14/12/17: Functionalising the trap - Conditioned sparring session Hunting the hunter!

This session was all about trapping, exploring 4 variations and applying it to sparring. Always remember the aim of the trap is to simply remove a barrier so you can hit them. Trapping occurs in all combat sports in one way shape or form, and can either be instigated before an opponents action or as a counter to their action (and sometimes at the same time).

Below you can see some trapping in action:

Warm up sparring (light):

Standard and south paw stances, jab only. Holding a spare glove under your elbow to keep it pinned to your body and rear hand up.

Trap drills:

1) Pak with rear hand and hit with lead hand
2) Lop with lead hand and cross/hit with rear hand
3) Inside parry with lead hand and cross/hit with rear hand
4) catch/tap with rear hand (forgot proper name for it) and cross hit with same hand

These drills were done in isolation and high reps first.

Sparring drills:

Jab only, standard stance (everyone right handed) one person attacking with jabs only other person also jabbing but also using trapping techniques above.

Explored timing angles and footwork to implement the traps effectively e.g. a lop works as a result of you throwing a "missed jab", the inside parry work will in conjunction with footwork and as a counter to an opponents jab

Standard vs south paw:

We fist practiced the traps in isolation against the south paw (we are all right handed)

1) Pak with lead hand and cross/hit with rear
2) lop with rear hand and hit with lead
3) Inside parry with rear hand and lead hand hit
4) Catch/tap with lead hand and lead hand hit

we then implemented it in sparring .. southpaw attacker in sparring, standard stance also jab sparring but implementing the traps as well (as above). Footwork and movement were key in implementing the traps.

A "trapping mentality" also makes you more aggressive, you are more aware of the guard positions and therefore more able to see "gaps" e.g. if lead hand is wide you can go inside, if too narrow can go outside if not active you can jam with a pak or a lop, if aggressive you can catch/hit or inside parry.

Yes this is only off a jab but is part of a long range sparring game plan that helps you keep the hands occupied so you have easier access to the head (as with everything requires practice!)

Pad rounds:

Partner calls any combo you hit pads

Hubud with knife (ice pick grip):

(A) - A1 stab,  (B) - blocks, other hand parries going under their arm as you simultaneously remove the blocking hand, then replace blocking hand by pak on top of partner A's knife hand/arm.

Variations in the flow:

1) After the pak do a back hand knife hit which they stop and then back hand knife hit over the top... flow continues until one of you breaks back into normal Hubud

2) after the block, as you pass use palm up control to move arm out of way and stab low at leg, partner needs to step back block  (palm up fingers down) and reply with a low hit... flow continues until someone breaks flow into normal hubud

3) instead of blocking do a dagger pass

We then Mix them all up in any order! (fun and confusing!)

See below for an example of the type of thing we were doing (the video is a beginner drill and very loose, I would be looking to tighten to movements, make the smaller and have more control on their knife hand/wrist with my blocking hand).

Strips from hubud:

When blocking the A1 stab grab wrist and twist pushing arm/elbow into them or their hand onto you, reach free hand up under their arm (salute motion) and then use that arm in a cutting motion towards their neck to strip the knife.

when doing dagger pass (making sure you step back out the way) keep hold of the hand/thumb and then insert your hand on the inside line (like a split entry) close to their arm between the knife and arm. and you punch forward twist your arm punching one way and pulling the other to strip the knife.

As always feel free to amend if I have missed something or it doesn't make sense!

5/12/17: The science of the sweet science - close range Boxing 101

Close range boxing, body mechanics and stepping off the line to create angles in close.

Warm up:

Shadow boxing

Partner drills (Big gloves) - All punches aiming for the chest/arms so you can put it in a bit

Body mechanics:

lead uppercut, cross
rear uppercut, jab

This is a static partner drill but the defending partner has to keep tight arms, don't let them in. Bocks, parries etc at this range will most likely be off the forearms

Defending the upper cut:

using your own shovel hook to off set (again this is timing and would be really challenging to pull off in sparring but is really handy as it turns defence into attack.

as they hook you throw a shovel hook on the same side as their punching arm. twist your body and cut into the forearm a bit like a cut punch principle. Use forward pressure to hit the head. We first drilled this in isolation (left right left right etc) then we drilled it with any order and you had to try and "read" your partner (we then incorporated this defence when doing the drills defending off the uppercuts and cross/jab

Creating angles:

lead uppercut, cross (keeps the top line busy), step off 45 to the left and pivot (keep tight) as you do this pivot and throw a lead hook follow up with ABC (start slow to get the right distance, timing and to make sure you end up at 90 degrees to partner and balanced)

Rear uppercut, jab (keep top line busy), step off 45 to the right and pivot/twist (you will still be in left lead when you face partner after pivot). As you pivot through a rear hand hook follow up with ABC (note the rear hook can also be a cross depending on where you are and what is open. I also found that as I stepped 45 I had a tendency to use my left are to check/pin/trap partners arm.. was useful but not part of the drill)

combining the two moving left first and as partner starts to turn back to you move right, and then moving right first and as partner turns move left.

Pad Drills (surprisingly exhausting!!!!)

as the drills above

lead uppercut, cross, (pad holder pivots then to help you) - step left 45 and pivot and immediately throw a hook cross hook

Rear uppercut, jab (pad holder pivots to help you) - step right 45 and pivot and immediately throw a rear hook (more tricky than it sounds I ended up throwing a cross most of the time) hook, cross.

The final round would have been combining the two!

Single stick warm up:

Single stick carenza (shadow boxing) using any striking families and footwork first right hand then left

Single stick 5 count sambrada

(A) A1
(B) roof block (check hand) reply with A1
(A) inside sweep (check hand over top oh stick hand) reply with A4
(B) Pass (outside gunting?) use back of free hand/forearm to pass (pushing back into their body and away and hit hand with stick) reply with A3
(A) Parry (inside gunting?) use free hand to pass (pushing from left to right) and cutting forearm with stick (move body out the way) reply with A2
(B) wing block and check hand reply with A1

flow continues from here but everything is reversed so now A is doing B moves and B is doing A moves.

higher grades added an element of surprise by occasionally changing an A1 strike for an A2 (doing the A1 as a feint first)

29/11/19: Moving, hitting and counterhitting

This session was all about incorporating multiple layers of defence and counter hitting - trying to think a few moves ahead and being able to defend while attacking.

Drills:

Slipping warm up:

Jab and then slip their jab
cross and slip their cross
Lead hook and bob their lead hook
Rear hook and bob their rear hook.

long guard: (note: keep hands up, if you are shorter than your opponent this is not as effective?)

Long parry the jab and throw your own jab
long parry Cross and throw your own cross
Thai/wing block the lead hook while using your lead hand to check their rear hand, then throw a lead hook.
Thai/wing block the rear hook while using your rear hand to check their lead hand, then throw a rear hook.

mixing the two:

long parry the jab, return a jab which they slip,
long parry the cross return a cross which they slip
Thai block the lead hook and return a lead hook which they bob and weave
Thai block the rear hook and return a  rear hook which they bob and weave

Simultaneous strikes (off the slips/evasions)

Jab and then slip their jab as soon as you slip throw a uppercut (half beat as soon as you can)
cross and slip their cross as you slip throw an uppercut
Lead hook and bob their lead hook and body throw a body hook as you bob
Rear hook and bob their rear hook and body hook as you bob.

this is trying to build fast twitch reflexes and encourage you to throw while moving/evading. Also helps you to no overcommit to your initial strike as you "know" they will be returning fire!

Putting it all together:

long parry the jab, return a jab which they slip and throw an uppercut
long parry the cross return a cross which they slip and throw an uppercut
Thai block the lead hook and return a lead hook which they bob and weave and throw a body hook
Thai block the rear hook and return a  rear hook which they bob and weave and throw a body hook

Close range (drill with big gloves):

hitting arms so you can put them in a bit (defender hold arms in tight and firm not defending as such just being there to drill the technique)

1) Lead body hook, rear uppercut, then step of to your left (tight 45 degree angle, cutting the angle close to their rear foot) and then pivot on lead foot. AS you pivot simultaneously throw a hook (trying to keep the half beat timing) this moves you so you are now facing your opponents side and you can then hit ABC to the arms (you can play with high and low shots just make sure you are balanced after the pivot.). you can also use your lead arm to check the guard as you pivot instead of throwing the hook.

2) rear uppercut, lead hook then step off right 45 (again a tight angle cutting the corner - a bit like the Mike Tyson shift). As you step you can use you left arm to check/trap the arm. as soon as you have moved off 45 pivot to face opponents side and immediately throw a cross, then rip in a lead hook and ABC.

We then did these in any order so partner didn't know what way we were moving.

The key to these is to keep the pivoting tight, be close to partners feet as you pivot,  and the hits half beat to keep partner defending and giving no time to return fire!

Knife vs empty hand drills:

straight stab to belly: drop lead arm (left) down so blocking with blade of the arm. As you do this step back with lead leg to get body out of the way. Reach over the top of your arm with other hand (half beat) and grab wrist. pull towards you (shifting grip to thumb) and use your other arm to pin the wrist against. feed back (oops you stabbed yourself) and then straighten arm again. cup their wrist with your free hand, turn your body and peel knife.

Variation: drop lead arm, then use read arm to scoop knife arm (again go over the top of your blocking arm and use the blade of your arm to pass it) once the arm s off line use your blocking arm to grab (which now goes over the passing arm) and grab in their wrist (wrist lock 1 form lock flow) disarm with wrist lock and keep elbow in front of your face to protect form any punch.

double pump: (if attacker comes with several quick strikes)

block with lead arm and then block with rear hand (more of a passing motion with blade of arm) - shift body back as you do this. AS the stabbing arm goes slightly off line reach over the top with your free hand and do wrist lock number 1 as described above.

we then drilled these in any order