Covered some technical groundfighting on saturday's training, which was somewhat different from our usual offerings. Very important to know, regardless, as combat doesn't happen in a vacuum, but as a response to what the other party is trying to do. Things like brazilian jiujitsu are very popular nowadays, and present a very real threat in a street assault, so basic grappling skills are essential, both for their technical benefit as well as psychological - when the mind is free of the fear of close contact, a high tension/compression environment and being on the ground, the body is freer to act.
Note that just the fact of being trained in groundfighting does not under any circumstances oblige one to fight on the ground. Groundfight with a specialist and you will come out holding the short stick. The whole point of groundfighting training as we do it here is to learn to survive long enough to get to your feet if you do get taken down. The attacks taught ('submissions') are to be used purely as ones of opportunity.
Homework
- Conditioning - joint mobility and Tacfit Commando syllabus
- Rolling and falling
Objectives
- Developing fundamental skills for defence and attack during ground grappling
Warmup
- IntuFlow intermediate routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit-to-Grunt
1.) Front Lunge Jump – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Reach – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Screwing Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Pike – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod Twist – 20/10 x 8
Skill Drills
Bottom Drills: Sweeps, Replacing the Guard, Basic Submissions
- Scissors sweep from guard
- Knee-push scissors sweep variant
- Basic mounted sweep
- Mounted return to guard
- Basic armbar from guard
- Basic naked front choke
Top Drills: Taking the Top Positions – Mount, Basic Submissions
- Basic standing guard pass
- Basic armbar from mount
- Basic front naked choke from mount
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
20/11/2010 – Softwork: Fundamentals of Standup Grappling – Clinchwork and Takedowns
Good session, guys, even if the class was a bit small today. At least those who showed up will have a major leg up on the others next time around! For those of you who had questions about takedowns the previous session, hopefully this session will have answered at least the most important ones. It's a large, large body of work, so it's only natural that it will take you a while before you start to 'get' it.
Homework assignment:
1.) Ground engagements - forward/backward rolls, pistol breakfalls; attempt these from standing now that you are more comfortable with them
2.) Conditioning syllabus - joint mobility, callisthenics, plank, slow squat
Objectives
- Developing fundamental motor patterns for clinch fighting and executing takedowns
- Attacking and defending stance integrity, loading structure to disrupt equilibrium, joint hyperfunction (neck, shoulders, hips)
Warmup
- IntuFlow intermediate routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit-to-Grunt
1.) Front Lunge Jump – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Reach – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Screwing Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Pike – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod Twist – 20/10 x 8
Basic Skills for Standup Grappling
- Ground engagement warmup
- Establishing the clinch – neck plumb, bodylock
- Pummelling – neck, body
Biomechanics of Standup Grappling
- Stance integrity – spotting the triangle point
- Grips for takedowns – locking arm, driving arm
- Hyperfunction vs Dysfunction – facilitating natural movement to fool opponent into following along into takedown versus attempting to force takedown via threat of pain and injury
- Neck – S-shaped movement pattern
- Shoulder – sagittal plane circle, oblique transverse shoulder-spinal circle (fulcrum BETWEEN points of contact – usually wrist and neck)
- Hip – figure-8 movement pattern (demonstrate via single-leg, double-leg, trip takedowns)
Sample Techniques
- Renovated large outside reap (O-sotogari)
- Renovated hip toss (harai-goshi/koshi-guruma/o-goshi)
Free Drilling
Tori attempts to take uke down with any technique or variation thereof versus passive resistance, ie. uke attempts to maintain structure and firmness against tori's attempts but does not actively fight off grips or attempt to break engagement.
Homework assignment:
1.) Ground engagements - forward/backward rolls, pistol breakfalls; attempt these from standing now that you are more comfortable with them
2.) Conditioning syllabus - joint mobility, callisthenics, plank, slow squat
Objectives
- Developing fundamental motor patterns for clinch fighting and executing takedowns
- Attacking and defending stance integrity, loading structure to disrupt equilibrium, joint hyperfunction (neck, shoulders, hips)
Warmup
- IntuFlow intermediate routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit-to-Grunt
1.) Front Lunge Jump – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Reach – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Screwing Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Pike – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod Twist – 20/10 x 8
Basic Skills for Standup Grappling
- Ground engagement warmup
- Establishing the clinch – neck plumb, bodylock
- Pummelling – neck, body
Biomechanics of Standup Grappling
- Stance integrity – spotting the triangle point
- Grips for takedowns – locking arm, driving arm
- Hyperfunction vs Dysfunction – facilitating natural movement to fool opponent into following along into takedown versus attempting to force takedown via threat of pain and injury
- Neck – S-shaped movement pattern
- Shoulder – sagittal plane circle, oblique transverse shoulder-spinal circle (fulcrum BETWEEN points of contact – usually wrist and neck)
- Hip – figure-8 movement pattern (demonstrate via single-leg, double-leg, trip takedowns)
Sample Techniques
- Renovated large outside reap (O-sotogari)
- Renovated hip toss (harai-goshi/koshi-guruma/o-goshi)
Free Drilling
Tori attempts to take uke down with any technique or variation thereof versus passive resistance, ie. uke attempts to maintain structure and firmness against tori's attempts but does not actively fight off grips or attempt to break engagement.
Monday, November 15, 2010
12/11/2010 – Softwork: Fundamentals of Movement and Impact, Simple Structural Manipulations
After the meatgrinder of hardwork to put things in perspective, I finally felt ready to move everyone on into softwork today. As I explained in class today, hardwork is testing and toughening, while softwork is learning and economising. Without the perspective built in hardwork to keep one grounded, softwork becomes an exercise in building airborne castles, while hardwork alone falls to the level of fear, conditioning and gross motor responses without the building of new, sophisticated and mindful responses to combative stimuli that happens during softwork.
Homework assignment is as follows:
1.) Conditioning - Mission 1
2.) Basic forward and backward rolls, as well as all the new exercises covered in this session (never mind the sophistications for now, but do them if you are able); be mindful of your breathing and tension states in these exercises - your goal is to achieve the minimum necessary tension to perform each exercise in good form, and the way to do this is by regulating your breath to prevent the global spread of tension. Visualise yourself breathing through each spot of tension to encourage it to release.
Objectives
- Developing fundamental motor patterns for level change, ground engagement and impact delivery/absorption
- Basics of structural manipulation
Warmup
- IntuFlow intermediate routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit-to-Grunt
1.) Front Lunge Jump – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Reach – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Screwing Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Pike – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod Twist – 20/10 x 8
Solo Drills
- Slow pushup on knuckles, 20secs down, 20secs up; sample sophistications to:
§ Screwing pushup
§ Panther walk
§ Centipede hop
§ Spinal wave or spinal roll from Crow
- Slow squat, 20secsdown/up; sample sophistications to:
§ Cossack knee switch
§ Cossack knee switch to shinbox
§ Cossack knee switch-basic descending shin roll
- Pistol breakfall
Partner Drills
- Partner push drill – 360 degrees, upper and lower body, switch tori and uke at each interval
- Partner fist-walking from plank drill
- Partner strike drill – 360 degrees, upper and lower body, switch tori and uke at each interval
- Sweater snag drill – via one-knuckle push, to disruption of equilibrium, reciprocating (mention locking + driving arm, stance integrity, joint COM for takedowns)
- Stop-motion strike drill – strike to takedown in five moves, reciprocating
Slow Sparring – ¼ speed
Uke attacks tori freestyle. Victory objective for tori is takedown to control. Focus on smoothness of transition from one movement to another.
Homework assignment is as follows:
1.) Conditioning - Mission 1
2.) Basic forward and backward rolls, as well as all the new exercises covered in this session (never mind the sophistications for now, but do them if you are able); be mindful of your breathing and tension states in these exercises - your goal is to achieve the minimum necessary tension to perform each exercise in good form, and the way to do this is by regulating your breath to prevent the global spread of tension. Visualise yourself breathing through each spot of tension to encourage it to release.
Objectives
- Developing fundamental motor patterns for level change, ground engagement and impact delivery/absorption
- Basics of structural manipulation
Warmup
- IntuFlow intermediate routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit-to-Grunt
1.) Front Lunge Jump – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Reach – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Screwing Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Pike – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod Twist – 20/10 x 8
Solo Drills
- Slow pushup on knuckles, 20secs down, 20secs up; sample sophistications to:
§ Screwing pushup
§ Panther walk
§ Centipede hop
§ Spinal wave or spinal roll from Crow
- Slow squat, 20secsdown/up; sample sophistications to:
§ Cossack knee switch
§ Cossack knee switch to shinbox
§ Cossack knee switch-basic descending shin roll
- Pistol breakfall
Partner Drills
- Partner push drill – 360 degrees, upper and lower body, switch tori and uke at each interval
- Partner fist-walking from plank drill
- Partner strike drill – 360 degrees, upper and lower body, switch tori and uke at each interval
- Sweater snag drill – via one-knuckle push, to disruption of equilibrium, reciprocating (mention locking + driving arm, stance integrity, joint COM for takedowns)
- Stop-motion strike drill – strike to takedown in five moves, reciprocating
Slow Sparring – ¼ speed
Uke attacks tori freestyle. Victory objective for tori is takedown to control. Focus on smoothness of transition from one movement to another.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
06/11/2010 – Bladework: Part 2 – Ambush, Weapon Retention and Re-Possession
Solid, focused session today, as well as everyone's first true exposure to plural assailant work.
Homework - as we discussed, continue to focus on your rolling and falling, as well as your conditioning (both joint mobility and the bodyweight callisthenics). Next week, we'll be working on a different skillset, so reinforcement of your knifework isn't that crucial, but those of you who haven't attended the knife series until this week should go through the solo drills to improve your handling for when we bring knives back into the picture.
Train well, stay safe and see you all next week.
Objectives
- Execution of and defence against sudden attacks with a concealed blade
- Retaining a blade in the face of disarm attempts
- Fighting for possession of a loose blade
- Grappling with a knife
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Retrieving loose blade from forward roll – solo, free-for-all with multiple partners
Preparatory Partner Drills (with steel blade)
- Slow standup sparring to reciprocal disarm
- Plank position possession drill – slow sparring over loose knife to reciprocal disarm
Primary Skill Drills
- Concealed quickdraw ambush – 1 uke, 2 tori; uke aims to draw concealed blade and cut/stab either tori at will, tori aims to evade attack and disarm uke
Objective-based Sparring
3 participants begin circling around a loose knife on the floor. When signal is given, each will fight for control of the knife by any means necessary. Victory is achieved when one partner achieves a clear position of control as well as possession of the weapon.
Homework - as we discussed, continue to focus on your rolling and falling, as well as your conditioning (both joint mobility and the bodyweight callisthenics). Next week, we'll be working on a different skillset, so reinforcement of your knifework isn't that crucial, but those of you who haven't attended the knife series until this week should go through the solo drills to improve your handling for when we bring knives back into the picture.
Train well, stay safe and see you all next week.
Objectives
- Execution of and defence against sudden attacks with a concealed blade
- Retaining a blade in the face of disarm attempts
- Fighting for possession of a loose blade
- Grappling with a knife
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Retrieving loose blade from forward roll – solo, free-for-all with multiple partners
Preparatory Partner Drills (with steel blade)
- Slow standup sparring to reciprocal disarm
- Plank position possession drill – slow sparring over loose knife to reciprocal disarm
Primary Skill Drills
- Concealed quickdraw ambush – 1 uke, 2 tori; uke aims to draw concealed blade and cut/stab either tori at will, tori aims to evade attack and disarm uke
Objective-based Sparring
3 participants begin circling around a loose knife on the floor. When signal is given, each will fight for control of the knife by any means necessary. Victory is achieved when one partner achieves a clear position of control as well as possession of the weapon.
Monday, November 1, 2010
30/10/2010 – Bladework: Defence, Disarm and Counter at Speed, Part 1
Lots of intensity today, and also a little bloodshed (props especially to Nick for being a warrior ;-) ). Two training blades also got broken today - how's that for intensity?!
Homework assignment for the week:
1.) As always, rolling and falling and revision of the conditioning syllabus.
2.) Solo knife handling drills - you can do this with any old eating knife from the kitchen. A slightly larger blade will make them easier to do. Don't try them with a cleaver, though.
Do your homework and I'll see you all next week for bladework Part Deux.
Train well and stay safe.
Objectives
- Revision of bladework basics
- Inoculation to blade combat at near-full speed
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Leverage disarm drill
- Body figure-8 to stab
- Biker flip grip change
- Figure-8 draw cut
- Rolling snap cut
Preparatory Partner Drills
- Partner push drill with blade
- Sweater-snag drill with blade
- Partner zombie walk drill with blade – to evasion, gait-shadow and soft takedown
Primary Skill Drills
- Empty hand versus blade – attacks at combat speed; evasion, counter and takedown
- Blade versus blade – combat speed; counterslashes, control to takedown or finisher
Objective-based Sparring
Uke attacks tori with blade. Tori, working from empty hands, attempts to disarm uke and either effect a position of control, apply a finisher having gained weapon possession, or both. Drill continues until tori achieves victory objectives. Round-robin format.
Homework assignment for the week:
1.) As always, rolling and falling and revision of the conditioning syllabus.
2.) Solo knife handling drills - you can do this with any old eating knife from the kitchen. A slightly larger blade will make them easier to do. Don't try them with a cleaver, though.
Do your homework and I'll see you all next week for bladework Part Deux.
Train well and stay safe.
Objectives
- Revision of bladework basics
- Inoculation to blade combat at near-full speed
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Leverage disarm drill
- Body figure-8 to stab
- Biker flip grip change
- Figure-8 draw cut
- Rolling snap cut
Preparatory Partner Drills
- Partner push drill with blade
- Sweater-snag drill with blade
- Partner zombie walk drill with blade – to evasion, gait-shadow and soft takedown
Primary Skill Drills
- Empty hand versus blade – attacks at combat speed; evasion, counter and takedown
- Blade versus blade – combat speed; counterslashes, control to takedown or finisher
Objective-based Sparring
Uke attacks tori with blade. Tori, working from empty hands, attempts to disarm uke and either effect a position of control, apply a finisher having gained weapon possession, or both. Drill continues until tori achieves victory objectives. Round-robin format.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
23/10/2010 – Aggressive Standup Engagement: Striking
This week, we took the intensity up a notch by allowing speed and continuity of strikes to creep towards combat speed, and learning how to deal with the battering and power on through to victory with a solid and aggressive defence (read: counterattack). Survive a rain of punches with intent and power, and you're not too badly.
A closely related concept covered was that of the bridge, or the physical and conceptual meeting of two bodily structures to form a contiguous system of mechanics. For the purposes of training, I have simplified things from my earlier experiments down to a simple catch-all defensive that is easy to learn and do and transition into any other work, namely, the 'hair-brush' defence. RBSD aficionados may also know this by any number of other names, but I call it this for the sake of being safely non-denominational.
For homework, I want everybody to revise the solo drills covered in the lesson.
1.) Hair-brush Defence - practice keeping the movements tight and close to your body and maintaining shoulder-pack (shoulders de-shrugged, ie. pulled downwards) at all times during the movements; catching a hard hit with an elevated shoulder is asking for an injury; also practice in combination with the lower-body drills as we did during class to build coordination; work slowly and mindfully in the beginning and let the speed creep up only as far as you are comfortable doing so.
2.) Rolling and Falling - this remains the same as in previous weeks. Very, very important part of the syllabus - those of you who have been falling behind in this will already note how insufficient ground engagement skills will severely curtail your training.
3.) Conditioning - continue to revise the TacFit Commando syllabus as we have covered to date and train with intensity at least twice a week in addition to what we do in class. In combat, you don't rise to the level of your skill - you fall to the level of your fear and conditioning. Challenging yourself with intensity on a regular basis will help you to overcome this hurdle and access your skills.
In addition to the above, feel free to practice any of the partner drills as often as you like when partners become available.
Objectives
- Understanding and developing pre-emptive and simultaneous (with opponent) attack as the best defence
- Developing the bridge: finding, seeking and defending the centre-of-mass, 'hair-brush' defence, strike absorption on guard while maintaining structure
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Drills
- Partner fist-walking drill for strike placement
- Hair-brushing defence drill – inside-outside, outside-inside, combination with Cossack knee switch walking and gluteal tank for coordination
Preparatory Drills
- Partner push and strike drill: wave movement - dependant pushes and strikes
- Partner push and strike drill: ball movement – keeping form under heavy contact and absorbing with footwork
- Partner strikes into guard: absorbing strikes on guard surface while maintaining form
Bridging with Hair-Brush Defence
- Intercepting strikes: tori intercepts full-speed strikes from uke; drill creeps from extended (‘left out there’) single strikes to retracted single strikes to 1, 2 and 3-step combinations as partners feel comfortable doing so
- Intercept and take structure: tori intercepts strike(s) from uke and aims to enter joint COM and control uke’s structure, planting a push (slow-motion strike with structure) to demonstrate degree of control by upsetting uke’s equilibrium
- Intercept and take structure to takedown: same as above, but ending with takedown to position of control
Objective-based Sparring
Uke feeds tori upper-body strikes in any combination. Tori intercepts and is allowed to counter with strikes and takedowns. Uke may defend and recounter as sees fit. Round-robin format.
A closely related concept covered was that of the bridge, or the physical and conceptual meeting of two bodily structures to form a contiguous system of mechanics. For the purposes of training, I have simplified things from my earlier experiments down to a simple catch-all defensive that is easy to learn and do and transition into any other work, namely, the 'hair-brush' defence. RBSD aficionados may also know this by any number of other names, but I call it this for the sake of being safely non-denominational.
For homework, I want everybody to revise the solo drills covered in the lesson.
1.) Hair-brush Defence - practice keeping the movements tight and close to your body and maintaining shoulder-pack (shoulders de-shrugged, ie. pulled downwards) at all times during the movements; catching a hard hit with an elevated shoulder is asking for an injury; also practice in combination with the lower-body drills as we did during class to build coordination; work slowly and mindfully in the beginning and let the speed creep up only as far as you are comfortable doing so.
2.) Rolling and Falling - this remains the same as in previous weeks. Very, very important part of the syllabus - those of you who have been falling behind in this will already note how insufficient ground engagement skills will severely curtail your training.
3.) Conditioning - continue to revise the TacFit Commando syllabus as we have covered to date and train with intensity at least twice a week in addition to what we do in class. In combat, you don't rise to the level of your skill - you fall to the level of your fear and conditioning. Challenging yourself with intensity on a regular basis will help you to overcome this hurdle and access your skills.
In addition to the above, feel free to practice any of the partner drills as often as you like when partners become available.
Objectives
- Understanding and developing pre-emptive and simultaneous (with opponent) attack as the best defence
- Developing the bridge: finding, seeking and defending the centre-of-mass, 'hair-brush' defence, strike absorption on guard while maintaining structure
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 3 – Recruit
1.) Warrior Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Swing Plank Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Airborne Squat Shin – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Spiderman Pushup Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Shinbox Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Table Lift – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Drills
- Partner fist-walking drill for strike placement
- Hair-brushing defence drill – inside-outside, outside-inside, combination with Cossack knee switch walking and gluteal tank for coordination
Preparatory Drills
- Partner push and strike drill: wave movement - dependant pushes and strikes
- Partner push and strike drill: ball movement – keeping form under heavy contact and absorbing with footwork
- Partner strikes into guard: absorbing strikes on guard surface while maintaining form
Bridging with Hair-Brush Defence
- Intercepting strikes: tori intercepts full-speed strikes from uke; drill creeps from extended (‘left out there’) single strikes to retracted single strikes to 1, 2 and 3-step combinations as partners feel comfortable doing so
- Intercept and take structure: tori intercepts strike(s) from uke and aims to enter joint COM and control uke’s structure, planting a push (slow-motion strike with structure) to demonstrate degree of control by upsetting uke’s equilibrium
- Intercept and take structure to takedown: same as above, but ending with takedown to position of control
Objective-based Sparring
Uke feeds tori upper-body strikes in any combination. Tori intercepts and is allowed to counter with strikes and takedowns. Uke may defend and recounter as sees fit. Round-robin format.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
16/10/2010 – Fundamentals of Locks and Holds: Locks, Holds, Escapes and Counters, Part 2: Plural Engagements and Use of Clothing
I know I have been remiss in logging the past week and I do apologise - things have been crazy. The last session saw a large number of newbies - complete novices in martial arts - come in, so I didn't have a chance to do a lot of what I wanted to during the session as I had to spend a lot of hands-on time with the new guys. This week's session was a continuation and revision of last week's work.
Homework for this week follows the standard pattern:
1.) Joint mobility
2.) TFC mission 2conditioning exercises
3.) Rolling and falling - VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
This and last week's work were all very partner-based, so there's not much else you can do to practice on your own, but if you have access to a partner, definitely run through all the drills again.
Objectives
- Understanding the use of locks and holds in a standup fight and how structure is affected by such
- Understanding the use of structure to effect, escape and counter locks and holds
- Learning to use structural perturbation from multiple sources to cancel one another out and effect escapes and counters
- Learning the role of clothing as a weapon and an obstacle in grappling
- Grappling and being grappled by multiple opponents
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 2 – Recruit
1.) Lunge Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Revolving Table – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Scorpion Crucifix – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Bear Squat – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Rocca Forearm – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Bridge Clap – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Drills
- Rolling and falling
- Dogpile-lock anti-tension striking drill
- Headlock escape drill
- Pinned limb ground movement drill
Technique Drills
- Wrist locks – inside-to-outside, outside-to-inside (main examples: omote/ura gyaku)
- Elbow hyperextensions – weight-down, weight-up armbars (main examples: elbow/armpit pressure armbar, arm-wrap figure-4 armbar)
- Shoulder locks – figure-4 locks (main examples: onikudaki/mushadori family, hammerlock)
Plural Source Tensional Manipulation (a.k.a. the octopus drill)
- Tori is grappled by two uke who constantly attempt to lock and twist him, and must make use of the two separate sources of force to cancel each other out – drill is allowed to creep naturally from simple survival to escape, takedown and counter
Homework for this week follows the standard pattern:
1.) Joint mobility
2.) TFC mission 2conditioning exercises
3.) Rolling and falling - VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
This and last week's work were all very partner-based, so there's not much else you can do to practice on your own, but if you have access to a partner, definitely run through all the drills again.
Objectives
- Understanding the use of locks and holds in a standup fight and how structure is affected by such
- Understanding the use of structure to effect, escape and counter locks and holds
- Learning to use structural perturbation from multiple sources to cancel one another out and effect escapes and counters
- Learning the role of clothing as a weapon and an obstacle in grappling
- Grappling and being grappled by multiple opponents
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 2 – Recruit
1.) Lunge Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Revolving Table – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Scorpion Crucifix – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Bear Squat – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Rocca Forearm – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Bridge Clap – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Drills
- Rolling and falling
- Dogpile-lock anti-tension striking drill
- Headlock escape drill
- Pinned limb ground movement drill
Technique Drills
- Wrist locks – inside-to-outside, outside-to-inside (main examples: omote/ura gyaku)
- Elbow hyperextensions – weight-down, weight-up armbars (main examples: elbow/armpit pressure armbar, arm-wrap figure-4 armbar)
- Shoulder locks – figure-4 locks (main examples: onikudaki/mushadori family, hammerlock)
Plural Source Tensional Manipulation (a.k.a. the octopus drill)
- Tori is grappled by two uke who constantly attempt to lock and twist him, and must make use of the two separate sources of force to cancel each other out – drill is allowed to creep naturally from simple survival to escape, takedown and counter
Sunday, September 19, 2010
18/09/2010 – Legwork Continuation (Angular movements and Combinations), Fundamentals of Bladework
Yet another good session today, but as always, never enough time to do everything I actually wanted. Still, we got the essentials done and I have the others squirrelled away to cover another day. The steel blades came out today and despite them being eating knives with blunted tips and not very sharp serrations, they were still enough to give pause and make everyone wake up, which was exactly the effect I was aiming for. Amazing how a sense of clear and present danger - however ludicrous to the observer - refines movement to the bare minimum necessary.
Also moved on in the TacFit Commando syllabus today. Mission 2 with lots of twisting evoked some interesting responses after some initial doubts at the deceptively simple level 1 movements. The Scorpion Crucifix in particular was rather funny to watch - everyone has lots and lots of ambient tension in the anterior chain and spiral line! More grinding away at immobility before you move on to the sexy stuff, guys.
For homework, I want you all to work on your joint mobility. While I am gone, you can refer to no less a teacher than Coach Sonnon himself:
Here are the six episodes of the IntuFlow joint mobility series he generously put on his YouTube account. Follow through and focus on the stuff we do in class, play around with everything as and when you have time. It's all good to do, but cover the hard basics we do in class first.
Objectives
- Understanding the nature of angular leg attacks and flow from one movement to another
- Understanding of ranging in blade usage and defence
- Blade disarms and reversals
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Lunge Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Revolving Table – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Scorpion Crucifix – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Bear Squat – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Rocca Forearm – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Bridge Clap – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Biker flip grip change
- Figure-8 draw cut
- Rolling snap cut
- IntuFlow sophistication – 4-corner leg circles
Structural Drills
- Strike absorption with legs – roundhouse kicks
- 2-step structure break with legs
- Evade on contact with knife – evade to trap
- Evade on contact with knife – evade to trap and takedown/disarm/counter
- 2-step evade knife to trap + takedown/counter/disarm
Ranging Drills
- Ranging versus single knife thrust – slow speed, evade + trap
- Ranging versus single knife thrust – slow speed, evade to trap + takedown/counter/disarm
Asymmetrical Sparring
- Slow-sparring game – knife on knife, to takedown, control or disarm. Round-robin format.
Also moved on in the TacFit Commando syllabus today. Mission 2 with lots of twisting evoked some interesting responses after some initial doubts at the deceptively simple level 1 movements. The Scorpion Crucifix in particular was rather funny to watch - everyone has lots and lots of ambient tension in the anterior chain and spiral line! More grinding away at immobility before you move on to the sexy stuff, guys.
For homework, I want you all to work on your joint mobility. While I am gone, you can refer to no less a teacher than Coach Sonnon himself:
Here are the six episodes of the IntuFlow joint mobility series he generously put on his YouTube account. Follow through and focus on the stuff we do in class, play around with everything as and when you have time. It's all good to do, but cover the hard basics we do in class first.
In addition, I want you all to continue working on your rolling and falling. For those of you with grass allergies, work from your knees on harder ground. Focus on exhaling through compression and immobility. Your tensional state is linked to your breath - by disciplining yourselves to exhale through tension and discomfort, you will eventually find ways to flow around the blocks to your flow.
The above two are the primary things I want you to work on. In addition and secondary to them, I want you to continue working on your fist plank and panther walk, for those who can do the latter. Also revise the new exercises from Mission 2 - no need to go to maximum intensity every single session, but be sure to do them consistently to groove the movement patterns into your nervous system.
Accessory to all the above, anything at all we've covered in class is fair game. Keep moving, keep hitting one another, keep breathing and keep form. I'll see you all when I get back from my two weeks' reservist training.
Objectives
- Understanding the nature of angular leg attacks and flow from one movement to another
- Understanding of ranging in blade usage and defence
- Blade disarms and reversals
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Lunge Twist – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Revolving Table – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Scorpion Crucifix – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Bear Squat – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Rocca Forearm – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Bridge Clap – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Biker flip grip change
- Figure-8 draw cut
- Rolling snap cut
- IntuFlow sophistication – 4-corner leg circles
Structural Drills
- Strike absorption with legs – roundhouse kicks
- 2-step structure break with legs
- Evade on contact with knife – evade to trap
- Evade on contact with knife – evade to trap and takedown/disarm/counter
- 2-step evade knife to trap + takedown/counter/disarm
Ranging Drills
- Ranging versus single knife thrust – slow speed, evade + trap
- Ranging versus single knife thrust – slow speed, evade to trap + takedown/counter/disarm
Asymmetrical Sparring
- Slow-sparring game – knife on knife, to takedown, control or disarm. Round-robin format.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
11/09/2010 - Fundamentals of Legwork, Preparation for Bladework
Another solid session today. So much to cover and so little time! Wanted to touch on both legwork and knifework today, but had to keep the class to a manageable length and decided to go deep into legwork and drop in a few knifework preparatory exercises today.
Regarding homework, refer to last week's programme. The falling is especially important as the movement habits in ground engagement I've been seeing lately on the mat are, frankly, alarming.
Objectives
- Understanding the use of the legs in force delivery, absorption and redirection
- Understanding the nature of leg attacks and how to defuse them
- Use of the blade as a tool of conditioning
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Front Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Basic Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Basic – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Wrist-flip grip change
- Body figure-8 to stab (dynamic squat variation where applicable)
- IntuFlow sophistication – 4-corner leg circles
- Resisted leg-push (‘heavy legs’) drill from opposed side-recline
Structural Drills
- Partner push drill with blade
- Partner push drill with legs (to legs and body)
- Striking drill with legs
- Marionette/sweater-snag drill with legs
Ranging Drills
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (evasion, slow)
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (slow, receive + guide momentum)
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (medium speed, receive + soft takedown)
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick (slow, evasion) [pushed to next week]
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick (slow, receive + guide momentum) [pushed to next week]
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick( medium speed, receive + soft takedown) [pushed to next week]
Asymmetrical Sparring
- Uke aims to attack with kicks and punches, tori aims to achieve takedown to position of control. Round-robin format.
Regarding homework, refer to last week's programme. The falling is especially important as the movement habits in ground engagement I've been seeing lately on the mat are, frankly, alarming.
Objectives
- Understanding the use of the legs in force delivery, absorption and redirection
- Understanding the nature of leg attacks and how to defuse them
- Use of the blade as a tool of conditioning
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Front Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Basic Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Basic – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills
- Wrist-flip grip change
- Body figure-8 to stab (dynamic squat variation where applicable)
- IntuFlow sophistication – 4-corner leg circles
- Resisted leg-push (‘heavy legs’) drill from opposed side-recline
Structural Drills
- Partner push drill with blade
- Partner push drill with legs (to legs and body)
- Striking drill with legs
- Marionette/sweater-snag drill with legs
Ranging Drills
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (evasion, slow)
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (slow, receive + guide momentum)
- Zombie walk to forward thrust kick (medium speed, receive + soft takedown)
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick (slow, evasion) [pushed to next week]
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick (slow, receive + guide momentum) [pushed to next week]
- Zombie walk to roundhouse kick( medium speed, receive + soft takedown) [pushed to next week]
Asymmetrical Sparring
- Uke aims to attack with kicks and punches, tori aims to achieve takedown to position of control. Round-robin format.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
04/09/2010 – Asymmetrical Engagements: Striking versus Grappling
Another solid class. Today, I wanted to teach how difficult it can be to fight someone who does not mutually agree upon rules of engagement with you. Yes. You read right. Rules. There are rules in every engagement, be it in the ring, on the street or the battlefield, and these rules are not necessarily written nor codified by large international organisations (see: Queensbury Rules of Boxing, Geneva Code of Conduct in War). They are often implicit, unspoken and determined by culture and plain old human nature.
I won't get too deep into this, but suffice it to say that unconsciously playing to the rules puts you right in your opponent's playing field, which will get you killed. Breaking them too blatantly gives your attacker a perceived moral advantage, which can give them that much more juice, psychologically. The trick, as with all things, is bending them just enough to get your way. On Saturday, we explored this from a technical perspective, pitting upper-body striking and defensive grappling against a pure grappling approach. By removing consent to engage on common ground, the engagement immediately became that much more chaotic.
Today's homework is as follows:
Also, Daniel, one of my students, has been very much on the ball and developed an MP3 timer which those of you without an asymmetrical timer (like my Gymboss and the Gymboss for iPhone app) can use to run your own 20/10 routines.
You can get it here.
Objectives
- Understanding the nature of asymmetrical engagements without mutual consent to common rules
- Development of striking and grappling abilities to defend against their functional opposites in a free-form environment.
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Front Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Basic Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Basic – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills – 1min each
- Forward and backwards Spinal Roll
- One-leg soft back fall
- Panther walk on fists
Ranging Drills
- Zombie walk drill
- Zombie walk to hand on shoulder and match gait
(All round-robin format)
Striking Drills
- Partner Reciprocal Push drill
- Partner Dependant Striking drill
- Partner Stop-Hit Striking drill
- Stop-hit to advancing strike
Grappling Drills
- Neck Pummelling – Pummel to takedown after second minute
- Takedown versus clinch from disengaged face-off (round-robin)
- Takedown versus sudden advancing clinch (round-robin)
Asymmetrical Sparring (Round-robin)
- Uke attacks to takedown with grappling methodology only, Tori (man in the middle) defends with strikes and defensive grappling.
I won't get too deep into this, but suffice it to say that unconsciously playing to the rules puts you right in your opponent's playing field, which will get you killed. Breaking them too blatantly gives your attacker a perceived moral advantage, which can give them that much more juice, psychologically. The trick, as with all things, is bending them just enough to get your way. On Saturday, we explored this from a technical perspective, pitting upper-body striking and defensive grappling against a pure grappling approach. By removing consent to engage on common ground, the engagement immediately became that much more chaotic.
Today's homework is as follows:
- IntuFlow joint mobility beginner series
- TacFit Commando Mission 1 - Recruit Level
- Panther Walk on Fists
- Forward and Backward spinal rolls
- 1-legged Soft Back Fall
Also, Daniel, one of my students, has been very much on the ball and developed an MP3 timer which those of you without an asymmetrical timer (like my Gymboss and the Gymboss for iPhone app) can use to run your own 20/10 routines.
You can get it here.
Objectives
- Understanding the nature of asymmetrical engagements without mutual consent to common rules
- Development of striking and grappling abilities to defend against their functional opposites in a free-form environment.
Warmup
- IntuFlow basic routine
Conditioning
TacFit Commando Mission 1 – Recruit
1.) Front Lunge – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
2.) Plank Push Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
3.) Sit-Through Knee – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
4.) Basic Pushup – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
5.) Spinal Rock Basic – 20/10 x 8
1min rest
6.) Tripod – 20/10 x 8
Skill-Specific Biomechanical Drills – 1min each
- Forward and backwards Spinal Roll
- One-leg soft back fall
- Panther walk on fists
Ranging Drills
- Zombie walk drill
- Zombie walk to hand on shoulder and match gait
(All round-robin format)
Striking Drills
- Partner Reciprocal Push drill
- Partner Dependant Striking drill
- Partner Stop-Hit Striking drill
- Stop-hit to advancing strike
Grappling Drills
- Neck Pummelling – Pummel to takedown after second minute
- Takedown versus clinch from disengaged face-off (round-robin)
- Takedown versus sudden advancing clinch (round-robin)
Asymmetrical Sparring (Round-robin)
- Uke attacks to takedown with grappling methodology only, Tori (man in the middle) defends with strikes and defensive grappling.
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