Making Basics Better (diary entry)

October 22, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Dempsey book 8

21.10.20 Wednesday night continued my client’s current work in footwork and fluidity. This is a regular theme at present amongst my stand-up fighting clients with some variations. After warming up, we looked at punching in isolation. The idea was to promote flow and check recovery. Straight punches, uppercuts and hooks were trained as two-punch combinations. First we isolated them as a constant flow then as sharp two-punch combinations and finally we transferred the sharp two-punch combination to my client’s heavy […]

Continue Reading

Cobra, Bizarro & Superman Punches (diary entry)

October 21, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
bizarro punch diary

20.10.20 My teacher consultation looked at developing another routine for my client. Tonight we were looking at more spectacular techniques that could be incorporated in a functional MMA combination. I developed a back and forth routine that made use of the cobra punch, superman punch and bizarro punch. All three of these rear hand straights rely on deceptive set-ups. The cobra punch is more close range than the other two and is not designed to travel a long distance. It […]

Continue Reading

Improving Footwork (diary entry)

October 21, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
diary footwork drill

20.10.20 My first lesson on Tuesday night brought my client up to his sixth hour on Western Boxing. As with a few of my clients we are reviewing basics on footwork, mobility and general fluidity. Tonight we went just used the jab, cross, lead hook and rear uppercut as our punching techniques. These were performed as a combination and in isolation. However, besides upping the speed of their cadence, their main function was to accompany the footwork patterns. The footwork […]

Continue Reading

Movement and Southpaw Fighting (diary entry)

October 20, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Boxing southpaw

19.10.20 My second Monday night lesson saw the beginning of a 10 hour Muay Thai for Martial Arts Cross Training course with a new client. This client has been training for 15 years in Muay Thai and that includes in-ring fight experience. It was a new challenge for me and I enjoyed being able to introduce new concepts to an individual with firm knowledge on the art. After a warm-up of skipping my client went through some basic combinations before […]

Continue Reading

Speed Through Training Technique (diary entry)

October 20, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
chamber kick

19.10.20 On Monday night my client reached the eighth hour of her current course. Tonight, at her request from last week’s workout assessment session, we looked at developing speed in her kicks. There are various factors that affect speed in techniques. As with power, technique is often the key to improving speed and should be trained ahead of conditioning. We are looking to better develop muscular strength in relation to speed and reaction time. I looked at three leg techniques: […]

Continue Reading

Chokes in Self-Defence (diary entry)

October 16, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
choke knife

15.10.20 The fifth lesson of my client’s self-protection course took us back through the fence, incidental combinations, clearing obstructions, hunting targets and then into anti-grappling, which became the focus. We looked at the use of chokes in self-defence situations and fighting on the ground. I also introduced combative kicking. Kicks introduced included the groin kick and low round kick. Next lesson we will look more into fighting through ranges.

Continue Reading

Boxing Footwork & Muay Thai (diary entry)

October 16, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
muay thai small2

14.10.20 Wednesday evening focused on developing footwork combinations for kickboxing. Taking a more Dutch-based approach to our Muay Thai, we put together a series of linked attacks from different positions. These all made use of footwork to help create momentum. We began by combining the teep with straight punches and the pendulum step. I also layered on a rear round kick after the jab/hook back-step pivot. Looking at the diamond step we lead with a lead round kick and then […]

Continue Reading

Chroegraphed Routines (diary entry)

October 16, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
skype routine 2

13.10.20 Tonight my teacher consultation presented me with an interesting challenge. Syllabus updates in my client’s school require newly choreographed fight routines with a stronger emphasis on practical techniques. Besides combination counters and flow drills I don’t teach much in this way. My overall view is that the best purpose for choreographed fights takes the form of demonstrations and also professional performances. I have been involved a lot in both before I became a self-protection teacher. My client makes a […]

Continue Reading

12 Rounds Building-Up Session (diary entry)

October 15, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
freddy 12 rounder 2

13/10/20 Hour five with my first Tuesday client was another workout session following on from last week. We have been working a lot on boxing from the outside and footwork. This time we went for a full 12 rounds. 10 of which began with building up movement foundations before adding single techniques with variations and the last two consisted of virtual sparring. Round 1 – Basic Footwork Round 2 – More Advanced Footwork Round 3 – Upper body mobility with […]

Continue Reading

10 Round Workout (diary entry)

October 13, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Catherine 10 round workout (2)

12.10.20 Monday night saw the eighth hour of what should have been my client’s submission grappling course. However, due her bubble partner have incurred an injury whilst playing football and the current Covid-19 situation, we have had to revert back to training via Skype. I saw it as an opportunity to revisit other combative ranges. Tonight we went back to MMA in general and agreed upon a 10 round workout to expose weak points we can look at next week. […]

Continue Reading

Fluidity (diary entry)

October 12, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Bob-and-Weave-in-Boxing-Step-12

10.10.20 Saturday brought my client up to the 5.5 hour point of his course, which is focusing on Western Boxing. We built up footwork drills – step-jab, pendulum, diamond step, shuffle and v-step – and revised some of last week’s head movement. I also brought in some southpaw work. After a simple warm-up of dynamic stretching, we moved onto footwork exercises. This began with the step-jab and pendulum step. We then moved onto deflecting and countering with the Philly Shell, […]

Continue Reading

From Establishing Boundaries to Anti-Grappling (diary entry)

October 9, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
eye gouge standing

08.10.20 The fourth lesson of this self-protection course for teenagers began work on handling the clinch. I made use of the client’s brother, who has also trained with me, and is within my client’s bubble as well as simulations on her freestanding heavy bag and shadow training.   We began with a revisit of the fence and a discussion on the importance of establishing boundares as early as possible. It is advantageous to move into an effective position and maintain […]

Continue Reading

Why the Fence is THAT Important (diary entry)

October 5, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
FENCE

06.10.20 Tonight’s teacher consultation took the form of a self-protection overview. We discussed various points surrounding pre-emptive striking and how it should be taught to students. The fence is an extremely important tool for testing whether or not a pre-emptive strike would be required. If executed correctly, the user will be on-balance and have sufficient space to take action should the potential threat confirm violent intentions. Debate has arisen as to what this pre-emption to should be depending on the […]

Continue Reading

Philly Shell Movement Patterns (diary entry)

October 5, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
philly shell freddy

06.10.20 Tonight’s Skype session had my client reach the fourth hour of his course on Western Boxing. We are continuing work with the Philly Shell guard. The lesson began with the step-jab and then the pendulum step footwork drills. This then progressed onto using the back-step for angling off, a movement that is particularly effective in Philly Shell attacks. We then combined them – move in and out with a combination, drawing the opponent forward from where we angled off […]

Continue Reading

Rebuilding Movement Patterns (diary entry)

October 3, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]

03.10.20 Saturday morning saw my client’s return to regular training after a long layoff during the Covid-19 lockdown. Prior to lockdown we had completed 2.5 hours of submission grappling, but this will not be possible at present so we are training stand-up solo work with all necessary distancing/hygiene measures in place. This brought us to the 4 hour point of our course. Training revolved around footwork and head movement primarily. The first half of the lesson consisted of going through […]

Continue Reading

Discipline in Children’s Self-Protection (diary entry)

October 1, 2020 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
feedback vijay lesson

30.09.20 Clubb Chimera Martial Arts “When Parent’s Aren’t Around” children’s self-protection online webinar course returned to Forest School of Karate on Wednesday to cover the topic of discipline. This tenet is defined as a willingness and determination to learn certain habits as part of one’s lifestyle. Maintaining training is imperative in order for an individual to be better prepared to defend themselves against violence. Hard skills taught in this lesson were the pre-emptive strike, forward pressure, incidental combinations, target familiarisation, […]

Continue Reading