Journey back to the self-defence line (diary entry)

20.05.15 In line with our usual cross-training course structure, the ninth lesson began my client’s return to the self-defence line. MMA differs a lot from other disciplines in that cross-training forms an integral part of the average fighter’s training regime. This will probably change as the sport continues to evolve and new generations of coaches are produced, in the same way that most other established combat sports and martial arts have evolved. During this course I have done my best to stay completely within the sphere of mainstream MMA competition and not cover any cross-training aspects. This is because it falls under the cross-training series of courses and the theory is that an individual should be given sufficient time to isolate aspects that are particular to a certain discipline. However, tonight we used the cross-training aspects of MMA to take a concept back to self-defence.

The cover is a tactic my client first learnt as part of his fundamental self-protection course. Tonight we first looked at it through the lens of Western Boxing. This comes in the form of Cus D’amato’s peek-a-boo guard, made famous by his two protégés, Floyd Patterson and Mike Tyson. We looked at how it was combined with bobbing and weaving movement and footwork in order to close in on an opponent. Then we looked at using a single arm variant of the cover in clinch, used to wedge between necktie holds and to gain dominant grips from the inside. Finally we went to the ground and looked at its largely negative role in protecting against choke holds.

  Then we brought the cover in the MMA arena, where it is very much a mobile guard and recovery position. Here we used it to close in against a barrage of blow in order to jam an opponent’s hand-striking assault and feed in various striking combinations. We looked at it for achieving a plumb position clinch whilst countering a blitz-type attack and also from the guard position, entrapping arms to achieve a sweep.   As we looked at these areas from against the cage we over-lapped into self-defence. Now, my client found he was back on the self-defence line with his default recovery of covering from a series of strikes, to move in and regain the initiative with his own incidental single-hand combinations whilst referencing his target with the other hand. Photographs by Charlotte Von Bulow-Quirk Cross-Training Path by designed and conceived Jamie Clubb, created by Gianni Sussassi