08.12.14
We warmed up on the agility cones, building on the client’s coordination exercises. He used his slipping/offline attacking, using the cones as obstructions to step away from and strike. We put the cones in a circle and he then shadow boxed to whichever cone was to his alternate side. This model was then added for clinch attacks and groundwork. The cones keep the shadow boxing focused. It also promotes a better appreciation for changing directions in a fight. Having markers in a circle provides 360 degree view and stops a shadow-boxer from staying on the spot or just doing line-work.
This regular Triple C client wanted to work on his squat press. I am a martial arts coach that uses fitness concepts to improve the execution of techniques, so this presented an unusual angle for me. However, I liked the challenge so I did some research training and was able to create a lesson that used this effective exercise to reinforce principles behind certain techniques. These techniques were those that required the fighter to move upwards from the ground, such as the uppercut, straight knee and suplex. All three are highly effective moves that are not only regularly used in Mixed Martial Arts competition, but also regularly result in winning the contest.
This is interesting given that they contradict the obvious advantages one finds with downward techniques. Fighting from the top position in ground fighting and striking a standing opponent at a downward angle are very effective attacking tactics. Gravity is on the side of the person attacking downwards and against the defender. The body also seems to deal better with upward strikes than downward ones. However, there is little denying the knockout power of an uppercut or straight knee or the explosive finality of a well-executed suplex. This is due to the direct usage of the body’s large muscles and their close proximity when delivering these techniques.
The squat-press is a good compound exercise that places great emphasis on the leg muscles than a regular push-press. The squatting motion should give the lifter more momentum and strength to lift a heavier weight. I decided to look at ways improve on the lift that my client could incorporate into his routines. For the first two sets we introduced a clean motion, which makes it a more explosive lift and gets the heart rate up. For a warm-up set we cleaned a light weight to a muscle clean positon (knees and hips locked out) and then immediately performed the squat-press. For the next set he increased the weight and it was cleaned to a squat position before pressing the weight up. For the next two sets with increased weight the client performed he regular squat press. Here he noticed that he wasn’t squatting with his feet flat on the ground. We did some overhead presses with just a bar to look at posture. This drew awareness to better all-round alignment when squatting and he immediately improved his form when he did his final squat-press.
To complement this entire exercise I covered the explosive barbell curl. This exercise begins with the lifter on his knees with his hands holding a barbell in the supinated grip. He then jumps forward to his feet and in motion pulls the barbell into a curl. This works all the muscles used in the clean squat-press in different direction. A further exercise I suggest to complete this series are dumbbell deck squat presses. The session was finished with some PNF stretching.
Photography: Sonia Audhali, Charlotte Von Bulow-Quirk and beingpeterpan.com respectively.
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