14.04.14
General Lesson – Mixed Martial Arts
After a series of footwork and ground movement exercises we focused on improving hand striking skills. This began in the form of 360 Degree Coaching. I created this form of isolated static training to refine basic skills. One fighter stands between two coaches and is given physical stimuli to correct their form. Typically one coach at the front holds a pair of focus mitts for targeting and checks one side of the body for weak defences, balance and speed of recovery after a strike. A second coach stands at an angle behind to check the other side. Today we used this for the jab and the cross.
Hand strikes were then taken to the ground and in a guard exercise. One fighter sat in the guard and attacked the other’s defence, getting to their feet as quickly as possible. The fighter hold guard then completed the exercise with a sweep. The lesson finished with three rounds of MMA sparring.
Private Lesson – Attribute Training/Self-Defence
Today’s lesson was something of a revision session, looking to bring as much of the attribute training back to the self-defence line. We began with light boxing sparring and then pitted punches against kicks, followed by kickboxing. We then moved onto some stand-up grappling and groundwork.
The lesson then switched back to the fence and the cover, including incidental combinations. We finished with some evasion training and connected footwork between sport and self-defence.
