Kickboxing to Grappling (diary entry)

Image displaying an arm triangle choke (side choke) from the guard. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

25.08.13

Today’s lesson was a continuation of Clubb Chimera Martial Artscross-training programme. We began with boxing in the form of a warm-up. This took the form of progressive sparring. Starting off light, we permitted body-shots only. Then we progressed to full boxing. Next we went to muay Thai. At this point I noticed that there was a problem with my client’s coordination of kicks and punches. We did some simple combination work on the Thai pads to address this problem. It is my intention to encourage students to think less in terms of technique – although technique has to be taught – but more a case of using the right tool for the correct target. We looked at the relationship between jab/round-kick and stab/low diagonal strike with the rattan sticks and jab/hook.

We then moved onto the Thai clinch. Here we covered the plumb position, footwork, and straight and inward knee strikes. Next I moved onto the standing arm-triangle, which can be used as part of Thai clinch and also as a takedown. This moved onto other side-clinch holds, trapping the arm. As a point of interest we had a brief look a control and restraint hold from this position, but agreed it wasn’t the focus of the lesson. We moved covered the basics of stand-up grappling, emphasizing the importance of establishing and breaking grips. This included drills using the collar and elbow tie as well as the overhook/underhook hold. The lesson finished with some grip-fighting.