12/4/19: Takedowns and ground work: a little knowldge and conscious incompitance.

Tonight's session was based on the take down and grappling elements of the grading syllabus. One that I am very interested in and is fair to say one I struggle with the most (which is mainly from the point that it is the one I have the least experience with, the one I find the least "natural" and need more practice!)

Take downs:

off jab:

1) split entry, ear slap and hook leg take down to submission
2) parry and eye swipe, punch to face and figure four take down

Off cross:

1) split entry to arm drag take down
2) cut punch into arm bar/break take down.

Ground work on pads:

on back partner inside guard - ten punhes at focus mits, then sweep (one leg on floor other shin driving up towards arm pit and then "scissor motion" to take down) then you are on top inside guard and punching down 10 times, then roll them back on top, insode guard.. continue x3 mins

Ground work:

alternate escape form scarf hold - they keep following you and deny space. hook leg over. thread arm through and under their arm and reinforce with other hand, pull them away and roll and you now have their back.

from side control: push way and insert knee, hip swivel into guard and synch in tight (arm locking in under arm pit their head tight to your shoulder


punch proof grapping:

at 30% partner only punches you while you defend using grappling and look for submissions (starting in kneeling position

"light" resistant rolling:

looking for submissions and getting position

Grappling thoughts:

I got tapped A LOT and constantly, despite my best efforts. Now I KNOW that every time you get tapped you learn (even though it is frustrating) but in order to learn you must be aware of what is happening as well as how and why it is happening in order to do something about it. right now, though I have a LITTLE knowledge of the ground game, my ability to apply my limited knowledge, let alone adapt it, it very low.

There is a theory of learning, you start off unconscious incompetent (you don't know things and you are un aware that you don't know anything), you then move to conscious incompetent (you know that you don't know things!) and this is the place that you have to be in order to start to learn... but how?

My experience of doing any rolling at the moment is not pleasant. I essentially feel like I am fighting two battle's one against myself and then one against my partner.

My body is tight and frequently cramps, moving form one position to another is awkward and exhausting (and that's without someone else sitting on me) and my brain is screaming at me desperately trying to remember how to do things where to put and arm and a leg how to grip etc. and how am I supposed to put a submission on if I can't even see the opportunity for one in the first place cause my mind is full of all these  other things?

Obviously the answer to this is practice, and there are only so many hours on the day and so many arts to study where do you put your time? especially when this particular art more than most needs someone to be working with for the constant feedback. (And also I do not want to play the ground game, I want to know enough to get off the ground and get away but being more knowledgeable and effective at the ground game will help me to get my ass off the ground instead of being held down and my head kicked in!)

But how can I make my practice work for me? how can I develop a skills set that I can translate to rolling. What are my goals?

Based on my thoughts about last nights session I think the follow is going to be my best way forward in relation to developing this area of my game:

1) to be able to move my own body without instant cramp (warm up drills, solo movement drills, and fanning around the body and position flow drills)

2) know some submissions that are drilled well enough that I know how to apply them effectively without conscious effort - this means with a solid grip, exactly where limbs need to be placed, leverage points etc (drill, drill and drill again individual submissions (arm barss and chokes from various positions... over and over and over again) - I need much, much more repetition on this

3) positions rolling with a focus on noticing where a submission can be found (this may need explicit commentary by an observer first so that frames of reference are developed?)

All I know is I have a long way to go in this aspect of my game and I'm ok with that,(just frustrated at my own expectations of what I should and should not be able to do!)

Now will someone please just give me a sticka nd a few 12 count flow variations... makes so much more sense! lol

9/4/19: jab catch drills, pad work and syllabus work

After an amazing seminar with guru Terry Barnet, back to the real work, embedding skills and making them work.

Jab catch Drill:

jab, Catch the jab and return a jab, catch the jab and return a jab

Distance is key, driving forward so that you have a bent arm on the jab (so you have more drive and power), moving/snapping back when you catch, and then driving forward and again on the final jab. circling after the final jab

2 variations on this.

1) Off final jab - simultaneous slide step with rear foot hidden by jab and then lead teep.
2) Off final jab - drive jab in to occupy high line then teep with rear foot.

Important. The jab hides the kick so put it in to distract partner

Pad rounds:

round 1:
1) catch jab and defend lead teep with rear elbow and follow with hook cross lead round kick.
2) catch jab defend rear teep with lead elbow and follow with cross hook rear round

round 2:
1) scoop lead teep with lead hand on outside line, then push away and follow with rear round, hook cross lead round
2) Scoop rear teep with rear hand on outside line, push away and follow with lead round kick, cross hook rear round.

round 3:
90 secons thai rear round kicks, 1, 2, 3, 2 ,1 continue
90 secons thai lead round kicks, 1, 2, 3, 2 ,1 continue


Syllabus:

Clinch flow: swimming 50/50 into double arm clinch.

Working light and exploring some counters to the clinch and also looking at "throws". Massive thanks to Darren on this and a bit of a light bulb moment - couldn't think of any throws and then ended up with dozens that "just happened" when essentially all I did was apply takedowns that I have drilled from strikes and applied them to the clinch. Just looking at similar reference points for them to "just happen". Again this was not pressure testing this was exploring, playing and finding and was good fun!!!!!

Alo look and snake and vine disarms from double stick 5 count sambrada guntins and a look at variations on 8 count stick disarm flow.

2/4/19: Applying round kick defences and sllabus work

Round kick defences from syllabus

1) Crush
2) Cut kick
3) Shuffle step into ABC
4) Stop hit:  Punch/cross
5) Stop hit:  kick (stamp on standing leg with rear leg)

Defences applied out of motion to:

Jab rear round kick
Cross rear count kick
lead hook rear round kick
lead round, rear round kick

Not all will work depending on angle of attack, variety of combo's etc... it's messy but helps get you in tune with distance angles and looking for openings to exploit.

Sparring:

Various conditioned rounds working against different partners and abilities.

Always good to have a plan of what to practice depending on who you are training against. By having conditions you are not always using your fave techniques so helping yourself to grow.

jab only
jab vs cross
Body shots only
jab, rear round kick only
round kicks only (low line only)
hands vs legs (any kick any punch)

Syllabus work:

8 count strip flow (change of final strip to vine (stick on hand/thumb!) keeping arm high to strip the stick.

Arm bar flow with head twist variation

Clinch flow and finding 3x "throws" (compliant drill) looking at different clinch, counter clinch and throwing positions

double stick guntin sambrada

any weapon vs any weapon sambrada flow