Fire to Reload (diary entry)

15.02.21 Monday night's final lesson continued my work with Athena Karate's adult and advanced junior student class on stand-up striking. After my teacher consultancy session last week, it was decided that we drill down to the principles of chaining techniques in combinations. This entire process might likened to the way a fire arm shoots and continues to shoot. As one technique is exectuted so the next one is set up to follow on in succession. We looked at this in three different ways - all of which are principles relevant to our current combinations:

1. Using Boxing as a foundation. Quite simply boxing has developed some of the most sophisticated footwork and hand combinations in combat sports. Hands are far easier to coordinate, are more dextrous and fasters to use than any of the other "six weapons". It is an effecient process to build up a series of simple punching combinations and then chain on the kicks. We begin by simply tagging one on the end of a basic boxing combination, such as jab/cross/hook/rear round kick. Then we try placing the kick between two boxing combinations e.g. jab/cross/hook/rear round kick/lead hook.

2. Use Muay Thai same-side rhythm. A simple way to do this is link the jab with the lead leg teep. Next we look at chaining punches with the hand positions. For example, instead of throwing a cross use the hand to create momementum for a round kick.

3. Use both methods together, allowing kicking combinations to be sandwiched between punching combinations.