Tonight's session was about isolating some techniques, drilling the mechanics, working on some defences to these and applying them. Throughout this we were focusing on our stance, guard, not giving a tell before a kick and using the eyes to focus on the whole body not just the legs.
Warm up:
shadow boxing slow smooth with full rotation and body mechanics to warm up
Thai Kicks:
Teep - lead and rear - lift leg (bent) and drive the ball of your foot forward with your hips driving like a spear NOT snapping the kick - coming back to balanced position. (partner used as a target... aiming at stomach and thigh)
Teep defences:
1) elbow brush off - twist body and you use your forearm/elbow to deflect the teep trying to be on the outside of the kick (you need to crunch body not lower arms)
2) Knee crush - lift knee to your centre line and opposite elbow to your knee. As above you want to brush the teep off target. your knee crush will INSIDE their kicking leg
3) Shift off scoop - shift off 45 to the outside line and use your rear hand (depending on the side you shift to) to scoop they foot (catch the ankle) - try to lift the leg to off balance them. Most important part is getting out the way!
Thai round kick - hard ankle, weight on ball of foot, pivot the foot trying to make it face the opposite way, bring leg round with your hip, hit with shin and keep hands up and you kick. Come back to balanced stance
Tip: when "trading grapes" (thai bounce) use that to hid your "step" basically stamp in place instead of stepping forward before your kick. As it looks like you are just carrying on moving on the spot the step is hidden (just a thought)
Round kick defences:
1) crush - leg out 45 left or right leg. lead leg can also cover left or right side
2) evade - move your lead leg back and shift your hips/butt back
3) grab - moving in the direction of the kick grab the leg into the crook of your elbow/armpit, then pass it and reply with a kick.
Kick sparring:
Kick for kick - hands up, eyes on whole body, don't let partner set try to land kicks... do kick for kick and occasionally do defences practiced and counters... if getting too chaotic get back into a rhythm then "spar again".... only allowed to use teep, round kick, jeet tek. 1 min rounds with everyone swapping partners.
Take downs:
Off jab:
1) duck/slip and jab to body, drive forward with shoulder the get round to back of body, hip control, pivot round to their rear arm and dumog drag down. Keep hold of arm standing up, stamp on head and step through (into a lunge position) their arm between you legs their head on your rear calf. pull arm up... walk away with soggy end of snapped arm!
2) Outside parry rear hand, eye strike lead hand, use eye striking hand to lop their jabbing arm and simultaneous cross, figure 4 arm lock into take down. Keep hold of arm, knee on belly and head and lift up on wrist with both hands (wrist lock)
Off Cross:
1) Lead hand scoop into single clinch (drive oin close wrap hand round to ear, your head on their head and control free arm with your rear hand), twsit their head and drive with your head to take down. Knee on belly and hit then escape!
2) lead hand scoop, cross, same arm elbow, pivot of to side locking arm in crook of your arm and controlling their neck. soccer kick to head, twsit their head under (where you are) and hold onto arm. stp over and stamp on head, knee, knee, step over again (their arm between your leg their hand resting on hip, twist to lock arm.
(sorry about descriptions again not easy to describe)
To further develop this you could to some "controlled" sparring one person feeding jabs and crosses and other person trying to apply a take down.
Friday, 11 May 2018
Wednesday, 9 May 2018
8/5/18: Playing with concepts long and short range, hook defences and stick and dagger flows.
Tonight's session was all about long and short range. It is often easy to get caught in no mans land, which happens to be right on the maximum leverage point of a punch or kick. We worked on defences with the focus of either making sure you were at long range (OUT OUT) or short range (ALL IN). In this way working at dictating where you were taking the fight to and making sure you were away form their power or inside the power where the impact will be significantly less. Of course combining this with good mechanics and movement so you are not standing on the X (right in front of them)
Warm up:
Shadow boxing, smooth mechanics and full body motion.
Hook defences:
All off a jab cross hook feed:
1) Catch jab, parry cross, wing block/Thai block Hook (default if you forget everything)
2) catch jab, parry cross, shoulder/bicep stop the hooking arm (full extension of arm (stiff arm) free hand covering face, step off line away form hook (to keep AWAY) follow up with ABC
3) Catch, parry, Bob and weave (include a step off line so you are outside the hook. the step off as you bob and weave will either put you AWAY from them (outside line away form direction of their weapons) or will have you ending really close to them (ALL IN) - your shoulder on them. you can follow with ABC depending on range you are. but make sure you move as you bob and weave or you will end up popping up in front of them and getting hit!
4) catch, parry, CRASH (rear hand elbow driving forward towards their face, lead hand covering their rear hand/shoulder) it is important to go ALL IN.. drive straight at them, crash into them the high elbow and covering lead hand will give you protection as you crash in so even if you went early or they threw a different combo you would still have some cover as you close the range.
We drill each individually then mixed them up into any order
We then added one extra technique off the jab so the defender could then choose when they wanted to go. and added this to the mix
1) Off jab, outside parry with rear hand simultaneous step of fwd 45 (to change leads), lead hand eye swipe motion but reach round to back of head/neck for an outside clinch. follow up with knee to ribs with rear leg
Pad drills: CIRCLE OF DEATH
4 stations 1 min per station, don't stop high work rate pad holder coaching partner is needed:
1) Cross hook (holding pads L shape so long cross and having to rock back for a short tight hook)
2) Jab cross hook
3) Jab, body hook head hook
4) jab cross, (slip a cross/step off right), cross
Stick and Knife:
Broken up into sections to develop the flow. 2 slight variations:
1) A1, A2, step off 45, stab with knife, hit stick (stick follows round under knife hand), stab with knife (stepping fwd with rear leg as you do) your knife should be pointe at partners head and their forearm against t yours. - then stab low and back up high - from here one partner twists hand and stretched to cut face, slide knife back along their knife holding hand and using a pinch grip lock wrist step off line and extend their arm towards you. Strip knife using back of your stick holding hand/but of your stick. AS partner tries to hit you with stick use your stick to punch through (cabiata) and hit their head, then stand your stick down to belly, wrap your knife hand round their stick and then strip (hard to describe but everyone did it really well)
2) as above and then AS partner tries to hit you with stick use your stick to punch through (cabiata) and hit their head, then use bot h hands to drive stick down on their shoulder, then with both hands punch it at their neck, reach round the back of their head with knife hand and grab other end of stick (your arm behind their head, stick in front of their neck. Hold their stick arm and stretch out into a choke
again this flow works on ideas of crashing in or extending and being off line.
Lower grades worked on A1 and 2 being at long range and hitting hand or Crashing through using the punching through / Cabiata motion so that they have a choice of how to defend and avoiding as much as possible being at the maximum velocity part of the stick!
As always thoughts and comments welcome
Warm up:
Shadow boxing, smooth mechanics and full body motion.
Hook defences:
All off a jab cross hook feed:
1) Catch jab, parry cross, wing block/Thai block Hook (default if you forget everything)
2) catch jab, parry cross, shoulder/bicep stop the hooking arm (full extension of arm (stiff arm) free hand covering face, step off line away form hook (to keep AWAY) follow up with ABC
3) Catch, parry, Bob and weave (include a step off line so you are outside the hook. the step off as you bob and weave will either put you AWAY from them (outside line away form direction of their weapons) or will have you ending really close to them (ALL IN) - your shoulder on them. you can follow with ABC depending on range you are. but make sure you move as you bob and weave or you will end up popping up in front of them and getting hit!
4) catch, parry, CRASH (rear hand elbow driving forward towards their face, lead hand covering their rear hand/shoulder) it is important to go ALL IN.. drive straight at them, crash into them the high elbow and covering lead hand will give you protection as you crash in so even if you went early or they threw a different combo you would still have some cover as you close the range.
We drill each individually then mixed them up into any order
We then added one extra technique off the jab so the defender could then choose when they wanted to go. and added this to the mix
1) Off jab, outside parry with rear hand simultaneous step of fwd 45 (to change leads), lead hand eye swipe motion but reach round to back of head/neck for an outside clinch. follow up with knee to ribs with rear leg
Pad drills: CIRCLE OF DEATH
4 stations 1 min per station, don't stop high work rate pad holder coaching partner is needed:
1) Cross hook (holding pads L shape so long cross and having to rock back for a short tight hook)
2) Jab cross hook
3) Jab, body hook head hook
4) jab cross, (slip a cross/step off right), cross
Stick and Knife:
Broken up into sections to develop the flow. 2 slight variations:
1) A1, A2, step off 45, stab with knife, hit stick (stick follows round under knife hand), stab with knife (stepping fwd with rear leg as you do) your knife should be pointe at partners head and their forearm against t yours. - then stab low and back up high - from here one partner twists hand and stretched to cut face, slide knife back along their knife holding hand and using a pinch grip lock wrist step off line and extend their arm towards you. Strip knife using back of your stick holding hand/but of your stick. AS partner tries to hit you with stick use your stick to punch through (cabiata) and hit their head, then stand your stick down to belly, wrap your knife hand round their stick and then strip (hard to describe but everyone did it really well)
2) as above and then AS partner tries to hit you with stick use your stick to punch through (cabiata) and hit their head, then use bot h hands to drive stick down on their shoulder, then with both hands punch it at their neck, reach round the back of their head with knife hand and grab other end of stick (your arm behind their head, stick in front of their neck. Hold their stick arm and stretch out into a choke
again this flow works on ideas of crashing in or extending and being off line.
Lower grades worked on A1 and 2 being at long range and hitting hand or Crashing through using the punching through / Cabiata motion so that they have a choice of how to defend and avoiding as much as possible being at the maximum velocity part of the stick!
As always thoughts and comments welcome
Wednesday, 18 April 2018
17/4/18: Sparring, footwork and double stick fun
Todays session was about applying specific technique and challenging each other. It was very interesting to "observe" different people' styles as you sparred. I noticed a lot of people trying to apply foot work patterns evasions, and counters that we have been drilling in class (including moving of line 45, outside and inside parries, switching leads, fakes, high and low line attacks etc). Everyone was working hard on keeping hands up and chins down, rear heel off the floor, movement in and out. I also noted LOTS of application from various seminar's that we have held and club members have attended (Bob Breen lean, some Daniel Lonero and Terry Barnet combo's and a variety of shields and guards for closing range). A really exciting session and everyone was buzzing by the end of it (if a tad shattered!)
Footwork:
All foot work done with a partner mirroring/following you (they face you and try to stay in range... stretch out lead arm to touch chest) if you move fwd they move back, you move left they move right etc)
Step and slide - fwd x 2 back x2, left x 2 right x2 (any order once you have got the rhythm)
Slide and step fwd (rear foot all the way forward so now in right lead byt with left shoulder forward - the step again with other foot back into left lead) - mask the slide with a jab - Slide and step back (lead foot all the way back so now in right lead with left shoulder forward then step again with other foot back into left lead) - again mask with a jab.
Pivot left - step off 45 as you do throw a hook and pivot on lead leg 90 degrees. end in a balanced position that you can cross from
Step off/pivot right - step of 45 right as you do throw a wide right/right cross. as you are hitting pivot on your right leg but STAY IN LEFT LEAD then follow up with ABC
Combine all footwork with partner mirroring you:
fwd x2, back x2, left x2, right x2, slide and step fwd x2, slide and step back x2, pivot left x 2, pivot right x2
Sparring:
various rounds with a variety of conditions:
Jab only (orthodox stance)
Jab only (south paw)
Jab only (orthodox vs south)
Jab vs cross
Lead leg tied to partners and close range hitting ( I noticed this also inc some cheeky bump offs, the odd tap with elbow, training arms and even some low line leg off balancing!)
All punches allowed round
Tips: general things I noticed - my chin is up a lot of the time despite my best efforts to keep it tucked. Charlie gave me a great tip and looking down my punches using my knuckles as a sight... gonna try this one and see how it goes... I think you can also train with a tennis ball under your chin as well? worth a try!. I also found that I could increase the volume of my punches and slightly confuse my partner by punching their hands (Lightly)... which kind of stops whatever they were going t throw... while I look for a different opening I can use
Pad round:
Without moving - Jab, Cross rear round kick.
Taking one step fwd - Jab cross rear round kick
Move away so you need to slide and step into range then - jab cross rear round kick
Double stick:
Again mirroring and maintaining range
both partner steping fwd
step right 45 A1 and 2
step left 45 A1 and 2
step right 45 fwd A1 and A2 (as you do this partner step back left 45 a1 and 2)
step left fwd A1 and A2 (partner steps back right 45 A1 and A2)
Step left back 45 A1 A2 (partner step right fwd A1 and A2)
step back right 45 A1 and A2 (partner step left fwd 45 A 1 and A2)
Stepping fwd 45 right then left - HH, LL, HL, LH
stepping wd 45 right then left - HH, LL, HLH, LHL
The and a laternal step left and right knee to the floor (like a lunge) HLH, Then lateral stp right and left knee to floor, HLH
After each combo (eg HH) on both left nd right side we then added heaven 6 before doing next set
Footwork:
All foot work done with a partner mirroring/following you (they face you and try to stay in range... stretch out lead arm to touch chest) if you move fwd they move back, you move left they move right etc)
Step and slide - fwd x 2 back x2, left x 2 right x2 (any order once you have got the rhythm)
Slide and step fwd (rear foot all the way forward so now in right lead byt with left shoulder forward - the step again with other foot back into left lead) - mask the slide with a jab - Slide and step back (lead foot all the way back so now in right lead with left shoulder forward then step again with other foot back into left lead) - again mask with a jab.
Pivot left - step off 45 as you do throw a hook and pivot on lead leg 90 degrees. end in a balanced position that you can cross from
Step off/pivot right - step of 45 right as you do throw a wide right/right cross. as you are hitting pivot on your right leg but STAY IN LEFT LEAD then follow up with ABC
Combine all footwork with partner mirroring you:
fwd x2, back x2, left x2, right x2, slide and step fwd x2, slide and step back x2, pivot left x 2, pivot right x2
Sparring:
various rounds with a variety of conditions:
Jab only (orthodox stance)
Jab only (south paw)
Jab only (orthodox vs south)
Jab vs cross
Lead leg tied to partners and close range hitting ( I noticed this also inc some cheeky bump offs, the odd tap with elbow, training arms and even some low line leg off balancing!)
All punches allowed round
Tips: general things I noticed - my chin is up a lot of the time despite my best efforts to keep it tucked. Charlie gave me a great tip and looking down my punches using my knuckles as a sight... gonna try this one and see how it goes... I think you can also train with a tennis ball under your chin as well? worth a try!. I also found that I could increase the volume of my punches and slightly confuse my partner by punching their hands (Lightly)... which kind of stops whatever they were going t throw... while I look for a different opening I can use
Pad round:
Without moving - Jab, Cross rear round kick.
Taking one step fwd - Jab cross rear round kick
Move away so you need to slide and step into range then - jab cross rear round kick
Double stick:
Again mirroring and maintaining range
both partner steping fwd
step right 45 A1 and 2
step left 45 A1 and 2
step right 45 fwd A1 and A2 (as you do this partner step back left 45 a1 and 2)
step left fwd A1 and A2 (partner steps back right 45 A1 and A2)
Step left back 45 A1 A2 (partner step right fwd A1 and A2)
step back right 45 A1 and A2 (partner step left fwd 45 A 1 and A2)
Stepping fwd 45 right then left - HH, LL, HL, LH
stepping wd 45 right then left - HH, LL, HLH, LHL
The and a laternal step left and right knee to the floor (like a lunge) HLH, Then lateral stp right and left knee to floor, HLH
After each combo (eg HH) on both left nd right side we then added heaven 6 before doing next set
Wednesday, 11 April 2018
10/4/18: Boxing and Thai flows and Wrestling/standing gappling basics
Todays session was interesting for a number of reasons:
1) Mixing skills and drills ( and pulling in a lot of knowledge from previous sessions which made the warm up rounds really fun and challenging)
2) Watching how Steve adapts to the class and abilities of students in the room.. to use teaching terminology he had to differentiate the lesson 3 ways and adapt to each pupils strengths and weaknesses.. and he made it look effortless.
Warm up:
Out of range sparring.. acting as if you were sparring but no touching, still trying to defend evade and attack properly with good mechanics.
Boxing only long range (jab cross)
Long range into close range (standing against each other using hooks uppercuts bumping off etc.
Long range Thai boxing (kicking and punching attack and defend)
Long range into close range (moving into knee and elbow range and a little clinch)
We did a few rounds of these again mostly out of range until the last round of two where we did VERY light touching sparring. this round was particularly fun as many of us utilised combos faints and defences drilled in previous sessions (please see previous blogs for more details)
Drills:
The class was split into 3
Beginners did jab and cross defences (split entry, outside parry and another one I can't remember)
Intermediates did hook defences (bicep stop, cover driving elbow in and bob and weave)
More experience worked on some Thai drills ( Crush lead kick and respond with Thai 4 count, crush rear round kick and reply with 4 count, and defend the lead and rear teep by scoop/passing? the kick and follow with a switch kick 3 punches and switch kick again)
TIPS: on lead low line round kick, which normally targets opponents inside led leg, you're not just looking to hit it you are looking to off set them making them loose their balance, which in turn makes further defences more difficult for them)
Pad drills:
again split 3 ways
Beginners use single double jab and jab cross combo on focus mitts
Intermediate used thai pads but not sure what drill.
More experienced worked on Thai pads with a jab, cross, hook (stepping off line) and double rear round kick.
Wrestling:
This section of the session was great fun... light and skill focused at first in order to see patterns (and something a few of us have done ages ago so was too go "remember" and build on these skills). We started with the building blocks of wrestling.. some basic wrist control and defending wrist control, building up to elbow control into attempted clinches and bicep control and then adding hubud to the mix, clinch flows and escapes and locks/armbars etc
1) wrist control (same side grip) e.g. partner grabs your right wrist with their left hand. you use your free hand (your left) pass over the top of his hand and chop/swipe down and away then grabbing their hand with the hand you just freed where they then do the same. Important to note this is a slow build to sensitivity as you swipe away before they have a full grip (also move to zero pressure)
2) Wrist control - if they grab you hand and you can't swipe away slap the inside of their forearm (twist your body for extra oomph) and simultaneous pull your arm away, then grab they wrist with your freed hand, again moving to zero pressure
3) elbow control - they have grabbed and push your elbow (underhand grip) reach under your arm (like a lop) to brush their arm off then use your freed hand to control their elbow
4) as above but they put a lot of pressure on your elbow.... move back slightly and twist your arm further away to create space then roll you arm (leading with elbow) over their hand and grab their elbow.
5) clinch - from either elbow control escape use your free than to get a single arm clinch.
6) clinch defence - as they go to clinch put your free arm inside their reaching arm to block it.. from here you can either use the blocking arm to lift their grabbing arm and go into hubud, duck under the reaching arm and go into hubud, or if they are to strong use a clinch escape such as a shoulder shrug.
7) bicep control - from any escape, clinch, hubud etc you and go into bicep control - slide your hand inside the arms until you are pushing against partner biceps. as you push one bicep/arm back they will push your other arm back. Keep rolling your hands inside the arms so you will get into a rythmn of left right left right arms being pushed back. the goal is to try and get both arms inside so you and get a double arm clinch. you and break this flow by doing a dumog drag and arn time (shooting one of your arms under one of your partners outstretched/pushing arms then dragging then around you!
We played and mixed all these things to get a feel for it. this requires a LOT of work and sensitivity and like everything you must go SLOW to start so you can get a feel for the motions, inditifiy patterns and shapes and make sure each independent section is effective. once you have done this for a while you will start to do this stuff without thought... but again only if you go slow. if you ruch this to ealy you will get stiff movements and then you will be locked, choked, thrown and generally beaten up pretty quick
1) Mixing skills and drills ( and pulling in a lot of knowledge from previous sessions which made the warm up rounds really fun and challenging)
2) Watching how Steve adapts to the class and abilities of students in the room.. to use teaching terminology he had to differentiate the lesson 3 ways and adapt to each pupils strengths and weaknesses.. and he made it look effortless.
Warm up:
Out of range sparring.. acting as if you were sparring but no touching, still trying to defend evade and attack properly with good mechanics.
Boxing only long range (jab cross)
Long range into close range (standing against each other using hooks uppercuts bumping off etc.
Long range Thai boxing (kicking and punching attack and defend)
Long range into close range (moving into knee and elbow range and a little clinch)
We did a few rounds of these again mostly out of range until the last round of two where we did VERY light touching sparring. this round was particularly fun as many of us utilised combos faints and defences drilled in previous sessions (please see previous blogs for more details)
Drills:
The class was split into 3
Beginners did jab and cross defences (split entry, outside parry and another one I can't remember)
Intermediates did hook defences (bicep stop, cover driving elbow in and bob and weave)
More experience worked on some Thai drills ( Crush lead kick and respond with Thai 4 count, crush rear round kick and reply with 4 count, and defend the lead and rear teep by scoop/passing? the kick and follow with a switch kick 3 punches and switch kick again)
TIPS: on lead low line round kick, which normally targets opponents inside led leg, you're not just looking to hit it you are looking to off set them making them loose their balance, which in turn makes further defences more difficult for them)
Pad drills:
again split 3 ways
Beginners use single double jab and jab cross combo on focus mitts
Intermediate used thai pads but not sure what drill.
More experienced worked on Thai pads with a jab, cross, hook (stepping off line) and double rear round kick.
Wrestling:
This section of the session was great fun... light and skill focused at first in order to see patterns (and something a few of us have done ages ago so was too go "remember" and build on these skills). We started with the building blocks of wrestling.. some basic wrist control and defending wrist control, building up to elbow control into attempted clinches and bicep control and then adding hubud to the mix, clinch flows and escapes and locks/armbars etc
1) wrist control (same side grip) e.g. partner grabs your right wrist with their left hand. you use your free hand (your left) pass over the top of his hand and chop/swipe down and away then grabbing their hand with the hand you just freed where they then do the same. Important to note this is a slow build to sensitivity as you swipe away before they have a full grip (also move to zero pressure)
2) Wrist control - if they grab you hand and you can't swipe away slap the inside of their forearm (twist your body for extra oomph) and simultaneous pull your arm away, then grab they wrist with your freed hand, again moving to zero pressure
3) elbow control - they have grabbed and push your elbow (underhand grip) reach under your arm (like a lop) to brush their arm off then use your freed hand to control their elbow
4) as above but they put a lot of pressure on your elbow.... move back slightly and twist your arm further away to create space then roll you arm (leading with elbow) over their hand and grab their elbow.
5) clinch - from either elbow control escape use your free than to get a single arm clinch.
6) clinch defence - as they go to clinch put your free arm inside their reaching arm to block it.. from here you can either use the blocking arm to lift their grabbing arm and go into hubud, duck under the reaching arm and go into hubud, or if they are to strong use a clinch escape such as a shoulder shrug.
7) bicep control - from any escape, clinch, hubud etc you and go into bicep control - slide your hand inside the arms until you are pushing against partner biceps. as you push one bicep/arm back they will push your other arm back. Keep rolling your hands inside the arms so you will get into a rythmn of left right left right arms being pushed back. the goal is to try and get both arms inside so you and get a double arm clinch. you and break this flow by doing a dumog drag and arn time (shooting one of your arms under one of your partners outstretched/pushing arms then dragging then around you!
We played and mixed all these things to get a feel for it. this requires a LOT of work and sensitivity and like everything you must go SLOW to start so you can get a feel for the motions, inditifiy patterns and shapes and make sure each independent section is effective. once you have done this for a while you will start to do this stuff without thought... but again only if you go slow. if you ruch this to ealy you will get stiff movements and then you will be locked, choked, thrown and generally beaten up pretty quick
Friday, 6 April 2018
5/4/18: R.A.T - Rapid Assault Tacics - Self preservation
Tonight session was based around the RAT system which I understand was developed by Paul Vunak.
The RAT system is pure self defence. More than that it is simply about Self preservation with the aim of taking the thinking out of what you are doing in order to eliminate as much as possible the effects of adrenaline dumps, the need for complex techniques and fine motor skills in high stress situations.
Please note much of what I am writing about is from my own learning and limited experience - there are other experts in this field but this is my understanding.
There tends to be two aspects of martial arts - Self Perfection (skills, techniques, drills, sparring) and Self preservation (it's all kicked off and you have to do what you need to do in order to walk home or you'll end up in a hospital).
Undoubtedly, if trained well, the self perfection aspect of the arts, namely the attributes, will enhance your ability at Self Preservation. However, the one aspect of Self Preservation that will get you through a potentially life threatening situation (and lets face it if someone is threatening you they are not concerned about your wellbeing in the slightest) is your mental attitude and ability to switch on aggression.
It is this aggression and forward pressure that the RAT system is based on and is one of those difficult things to train. In a club you want to challenge each other but also take care of each other. Practicing the RAT requires you to basically steam roller your partner, which can be quite conflicting.
Personally I find this difficult in general and as such have spent a lot of time looking into "aggression" and how to develop the "on/off switch".. and I'm still working on it.
However, I do feel that you need to experience the aggression side of things so that you have a frame of reference so that you "know" what to expect (obviously ever situation is different) as without some feel for it you will not know how you are going to react in the actual situation.
This can be practiced in a few ways: (disclaimer - some of these are not pleasant and not healthy to do all the time!)
1 min of army milling (big gloves, gum shields NO DEFENDING just hitting each other)
Visualisation (WARNING this is not pleasant - you mentally get yourself into an aggressive state by visualising in as much detail as possible attacking someone - a pre-emptive attack, all out violence but one way only... just you attacking them - this also requires you to dehumanise your target... to literally see them as a selection of things to hit.. as I said not pleasant but I am just talking about theory here)
lots of sparring rounds at various intensities (possibly pad rounds too with an aggressive pad holder) - to get used to people trying to hit you regularly.
Shout scream swear - verbalisation can also help you get into a more aggressive state - I believe Steve Morris speaks about the importance of this and essentially raising yourself to a level of violent aggression that is greater than your attacker - you are intending to smash or break everything you touch.
So what is the RAT?
Essentially it's - cover, straight blast while running through the attacker (then depending on numbers of assailants or severity of their intended assault) - head but, knee, elbows
Break down of technique:
1) Fence (slightly square stance hands extended in front of you to give you space) at this point make a lot of noise about no wanting trouble to de escalate the situation.
2) Cover - they have decided to attack - bring an elbow in front of your face (it doesn't matter which one) basically kiss your bicep, tuck chin into shoulder, hand on the top of your head. point of elbow should be in front of your face so that is what they hit
If the do a wide hook/haymaker you can block with blade of arm and simultaneously hit (with a LOT of forward pressure)
3) straight blast - AGRESSIVLY chain hit (like wing chun) but run at them as you do this 5 or 6 hits on the head should see them being forced backwards (you are wanting to create space to escape - taking them out is a bonus) get your shoulders into it as well.. again it's not a classic wing chun hit more like a Rottweiler driving a steam roller
Then depending on the situation you can either run and escape, manipulate the person to be a shield f there are more than one of them of if they were intent on causing serious harm carry on with...
4) Head Butt - during straight blast, grab their head (racking eyes as you do it) pull their head DOWN onto the top of your head (you need to crouch a bit to get under them)
5) Knee - drive your knee like a spear through them
6) Follow up with elbows (e.g knee with right leg you follow with left hook elbow and right downward elbow... opposite if you knee with left leg)
Drill it: (partner pad holding)
We broke this doen into sections:
1) Cover a hit (partner wearing big glove) then straight blast a Thai pad forcing them back
2) straight blast a focus mitt then clinch and bring pad down onto your head for head-butt
3) Knee a Thai pad and follow up with 2 elbows on the pads
Again I must stress this is the OH SHIT series of drills - pure self defence and intended to focus on aggression and forward pressure - there is MUCH MORE to martial arts than this but this does need to be drilled and worked so that you can develop that On/Off switch - basically be the nice guy that turn into the Hulk on command if needed.... not an asshole all the time!
The RAT system is pure self defence. More than that it is simply about Self preservation with the aim of taking the thinking out of what you are doing in order to eliminate as much as possible the effects of adrenaline dumps, the need for complex techniques and fine motor skills in high stress situations.
Please note much of what I am writing about is from my own learning and limited experience - there are other experts in this field but this is my understanding.
There tends to be two aspects of martial arts - Self Perfection (skills, techniques, drills, sparring) and Self preservation (it's all kicked off and you have to do what you need to do in order to walk home or you'll end up in a hospital).
Undoubtedly, if trained well, the self perfection aspect of the arts, namely the attributes, will enhance your ability at Self Preservation. However, the one aspect of Self Preservation that will get you through a potentially life threatening situation (and lets face it if someone is threatening you they are not concerned about your wellbeing in the slightest) is your mental attitude and ability to switch on aggression.
It is this aggression and forward pressure that the RAT system is based on and is one of those difficult things to train. In a club you want to challenge each other but also take care of each other. Practicing the RAT requires you to basically steam roller your partner, which can be quite conflicting.
Personally I find this difficult in general and as such have spent a lot of time looking into "aggression" and how to develop the "on/off switch".. and I'm still working on it.
However, I do feel that you need to experience the aggression side of things so that you have a frame of reference so that you "know" what to expect (obviously ever situation is different) as without some feel for it you will not know how you are going to react in the actual situation.
This can be practiced in a few ways: (disclaimer - some of these are not pleasant and not healthy to do all the time!)
1 min of army milling (big gloves, gum shields NO DEFENDING just hitting each other)
Visualisation (WARNING this is not pleasant - you mentally get yourself into an aggressive state by visualising in as much detail as possible attacking someone - a pre-emptive attack, all out violence but one way only... just you attacking them - this also requires you to dehumanise your target... to literally see them as a selection of things to hit.. as I said not pleasant but I am just talking about theory here)
lots of sparring rounds at various intensities (possibly pad rounds too with an aggressive pad holder) - to get used to people trying to hit you regularly.
Shout scream swear - verbalisation can also help you get into a more aggressive state - I believe Steve Morris speaks about the importance of this and essentially raising yourself to a level of violent aggression that is greater than your attacker - you are intending to smash or break everything you touch.
So what is the RAT?
Essentially it's - cover, straight blast while running through the attacker (then depending on numbers of assailants or severity of their intended assault) - head but, knee, elbows
Break down of technique:
1) Fence (slightly square stance hands extended in front of you to give you space) at this point make a lot of noise about no wanting trouble to de escalate the situation.
2) Cover - they have decided to attack - bring an elbow in front of your face (it doesn't matter which one) basically kiss your bicep, tuck chin into shoulder, hand on the top of your head. point of elbow should be in front of your face so that is what they hit
If the do a wide hook/haymaker you can block with blade of arm and simultaneously hit (with a LOT of forward pressure)
3) straight blast - AGRESSIVLY chain hit (like wing chun) but run at them as you do this 5 or 6 hits on the head should see them being forced backwards (you are wanting to create space to escape - taking them out is a bonus) get your shoulders into it as well.. again it's not a classic wing chun hit more like a Rottweiler driving a steam roller
Then depending on the situation you can either run and escape, manipulate the person to be a shield f there are more than one of them of if they were intent on causing serious harm carry on with...
4) Head Butt - during straight blast, grab their head (racking eyes as you do it) pull their head DOWN onto the top of your head (you need to crouch a bit to get under them)
5) Knee - drive your knee like a spear through them
6) Follow up with elbows (e.g knee with right leg you follow with left hook elbow and right downward elbow... opposite if you knee with left leg)
Drill it: (partner pad holding)
We broke this doen into sections:
1) Cover a hit (partner wearing big glove) then straight blast a Thai pad forcing them back
2) straight blast a focus mitt then clinch and bring pad down onto your head for head-butt
3) Knee a Thai pad and follow up with 2 elbows on the pads
Again I must stress this is the OH SHIT series of drills - pure self defence and intended to focus on aggression and forward pressure - there is MUCH MORE to martial arts than this but this does need to be drilled and worked so that you can develop that On/Off switch - basically be the nice guy that turn into the Hulk on command if needed.... not an asshole all the time!
Wednesday, 21 March 2018
20/3/18: Putting the flight time in: Boxing angles, pad drills and Double stick
Tonight's session was about using some boxing fundamentals to help create angles. The session was based off a "simple" catch, jab reply. The mentality of this approach is no matter what is thrown you will catch and return with a jab and the various applications can be applied to the catch off the jab. We mixed up the variations so that the partner/opponent does not know what I going to happen next... apart from getting Jabbed in the face!
Warm up:
Jab catch drill - focus on distance, keeping hand in front of your face, elbow in, trying not to reach out to catch the jab, use your rear foot to "bounce"
Drills: (swapping partners throughout session lots of flight time)
1) Catch Jab response (as above)
2) Catch Jab x2, on the 3rd rep hard parry with rear hand to offset and simultaneously step fwd off line 45 (you will now be attacking at an angel and they will be slightly twisted of their centre line from your parry). then throw a jab cross combo (we then added a jab, cross lead round kick). It is important to try and parry up the forearm towards the elbow if possible as they could roll over your arm if you parry the hand/wrist. This is an outside line attack.
3) catch jab x 2, on 3rd rep use lead hand to parry inside their jab and simultaneously step off with your lead leg 45 so you are now on the inside line (be weary of the cross follow up).. As you step 45 throw a cross, jab combo (we then added a cross jab rear round kick combo).
Note: these drills can be used off jab and cross, the outside parry of the jab is and inside parry on cross and the inside parry on the jab is an outside parry on the cross
Pad drills: 3 minute rounds (or whenever Steve decided to come back form making the tea!... it felt much longer)
1) as above: Catch Jab x2, on the 3rd rep hard parry with rear hand to offset and simultaneously step fwd off line 45 and jab cross (hole pad ad angle)
2) as above slight variation: catch jab x 2, on 3rd rep feeder throws a cross NOT a jab (better for pad holding) use lead hand to parry the cross (same motion as the inside parry) and simultaneously step off with your lead leg 45 follow up with cross jab.
Double stick: (various groups working different variations)
We worked the following:
Sinwali (weaving motion)
Heaven 6 and high line odd series with roof block
Standard 6 (H.L.H) and standard odd series with roof block
Earth 6 (low line) with low line odd series and roof block
Earth 6 with low line odd series and umbrella
we also discussed how you can vary the sinwali and odd series by mixing up the high and low lines within the flow (good for co-ordination and mixing up lines of attack)
examples you could try include:
HHH
LLL
HLH
LHL
HLL
LLH
some of these are quite tricky but really fun to try.
as always comments and questions welcome
Warm up:
Jab catch drill - focus on distance, keeping hand in front of your face, elbow in, trying not to reach out to catch the jab, use your rear foot to "bounce"
Drills: (swapping partners throughout session lots of flight time)
1) Catch Jab response (as above)
2) Catch Jab x2, on the 3rd rep hard parry with rear hand to offset and simultaneously step fwd off line 45 (you will now be attacking at an angel and they will be slightly twisted of their centre line from your parry). then throw a jab cross combo (we then added a jab, cross lead round kick). It is important to try and parry up the forearm towards the elbow if possible as they could roll over your arm if you parry the hand/wrist. This is an outside line attack.
3) catch jab x 2, on 3rd rep use lead hand to parry inside their jab and simultaneously step off with your lead leg 45 so you are now on the inside line (be weary of the cross follow up).. As you step 45 throw a cross, jab combo (we then added a cross jab rear round kick combo).
Note: these drills can be used off jab and cross, the outside parry of the jab is and inside parry on cross and the inside parry on the jab is an outside parry on the cross
Pad drills: 3 minute rounds (or whenever Steve decided to come back form making the tea!... it felt much longer)
1) as above: Catch Jab x2, on the 3rd rep hard parry with rear hand to offset and simultaneously step fwd off line 45 and jab cross (hole pad ad angle)
2) as above slight variation: catch jab x 2, on 3rd rep feeder throws a cross NOT a jab (better for pad holding) use lead hand to parry the cross (same motion as the inside parry) and simultaneously step off with your lead leg 45 follow up with cross jab.
Double stick: (various groups working different variations)
We worked the following:
Sinwali (weaving motion)
Heaven 6 and high line odd series with roof block
Standard 6 (H.L.H) and standard odd series with roof block
Earth 6 (low line) with low line odd series and roof block
Earth 6 with low line odd series and umbrella
we also discussed how you can vary the sinwali and odd series by mixing up the high and low lines within the flow (good for co-ordination and mixing up lines of attack)
examples you could try include:
HHH
LLL
HLH
LHL
HLL
LLH
some of these are quite tricky but really fun to try.
as always comments and questions welcome
Friday, 16 March 2018
15/3/18: Thoughts on teaching
On occasion I have covered teaching the class at Steve Martin's Fighting Arts Academy. I am not a "black belt", and although I have been doing martial arts for many years now I still consider myself a beginner. I train with people who have as much if not more experience as me, yet as I am arguably the longest serving member at the club if the boss is unable to make it, I help as best I can. ( and I must admit I do enjoy it very much).
Whenever I do this though I always question myself in terms of my credibility. I have not "fought" competitively, I've never worked the door and as for getting in fights in the street.. sorry haven't done that either. But I work hard at the club, I work hard at home and I love what I do which for me is enough (besides the boys at the club test me enough on a regular basis).
So when it comes to teaching what do I do?
I have one simple aim. Everyone gets a little bit better even if they only take one thing away. I base my sessions on how Steve teaches (and how others I have been taught by in seminars appear to approach their lessons). I take a theme, I work on a couple of variation of that theme, drill it, apply it in a controlled way, then use it to hit pads. I then do some fine detail work e.g. locks, knife/stick flow to cool down but keep brain active.
I always try and make links to what we are doing to other aspects of the curriculum (e.g. striking to stick work) and I focus mainly on technique, drilling slow with flow before adding speed and power later with pads or conditioned sparring.
That way I can look at what everyone is doing and see if there are any glaring mistakes.
This helps me in 2 ways.
1) Can I do and apply the techniques and what adjustments I need to make to my own learning.
2) it helps me "notice" my partner more and hence in sparring notice what they aren't doing to take advantage of.
As always I have a long road ahead of me but I'll keep walking it, keep learning and growing and as long as everyone gets something out of it I'll keep teaching too... but not too often mind you... got my own stuff to work on! ;0)
Whenever I do this though I always question myself in terms of my credibility. I have not "fought" competitively, I've never worked the door and as for getting in fights in the street.. sorry haven't done that either. But I work hard at the club, I work hard at home and I love what I do which for me is enough (besides the boys at the club test me enough on a regular basis).
So when it comes to teaching what do I do?
I have one simple aim. Everyone gets a little bit better even if they only take one thing away. I base my sessions on how Steve teaches (and how others I have been taught by in seminars appear to approach their lessons). I take a theme, I work on a couple of variation of that theme, drill it, apply it in a controlled way, then use it to hit pads. I then do some fine detail work e.g. locks, knife/stick flow to cool down but keep brain active.
I always try and make links to what we are doing to other aspects of the curriculum (e.g. striking to stick work) and I focus mainly on technique, drilling slow with flow before adding speed and power later with pads or conditioned sparring.
That way I can look at what everyone is doing and see if there are any glaring mistakes.
This helps me in 2 ways.
1) Can I do and apply the techniques and what adjustments I need to make to my own learning.
2) it helps me "notice" my partner more and hence in sparring notice what they aren't doing to take advantage of.
As always I have a long road ahead of me but I'll keep walking it, keep learning and growing and as long as everyone gets something out of it I'll keep teaching too... but not too often mind you... got my own stuff to work on! ;0)
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