Adapting the Mechanics from Stand-up to Clinch (diary entry)

08.08.2018   Tonight we continued going back through Muay Thai basics and took a completely no equipment-based approach. This allowed for developing more accuracy, better placement of techniques and a review of solo training to improve performance.   We reviewed all combinations covered in the previous two lessons, which are based on the simple jab, jab/cross, jab/cross/hook and jab/cross/hook/cross patterns. The lead non-punching technique in each case was delivered as a switch-action. We covered the round kick, the teep and the spear knee before moving onto the clinch.   The clinch was really the focus of tonight’s lesson, but like many a medieval poem the prologue was longer than the main material. This was important as the revision helped boil down the mechanics of the 1-4 punch combination setups. Moving deeper into these combinations we looked at the back and forth torqueing of the core muscles that facilitates the jab/cross and the transitioning to the larger rotation of the hook punch and then back to the cross. We also worked on the accompanying footwork. This was carried over into the clinch. The execution of the plum is done in a similar fashion as the jab/cross movement. Likewise when moving an opponent in the clinch the fighter uses the same footwork as a Muay Thai hook. This takes the form of a v-step. By using the transition from the hook to the cross creates a pull push action when performed in the clinch.   We used a necktie/horizontal elbow strike for our first combination; then a pull-push plum/switch-spear knee for combination two; next a pull-push plum/v-step/diagonal rear knee strike; finally two options of a pull-push plum/v-step/push-pull plum/switch-knee strike or a pull-push plum/v-step/diagonal rear knee strike/push-pull plum/switch-knee strike.