Diary / Training Notes

Just as we discussed in our previous lesson, tonight's class with my most experienced client pitted all the various Muay Thai weapons against each other in a dynamic and engaging way through specific sparring. This form of asymmetrical fighting is particularly excellent for exploring how different ranges work against each other from a strategic perspective, allowing us to delve deeper into the nuances of each technique.

My client is currently pursuing a martial arts cross-training path me in his MMA Personal Training. We are regularly crossing into other component disciplines and then seeing how that impacts on the overall MMA game. Tonight we decided to go through the main disciplines before breaking up the ranges of MMA in 3-minute rounds.

Tonight saw the second lesson for client's first course in Wrestling Personal Training. He is focusing on upper body grappling, which loosely fits under the Greco-Roman banner or, at least, shares similar rule-set restrictions. We recapped from the previous class and then focused on two-on-one and under-hook based tactics.

Man with wrapped hands in purple background, "Latest Blog" text. Inset of three smiling people with text: "Integrating Elbow Strikes."

My senior client returned to Boxing after the Christmas layoff. I asked him what he would like to cover and he decided on head movement and general defence. I used the following 3-minute rounds.

A new client who started with me on Wednesday, also booked today keen to get in his training when possible. A professional businessman, whose schedule requires flexible training days and hours, this was the perfect solution for him. We are working through the foundations of Boxing by looking at defensive movements that are incidental to punching.

In this post, I share insights from our recent lesson, where we introduced the uppercut using a constraints-led approach. This method encourages discovery through live practice and game-like drills, helping martial arts teachers find new ways to teach boxing effectively to their students.

Tonight's lesson's focus was on adapting. This particular client has been consistently training with me since 2014. His lessons are 1.5 hours in length. We decided to train within different ranges with specific weapons together rather than pitting these against one another. Next lesson will take the latter approach. The order of the rounds was structured so that we regularly switched from different ranges rather than following a more linear path of adding on extra weapons. Fo

My second new client of 2026 (and my fourth in just over a month) began today with a Boxing Personal Training. Aged 50, like many busy professionals who live in the Cotswolds, his love for training in Boxing was hampered by a hectic schedule of regular commuting and business commitments. This is why his wife helpfully suggested training with me. After completing his pre-training questionnaire I discussed with my client how he would like to approach his Boxing course. Rather t

Tonight, my client began his first course on the clinch, where we train a variety of stand-up grappling or wrestling techniques within the restrictions of different rule sets. The course is typically divided into "Greco-Roman" style rules and techniques for the first five hours and then "Freestyle Wrestling" for the remaining five. This ensures that the client establishes good grips and positioning first through the Greco work before learning to attack the legs.

My couple clients returned for this first lesson back in 2026, picking up where they left off: shoot-kickboxing. This is the name we give to the MMA stand-up range that involves kicking, effectively kickboxing with clinch and all takedowns permitted. This lesson also saw the integration of knee strikes.

Teaching self-protection to individuals with autism and learning difficulties presents unique challenges. Standard self-protection programmes often overlook the specific needs of this group, making it harder for them to benefit fully. A tailored approach that respects their learning style and sensory sensitivities can make a significant difference. This post explores how bespoke training techniques can help individuals with autism build confidence, awareness, and practical sk

Hinnerup Karate in Denmark booked me for an end of year remote Remote Online Boxing Lesson. I am training their teachers to teach the fundamentals of Boxing, Kickboxing and Muay Thai to their students as part of their cross-training curriculum. This morning we looked at creating angles and working out of corners.

The morning of Christmas Eve saw my client from New York conclude his intensive Muay Thai course with me. Today was the fourth consecutive day of 2-hour training.

This blog describes the third set of 2-hour lessons in my client's four lesson intensive course programme over the festive period. My client is brand new to CCMA, having studied Muay Thai in New York City for just less than a year at two different gyms. Whilst visiting relatives for Christmas and New Year he decided to book in eight hours of private training with me. So far he has covered two hours of teep work and two hours of round kicks. During this lesson I helped, yet ag

Hitting the fifth hour of my couple clients' 10-hour MMA Personal Training course brought us to two interesting evolutions of the shoot-boxing phase (effectively all stand-up MMA) and finished off this year's training.

This is the second session of a series of four 2-hour lessons for my client from the United States. He has scheduled an intensive course with me during the holiday period from December 21st to 24th. Yesterday, we focused on teeps. Today, a long-term client joined us to assist in developing round kicks.

Starting sparring can feel overwhelming, especially for someone who has trained for over a year but never stepped into a sparring session. On Sunday, I began a focused, four-day intensive course with a new client visiting from New York City. This course, running from December 21st to 24th, consists of four private, two-hour lessons designed to introduce sparring through engaging, game-based drills. The goal for this Muay Thai Personal Training course was to build confidence

My client started her second lesson in this Boxing Personal Training course. Having gone through self-protection and cross-training discussions in the previous lesson, she has settled on Boxing as a base art and hopefully will pursue a self-protection seminar next year.

This morning saw the fourth lesson of my Karate teacher client's Martial Arts Teacher Training course on elbow strikes in Muay Thai. My mandate is to teach him how elbow strikes are used in Thai Boxing and also how they might contribute towards his karate teaching.