Clubb Chimera

25.06.12 Junior Class Today’s lesson was another overall look at athletic performance in MMA. We looked at agility and timing. Training began with functional fitness warm-up exercises around the mats, which were followed by various timing drills. The group coordinated forward and backward rolls diagonally across the mat. Then they moved onto footwork drills, backwards and forwards, around markers – running, pogo jumping, leg-whipping, 45 degree stepping etc. followed by sprawl/double leg takedowns and chasing each other using bear crawls […]

18.06.12 Positioning, movement and timing have all been themes of recent lessons. Putting it to the vote, the group agreed timing needed more attention than everything else. It was a wise choice; positioning and movement should follow timing. Timing is the essence of the fight; it can decide everything. The same could be said about tenacity, but the latter easier to train. Timing requires mental alertness and diligence. You don’t get better at timing by sweating. You get better at […]

12.06.12 We are following a series of principle-led lessons. Previously we looked at positions and postures, and last week it was movement. Tonight we focused on timing. One of the best coaches I have encountered that taught me about timing was the boxer, Tommy Thompson. He really made me think about how to drill reactions and movement. After a student-led warm-up, I went straight into some bobbing and weaving timing drills:   Slipping single straight hand strikes Rolling single hooks Slipping […]

07.06.12   Once again, we refocused on the whole issue of moving. Positioning and transitioning go hand-in-hand. However, it is the last thing that most of us see. It is very easy to be technique-led. And it is a common mistake to just look at the surface of the technique – the end result – rather than understand the underlying principles. Understanding principles, rather than just doggedly sticking to patterns and shapes, would be a reoccurring subject in tonight’s workshop. […]

26.05.12 Vagabond Warriors 2.2 As a change from previous Vagabond Warriors seminars this year, we looked at everything from a grappling perspective. The usual structure and model – C.S.I. (Clarification, Scepticism and Individuality) and the Hierarchy of Training (Specific Training, Attribute/Cross-Training and Functional Fitness) – used to base all training activities. The exercise decision chart, a Ken Robinson lecture, a functional fitness circuit and the compass/martial path map were all amongst the material used in today’s seminar. Physical activities began […]

21.05.12: After a student-led warm-up of functional fitness exercises, we went back over last week's basics. Last week we focused on some muscle memory exercises (routines designed to create better retention of techniques). This week we revised the ranges covered by bringing them more into regular freestyle routines. We started with the fence, working straight and hooked hand strikes. Then these were done through all the postures – kneeling, seated, on the back and back against the wall. In this […]

My mandate for tonight’s Vagabond Warriors taster session was to orientate it around wrestling/grappling in MMA – working around the double-leg takedown.   After a functional fitness warm-up led by resident MMA coach Scott Stewart, I ran the lesson along the following drills:   Footwork/sprawl movement drill – student mirrors coach’s footwork. Coach prompts the sprawl by dropping and touching the back of the student’s thighs. Drill with added jab/cross to targets Drill with added knee strike when coming up […]

Today we focused on specific drills to improve fundamental techniques. After our regular warm-up, involving footwork and general combative movement at all ranges, we went right back to sharpenign up the basics using a series of repetitive conditioning exercises. We began with self-defence and the fence – that dividing line between soft and hard skills in self-protection. This was just a case of drilling the touch/strike behaviour. The student adopts a natural position with their defending hands disguised by passive […]

LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 27: WBA World Heavyweight Champion David Haye in action with the medicine ball during his Media Training Day at The Haymaker Boxing Gym on October 27, 2010 in London, England. Daivd Haye will fight Audley Harrison on November 13, 2010 at Manchester Evening News Arena. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife) Late in the day isn’t always the best of slots for free seminars, but nevertheless we still filled our second outing at the show as […]

A little bit of pro-activity and a lot of aggressive on-the-spot selling alongside some genuine support we filled up the first Vagabond Warriors session of the weekend. I have been connected to The Martial Arts Shows since was The Martial Arts Festival, the brainchild of Kwoklyn Wan. Martial arts trade shows are not my favourite places, but somehow Kwoklyn manages to create a good atmosphere and books some of the nicest martial artists in the UK and internationally.   The […]

10.05.12 Odd numbers inspired me to begin our training with two-on-one exercises. I feel that not only is this a great way to develop more self-defence orientated skills – such as fighting multiple attackers – but also develops what I call 360 degree coaching. This means that a students attack and defence coordination can be carefully monitored and they can experience the best type of physical feedback possible next to sparring. We did this by placing one student between two […]