Spear Knees & Slashing Elbows (diary entry)

26.02.19   Tonight my client trained in the fourth hour of his course in Basic Muay Thai for Martial Arts Cross Training. We mainly worked on establishing combinations that linked punches with kicks and knee strikes. The diagonal knee strike and the slashing elbow were also introduced as was the check to a mid-section round kick. We warmed up with a series of dynamic stretches building up into calisthenics. This particular client wishes to increase his flexibility to improve his kicking performance. This then dovetailed into partner-work, where we began with some one-for-one teep work. Then we progressed into basic combinations with counters, including high guard blocks and shin-checks, using the hands to set everything up. The mid-section round kick check was introduced.   Moving onto the focus mitts we trained basic combinations with power, linking punches and kicks together as well as kicks with kicks. Using the four-punch combination as a base we covered lead and back leg round kicks as well as teeps and then spear knee strikes. Whilst training the spear knee, we revised the Dracula guard. Then we moved onto elbows, revising the horizontal elbow and introducing the slashing elbow. The diagonal knee strike and its setup were also covered.   The lesson concluded with my client’s first round of Muay Thai sparring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6OcQrpCmi4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVGj96ARiYo