Timing, Angles, Footwork and Head Movement (diary entry)

circulaire11.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

slip2.jpg (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

14.12.14 This double private session is part of CCMA’s Vagabond Warriors programme. Here training is chiefly concerned with using cross-training methods. My client is a karateka/kickboxer, seeking to improve his kickboxing and also to branch off into various combative areas. We look at principles that are efficient throughout various disciplines. My client instructed me to help him deal with better countering attacks. With this in mind, today we looked at angulation from various perspectives and also a range of applications for the slip and the roll, all of which came under the scrutiny of correct timing. Good timing is a vital component for fighting as a whole, but especially for counter-attacks. However, before I addressed timing specifically, we looked at the physical techniques and tactics we would be using. First we looked at angulation through footwork drills and attacking offline. Here we used the cones and I brought in other objects to best guide my client as to how far I expected him to travel offline. This was then emphasised with a two-man exercise whereby he worked at cutting my forward and backward movements off. We then brought in the slipping action and dissected it. The slipping action simply adds a conscious sideways movement of the head to follow the angular footwork that we had just covered. I encouraged him to avoid oncoming straight punches, specifically jabs, using the slipping action on both sides. As he got used to the movement I had him slip randomly from side to side. Finally his counter-jab was brought in both in direct application and then into the focus mitts. From the offline angle I introduced my client to the overhand right (or left, depending on the stance). We trained it first as a singular technique, which can involve the fighter suddenly dropping from an opponent’s eye-line and then striking from the offline angle. The punch, of course, is a dramatic example of the effect downward striking can have on an opponent’s body. We then incorporated the overhand into the combination with the slip/jab and then replaced it with a low round kick and a single leg takedown. We then had a look at timing. A simple drill to get a fighter to build better timing and confidence is to give them a continuous flow of jabs from where he can time the opening to exploit. We then incorporated this into a high line grappling counter, the standing arm-triangle. We then used similar procedures to work on the roll (bob and weave). From here we trained the hook, the round kick, the arm-triangle, the waist-lock and the sit-through.