Stand-up & Clinch, Speed Training & Restriction, and an Introduction to Self Protection (diary entry)

15.04.13

General Lesson

We returned to MMA in earnest tonight, with a focus on stand-up and clinch. After our sport specific warm-up we got straight onto the focus mitts. I broke down a basic punch/kick/kick/punch combination to look cut down the delay between each technique. First we began by looking at the jab/rear round kick, then we isolated the rear round kick/front round kick combination and finally finished by concentrating on the front round kick/cross combination. Each one is effective in its own right, depending on its contextual use, and isolating them helps a student improve the development of explosive force on both sides of the body. Then we put the whole combination back together.

We then moved onto clinch and some takedown work. Following on from the last week, we looked at the side headlock again. This began with side headlock entires and then went into side headlock takedowns and cross-buttocks throws. The class was then finished with three rounds of MMA sparring.

We discussed the tenet of discipline. The class was attended by children after their first day back to school after the Easter break, so we needed to bring everything back to normal and calm everyone down a bit. Once students recognize what is going on they are often more susceptible to taking control again. I noticed a distinctive upward curve in behaviour towards the end of the lesson and some great effort shown in the sparring.

Private Lesson 1

My client has suffered a superficial knee injury, caused from an activity outside of his MMA training, and subsequently pulled a muscle in the calf of his opposite leg due to overcompensation when training. We used this restriction to better improve hand striking. Because power strikes require the whole body to be utilized we steered away from them in case they aggravated the injured calf. Instead we worked through improving speed and developing force from a seated position (all other restricted postions either aggravated the knee or the calf).

Speed training is best developed when one leads with the hands. We began with a warm up very light and rapid pad-work. We ran off a series of straight two-handed combinations and then hooks. Then we began building an eight punch combination. This was then done with the restriction of having the fighter’s arms pinned to his sides as he held two pads close to his ribs. This type of restrictive training strengthens the guard, stops the fighter from flaying out his elbows and, most importantly, forces him to speed up his hands. Once the pads were removed we noticed a marked change in the speed of his hands.

Moving onto power I had the fighter sit on a sports bench and elevate his feet on another one. He began with a series of powerful straight punches and then a series of hooks. Then we isolated each strike. Next the series of strikes were repeated again with the fighter lying at a 45 degree angle, forcing him to fully activate his core. When it comes to striking the puncher needs to put his mind into using his oblique muscles as a type of hinge to generate maximum power, as opposed to his shoulder. Many strikers punch with their arm and shoulder muscles without properly bringing in the muscle groups behind them. We then did a decline press-up and strike functional fitness exercise off one of the benches. The lesson was finshed with the fighter briefly going back onto the pads from the standing position to feel any noticeable changes in speed and power.

Private Lesson 2

My two clients booked this class to generally focus on self-protection, but also to help boost confidence and improve fitness. The latter two elements are possible by-products from good self-defence training, but not always guaranteed. I am neither a psychologist nor a personal fitness trainer, but I have seen some excellent mental and physical benefits from my type of training and was mindful of that at the request of my clients.

We began with a short discussion on how attitude improves better personal security. We also discussed the difference between being unaware, being paranoid and being genuinely aware. A switched-on person adjusts his level of awareness depending on where he is, what time of day it is and what sort of people he is around.

Taking the importance of correct attitude to the floor, we began with an exercise that links demeanour with body mechanics. I had both students walk from one end of the hall to the other. Each time we built on movement principles to build on the natural feel of throwing a hand strike.

We then moved onto the fence concept and pre-emptive striking, which is covered in several diary entries on here. Training here consisted first of target familiarization. Because of significant height differences between the two students, we also went through the importance of understanding range. We then went onto the focus mitts and trained the straight hand and the hook hand strike.

Next we covered the different postures. This included the kneeling, seated and lying down. The students were made to get up without putting their hands down from each posture. We do these exercises so that a student gets used to fighting from any position and they also learn to get their feet as efficiently as possible. There is also the added bonus that it is good for all round conditioning.

The postures and the striking were then put together, with the students striking from each position. Then we went back to the fence and built in tactical escaping at the end of each series of striking scenario.  The session was finished with a basic conditioning exercise: the basic burpee. Both students were made to do this without a time limit or a set number of repetitions. They simply had to do them until I called stop. Conditioning is very important in self-defence training and part of its purpose is to develop mental fortitude. The student needs to develop a never giving in quality.

Recommended Books for Private Lesson 2:

Review of "Risk"

Review of "The Safe Zone"

Review of "Protecing the Gift"

Videos from my recent seminar in Denmark illustrating points made in Private Lesson 2