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20.08.16
The final part of my client’s first course in Personalised Martial Arts Cross Training concluded in a double lesson. We revised round techniques, the cover, peek-a-boo and rolling. Our new material began with the over-under position. This started with a pummelling drill to get my client used to moving from side to side in a body-clinch, simultaneously attacking and defending underhooks. We then looked at using the bobbing and weaving action found in Western Boxing to “duck”[i] under an underhook. From here the fighter takes the back with a waist lock. The entire movement is identical to bobbing and weaving, and reinforces some important principles. The fighter must keep a neutral spine, dropping from the opponent’s eye-line by squatting with his legs rather than bending from the waist. This is important as the fighter has to keep close to his opponent to enact the back-taking procedure. Any space given up will be exploited by the opponent, enabling him to block this action.
We then took this action to the ground, using the half-guard. Here the fighter uses the single underhook to take the back mount position and the rear naked choke. We looked at making the action smooth and the importance of correct weight distribution. What can often here during the transition of this move is that the fighter gets locked down on one side. It can be more serious at the beginning stage when the second leg-hook is not in place. Here the fighter fails to get any sort of back-mount as he has been blocked whilst going following the underhook. The second time this might occur is when the he rolls for the choke and ends up being pinned on one side.
We then looked at using the head rolling motion to aid the sit-through/sit-out action. In order to do this the client needed to be first taught the role of the opponent. The sit-through, in this context, is responding to an opponent’s sprawl-defence against a double leg takedown. The sprawl is a fundamental combative technique that should be high on a primal grappling list of essential moves. By understanding and programming in the sprawl into shadow drilling exercises helps build a good foundation for takedown defence. Once this was learned we moved onto the counter to the sprawl. The person sprawling typically holds onto the back of the person going in for the takedown bringing them both to the ground. The opponent ends up on top and the fighter assumes a turtle defence underneath. From this point the fighter initiates the sit-through/sit-out action. This very effective movement begins with the head roll and the posting of one leg. The roll brings back in the rounding techniques and it is an identical movement to what we worked when following the underhook. The next part of the action is really what defines the techniques: the actual sitting through or out with the second leg. Here the hip makes an explosive 45 degree movement and the body assumes a table-like posture. From this point the fighter has several options depending on the opponent’s reactions. We looked at taking the back, following on from the theme covered in the previous half-guard technique, applying a shoulder lock or simply rolling the opponent into a pin.
The sit-through/sit-out is not a movement exclusive to the submission grappling or even the martial arts world. Up until the rise in interest in submission grappling it was most commonly associated with breakdancing. It also has a regular place in bodyweight training and is especially popular for developing core muscles. Therefore, it is an ideal specific training exercise and can be broken down into various different formats that will help develop the technique.
- Sit-Through Technique Practice. The most important sit-through exercise is when you work on is the full technique and the most time should be dedicated to this particular exercise. This should be performed earlier on in solo training. This is performed by going through the entire range of movement from turtle position to turtle position, alternating between legs. This drill should move you through a 90 degree semi-circle so you are facing the opposite direction when the first sit-through is completed and then back to your original position when the second (alternate) sit-through is completed.
- Sit-through with a Swiss Ball. The Swiss ball is getting a lot flack these days due to its over-use in “functional fitness”. However, here it is a valuable tool for helping develop balance as you move through the movement. Of course, performing a sit-through on a live opponent will mean that your balance will be greatly challenged and this offers some resistance to test the integrity of your technique structure. The technique has to be adjusted to get the full benefit of the equipment. By placing your hands on the ball to keep it still at the initial phase, you then go through the complete motion – roll the head to the side, post out, step through into a table position and then back round to the turtle. Repeat.
- High Speed Sit-Throughs. These are a more conditioning driven exercise and the most common type seen. They do not involve the full sit-through motion. The fighter posts out, sits through and then goes back to repeat the action on the other side at high speed. They are more for conditioning, but a good way to infuse speed into the technique.
- Kettlebell Sit-Through. This involves doing the High Speed Sit-Through, but picking up a kettlebell as you do the sit through action. The idea is that you imagine a line is attached between your hip and the kettlebell. This seeks to strength the explosive break through motion. It’s important to select a relatively light weight for this particular exercise.
We discussed the rear naked choke’s application. Like any technique, it is common for a student to think of the surface. In this instance we tend to exert all our pressure into the arms when a successful choke or strangle (to be precise in this instance) requires that shoulder and back muscles also be involved. The fighter squeezes it all together constantly seeking to reduce the space and never relaxing the hold or giving up any space until the opponent taps.
[i] Inverted commas as ducking might imply a bowing action with the face down, which is not the correct action.