01.08.17
Tonight my client’s double lesson focused on peek-a-boo boxing tactics and techniques. We began with some footwork using agility markers. We warmed up on basic obstacle jogging and then progressed into footwork patterns, looking at angling and then incorporated bobbing and weaving. This was then brought onto an obstacle pole. This exercise involves the fighter moving under a pole and encourages good bobbing and weaving. I had him retain his peek-a-boo guard and we gradually added on various punching combinations off the same side.
The first half of the lesson focused on revising the peek-a-boo guard with the correct angling footwork and bobbing and weaving. We then added on various punching combinations to be executed off the same side. The fighter was encouraged to weave around an incoming punch, move in on the fighter’s blindside at a rough 45 degree angle and then throwing their own punches. We looked at highline, midline and then a combination of different range punches. The emphasis on these tactics is to create a smooth transition, taking advantage of the opponent’s movement when he attacks. I encourage fighters to think of this tactic as more of an opportunity than a defence. The close peek-a-boo guard provides a good level of protection, especially for proportionality shorter fighters, and creates confidence. The fighter’s counter-movement to the opponent’s movement involves closing the distance in one step. The punches are extensions of this movement and immediately leave the guard with no pull back action. The movement should engage all the correct muscles to make the punch fast and powerful at short range. In short, the fighter doesn’t move and punch, he punches as he moves.
I then integrated this entire peek-a-boo/bob and weave/angular footwork movement into other combinations. We looked at it within a baiting tactic – the fighter attacked online and moved offline and counter-attacked when the opponent retaliated. We looked at it as a counter-attack with a continuous attack – the fighter moved offline with a counter-attack and then stepped online to follow up with a combination. Finally we looked at it as an attacking tactic. This involves moving offline by dropping from the opponent’s eye line and then attacking. It was here that I introduced overhand punches.
The second half of the lesson was mainly concerned with integrating the peek-a-boo tactics into sparring. We used the DFLT approach, previously discussed with my client that is currently studying MMA. One round was dedicated to flash-pad work – attack only. One round was dedicated to defence and evasion. The last round combined both attack and defence. The next round was specific sparring, applying pressure to areas addressed in the previous three rounds. Next areas of weaknesses, revealed in the sparring, were feed back into coaching on the focus mitts. Then we sparred again. I used tyre to restrict movement and to encourage the fighter to close more and use more angulation work.
The lesson was finished with a tabata session, focusing on techniques covered in tonight’s lesson.
Photography featuring Tony Hughes by Charlotte Von Bulow Quirk Photography 2013 for “Mordred’s Victory and Other Martial Mutterings” by Jamie Clubb
Please see below videos on peek-a-boo boxing style, anchor punches and overhand punches
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BAcKMiChkE