Is training Freestyle Wresting alongside Shotokan Karate good for takedown defence and getting off the ground?

Note: I know Shotokan is complete but I want to get good takedown defence and off the ground. So many BJJers today....|||Complete does not mean "perfect."


I'm glad you do not see Shotokan as a piece to a puzzle, but the time it would take you to learn the intricacies of the style you would not be able to apply them in a competitive sport setting.


Wrestling is thus a great component to add to your training.





Absolutely.





Most Karate people, unfortunately, do not learn the "ground" component of Karate due to a focus on standup technique.


*Ground does not mean grappling, but rather putting your oponent on the ground, and leaving him there so you can handle another guy.|||Yes Freestyle and Folkstyle Wrestling are very good for learning takedown defence and getting off the ground because they focus entirely on takedowns and positional control. BJJ and Judo are also good but Wrestling is definitely the best for those two things. Shotokan Karate not so much.|||Freestyle is okay, probably more well rounded than GR wrestling, but you still have the problem that you will not be taught how to defend against subs, even as a Judoka, with my subs limited to armbars, armlocks, and chokes, and with plenty of Judo matches going by fall or pin, I still have good sub defence and know that some positions are vulnerable to subs off their back, for example, plus, unlike Judo, wrestling doesn't have sacrifice throws, so pulling guard will be foreign.





TL;DR.


Good for wrestling and your base, do Judo or BJJ on occasion too.|||Yes, wrestling is good for for takedown defense, however you might need more, as you said so many good BJJers. My advice is that you learn how to defend the submission attempts as well seeing how most jiujitsu players look for the chance to submit during and after the clinch! Once you fumble their attempts( your not stopping all of them} you should hopefully discourage them and make them change tactics i.e. watch Kuzushi Sakuraba or Early Chuck Liddell they did it okay up until they were outclassed with good hands.........