Agility, punches, kicks, pins and the guard (diary entry)

23.07.12

Today’s class began with agility drills using markers. Exercises included footwork, running drills, pogo jumps, side jumps and sprawl/double leg takedowns. We then focused on stamd-up. This began with jab attacks and defence. We used this as a starting point for various combinations, working in punches and kicks.

The basic punch/kick combination has intrigued me ever since I got into kickboxing properly. Many clubs made an awkward stitching together of western style boxing with taekwondo or karate style kicking. Often kicks and punches are taught separately and put together in less than seamless almagamations. I learnt a lot from good muay Thai coaches and the insightful kickboxing coaches, like Peter Consterdine, about the importance of minimizing the delay time between a punch and kick. The class worked both the muay Thai style opposite side kicking and the American kickboxing type same side punching/kicking combination.

Going to grappling and the class worked defence from under pins and guard passing. The pin exercise began with transitioning on top, which at a moment’s notice turned into specific sparring. Guard passing was sparring as usual. The class finished with one student conducting some shadow boxing exercises and another going through various static stretches.