Tag: Jab

Conditioning Day 10… Rained out, 8 rounds, Sparring is a mental thing as much as physical

3.5 hours of training today. If I include the rounds in class too, I think I did about 25 rounds. I tried to do my mile run but got rained out. I got 8 x 3 rounds straight in today before classes started. This picture is of me looking like some soaked marsupial. I got half a mile in, and the thunder and lightening were over head. The rain came down harder and I threw in the towel as it were and cut my losses. Came back to the gym soaked with soggy, sloshy shoes.

We went in, and I asked H to hold pads for me. He asked me what I wanted to work on. He knows I am conditioning. I told him I wanted to do cardio, and flow. I wanted to work on getting my flow from hands to feet, and feet to hands better.

He is a really great pad holder, and a really great pad holder will make you look awesome. I got some compliments from the gym manager, who was teaching a BJJ class while we were working the rounds.

Training:

  1. Rained out run, only 1/2 mile, but that half was done in 6 minutes woot! So if I did my full mile and kept that pace I would have had a 12 minute mile.
  1. 1 x 3 minute round – 4 counts left to right, and right to left combos for the first round
  2. 30 seconds – burn out kick pyramid. (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 2 kick all on one side.)
  3. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, right/rear knee, right kick – Jab, cross, left/front knee, left kick – jab, cross, right/rear knee, left kick – jab, cross, left/front knee, right kick
  4. 30 seconds – burn out kick pyramid. (1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 2 kick all on one side.)
  5. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, right kick, right kick – Jab, cross, left kick, left kick
  6. 30 seconds – burn out 3 kicks with right/rear leg, 3 kicks with left/front leg, lather rinse and repeat for 30 seconds
  7. 1 x 3 minute round – double kicks, to slide in to knee
  8. 30 seconds – burn out 3 kicks with right/rear leg, 3 kicks with left/front leg, lather rinse and repeat for 30 seconds
  1. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knee
  2. 30 seconds – burn out elbow blitz
  3. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knee, striking knee, striking knee… doing both left and right knees
  4. 30 seconds – burn out elbow blitz
  5. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, upper cut, upper cut, body hook x 3 each side.
  6. 30 second – burn out body hooks
  7. 1 x 3 minute round – Jab, cross, body hook, striking knees x 3
  8. 30 second – 4 elbows, to 3 knees

I tried to not make to much noise when hitting the pads. I don’t like disturbing the other classes when I am using the gym. However, apparently I made an impression about how hard I was working. =)

Muay Thai Class:

We worked on clenching again, and flowing in clenching. Going from 1/2 clench, to 50/50 clench with bicep control, to off balance, to then breaking your opponents posture, to knee, to elbow.

The Thai Clenches

  1. Both hands on the neck/crown of head = Full Plumb
  2. Neck and Arm control, or Neck and Bicep control (great to give you inside control)
  3. Under hooks ( really good for when you have a taller opponent )
  4. Full Fence (great for off the line/off to the side)
  5. Half- Single Wing (good for control of upper body, done well shuts down their upper body)
  6. Waist and Arm control ( really good for when you have a taller opponent)
  7. 50/50 (is where most people end up, because full plumb is untenable)
  8. Quarter

I was working with a new guy, he is a big dude. I am a short girl and have this clench and tie up, that I like, and a leg bump that we do. I do it all the time, and did it to him. He was surprised at how much I threw him and his mass around with out trouble. He easily has 100 lbs on me. I explained what I was doing and did it again, showing him. He looked surprised again, and Kru Kristen laughed and said, “that’s her favorite clench and dump. And it goes to show you that size does not have anything to do with it. You can do it to anyone if you have the right technique.”

After that we did rounds of sparring. Sparring is a mental thing as much as physical. If you are stressed, scared, or worried it shows. I need to relax. I do far better when I am relaxed. I can respond faster as well. I am standing flat footed, and to heavy on my lead leg. Thai fighters usually do 40 lead leg, 60 back leg. But when I am sparring I am trying so hard to remember everything, keep my shoulders up and hunched at the same time, covering my face, movement, getting hands to feet and feet to hands combos in, and blocking. I forget to be on the balls of my feet. Sigh! I have so much to learn, and get better at.

I however, was able to get 4 good kick blocks in. My friend A. helped me afterward for about 20 minutes working on not being heavy on my lead leg. I just need to keep practicing. I need to work on my hip flexors. I am a little tight there so I can lean back a little.

Anyway I am tired, and have to get up early in the morning. Thanks for reading. I have 12 more days of conditioning to get in before camp. Rest tomorrow, and then Saturday hit it hard.

Keep working on being the best you that you can be. I will try to do the same.

Conditioning Day 8…4 hours, First Low Energy Day Since Starting

4 hours of training today. My mile run time sucked, it was hot outside, and I did not want to do it. But I did it anyway.  I was/am really tired.

I ran the mile for warm up. It was by far my worst mile. 14 minute mile, and it was hot. 85 degrees F out is not fun to run in.

I then did 12 rounds training. 8 rounds bag work, and 4 rounds of distance management and teeping.

Conditioning Training

Training:

  1. 1 mile run
  2. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  3. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  4. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  5. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  6. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  7. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  8. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  9. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  1. 1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
  2. 15 second rest
  3. 1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
  4. 15 second rest
  5. 1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
  6. 15 second rest
  7. 1 x 3 minute round , cross, jab, teep
  8. 15 second rest
  1. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  2. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  3. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  4. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  5. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  6. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.
  7. 1 x 3 minute round on bag
  8. 30 second burn out Makatune, #6 elbow, and then knees till time out, then double kick.

Muay Thai Class

We worked on elbows today. We did a line drill where we all line up and split up working on technique. I love doing line drills and it was perfect when we were first starting to learn new things. We have a number of new students and it is great review for us.

The drill we worked on was:

  1. L horizontal elbow
  2. R Downward Diagonal elbow
  3. Lead spinning backward upward elbow
  4. Upward elbow
  5. Spearing elbow

These were great and I felt good doing them. Kru Kristen gave me a compliment saying you have been working on these in Ajarn Chai’s seminar right? I said yes. She said, your elbows look good. Yay!

Then the newer students paired off for clench work, and we green arm bands and up, went to sparr with J. He is training for fight coming up, and I am training for Muay Thai camp.

I dropped my hands a few times, and got punched cause of it. But over all I would say kept my hands up, blocking the punches coming at my face. I was able to get some torso shots in, and some kicks in. I was even able to knock his glove down and put one right in his kisser. What I did not do is shield very many kicks. I sucked at that today.

So yeah today was a… I don’t really want to do this today but I did it… kind of training day. Sparring at the end was fun and worth it. First day in the 8 so far that has been lack luster for me.

I have a early morning training day tomorrow. 6 am… weeeeee… so I am going to get to bed.

Thanks for reading. I know that not all days are going to be great, and not all days are going to be the ones that are looked forward to, and that some days are going to be meh. But I just gotta keep working at it. Have a great night/day/morning where ever you are, and keep working to be the best you that you can be.

Conditioning Day 5…5 hours of training, Bo Staff, Striking

Conditioning Day 5. I was warned by Kru Krysta that we were going to hit it hard today. We did! I ran a mile in the morning at about 8:45 am my time. My mile is normally 12.5 minutes but today, it was humid and hot, and my mile was terrible. It was 13.5.

We did the same workout we did on Thursday. Its awesome knowing you went through the workout before. Because then you don’t have that worry that you won’t make it through. However, you also have that knowledge of how bad it is going to get. I am and was so proud that I got through it. But it is hard. This is hard. I put in a great day of training. Hopefully I will be ready when Muay Thai camp comes around.

So I pushed through, and just did it. Focusing on form and pushing myself.

Training: 1 mile run and 16 3 minute rounds

Bag work–

  1. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  2. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  3. 45 second rest
  4. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  5. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  6. 45 second rest
  7. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  8. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  9. 45 second rest
  10. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  11. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  12. 45 second rest

Pad Work-

  1. Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
  2. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  3. 45 second rest
  4. Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
  5. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  6. 45 second rest
  7. Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
  8. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  9. 45 second rest
  10. Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
  11. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  12. 45 second rest

Bag Work-

  1. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  2. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  3. 45 second rest
  4. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  5. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  6. 45 second rest
  7. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  8. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  9. 45 second rest
  10. 1 round of bag work for 3 minutes (Do any combo you want, just keep it the same.)
  11. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  12. 45 second rest

Pad Work-

  1. Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
  2. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  3. 45 second rest
  4. Hold pads for Kru Krysta for 3 minutes doing as many as you can of this drill. Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep.
  5. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  6. 45 second rest
  7. Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
  8. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  9. 45 second rest
  10. Kru Krysta holds pads for for 3 minutes doing this drill, Makatune, Cross, Right knee, Right kick, Teep
  11. 30 second burn out of makatune, #6 elbow, knees till 30 seconds is up, double kick
  12. 45 second rest

As I was getting tired I was told to keep my hands up especially when tired. Because we will revert to our worst habit when we are tired. So in training when exhausted if we focus on our form and keeping our hands up, you will train your body to do the right thing when tired. It takes so much mental concentration to force your body to do that thing it does not want to do. =) But it is so worth it. I noticed and asked Kru Krysta if I was correct. I was keeping my hands up much better as I was getting tired. I also have been correcting, working on my knees. Kru Krysta said I am doing so much better. Like night and day from my knees when I was tired on Thursday.

This was all training before my classes today. So my classes were the following:

Bo Staff class:

We worked on a drill (first with stick then with staves)

  1. Forehand strike
  2. Redondo around head high forehand strike
  3. Redondo around head low forehand strike
  4. Redondo around head high forehand strike
  5. Back hand low
  6. Back hand high

At this point my shoulders were telling me they were tired.

Then we worked on doing the same thing with staves. This is harder cause it forces you to move, when swing the staff. It is not as easy as with stick. There is much more of the weapon to move around.

We worked this High Box drill next – (first with stick then with staves)

  1. #15 strike to the head
  2. Roof Block
  3. pass off opponents hand
  4. Return a #1
  5. Inside deflect on the #1
  6. Return a #2

I was exhausted at this time but kept going.

Striking class:

We did these drills, I would hold for a student, then they would hold for me. 3 minute rounds with knee burn out.

  1. Jab
  2. Cross
  3. Right knee
  4. Right Kick
  5. Teep
  6. Burn out 25 skip knees
  1. Jab
  2. Left Elbow
  3. Left Knee
  4. Left Kick
  5. Teep
  6. Burn out 25 skip knees
  1. Makatune
  2. Cross
  3. Body Hook
  4. Rear Knee
  5. Rear Kick
  6. Burn out 25 skip knees

At this point in the day, I was exhausted. My muscles were not firing the way I wanted to. I had only eaten in the morning. Took a pre workout before the run, and one recovery drink after the first conditioning training (run/16 rounds).

Muscle Fatigue:

Muscle Fatigue is a decline in the ability for the muscle to put out energy.

Muscle energy is described as ATP. “The source of energy that is used to power the movement of contraction in working muscles is adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – the body’s biochemical way to store and transport energy. ”

https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1920-energy-for-exercise

For me muscle fatigue shows up with these symptoms:

  1. Twitching Muscles
  2. Weakness
  3. Soreness

You can combat this with proper nutrition (minerals, vitamins), drinking plenty of water, stretching, rolling your muscles/or massage, sleeping, and making sure you get enough calories in.

Today I made breakfast for the family. I made Eggwhite Pita sandwiches, which I will put a recipe up for you later.

For lunch at about 2 pm today, I went to a burger place, and was able to get an yellowfin tuna burger. It was delicious. I asked for them to keep the mayo off the sandwich. But I did allow myself to have some tater tots. This was delicious and much needed meal.

Today was a great day. I am exhausted and my muscles do not feel like they could do anything else. I may take a nap now. I did it again. I was able to get through Conditioning Training, and through two other classes today. Woot!

I hope you are having a great weekend. Thank you for reading, and keep being awesome. Let me know if you have any questions.

Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali…Thai 15 Count, Sparring, Brain Bending 4 to 5 to 6 to 8 to 7 count Kali drills

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali Training. Today was a fun fun day. Killed my brain in Kali and we got to work on 15 count and sparring in Thai. It was challenging and fun. Not every day is like that, but when it is fun it is fantastic.

I am also excited to almost bursting. I am going to get to go to a special training seminar with Arjan Chai this weekend. Two days 8 hours a day of basically a Thai camp. But I digress. On to the actual training today.

Muay Thai – Thai 15 count, Sparring

In Muay Thai today we worked on 4 counts with elbows and knees. This training teaches us distance management. Because our furthest attack will be our kicks. Then we have punching range, which is mid range. Lastly we have close range attacks with all elbows. Then we can use the knee to eject our opponent and then get ourselves back into kicking range.

This is exactly what the Thai 15 count drill does as well. As you will see in the video below, we have to address the incoming strikes to our head, slide in return elbows, knee them and create distance, then kick them. The whole drill is a study in distance management.

Kru Krysta started us off with some 4 count Thai drills after which we have to do the 5-10-5 for an active rest. What is that you ask. Well its a training mechanism to wear us out, and have us practice our kicks and clenches/knees.

5-10-5:

5 rapid/ballistic right kicks, Clench up then do 10 #2 knees, 5 rapid/ballistic left kicks

This wear you out. I love them and can’t wait to do more.

The Thai 15 count is as follows:

  1. Parry the cross
  2. High cover the hook
  3. Left #1 elbow/horizontal elbow
  4. Right #3 downward diagonal elbow
  5. Right long leaning knee
  6. Left kick
  7. Right cross, then Left hook
  8. Right knee
  9. Right kick
  10. Teep when a cross is thrown at you
  11. Bob the second cross thrown at you
  12. Throw Hook
  13. Throw Cross
  14. Right kick
https://youtu.be/SQfaM9tQXBM

Sparring:

After the Thai 15 count, she had the orange arm bands/ more advanced students split off and go spar J. He is prepping for a fight and he needs practice. So I got to spar again today. I got some good kicks in, but he is a foot taller than me, so I have a hard time getting. I spoke with Kru Krysta afterward on how to get in, and I have to really get off the line. Or just take a hit to cover the distance. Because he can keep me at distance with his kicks and punches. He has a longer reach.

I am no longer afraid of sparring… I noticed this today. When we first started it was daunting and I was afraid. Of getting hit, of making a mistake, of just looking stupid. I am sure I still look stupid. But now I am more focused on trying to work on the things we have been taught using them in a practical way. When you get into the ring, or you start sparring, its really hard to remember everything you were taught. This is one of the reasons they drill it into us. Because, as Kru Kristen says, you don’t rise to the occasion when the adrenaline hits. You worst habit you will fall back on. Like if you drop your hands when you kick. (I will give you one guess on who does that. If you guessed me… Yup! I am working on it.) But if you do that you will do that when you are scared, or have an adrenaline dump. So when we are exhausted that is when we need to focus on our form and doing the drills right. So hopefully we rep in the good habits and forget the bad.

Kali – Brain Bending 4 to 5 to 6 to 8 to 7 count Kali drills

In Kali I worked with a student that has only been to 4 classes. He is a nice guy and really was starting to get some of the drills. However, it is amazing to work with people who are… less skilled. That sounds weird to say and to even type out. However, I have been doing Kali for 1.5 years, and while that is not a long time it is longer than 4 days. So what I found amazing was I could see in him what I felt and did when I first started. Getting my sticks tangled, getting confused, being surprised that you had both a left and right side that we do the drills on. (note: this is like asking some one to learn to use chop sticks with the right hand, then as they are just getting it saying, ok lets use the left hand right now. ) Yes Kali is like that. It forces you to use both sides of your brain, and bends that brain of yours.

Slowing down the drills is harder than it looks. To teach a person, you have to slow down the drills and when you do the rhythm changes or at least slows. Throw in foot work, and then just when you are getting that particular drill, Kru Krysta will throw in a few more strikes. I realized I know a little more than I thought I did. Cause I was able to help another person work on their form. =)

We worked on the following drills. (I have written them down as I remember them. If I am wrong let me know. =) I will fix them.)

Heaven 6:

  • starts in a chambered position
  • Forehand strike to head
  • Backhand strike to same side of the head
  • Backhand strike to other side of head
  • ends in chambered position

Umbrella 6: Striking 3 times on one side of the head, and 3 times on the other side of the head.

  • Starts in chambered position
  • Forehand strike to head
  • Backhand strike to same side of head, while you are swinging that forehand strike you just did around your head
  • Forehand strike to same side of head
  • chamber sticks

Lather rinse and repeat the above

Umbrella 8: Striking 4 times on one side of head, and 4 times on the other side of head.

  • Starts in chambered position
  • Forehand strike to head
  • Backhand strike to same side of head, while you are swinging that forehand strike you just did around your head
  • Forehand strike to same side of head out of the redondo
  • Redondo the backhand you struck with and hit back hand
  • Witik forehand
  • Backhand
  • To redondo around head and hit with forehand again.

And if you are good enough you can keep going around and around and around

She had us doing the Heaven 6 to Standard 6 to Earth 6. Then she had us doing the Umbrella 6 to Umbrella 8 to Umbrella 7.

Umbrella 7:

  • Starts in chambered position
  • Forehand strike to head
  • Backhand strike to same side of head, while you are swinging that forehand strike you just did around your head
  • Forehand strike to same side of head out of the redondo
  • Redondo the backhand you struck with and hit back hand
  • Witik forehand
  • Backhand to one side of head
  • Backhand to other side of head

Below in the following video I am doing the Umbrella 8, and the Umbrella 7 counts respectively.

https://youtu.be/QvljCf_z3vE

I am exhausted, my brain is not braining any more. I am going to start typing gibberish if I keep going so I am going to end it here. I had a great time. I am excited about the upcoming training. I am also nervous about it.

I hope you liked the blog, thank you for reading, and if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave them. Keep being your awesome self, and keep trying to make the best you that you can be.

Thursday Muay Thai and Kali…Elbows and Knees the difference between KB and Muay Thai, Brain Melt again

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training. Not every day can be the best day. I know this. It still sucks when I have a day when I feel like I am doing less. I have my bruises and lumps. I have been working hard, I have been putting in my time, and I need to just keep doing it. I know this.

I would love to be all sunshine and daisies all the time. But I think that would be misrepresentation of my training and my journey. So I write about when I am not have such a great day in training. Be it from outside influences like a flood in the house, or internal conflict, or just training itself.

Muay Thai – Elbows and Knees the difference between Kick Boxing and Muay Thai

Today we worked on Thai 4 counts again. The staples of Muay Thai, the art of 8 limbs. We placed the kick on the leg of the, and continue with the punches to the kick. However, Kru Kristen wanted us to focus on the entry. Using the 4 count to get you to a knee. Enter on the knee and clench. From there you can off balance your opponent, then knee them more, or kick them in the face. Kru Kristen says, “when you ask Thai fighters, what they are afraid of, they don’t say kicks or punches. They say knees or elbows. Those are the most devastating and will end a fight. The difference between Kick Boxing and Muay Thai is the elbows and knees. So we are practicing the entry into them.

  1. Furthest away = kicks and teeps
  2. Mid range = punches, hooks, jabs, crosses
  3. close range = knees
  4. closest range = elbows

Being able to flow between all the ranges is ideal, and will allow you to get in and get out hopefully with less lumps then you gave your opponent.

Training:

  1. right leg kick, hook, cross, left torso kick
  2. pyramid kicks
  3. left leg kick, cross, hook, right torso kick
  4. pyramid kicks
  5. right leg kick, hook, cross, knee to full plumb clench, knee them, off balance them and then dump your opponent.
  6. Jumping jacks
  7. left leg kick, hook, cross, knee to full plumb clench, knee them, off balance them and dump your opponent.
  8. Jumping jacks
  9. Clench in half clench, pull opponent onto you to break their base, then off balance them

I love Muay Thai, it is a huge part of my life. I think about it all the time. I love the philosophy. I love the discipline. I love the dedication it takes to learn it. I rearrange my life around it so I can train as much as I do. So when I have a day that feels like I am just all over the place and not doing great. It gets me down. I wanna keep doing well. I wanna keep excelling. I know this is not how this works. Some days you just need to put the hours in and the training in.

Kali – Brain Melting Again

We worked on the 6 count family again. We did the same drills as Tuesday. However, for some reason I was messing up the individual drills. Today every 5 cycles of the same drill and I would mess up.

Kru Krysta said its because I am not retracting as much as I should be. For some reason Tuesday I was doing it just fine. But today not so much.

Then when we did the full 5 drills in one drill, I got it just fine. The brain is a funny thing. I know what to do, but when I think about it to much I fumble. I get flustered and then mess it up.

Kru mixed it up again, and instead of doing all 5, 6 count family, we would do just three of each 6 count drill. Talk melting the brain. That was amazing and hard all at the same time.

So yeah today was not the best training day in the respect of me feeling like I am accomplishing anything. But again I know I just need to put the time in. So I did. I feel good for getting the exercise in. I was dripping in sweat and got to work with some new people in class.

Thank you for reading. Please let me know if you have any questions. I hope you have a great day. Keep being awesome, and keep trying to be the best you, that you can be.

Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali… Staple of Muay Thai, Clumsy Monkey, 5 Drills in One Brain Melting

  • We are goofballs after class.
  • Bruise blooming on foot because I was not kicking right.

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training. I have mentioned it before. I have days where one of my Martial Arts is not clicking. Its frustrating and I don’t really like it. I don’t know why I have days like this. I assume that I am not the only one. But that is only an assumption. Maybe its because of this huge catering job that I am doing this week. Maybe its just the stars are not aligned. Who knows. But today in Muay Thai I was a clumsy monkey.

Muay Thai – Staple of Muay Thai, Clumsy Monkey

We did a review of the things we were doing last week. We were working on a staple of Muay Thai the 4 counts. You may think. Wow they work on the same things a lot. And yeah… you would be right. We do. This is one of the staples of Muay Thai. This is a combination that we drill over and over again. As you can see I am off balance a little. I am clumsy today. I am annoyed at myself and I want to do better.

Some times the only thing you can do is go in and put the time in. Even if you feel you are doing poorly like me in class today. You can see the bruise on my foot from kicking the pads wrong. Muay Thai a lot of times is self correcting. When you kick or hit something wrong you will hurt yourself or your training partner. When you kick the pads wrong, and hit mostly with the top of your foot you will bruise the crap out of it. This is just the bruise right away… We will see what it looks like tomorrow.

Training:

  1. First 3 minute round, we worked on Thai 4 counts
  2. Pyramid kicks
  3. Second 3 minute round, receiving and dealing with a jab or cross and returning a 4 count
  4. Pyramid kicks
  5. Third 3 minute round, blocking or shielding an incoming kick and returning a Thai 4 count
  6. Pyramid Kicks
  7. 3 x 3 minute rounds of sparring.

Kru Kristen said I was doing well… but I have tells, and I kept getting kicked and punched. I know its part of the process but. Man it sucks when you suck, and it sucks when you know you suck and are having a bad time. Anyway here is a video of me doing dealing with the jab and cross. You can see me being a little off balance. Meh… but tomorrow is another day.

https://youtu.be/7hyZMwpDIXw

Kali – 5 drills in one big drill

Kali went a little better for me. I was exhausted after Muay Thai so that did not help. However, I did not seem to have to much of a hard time dealing with the drills.

Training:

  1. We started with the Heaven 6, then Standard 6, then we did the Earth 6
  2. We worked on cob cob
  3. Umbrella came next
  4. Winshield Wiper followed
  5. Ordibis followed winshield

Then then… Kru Krysta wanted to put it all together.

This drill below is all in the video below.

  1. COB COB
  2. Umbrella
  3. Heaven
  4. Winshield Wiper
  5. Ordibis

Yes all those drills were done all at once. This was interesting cause we were able to do it. But we kinda had to feel our way around it. Feel the rhythm and feel the flow. Below is a picture of what we did and the footwork. I am tired and don’t have time or energy to make a foot work graphic today.

This is a video of us practicing this very drill, the 5 drills together melting my brain, and also making new pathways in my brain. Hopefully in the future I will be able to pull on this knowledge, and make it flow better.

https://youtu.be/7PSJfxo-pN4

Thank you for reading. I must away to bed. I have another day of cooking all day for 200 people, serving, and teaching. I hope you have a wonderful day/evening/morning where you are. Keep being awesome and keep striving to be the best you, that you can be.

Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali…Shield and Kick, Kiwian, Stick as Stick vs Stick as Sword

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training. I am bushed. Also D.O.M.s set in from yesterdays workout. So when we warmed up for Muay Thai with jumping rope, 25 push ups, jumping rope and 25 squats I was feeling it. Today was a good day, we worked on shielding a kick to a 4 count, and we learned a new Kali move called Kawian.

Muay Thai – Shield in Kick

So some things that have been said and taught recently that sometimes I forget to put in my blog posts. Why you ask? Because when I am tired after a 2 hour training session I forget things. So before I forget.

Muay Thai, or more importantly is parent Muay Boran (a.k.a. ancient boxing) is over 1000 years old. This ancient art has so much to learn from and I am so happy to have a chance to learn.

When you are kicking with Muay Thai, it may sound good, but may not be great. You don’t have to have a fantastic sounding kick for it to be a good kick. You are supposed to be kicking through your opponent. The kick you should feel in your bones when you are feeding pads, and the kicker should be trying to kick through the person to the next person behind them.

You always want to enter on pain. When you land a solid kick, and startle your opponent. Then enter in, complete a Thai 4 count, keep attacking till they stop. If you don’t land the kick, or the blow that startles or shocks your opponent, get out of the pocket and wait till you do.

Most people will not expect you to shield a kick, then return a kick with same side you shielded. This is why we practiced it. You can see the drill on bullet number 3 below.

Anyway enough talking… here is what we were working on.

Training:

  1. Warm up, Jump rope, 25 push ups, Jump rope, 25 air squats.
  2. Shield right incoming kick with rear leg, then return a Thai 4 count right to left.
    • Thai 4 count right to left – right kick, hook, cross, left kick
  3. Pyramid kicks 1 to 5 then back down again to 1 right side
  4. Shield right incoming kick with front leg, then return a Thai 4 count with left to right.
    • Thai 4 count left to right – left kick, cross, hook, right kick
  5. Pyramid kicks 1 to 5 then back down again to 1 left side
  6. Catch kick, bleed off power, control opponents shoulder, either dump them or switch arms to deliver a spinning back elbow.

I made a video of me practicing the left shield, to left stutter step or a real short range hop kick. I am also practicing bleeding off the torso kick, and then executing the spinning back elbow.

https://youtu.be/En3kZWDuuKs

Kali – Kiwian and Stick as Stick, vs Stick as Sword

Kali was cool and interesting. We learned a new move, and we discussed using a stick as a stick or blunt instrument, or using a stick as a sword or a sharp instrument. When using a stick as a blunt instrument you are trying to bash things, as opposed to trying to cut and cut major arteries.

So today we focused on blunt instruments. Wanting to use the stick to bash your opponent. There is a difference in intent, and how the stick is used.

Kru Kristen says, we need to know how to move and avoid getting hit by, slide stepping out, not just off the line, but back away from opponent, and then slide stepping in to return attack. This was a main theme for today and our training.

Training:

  1. High figure 8, low back hand, high back hand
  2. Low figure 8, low back hand, high backhand
  3. Advanced student drills: (we were to switch from all of these drills seamlessly)
    • Equise, low back hand high back hand
    • High Figure 8, low back hand, high back hand
    • Low figure 8, low back hand, high back hand
  4. Kiwian – is a drill where you do a vertical redondo, to downward diagonal backhand, to upward diagonal back hand, to redondo again. This move was meant to smash the head and keep doing damage
  5. Drills to push away/slide step away from incoming strike, and slide step in to return strikes.

I made a video below of me working on the Kiwian drill. I can never seem to make

https://youtu.be/h-ns04N2ocE

I got this new rash guard, and I love it. I love octopodes and this was a must have. Its so pretty. I bought it with my own money, the company is called Break Point. I just wore it this once and the quality on it is great. I have gotten compliments so far, and I like it. https://www.breakpointfc.com/ I am not affiliated with them, they don’t even know me or that I am talking about them.

These arts are not with out their peril. I caught a stick to the face tonight. It was my own stick, which makes one feel like… well stupid, however, it was a rebound from a strike, my wrist was not tight enough and it rebounded right into my face. I have a small lump under my eyebrow. I may or may not bruise. It is sore to the touch, but over all seems ok. We shall see. I will keep an eye on it. =)

Well thanks for reading. Let me know if you have questions or comments. What do you like to read about? I know some of you are here for the recipes. I do have one coming. Keep being awesome and be the best you you can be.

Saturday Krav Maga, Bo Staff, and Muay Thai…Single Wing Choke, 1 for 1, Difference between Technique and Tactics

3.5 hours of Krav Maga, Bo Staff, and Muay Thai Striking class. I am bushed. It is a lovely day outside, a great day for training, and I learned a lot. I can’t ask for much more on a training day.

Krav Maga – Single Wing Choke

I am going to call this a single wing choke. We did many things in Krav, but the new thing, the thing I have never done before and so I focused most of my thought processes to it was what I call the Single Wing Choke. It is probably not called that. But it reminds me of the Muay Thai Single Wing Clench.

We worked on slipping jabs and crosses, and returning a strike. This is normal stuff we work on in Muay Thai.

We worked on this choke that is supposed to cut off oxygen, and blood, to make the assailant pass out. I mention this, because there are choke holds that are meant to cause pain and submission, instead of making the assailant black out. This choke however, is meant to make them black out, or stop fighting.

In Krav we are told you do a move till they stop. Or they stop moving. Let me make this clear that this is for protection in the wide world, and not while working with you partner. If you keep knocking/passing them out, they won’t want to work with you.

So we do this very carefully, and and let the partner know that we are going to tighten now.

We started off in a standing position. Where we split the jab if you are an orthodox fighter. Then we simultaneously returned a strike to throat or face. Then you transition to clenching up on them like a single wing clench in Thai. Push your head up against their shoulder, and pull your elbows to the chest, inflating your chest to cut off oxygen and blood. Your partner will tap when you complete this properly and they feel the pain.

We then transitioned to the floor. Where we started out in cross body position that is done in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) . This is the fist time I have done BJJ. I try to be really careful with my back, and worry that BJJ will tweak my back. Anyway I digress. We start of with cross body, push up their elbow, put pressure on it with our head and neck leaning into the arm, then we snake our arm around their heads, get a cable lock, move our bodies over theirs, and then pull in our elbows, and expand our chests. We do this till our partner taps.

This was great fun, and I am always surprised how little pressure it takes to cut off oxygen and blood to their heads, if you do the move just right. Kru Kristen, says, “BJJ, they say getting a big result with little effort, is better than getting a little result with big effort.”

Our teacher Lee, is a great teacher and I am happy I made it to Krav today.

Bo Staff – 1 for 1

Today in Bo Staff class, we worked on the 17 strikes as a warm up.

Then we worked on the drill, High, Low, Low, High.

Then for the rest of the class we worked on 1 for 1 drilling. This is the precursor to sparring with a staff. Where you throw any strike, and your partner counters, then they throw a strike and you counter. It makes you think about counter moves, getting off the line, and your next strike. This helps in pattern and flow. I took a video of us doing just that. We make mistakes, and sometimes get hit in the hands, but that is what gloves are for. Protection.

https://youtu.be/3GaWx55KPAI

Muay Thai/Striking – Difference between Technique and Tactics

Today in striking we were working on more of the same drills we have been working. This is good cause I needed to get more work in on stepping off the line, getting my strikes in and then getting out of the pocket.

  1. 1st round
    1) Left leg kick, right cross, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, right round house
    2) Right leg kick, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, cross, left round house kick
    3) Left leg kick, right cross, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, left round house kick
    4) Right leg kick, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, cross, left round house kick
  2. 2nd round
    1) Catch jab, return right leg kick, hook/upper cut/shovel hook, cross, left kick or right kick
  3. 3rd round
    1) Catch jab, avoid cross, return left inner leg kick, cross, hook/upper cut/shovel hook, left or right kick

I worked on my catch of Jab, to hop left and right leg kick. However, what I have been doing when I do that, is squaring up, or placing my right foot down next to the left foot. What that does is make it difficult to almost impossible to do the rest of the Thai 4 count when I am not in the proper stance. So I need to work on laying in the right leg kick, then quickly bringing the leg back to my stance.

This is going to be my bread and butter as a short fighter. I did get a compliment on my cross. I have been working on that, and it looks like it might actually be getting better.

However, I got dinged on dropping my hands. I tend to drop my hands when I am about to throw a kick. This is according to Kru Kristen a common thing that people do, but we need to focus on keeping them up all the time.

She also reiterated that when we are tired like I was, that is the best time to work on your skills. Technique falls to your base skills when you are tired. So focusing and forcing yourself to remember to keep your hands up will develop the mental connection.

She talked about how technique and tactics are different. She can teach tactics all day, but if you don’t have the right technique, tactics won’t do anything for you. We so often work on technique while drilling, however, we have been working on tactics when we talk about how we enter in on a punch, or kick, and return strikes. Tactics makes us use the technique we learn and apply it, allowing us to return strikes, and get out of the box.

I love learning about this striking martial art. I feel so lucky to be able to learn and study under Kru Kristen. I don’t absorb everything every class (there really is so much information thrown at you), but I try so hard to learn at least one new thing, or just try to work on one skill each class. She mentioned that her teacher said you cannot instruct someone, you can only show them. It takes them figuring out what works for them, and their bodies for it to stick and for them to learn.

Thanks for reading. I waxed a little poetic today, but I truly believe everything I have said and love what I am doing. I am exhausted now, and am going to try to put food in my body. Have a great day.

Thursday Muay Thai and Kali… Minnesota Shuffle and Die, Inside Deflect Snake to Pool Cue, 7 count Espada y Daga

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali. Muay Thai kicked my butt in a good way. The kind that leaves you sucking air on the mat in a puddle of sweat. In Kali we learned some really cool weave moves, with a snake an pool cue move.

Muay Thai – Minnesota Shuffle and Die

In Muay Thai today we are all helping our team mate train for a upcoming fight. So that means fight conditioning training for all of us. I love it. This is the stuff that pushes you hard, has you gasping for air with a stitch in your side. During the training it sucks, but after, when you are cooling off you feel so accomplished. Or at the very least I do! What did we do. Well the general warm up. Jump rope, and shadow boxing, but that is normal and some what boring. Its great training, don’t get me wrong. But it is not super taxing.

Now after that we held pads for our partners for 3 full rounds, and after each round had our partners do a Minnesota Shuffle. We switched pads, and then had to do the same thing. Let me tell you. Going three rounds no rest except that 1 minute after the Minnesota Shuffle is rough. Your body is tired, it is telling… not screaming for you to stop and rest but you push through. When you hit the end of round 3 and you complete the last of the Minnesota Shuffles, you or at least I laid on the ground and died. That 1 minute rest is barely enough for you to start getting your heart rate down.

Kru Kristen and Kru Krysta are amazing teachers and they started writing these things down for all of us, but Kru Kristen said to me, “see I am writing it down for you Tanya.” Because they know I write it down in my blog and I try to remember what we did for class. Often times after I have gotten home and am exhausted not only from the day but from the wringer that they put us through. I love our instructors, and could not have asked for better.

Anyway enough gabbing here is what we did.

Warm up:

Jump rope, and shadow boxing

3 rounds straight through with only 1 minute rest

  1. 1st round
    1) Left leg kick, right cross, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, right round house
    2) Right leg kick, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, cross, left round house kick
    3) Left leg kick, right cross, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, left round house kick
    4) Right leg kick, left hook/shovel hook/upper cut, cross, left round house kick
    5) Minnesota Shuffle – ladder left round house kick (1 kick, then two kicks, then three, till 5), clench to 10 knees, ladder right round house kick
  2. 2nd round
    1) Catch jab, return right leg kick, hook/upper cut/shovel hook, cross, left kick or right kick
    2) Minnesota Shuffle
  3. 3rd round
    1) Catch jab, avoid cross, return left inner leg kick, cross, hook/upper cut/shovel hook, left or right kick

After you held for your partner for three rounds, you had to do it yourself. This is a grueling workout, and it was awesome. I felt like I pushed through. Even though I did not have an epiphany today, or make a break through in a skill I have been working on. I hit this workout hard and made it through. Some days it is good just to survive.

Below is a video of me doing the two last drills in round 2 and 3. Keep in mind I am bushed now. I have been working 2 hours on MA training, and just wanted to record this so could see myself perform and look for errors. Ohh boy… lots to work on. When you are tired you should concentrate on your form more. This is the time when it is being ingrained in to your brains.

https://youtu.be/U5Q7mGQPTAs

Kali – Inside Deflect Snake to Pool Cue, 7 count Espada y Daga

In Kali we got to work on some new and cool drills, moves? I sometimes call them moves and drills. Maybe the word exercises is more correct. Well what ever. I will say drills for now. However, I digress.

We focused on inside deflect, and then ways to counter a strike. From the Gurus we have learned from, each of them says Kali as a Martial Art is so vast, and changing. You could study it for 50 years and still learn more. The style and art form differs from village to village, from environment (sandy, jungle, grassy, rocky) to environment, and from Teacher/Guru to Guru. Each has their own way of doing some things, but there are some constants in Kali that don’t change either. Like the X or equis. An x is an x but what you do with the x or how you enter into your opponents area is where things can change.

Training:

  1. X pattern with inside deflect, counter clockwise snake, to disarm
  2. X pattern with inside deflect, counter clockwise snake, to bridge, then you bait your opponent to punch, open scoop the punch they throw, and weave trap both their arms. This leaves your arm free to punch them, or you can kick them in the knees.
  3. 7 count espada y daga, a.k.a. stick and dagger.
    1) backhand # 2 strike, to knife strike to well of neck, back hand to #2 again, block high, block low, block high knife strike, #1 finishing strike (where you hit with intent).
  4. X pattern with inside deflect, counter clockwise snake, to bridge, then stick your knife into quadrant 3, grab your stick lock their hands, and spear/pool cue their necks.

I have two Kali videos from tonight below. One is the number 2 drill. The other is the 7 count espada y daga drill.

https://youtu.be/Vaz2P5HW9aM

The 7 count Espada y Daga drill video is almost completely uncut. I did this to show you all how we puzzle through a new drill. Normally I cut the video down so that you don’t have to see all the struggling and mess ups we happen to have, when working out what our bodies and minds are trying to do. If you want to see it more fluid, skip toward the end of video marker 4:40 and you will see the drill.

https://youtu.be/F1Z0JMlXNEo

Kali melted my brain a little bit. I was tired after Muay Thai, and then they asked my brain to function and think and learn new tricks. However, I had a blast in class today. I feel like we learned some new things, and I am over the moon about that conditioning in Muay Thai.

I hope you liked my rambling thoughts. Thank you for reading. I must get to sleep. Keep working on being the best you, that you can be.

Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali…Always Enter On Pain, If You Look at the Stick You Get Hit By The Stick, The Fang

This is me putting the Fang choke on my partner, also known as Churing the Butter.

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali. Whew it is always great when you have a breakthrough in your martial arts training. On average, every day is repetition and drilling. The goal is to try to keep doing drills to better your skills and flow. So I don’t always feel like I am making great strides. The point is to keep going and keep training.

Muay Thai – Always Enter on Pain

Today was the day though. I made a breakthrough in Muay Thai. We were working on Thai 4 counts today, and response to punches with kicks. I am a short person, and being so I have to figure out ways to close the distance. Especially with taller people. So today we were catching the jab and returning a leg kick getting off the line so we did not get hit in the face/head. Because you see you want to avoid getting hit. You want to avoid it, but when you are learning it is inevitable. You always want to enter on the pain you have given to your opponent. For instance they go to jab at you, you catch the jab, kick them in the leg, then complete the Thai 4 count.

So the flow and sound should be dat dat, one catch one kick right after another. I was working with a girl that is a little taller than I am but so much more skilled than I am. I was getting the flow down great. As I was she mentioned she hops to one side and gets off the line to land the kick while the punch is coming in. I start to mimic her to the best of my abilities. Guess what I did it. I was able to hop to the side, get off the line, catch the jab, and land the leg kick. All with the same flow dat dat beat. I did it. I figured it out. I have seen her do it before, she has mentioned it before. But something in my brain clicked and allowed my brain and body to work together to do what I wanted. Woot Woot!

Thai 4 counts: for Orthodox stance

  1. Left leg kick, cross, hook/uppercut, right leg kick
  2. Left leg kick, cross, hook/uppercut, left leg kick
  3. Right leg kick, hook/upper cut, cross, left leg kick
  4. Right leg kick, hook/upper cut, cross, right leg kick

I got a compliment form Kru Kristen. She said I was moving great, and getting off the line. I was so proud. Its these times when things clicks that make all those other hours of repetition and drilling worth it. I wish they were more prevalent.

Kali – Always Enter On Pain, If You Look at the Stick You Get Hit By The Stick, The Fang

Today in Kali, we had a guest instructor named Guru Mark Cukro. This is one of Kru Krysta’s mentors, and he was visiting. He came in and graced us with his time and teaching. You could tell how much this man has learned and the speed and grace with which he moved. We learned some new witik drills, and drills to keep your arm framed with your body and meeting force with force when a stick is coming at you.

From there we learned how to enter, say from a Kumbiata Switch, push down on the shoulder and get the Fang choke in. This choke/submission is also called Churning the Butter. =) Because once you have the stick along the carotid and you are tightening the choke with your arm and the stick you can churn the stick and cause more pain.

The carotid artery is the a major artery in the neck and cutting off circulation is not only painful, but can make a person pass out. My picture above is me working on this very choke.

I got this picture from this wiki page. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/External_carotid_artery

Getting to learn from these Gurus, leaves you with some great gems. One for tonight was this quote. “If you look at the stick you will get hit with a stick.” What is meant by that is you should be looking at the movement of the body. In Muay Thai you don’t look at the punch coming at you. You look at the persons chest. This is cause you are supposed to be watching their body movements, not what their hands are doing.

We also worked on getting the Puta Kapala in, from the clench. This was fun, because we learned how to control the persons spine from the base of their head. I love the Puta Kapala.

This was a fantastic class. I had a blast, and it was great learning from a teacher that my teacher/instructor loves and respects. He was a fantastic teacher and so open to questions.

Thank you for reading. I have some new followers, so welcome, and please let me know if you have any questions. I have a glossary page that has definitions for terms. ah Have a great day/night/week, get out there, do what you love, and love each other.

P.S. If you are curious about where I train. It is the Pedro Sauer academy One Spirit Martial Arts. http://virginiabjj.com/ I love the feel and spirit of this gym.