Live Boxing & Muay Thai Layered Training (diary entry)

12.01.2024 I was delighted to finally get back into hosting a three-hour private client workshop. These are training experiences where CCMA's private clients can get together and focus on a particular topic. It allows for a club-like atmosphere not present in my usual classes, an opportunity for my various clients to train with one another and for me to shine the spotlight on important aspects. We looked at the stand-up range of MMA or stand-up attribute training for self-defence. In essence, we trained in Boxing for half the lesson and Muay Thai for the remainder. Part of the objective was to see  how the two influence each other and diverge. However, the main theme was to keep all the training live. Rather than instruct, I took on a more coaching or guide approach to running the class, setting a series of layered activities (or games or sparring rounds, depending on how you look at them) that allowed individuals to test, to explore, adapt and express themselves in a safe environment. We kept the sparring controlled and light throughout the session, which becomes challenging as tiredness sets in, and this allowed for better stylistic expression. No disappointed in the way they used their individual styles. The rounds weren't even strictly timed. We had five participants, meaning that one person always had a rest. Everyone would then have a brief water break as the activity changed. These were the activities:

Boxing 

1. Single shoulder touching, calling 1, 2 or 3 touches before making the move (asymmetrical in nature, developing actions and reactions)

2. Freestyle shoulder touching (symmetrical in nature, working off the idea that if you can defend your shoulders you can better defend your head)

3. Foot-stepping (symmetrical in nature, developing footwork angles and range manipulation)

4. Freestyle shoulder touching and foot-stepping (symmetrical, harmonising footwork with upper-body action and reaction speed)

5. One-for-one sparring (encouraging immediate attack and response)

6. Body-shot sparring (body shots are more difficult, so this overloads skills in a positive way)

7. Freestyle but only body-shot scores (this encourages better set ups and more range work)

8. Freestyle but only combinations with both head and body shots score (this encourages combinations and level changing)

Muay Thai 

• No protective equipment free-flow sparring (encourages good technique placement and defence, and confidence to flow in the fight)

• Foot stepping with collar ties (position for clinch)

• Clinch-only sparring (encourages taking and retaining balance)

• Clinch with knee strikes

• Boxing versus clinching (asymmetrical in nature, encourages defending against a clincher and good defence when entering into a clinch)

• Punches and kicks versus clinching (as above with extra weapons for the defender)

• Muay Khao versus Muay Femur (the clincher also now has all weapons, encourages a battle between styles and tactics)

• Elbows only clinch-fighting (I varied this with at least one couple only permitted to throw elbows to the body)

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