Diary / Training Notes

  Two people not affecting each other's personal space. See also http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:PerSpa2.png (Photo credit: Wikipedia)       Reaction of two people whose personal space are in conflict. See also http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:PerSpa1.png (Photo credit: Wikipedia)         After a warm-up of follow-the-leader specific training exercises, we did a warm-up game two of the children suggested last week. This was a reaction game whereby anyone who failed to catch a ball thrown at them had to forfeit an exercise. Following […]

Image via Wikipedia 23.01.12 So I listened and today’s lesson was concerned with takedown defence, a submission and some kicking. We began with a swift warm-up, training specific movements and then reversing them i.e. snaking forwards and backwards in one go. Then we went straight into grappling partner drills. For me, it is more important to get students into the feel of tactics than to just train one specific technique. So, looking at takedown defence we used the stopping drills. […]

Image via Wikipedia I learn from my students all the time. This is no false modesty. It is very easy to think you know best for your class or family, but it can be difficult to actually listen empathetically to what is wanted. Today, I asked some questions and I got some answers. However, first I got them into a bit of burnout using the stand-up range as a model. We began with punching and jogging on the spot. This […]

Image via Wikipedia 10.01.12 Today’s lesson was focused on developing muscle memory at all ranges. We began with a footwork warm-up exercise. Both students mirrored each other's footwork and prompted each other to sprawl. We then moved further up onto some Greco-Roman bulling and grip-fighting. We then practiced overhook/underhook pummelling and did some clinch training, working the v-step on its own, with sweeps and then with knee strikes. Next we drilled arm-drag entries as a flow drill with blocks and […]

05.01.12 Our first session back after the Christmas break and time to check the rust! Today’s session was fairly comprehensive, beginning with self-defence and then moving onto MMA with a sufficient overlap at the transitional stage.   We began with a quick regular warm-up of specific cardiovascular exercises. Then we moved straight onto some partner work. It began with a revision of basic fence principles as a warm-up/memory retention exercise. One student kept moving into the other’s space whilst the […]

Image by icantcu via Flickr 12.12.11: it's our final lesson of the year. So although I didn't want to break with the programme we have been following over the last two weeks, today's session was less technique or even tactic focused and inflused with plenty of "games". We warmed up with the usual specific movements and shadow boxing from all ranges, and then went straight into some competitive exercises. This included a couple of chase-orientated games. Then we went straight […]

Image via Wikipedia 05.12.11. Today's warm-up was more about getting a flow going and keeping heart rates moving. The weather is beginning to more resemble the winter now, catching most people off their guard, so I think everyone was grateful of a more thorough warm-up. We cover all the specific and functional fitness movements, moving in and out of freestyle and set movements. This same principle was then carried over onto focus-mitt work, which was a blend of high intensity […]

Image via Wikipedia 28.11.11 The agility/footwork programme using the cones continued today after a freestyle warm-up of specific exercises and shadow boxing (at all ranges) as well as breakfalls and rolls.  With the class now quite familiar with many of the exercises we added in a competitive component. Two sides raced each other, relay fashion, with the following exercise combinations   1. Run around cones and three long jumps to extra set of cones on the way back 2. 45 degree footsteps […]

Image via Wikipedia Tonight the warm-up combined agility drills with regular mat exercises and a little partner-work. Therefore footwork exercises would quickly transition into bear-crawls, frog jumps, snaking/shrimping, rolls, sprawls, sit-throughs, takedown entriees and target striking.   Keeping energy levels up the class moved onto some focus-mitt work. Intensity was the name of the game today with the need to work fast-twitch muscle fibres with specific techniques and combinations. Freestyle work was mixed in with intensive repetitions of fast straight […]

Image by Uzbecka via Flickr 14.11.11 Tonight began with the intention of focusing a bit more kicks and then into the other two ranges. I also had a nice guard sweep I wanted to cover. However, in the end most of the lesson ended up revolving around the stand-up game. We began with a student led warm-up. Three different students took over to cover different specific exercises, covering all ranges. However, I wasn't happy with the all round performance. Perhaps […]

Image by Getty Images via @daylife Contrary to the usual CCMA approach, today’s session session did not have much of a theme outside of introducing the class to some new MMA concepts. After a student-led warm-up incorporating blitzing, side-steps footwork, bear crawls, sprawls, snakes, crab-crawls, break-falls, rolls and the sprint catch game the class did some agility training. Using the cones we did the following routines for three sets each:   Pogo jumps Running in and out 45 degree step-outs […]

04.11.11 The basic junior course in self-protection came to an end today. After six weeks of intensive sessions the under 16s of Telford’s Kyushinka Martial Arts undertook their confirmation session/test. The course was designed to teach relavant personal security and high percentage combatives to youngsters and today’s session was designed to observe how much information had been retained. Having a highly individualistic approach to teaching Clubb Chimera Martial Arts is not concerned with perfect form or technique, rather evidence that […]

Image via Wikipedia Tonight we looked at sensitivity, initiation and responsiveness at stand-up and clinch range. We began with some pummeling than some light clinch sparring, bringing knees. Attention was then taken to hand striking. This involved a drill to encourage punching at close quarters. In principle the drill is not that dissimilar to wing chun’s chi sau.   We then began drilling reversals from the wall and also a self-defence application involving an eye gouge/headbutt combination. Taking the reversal […]

24.10.11. So, the grading is over and it is half-term. Time to look at what needs to be improved and where to new to begin. I put it around the group to pick some subjects. Both self-defence and MMA were requested. A senior student wanted more practice on knife defence and other students wanted to look at takedowns and submissions. So, I came up with a happy combination of all of these. When it comes to teaching defence against weapons […]

Image via Wikipedia Vagabond Warriors was another enjoyable session – full of hard work and a good energy. We began with an introduction to CCMA and Vagabond Warriors concepts, discussing the CSI (Clarification, Scepticism and Individuality) approach to training. Then we looked at both partner and solo warm-up exercises. For partner work we began with fence sensitivity drills – developing tacticle responses and target familiarization. This moved onto body barges to get the feel of hitting another human without the […]

Tonight saw a couple of firsts in CCMA's grading history. For the first time the grading was held straight after a regular class. This was due to October being a very busy month and our usual monthly hall booking being taken up the "Vagabond Warriors" seminar, a service that is growing all the time. The arrange ment worked out okay, as students had a whole hour to go over areas they weren't confident on. The next of these firsts was […]