13.03.2024 My 1.5 hour client switched to Freestyle Wrestling today for inspiration. Continuing our work in ecological dynamics we devised the following three-minute specific sparring rounds after our warm-up: Grip fighting only Ankle tagging only (ankle pick training) Single back of thigh tagging (single leg takedown training) Double back of thigh tagging (double leg takedown training) All leg tagging vs taking the back Ditto Knee drop shoot to ankle pick Knee drop shoot to single leg Knee drop shoot to […]
Diary / Training Notes
Kimura Theme (diary entry)
12.03.2024 Hour three of my client’s Submission Grappling course put the spotlight on the Kimura, which has begun a theme through ecological dynamics concepts. We covered a series of 2-5 minute specific sparring rounds working around this technique and providing new opportunities for combinations and traps. Round 1 – Objective to angle off in position from guard Round 2 – Objective as above but also with a wrist grip Round 3 – Objective as above but also with a cross […]
Back to Boxing (diary entry)
11.03.2024 My couple clients began a new course focusing on a broad range of areas they would like to improve upon. We started with defence and used Boxing an effective base art teaching tool. Tonight’s focus was defence. Using a series of 2 minute rounds and longer un-timed live practice, we explored ranges of defence – catches and parries (long range), blocks (medium range), Philly shell (close range) and covering. Services
Attack the Shoulder (diary entry)
08.03.2024 Hour six of my UKSO Cotswolds teacher client’s second course on Submission Grappling and we took our focus onto omoplata attack. After a brief warm up of dynamic stretching and sport specific callisthenics we moved into 16 uninterrupted minutes of specific sparring games. We switched roles on the minute: Outside guard passes only Ditto Get behind shins only Ditto Scissor sweep/pass only Ditto Half-guard (scissor sweep/knee shield/z-guard) only Ditto Leg around one side of neck Ditto Leg around other […]
Greco-Roman Heaven Six (diary entry)
06.03.2024 Following my recent continued professional development weekend with Mo Teague’s Training, Research and Development Group, I decided to incorporate some ideas into this 1.5 hour lesson. We looked at applying the heaven six drill into countering grips. This was performed first at long range, inside parrying to switching grip and wedge, and then in response to all actual grips. It was incorporated into achieving quarter, half and full nelsons first as a drill and then live. Specific sparring rounds […]
Aspects of the Half Guard (diary entry)
05.03.2024 Hour two of my client’s Submission Grappling course moved away from the scissor sweep and looked more generally at the half-guard. We sparred for two minute rounds on specific areas such as moving out of guard/retaining guard, controlling/passing the knee shield/Z-guard and getting behind both shins/stopping an opponent from getting behind both shins. Then we explored some questions regarding attacks and escapes from the half-guard through resistance-based work. This brought us onto the importance of getting past the hips […]
Teep Focus (diary entry)
04.03.2024 The tenth and final lesson of my couple client’s Muay Thai course continued our work on the teep. After our normal warm-up of dynamic stretching and sport specific muscle activation exercises, we covered 3 x 2 minute rounds of flow punching (one-for-one) and flow kicking (one-for-one). Then we engaged in a series of constraint-led rounds. Teep versus Boxing Ditto Ditto Teep versus round kicks Ditto Ditto Services
Live Scissors (diary entry)
01.03.2024 Hour five of my UKSO Cotswolds teacher client’s second course on Submission Grappling and we kept everything within an ecological dynamics/constraints-led approach. After a warm-up of sports specific callisthenics and dynamic stretching we completed the following live games: 2 minutes posture breaking from guard Ditto 2 minutes shin guarding (top person’s objective is get behind both shins) Ditto 3 minutes scissor sweep position Ditto 5 minutes triangle/armbar/shoulder lock positions (bottom person’s objective […]
Freestyle Wrestling Development Games (diary entry)
28.02.2024 Continuing from last week my 1.5 hour client trained in methods inspired by Freestyle Wrestling. As we had done with the Greco-Roman Wrestling, we deconstructed relevant aspects of the Freestyle game and used activities to better create effective behaviours. This is roughly in line with ecological dynamics. After some sport specific callisthenic and partner warm-up we completed the following 15 x 3 minute rounds: Foot-stepping Hip-bumping Ankle pick […]
Clinch & Teeps (diary entry)
26.02.2024 Hour nine of my couple client’s course on Muay Thai began with five minutes of clinch sparring. This was very light flow sparring, going through material covered in recent lessons. We then switched to a more technical lesson focusing on teeps. Although not working with timed rounds we did some live partner work isolating variations on teeps within certain conditions. Basic teep was used to gauge distance and set up other techniques. Toe teep was used as jabbing weapon […]
Escaping Pins Online Training (diary entry)
25.02.2024 Sunday morning saw the return of my client teacher from Kuroten Practical Karate. I was booked to teach escapes from pins. She partnered her son who was also keen to improve his knowledge in this area. The lesson took place online via a Zoom link. After a warm-up the lesson began with 2 x 5 minute rounds of specific sparring. It was important for me to see problems both my clients were experiencing, so they both spent a round […]
Back in Action (diary entry)
21.02.2024 My second lesson of the evening saw the return of a client who I last saw in October. She had one lesson left in her course that was completed today. We are training in Muay Thai where previously, we were heavily into restrictive training methods to prepare her for recovering after an operation. However, since having the operation she has done remarkable work to get back up to speed. With her fitness levels up to a good level, she was […]
Greco-Roman Hip Bumping (diary entry)
21.02.2024 My 1.5 hour client returned to grappling methods inspired by Greco-Roman Wrestling. More specifically, we deconstructed relevant aspects of the Greco-Roman game and used activities to better create effective behaviours. We covered the lesson in the following 11 x 3 minute rounds Foot-stepping (now a regular mainstay of live training warm-ups to encourage better footwork and positioning) Head only wrestling (teaching better use of the head in grappling, including dexterity and positioning, a secondary benefit is better use of […]
More Muay Plam Deconstruction (diary entry)
20.02.2024 Tuesday morning’s teacher training session with Athena School of Karate looked more at the muay plam style. The rounds for the lesson were as follows: Five minute full Muay Thai flow sparring Two minutes hip bumping – this is another way to get a fighter to move in closer in the right position when clinching Two minutes hip bumping with clinching Two minutes collar and […]
Deconstructing Muay Plam (diary entry)
19.02.2024 Hours seven and eight of my couple client’s Muay Thai course continued our focus on sweeps. We divided the training up into two minute specific sparring rounds to allow better development in certain areas. For the most part this provided more live practice to work sweeps with different emphasises, but the last few rounds shifted the focus onto entering and defending against the clinch using specific weapons. Foot stepping Clinch without strikes Ditto Clinch with elbows Ditto Clinch with […]
Grappling Workshop (diary entry)
16.02.2024 Keeping to our promise, this month saw the second of my three-hour private client workshops. As described in the blog post of the previous workshop, these training nights provide an opportunity for my clients to meet up and focus on a specific topic. Last time we looked at live training practices for Boxing and Muay Thai. This time it was all about the grappling; specifically Greco-Roman Wrestling, Freestyle Wrestling and Submission Grappling. The lesson was roughly split into four […]