Revision of all Types (diary entry)

Image by emilong via Flickr

04.10.11. Due to illness I was very grateful that Aaron O’Leary was able to cover my class last week. Aaron has a good background in boxing, Brazilian jiu jitsu and has attended various combatives seminars with me. The feedback I received from all my students was very positive and I looked forward to seeing what they had recalled from his special lesson on groundwork.

However, tonight it was important to review self-defence in order to see if the basics were still in place. After a student-led series of specific movement exercises to warm-up and a review of break-falling, we moved onto the fence. This was done completely from a role-play/target familiarization perspective. My issue here was to increase the verbal pressure and realism of the pre-fight ritual, which is hard to do with children, especially when they know each other. It can be a bit embarrassing, but with a little coaxing and the right mindset it is achievable in a relatively short space of time. Next it’s the issue with hesitation. A preemptive strike relies on a tiny window and a lot of confidence. Decision making has to be eliminated. Quite simply once a person’s safe zone is breached they have to attack until the threat is removed enough in order to escape.

We then did some one-on-one strategy one versus strategy two pressure testing. This was divided up into no escape striking versus grappling and then without warning an escape option was brought in.

We then went through last week’s groundwork and I have to say I very impressed with what had been retained. Aaron had shown them two submissions from the rubber guard – a choke and an arm-bar contingency technique. He also taught them taking the back and going for a foot-lock. Keeping the theme on leg submissions he also taught them a knee bar from side control. These are exciting variations on the usual arm-locks and chokes, but leg locks are an area I tread cautiously with children. Nevertheless, it is important that they learn how to defend them and they can be applied in a sparring situation under good supervision.

The class finished with a few rounds of MMA sparring, and then a discussion on awareness and training standards.

Related articles

• One Trick Ponies: The 5 Most One-Dimensional Fighters in MMA Today (bleacherreport.com)

• Types Of Pull-ups And Best Pull-up Bars (igxworkoutbar.wordpress.com)

• Gym Time: Pearls of Wisdom Covered in Sweat (fitsugar.com)

• Gregor Gracie Demonstrates Foot Lock to Omoplata Defense (mmaweekly.com)