Combative Movement - Top to Bottom (diary entry)

11.10.14 This double session looked at making warm-ups more relevant, specific training in general, aspects of the cover and top position groundwork. At the beginning with discussed training strategies and the confusing problems people encounter when they don’t have the right mind-set whilst cross-training. Styles are too often looked upon as entities, which they are not. They individual expressions and no one martial artist expresses it exactly the same. I looked at shadow boxing, which is a very relevant way to warm-up in martial arts. Most people tend to shadow box in a very limited way. I showed my client the total difference between his shadow boxing and his actual sparring. A fighter is best to write himself a fight synopsis or even record an audio track. The fighter should be thinking about how to defend and attack, and move according to the changing conditions of a fight or a series of fights. Transitioning is also important to keep in here. All martial arts have some form of pre-arranged solo movement drills, where they can practise their techniques. Here the cross-trainer can blend all the ranges. A similar approach might be applied to working the heavy bag. This type of training is more relevant than simply going for a run or doing a series of generic callisthenic exercises. We then discussed why specific training is the highest form of training. My client chose to isolate a jab, which we then trained specifically. He began shadow boxing it. We then brought it onto the focus mitts, looking at different levels of jab and bringing in more head movement, including jab/slipping. Next we did some jab only sparring, where he had to jab against another jabber. This was followed by jabbing against a boxer who is permitted the full range of techniques. This was then followed by jabbing against a kickboxer. Finally he tested his jabbing against a grappler. We kept it at a light intensity, but this can be built up as the fighter becomes more confident. This type of training helps an individual own his technique. Next we moved onto the uses of the cover. We went through the mechanics of the cover, as described in my article “Take Cover” – a fully revised, edited and annotated version can be found in my book, “Mordred’s Victory and Other Martial Mutterings”. We went through its basic striking application in self-defence. Then we applied it using the peek-a-boo stance and explored bobbing and weaving, getting my client to have better upper body fight mobility. He has a washing line, which he can use to increase his bobbing and weaving speed by setting time limits to get to the other end and trying to beat the number of repetitions. As competence in this area grows the client can start adding in hooks, uppercuts and other combinations as he bobs up each side. We then went to the ground and looked at the knee pin. The cover still came into the play, as we looked at the situation from a multiple attack scenario and the fighter having to fight off others as he pinned his primary enemy. After drilling it from a guard passing perspective on me, he went to a heavy bag on the ground where he moved around the object, throwing downward strikes. I added pressure by moving him from the outside, pushing and pulling him away from the object. The session finished with an assessment on the session’s content and how the client can apply it when training alone and also when attending a regular kickboxing lesson. Relevant Links: Dissecting Combative MovementsDefensive OptionsTake Cover!Specific TrainingMordred's Victory and Other Martial Mutterings