Tag Archives | Boxing

Guards for Stand-up Combat Sports Seminar/Webinar (diary entry)

December 28, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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27.12.2021 The day after Boxing Day I was kindly invited to teach a webinar streamed directly into Kajuen Ryu’s class and shared with online teachers and students in the UK and Europe. The subject was guards for stand-up (full-contact) combat sports. Throughout the 20th century guards have evolved and branched off into a variety of directions. They are dictated by the individual – their physical make-up in relation to the majority of their likely opponents and their personality. I did […]

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Sparring for Teacher Development Continues (diary entry)

September 15, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Mikael

14.09.21 Tonight we entered hour three of an 11 hour course on teacher development. This was for Denmark’s Holstebro Taekwondo Klub via Zoom. We took a more in depth look at better addressing the dual concerns of defence and confidence. These are elements that can be positively linked. Many students fear sparring due to an exposure of their own limitations or, as is true for a substantial proportion, timidity. Building a strong defence can help install better confidence when it […]

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Sparring Teacher Constultancy – Jabs (diary entry)

September 10, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
Mikael

10.09.21 Tuesday night I continued my teacher consultancy on sparring for Denmark’s Holstebro Taekwondo Klub via Zoom. We focused on a run through of boxing, focusing on the jab. Warm-up involving dynmatic stretches and basic techniques.  Jab for jab partner training – compliant drilling to specific one-for-one sparring Double jabbing partner training – compliant drilling to specific one-for-one sparring Body jabs partner training – compliant drilling to specific one-for-one sparring Footwork jabbing – compliant drilling to specific one-for-one sparring All […]

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Rematch, Knockout & a Steal (diary entry)

September 9, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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Tuesday night’s second lesson was my regular “Learn from the Fight” class. We returned to the career of Joe Louis for tonight and his first three fights/title defences after he finished his service in World War 2. The last time we saw Louis was in a rematch that retired Buddy Bear in one round. He dedicated his entire purse to the war effort before fighting Abe Simon two months later in another rematch that also saw Louis claim a knockout […]

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Switch-Hitting Counters (diary entry)

September 3, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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02.09.21 The eighth hour of my couple’s switch-hitting programme focused entirely on counter tactics. Here the switch-hitter worked defensively. Countering an aggressive jab with a switch-hook, countering an inside leg kick with switch-straight punch and an inside leg kick with a switch-outside leg kick. Using switch-hitting tactics in a counter situation creates new possibilities with angles, can throw more force into the counter technique and also encourages an opponent to over-reach with their attack. However, they have to be timed […]

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Look, Step, Punch (diary entry)

August 30, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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29.08.21 The fourth hour of my client’s five hour course in junior MMA began with father and son warming up on the agility ladders. It is important to note that this lesson is as much about helping the father client to coach his son outside of lessons as it is for me to directly teach the son. Feedback from the previous lesson was that footwork and punching were fine in isolation but there were problems with them both together. Therefore, […]

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“The Casablanca Clouter” (diary entry)

August 25, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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Tuesday night’s “Learn from the Fight” lesson focused on the career and three fights of Marcel “The Casablanca Clouter” Cerdan. The first fight acts as a direct sequel to last lesson’s rubber match finale of the Rocky Graziano/Tony Zale trilogy as it was Zale’s first defence. Tony Zale versus Marcel Cerdan Undisputed World Middleweight Title Defence 21.09.1948 After winning the title back from Rocky Graziano, Tony Zale only fought one more time and that was to defend this very title. […]

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Junior Boxing Work for MMA (diary entry)

August 23, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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22.08.21 Today was my client’s third hour of a five hour programme for junior MMA. We worked exclusively on boxing technique, where I incorporated more head movement as well as methods for improving agility for footwork and keeping elbows in. We warmed up with some simple forward, backward and circular footwork. Then we returend to our stick and move drill: jab and circle away from the power hand drill followed by jab/cross circle away. Then we went back to the […]

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Graziano and Zale (diary entry)

August 17, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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17.08.21 Tuesday night’s learn from the fight lesson spotlighted fights connecting two middleweight champions Rocky Graziano and Tony Zale. Rocky Graziano – real name Thomas Rocco Barbella – was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was the son of sometime boxer Fighting Nick Bob Barbella. His father encouraged Rocky to don boxing gloves and fight with older brother from when he was only three years old almost every night. Rocky disliked authority of any kind and although he did well […]

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Junior MMA Continues (diary entry)

August 9, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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08.08.21 Sunday morning saw the return of my parent/child clients as they enter the second hour of a five hour programme in Junior Mixed Martial Arts. As discussed in their trial lesson, the structure of these classes will be to teach the fundamentals of western boxing for the first two thirds whereas the final part will focus on more game-orientated extra skills, such as grappling. This morning we began the boxing with circular footwork. This was to encourage movement after […]

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Streaming & Live Class Hybrid 2 (diary entry)

July 29, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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28.07.21 After two private lessons/rehearsals with Forest School of Karate, I was live-streamed into their class. With Covid restrictions having been lowered I was able to coach their class directly on focus mitt work. This hybrid lesson also used inspiration from highlight videos I was able to share with all attendees. The videos, as per the previous blogged private lessons, were: Alexis Arguello – Straight Right Joe Louis – Cross Thomas Hearns – Chopping Right Rocky Marciano – Overhand These […]

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Five Ranges & Night of the Boxers (diary entry)

July 7, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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06.07.21 Tuesday night’s fight history remained in the 1930s for a review of 1931’s first clash between Kid Chocolate and Tony Canzoneri. That year Max Schmeling defended the world heavyweight title against Young Stribling by technical knockout in the 15th round, establishing his reputation as a legitimate holder of the title. That match was rated as fight of the year by Ring magazine. However, there are others that would give the credit to the aesthetically pleasing World Lightweight Championship that […]

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Jabbing with Champions at Forest School (diary entry)

July 1, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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30.06.21 Wednesday evening saw me hosted by Forest School of Karate to be streamed into their classroom and share with them inspiration from boxing champions. This is the beginning of a course on boxing for martial arts cross training. Students of Forest School watched footage from Larry Holmes, Sonny Liston, Riddick Bowe, Joe Louis, Tommy Hearns and Benny Leonard as we explored the jab. We warmed up with some basic footwork exercises. This was then followed by a tutorial on […]

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Jabbing Drills (diary entry)

July 1, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
vijay PT 1

29.06.21 Forest School of Karate’s head teacher booked me for a second private lesson on Tuesday ahead of our class on Wednesday. Tonight we worked on using the jab. He was partnered with his and I was able to coach them both on use of the jab/parry and the duck, countering with jabs to the head and body. This was then integrated into footwork drills. I also introduced a simiple timing exercise. The lesson was finished with 2 x 2 […]

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The Last Three Combinations (diary entry)

June 29, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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28.06.21 As my couple clients reached the final part of their last course on rhythm and flow combinations I set them a task to select three they wished to nail in this session. We are continuing and concluding the integration phase introduced in the previous lesson where the combinations would form part of their freestyle work. Next week we will be starting a new journey looking at switch-hitting and fight tactics and strategies. My clients had 12 rounds to spend […]

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Jabs from the Past (diary entry)

June 23, 2021 | Diary / Training Notes [ssba]
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22.06.21 Tonight my client at Forest School of Karate booked me to prep for my online guest spot next week. This will be a pretty exciting way to teach to classes under the current restrictions and also going forward for a way for more schools to offer a greater variety of lessons with guest teachers using more media. This lesson will consist of the class following a live streamed lesson onto a projector that they can train along to in […]

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