Attack — offensive follow-up that capitalizes on successful defence

Counter Techniques

Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover

Setup Chain

1Anticipate the Attack — read the opponent's intention through body cues

2Execute Defence — apply the specific defensive technique with proper timing

3Recover Stance — return to a balanced fighting position immediately

4Counter or Disengage — capitalize on the opening or create safe distance

Sources & References

Primary Source

Boxing (Edwin Haislet, 1940)

1BookFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)

Alias sources — [1] Wrestling Coaching Manual (USA Wrestling, 2015) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010)

2BookWrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Cejudo & Holliday, 2015)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Petrov, 1977)

3OtherJapanese Combat Sports Katakana Convention

Standard katakana transliteration of Western martial arts terminology (外来語) — used in Japanese MMA, boxing, and BJJ communities

4CitationFreestyle Wrestling (Petrov, 1977)

Alias sources — [1] Wrestling Coaching Manual (USA Wrestling, 2015) [2] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010) [3] MMA Instruction Manual (Ryan & Snowden, 2010)

5CitationWrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Cejudo & Holliday, 2015)

Effectiveness sources — [1] Wrestling Physical Conditioning Encyclopedia (Petrov, 1977)

Community

Athletics

Requires

reaction speed, structural body mechanics, defensive awareness

Favours

quick reflexes and conditioned defensive surfaces

Key muscles

varies — forearms (blocking), legs (movement), core (stability)

Sub-techniques

Standard Re-Pummel

Genus

The Standard Re-Pummel executes the fundamental pummelling action by swimming the arm inside the opponent's underhook, driving the elbow down and the hand up through the gap between the opponent's arm and body, re-establishing inside position. [1] The re-pummel is performed with a combination of arm movement and body rotation — the defender turns the torso slightly to create space, then drives the arm through the gap while simultaneously pushing the opponent's arm to the outside. [1,2] The standard re-pummel must be performed quickly and precisely, as the moment of transition creates a brief vulnerability. [2,3]

Explore

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between threading and coming to the outside when pummeling?

When threading, you're weaving in rather than coming to the outside, creating a different angle and control point in the hand fight.

How should I position my front leg when starting a pummel?

Keep your front leg (whichever side that is, left or right) and turn in just a little to set up your position.

When should I use an underhook instead of going behind the head?

You can transition to an underhook by switching which hand you use—for example, using your right hand instead of your left hand—to access different control positions and movements.

How does the Re-Pummel work?

The Re-Pummel subfamily covers the technique of swimming the arm back inside after the opponent has secured an underhook, re-establishing inside position and denying the opponent their underhook control. Re-pummelling is the fundamental action of the clinch fight — both fighters continuously attempt to establish and re-establish underhooks through pummelling exchanges.

Where does the Re-Pummel come from?

Re-pummelling has been a fundamental wrestling skill since the sport's earliest days, with pummelling drills being among the most commonly practised exercises in wrestling training. The ability to re-pummel efficiently is considered a hallmark of skilled clinch fighters.

Is the Re-Pummel legal in competition?

Unified MMA: legal — Legal defensive technique; IBJJF: legal — Legal — defensive techniques are fundamental to grappling; IJF: legal — Legal defensive action; ADCC: legal — Legal; UWW: legal — Legal defensive technique; FIAS Sport Sambo: legal — Legal

How dangerous is the Re-Pummel?

Danger rating 3/10. Moderate — sprawls and stuffs involve sudden body weight displacement; knee/hip strain risk

How do I set up the Re-Pummel?

The standard setup chain: Anticipate the Attack → Execute Defence → Recover Stance → Counter or Disengage.

How do I defend against the Re-Pummel?

Standard counters include: Timing — attack when the defence is recovering or between movements / Feint — use deception to create openings in the defensive structure / Angle Change — attack from an unexpected angle that the defence does not cover.

What are the variants of the Re-Pummel?

Common variants: Standard defence (primary defensive technique from the most common position); Reactive defence (triggered by the opponent's attack, minimal movement for …); Proactive defence (anticipating the attack and positioning to neutralise it …); Counter defence (using the defensive movement to create an immediate count…).

How effective is the Re-Pummel in competition?

Used in wrestling, judo, and MMA competition.

What are common mistakes when doing the Re-Pummel?

Top errors to watch for: Trying to pummel without dipping the shoulder — the shoulder dip creates the space; without it, the arm can't thread … / Re-pummelling too slowly — the re-pummel must be quick and explosive; slow pummelling lets the opponent consolidate / Pummelling with a stiff arm — the arm should swim fluidly, not push rigidly / Not using the hips during the re-pummel — a slight hip turn creates the space needed for the arm to swim inside.

What are other names for the Re-Pummel?

The Re-Pummel is also known as Ripameru, Pummeling, Inside Fighting, Hand Fighting.

re pummel ripameru defence takedown defence underhook defence wrestling mma bjj sambo judo pummeling inside fighting hand fighting