Low Kicks, Double Legs and the Americana (diary entry)

04.05.20   The eighth hour of this client’s current course in Mixed Martial Arts training continued in lockdown. My client is self-isolated with a partner who has agreed to train with us. Tonight we spent time working on some low-kick combinations, two versions of the double leg takedown and Americana from side control.   We began with our usual warm up of dynamic stretching and sport-specific callisthenics. My two clients then partnered off for some footwork. This was followed by some speed-punching combinations. Donning gloves, they then chained together high and body shots. Using kick shield looked at using the teep to set up punches and low kicks. We then chained the punching combinations together with the low kicks. The lesson saw a split of the disciplines rather than an all-round MMA approach.   Clinching followed on next with some basic footwork linking up to the initial warm-up. I brought in spear knees before moving onto a simple curve knee drill. Throughout the process we looked at breaking postures and chaining it with knee strikes. Going from the Muay Thai clinch we set up for the double-leg takedown from wrestling. I taught both the spearing takedown where the fighter ends up in the opponent’s guard and the lifting variation that clears the legs. The first version safeguards against the fighter getting caught in a guillotine choke but they might have problems with the opponent’s guard, particularly if they are an adept submission fighter. The second version avoids the guard and puts the opponent in a pin, but the technique risks the guillotine unless the fighter tucks their head in especially tight.   Submission Grappling finished the lesson, where we worked on establishing a strong side control position and an Americana key-lock.