19.10.2022 Tonight's combined junior and senior 1.5 hour session focused entirely on MMA. At my two clients' mutual request, we looked at setting up certain kicks and explored the kimura (double-wrist lock/chicken wing/gyaku ude-garami/reverse keylock) from different positions. There is a certain irony that loving kicks were a big of the motivation behind my first 14 years of training yet it is probably the area I have been least concerned with teaching for my last 18 years. When it comes to training Muay Thai and MMA, I have largely become concerned with building strong fundamentals. Kicks certainly feature but, for the most part, they have taken the form of low to mid level teep and round kicks. Tonight, we began our training with the decision to look at some higher risk kicks and how to execute them effectively. The high round kick can provide some seriously good pay-off to match the high risk on balance it presents in sparring or competition. Not only have there been some amazing knockouts delivered with this kick but it can also serve as a great way to put an opponent on the defensive. If it doesn't stun it has huge potential to shock. A byproduct of training high kicks is the conditioning it can provide in both overall technique execution of a kick and in developing stronger, more mobile muscles. The latter point speaks for itself and there is more than enough sports science literature describing how stretching correlates with better muscular activation, but the former point is an observation of how a kicker is forced to better position their body. When it comes to round kicks, with the exception of the very specific "no-pivot" version, the hips need to be properly rolled over and the toes of the supporting foot should be turned in the opposite direction. The first combination set up the switch-kick version of the high kick. Two jab/crosses were used to set up this kick. This was then followed by a Cuban boxing variation with a second jab added on after the 1-2 to set up the rear round kick version. In both cases the initial punching combinations were designed to create a false pattern. After throwing to sets of punches, the switch or rear high round kick was tagged onto the third set of punches. I explained the shortcomings of the Cuban corkscrew jab in this instance when it comes to Muay Thai and MMA. The corkscrew jab usually requires a pivot off the front foot which exposes the leg to a low kick. I then taught the back kick. This is another technique that also exposes the fighter to low round kick due to the blading of the stance needed in order to create the turn. My solution for this is to turn the lead foot at the last moment. If used defensively, it will only be fleeting anyway as the kick is delivered when the fighter is apparently retreating. If delivered offensively, I advise a covering jab to be used in conjunction with stepping across the opponent's centre line. Back kicks are an effective head kick but its best target has to be the liver. We then combined the high round kick with the back kick by using the flow of the former to raise an opponent's guard and leaving the mid-section open. I then turned my attention to going through the kimura armlock. This was first taught from standing in order to look at the specifics of the actual lock. Then we revised its execution from closed guard. Finally, I taught the "heat-seeking" top position transition drill where the kimura is applied from side control to north-south to the grip into the armbar. The lesson finished with 4 x 2 minute MMA sparring. https://clubbchimera.com/services/
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