Diary / Training Notes

Wednesday's 1.5 hour Thai Boxing Personal Training class adapted to my client's needs by prohibiting all head contact.

My last lesson of the evening was with my long-time client of seven years. We are currently into the seventh lesson of his first 10 x 1.5 hour set of MMA personal training ground fighting. These longer lessons are usually reserved for more advanced students. Tonight's class consisted of 12 x 3-minute rounds of specific sparring going through the different ranges within the MMA ground range.

Tonight marked the sixth hour of my client’s Thai Boxing personal training course. We dedicated the session entirely to kicks, exploring how they fit into the broader framework of Muay Thai. Kicks are a fundamental part of this martial art, and mastering them requires understanding both offence and defence in sparring contexts.

Tonight, my teenage client made significant strides in integrating punches and kicks with a newfound fluidity that reflects his growing skill set. Throughout our training, he has already been introduced to a variety of fundamental kicks, which are essential for this basic level of martial arts proficiency.

Have you ever thought about how fun and effective training can be when combined with a game? In my recent 1.5-hour Muay Thai personal training session with a longtime client, we explored the innovative "dice method" for training. This approach adds an exciting twist to our workouts and challenges us to think strategically about techniques and scoring. As we progressed through our training, I was reminded how essential creativity is for developing skills in martial arts.

The sixth session of my client's extended MMA Personal Training course (10 sessions, each lasting 1.5 hours) continued to concentrate on ground 'n pound techniques. Our emphasis this time was on fighting from or against a downed position. We mainly focused on a tactic of accessing and utilising the the half-guard.

In my fifth hour of my client Muay Thai Personal Training course, I had the chance to blend the clinch techniques we practised in the first four lessons with kickboxing (from the previous course). This session was not just another training day; it highlighted a pivotal moment in my client's journey. Combining clinch work with kickboxing strengthens overall striking skills and prepares fighters for real-world scenarios in the ring.

My couple client's brought their Submission Grappling Personal Training 10-hour course to an end with a full review of the turtle position we have been covering over the past eight hours.

Remote online personal training with Holstebro Taekwondo Klub in Denmark continued with the beginning of a 3-lesson series on boxing methods for martial arts teachers. 

Two men spar in Muay Thai boxing gear over giant dice. Text: "ROLE THE DICE," "MUAY THAI PERSONAL TRAINING," "READ THE BLOG."

The fifth hour of my client’s MMA Personal Training ground ’n pound course was dedicated to a comprehensive exploration of the mid-range guard position, with a particular emphasis on the butterfly guard. This session was designed to deepen the participants' understanding of various guard positions, especially as we transitioned into discussions and practical applications of half-guards and knee-shield techniques. The butterfly guard serves as a crucial element in grappling, a

Hour four of my client’s Muay Thai course marked a significant milestone as we delved into the intricacies of elbow strikes specifically within the context of the clinch. The clinch, a fundamental aspect of Muay Thai, allows for close-range combat where fighters can utilise various techniques to gain an upper hand. In this session, I opted to dedicate the initial series of rounds to focusing on individual elbow strikes, allowing my client to practice landing these powerful st

The third hour of my teenage client’s Kickboxing course introduced round kicks to sparring. We worked through several exercises that built up his confidence to defend and deliver this technique before integrating them into sparring. The round kick introduced in this kickboxing course is principally the Thai style in the beginner course, although other variations are introduced in more advanced, later courses.

Hour four of this MMA Personal Training ground ’n pound course proved to be an intensive and enlightening session as we delved into various half-guard defences, which are crucial for any fighter looking to enhance their grappling skills in mixed martial arts. The focus of this training was on several key positions: deep half-guard, knee-shield, Z-guard, and classic half-guard. Each of these positions presents unique challenges and opportunities, making them essential componen

The third hour of my client’s first Muay Thai Personal Training course continued our work in the clinch. Our lesson integrated all the main knee strikes from the previous classes: spear knees, curve knees and introduced the horizontal knee. I also worked more on other arm positions in the clinch, such as the body locks.

Hour seven of my senior personal training course means that my client back onto strength and conditioning. As in previous classes, we stuck to the formula of using the big three lifts and a progressive pull-up routine. 

My client from Hostlebro Taekwondo Klub in Denmark concluded his three-part teacher consultancy course with me on the ecological dynamics/constraints-led approach to teaching martial arts. The purpose of our course has been to help him write a dissertation for his next black belt grade focusing on this method of training. We have gone into detail various problems that the approach can solve and how much it redefines such core concepts as technique. In order to maintain our sc

18.10.2025 Here are a selection of photos from the recent Animal Instincts Children's Self-Protection Teaching Programme - "Bear" (11-16 year-olds) Complete Physical Skills Syllabus.

My client started his new course with me: MMA Ground Fighting. We have finally circled back to this area after dedicating an entire course to Shoot Boxing. The lesson consists of a series of 3-minute rounds and sometimes 5-minute rounds of themed sparring. Sometimes these are constraints-led whereas others a bit more general. Future lessons will also highlight certain techniques, especially submissions.

My client teacher from Hostlebro Taekwondo Klub in Denmark continued his remote training with me. We are covering the application of ecological dynamics to his classes, which is being covered in a project set for one of his black belt grades. Last lesson, after a discussion on how to introduce the approach and various ideas for topics to approach, I asked my client to come back with a series of problems for me to answer.