Takedown defence to submission & throwing it out there (diary entry)
- jamie03066
- Jun 15, 2015
- 3 min read
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I learn from my students all the time. This is no false modesty. It is very easy to think you know best for your class or family, but it can be difficult to actually listen empathetically to what is wanted. Today, I asked some questions and I got some answers. However, first I got them into a bit of burnout using the stand-up range as a model.
We began with punching and jogging on the spot. This moved onto some combination shadow boxing and some ballistic stretching using kicks. Then we moved onto the pads beginning with freestyle boxing using the flash pad method (no techniques called, just responses to the way the pad is being held). We then progressed through various combinations 11 punches, punch/kick and progressive kickboxing. Here and there I stopped the class to show the sort of coaching and work rate I expected by using well-performing students as examples.
My head was full of ideas, as it often is, to move onto takedown entries and flow drills into defences before moving onto the top position and some submission work. However, something stopped me. I saw the effort being put in; I acknowledged the innovation taking place here and there and I thought time to take stock, Jamie. It is time to ask the students what they want.
Using a voting system that ended up splitting the class down the middle into those who wanted to work takedown defence and those who wanted to do some submission work, I decided that rather than casting my own vote I would try to please both. This isn’t always a great idea, but I could see a way to teach takedown defence that would flow better into submission opportunities.
This section of the lesson began with a simple exercise designed to block an attempted takedown early on. I like beginning here; it makes sense of the whole purpose of what is being learnt. We then went back to the old headlock evasion/taking the back behavioural exercise. Again, I explained although we were using specific techniques here, the point was that some high and mid-section takedowns – such as headlocks and shoulder throws – can give away the back position. This exercise was refined, as I saw extremes of mistakes going right across the board. Some students were being overly (and lazily) compliment – just standing there with their arm outstretched whilst the other student ducked under to the take the back – and others were being belligerently competitive. Neither approach was appropriate to coach the correct response. We then looked at the submission from the point of view of the person taking the back – back mount into a choke – and from the person who lost the back – rolling knee-bar.
The lesson finished with three rounds of MMA sparring, some more cardiovascular shadow boxing (incorporating sprawls, knees and sit-throughs) and some warm-down stretching. Before everyone left we discussed what areas needed covering. Everyone agreed that they wanted to do less boxing. This is not surprising. Hands are the most important range really, but they are also the range that few people acknowledge they need to work hardest on. Nevertheless, I took the comment on board. Some students, particularly junior grades, wanted to cover takedowns in greater detail. Others wanted to cover the defence more. There was also a request for more conditioning – stretching this time. Finally there was an overwhelming demand for more self-defence orientated work. This is a surprise and a bit of a backlash for me. I feel that self-defence can be efficiently compartmentalized into seminars and workshops, with occasional refreshers each month. It needs to be limited by its nature if regularly updated. However, I always felt that too much self-defence was a little counter-productive (it can get too martial arty and the soft skills can develop into paranoia). However, I understand my students concerns and I respect their wishes. We will bring in some more self-defence drills to compliment the attribute training of the combat sport.
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