MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- With mixed martial arts becoming more popular, the air station now can accommodate the demand for a club to support the service members who wish to train and possibly fight in competitions.
The MCAS Miramar Submission Grappling Club is now open to all active-duty service members on base and from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.
Formerly a grappling and pankration team, changed to a group club to allow for more participation. Members of the grappling and pankration team had to try out to become a member unlike the Submission Grappling Club where everyone is welcome.
Marines from the club are picked to fight for the MCAS Miramar Submission Grappling Team in civilian and military grappling tournaments.
“The club’s grappling and submission skills are greatly improving from the training,” said Cpl. Steve Rios, a helicopter power plants mechanic for Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16. “The club has a good curriculum to prepare them to take on the competition.”
The next tournament for the team is the Guns-n-Hoses Submission Grappling Championship in San Bernardino, which raises money for the families of fallen law-enforcement officials, fire fighters and service members.
The long-term goal for the club is to become established like the teams at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Marine Corps Air Ground Training Center Twentynine Palms, explained Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Diem, a USA Jiu Jitsu certified instructor. Marines from Camp Pendleton go on temporary additional duty orders to their grappling team.
The air station’s club currently trains in one of the racquet ball courts at the MCAS Miramar Sports Complex. The club has 700 square feet of mat space in the courts, but Marine Corps Community Services has ordered an additional 2,000 square feet of mat for the team. The club is looking for a building to accommodate the mat space which will allow more service members to train.
The club practices Gi and no-Gi, and plans to enter tournaments in both styles. A Gi is the traditional uniform worn in many types of Martial Arts.
They are also looking to enter tournaments in submission grappling and pankration. Pankration is a type of grappling with strikes allowed below the neck.
The club trains from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. On Mondays and Thursdays the club practices Jiu Jitsu. On Tuesdays and Fridays the club works on striking. On Wednesdays the club works on Judo and Jiu Jitsu.
For information on the club, e-mail Diem at christopher.diem@usmc.mil.