Tag: Knee

Muay Thai… First Friday Night Class

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, workoutLeave a comment

1.5 hours of Muay Thai training. With our instructor Tony. He learned Muay Thai from his father, who learned it from his father, for generations back. Tony is first generation Thai. He is awesome! For reference I am second generation Japanese.

His workout is no joke. He had us doing warm ups with agility ladder drills to improve/quicken our foot work. Followed by 5 kicks. Then more ladder drills followed by 10 kicks.

He had us working on Jab and Cross. However, he wanted us to stay put this time. We often work on footwork, and movement. Movement where we have to cut the corner, get out of the pocket, fade back, or disengage. He wanted us to stay put in the pocket because in traditional Thai Boxing you stay in the pocket. He had us doing that for both the jab and cross, the switch kick, and the knee. Tony is a very traditional Thai practitioner. Because his family is very much more traditional.

Every time I get a chance to work with him. I learn new things. He pushes us, and helps us learn new technique. When we are done, we feel it in our everywhere.

Enough gabbing here is what we did:

  1. Agility ladder drill
  2. 5 rapid kicks left
  3. Agility ladder drill
  4. 5 rapid kicks right
  5. Agility ladder drill
  6. 5 rapid kicks left
  7. Agility Ladder drill
  8. 5 rapid kicks right
  1. Agility ladder drill
  2. 10 rapid kicks left
  3. Agility ladder drill
  4. 10 rapid kicks right
  5. Agility ladder drill
  6. 10 rapid kicks left then right across the mat
  7. Agility ladder drill
  8. 10 rapid kicks left then right across the mat
  1. Feeder feeds any jab or cross, or jab cross, cross jab combo x 2 – 3 minute rounds
  2. Burn out 30 seconds jab cross flurry
  1. Feeder feeds choice of cross, to lead switch kick x 2 – 3 minute rounds
  2. Burn out 30 seconds double kick lead leg
  1. Feeder feeds upward knee using the switch motion to keep yourself in the pocket. x 2 – 3 minute rounds
  2. Burn out 30 seconds double kick lead leg
  1. Partner kicks on the bag for 30 seconds – (This is where you and your partner are on opposite sides of the bag. They kick once you follow immediately with a kick. Lather rinse repeat)
  2. 30 seconds rest
  3. Partner kicks on the bag for 30 seconds (switch places so if you were doing right kicks you are now doing left kicks)
  4. 30 seconds rest
  1. 30 seconds knee #2 (try to get 50 knees in 30 seconds)
  2. 30 seconds rest
  3. 30 seconds knee #2 (try to get 50 knees in 30 seconds)
  4. 30 seconds rest
  5. 30 seconds knee #2 (try to get 50 knees in 30 seconds)
  6. 30 seconds rest
  7. 30 seconds knee #2 (try to get 50 knees in 30 seconds)
  8. 30 seconds rest

Switch kicks– are kicks where instead of cut stepping you are changing stance in place, staying in the pocket, and whipping your leg up into the torso quickly.

So Tony’s style is different from my Kru I train with 4 days a week. Different than Ajarn Chai’s style, and that is good. Ajarn Chai reminds us all the time that each gym is different, each family has their own way of doing things. I find value in learning from many different instructors. There is always something you can learn and make better. Also you might find a way to do something that works better for you.

I am now dead tired. This is my 4th day doing Muay Thai this week. I have one more tomorrow, before I get a rest.

I hope you enjoyed reading. Thanks for reading, and keep working to be the best you that you can be. My respects to you all.

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Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali…Ordered to take it easy, Combos from Thai Camp

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, workoutLeave a comment

2 hours of training. I still feel it from Thai Camp. I got in on a red eye at 7 am yesterday and had to work last night. While I had a nap yesterday after I got home, I had a nap today. I am still tired. But doing well. So today is our regular training day.

It was really nice to get back on the mats. I had so many people welcome me back and ask about Thai camp. They also congratulated me on completing it and making it. It was really nice to be back in my home. The area I am comfortable in.

So today Khun Kru Krysta told me, “to take it easy, and that is an order.” Kru Kristen was surprised I was in for training today. =)

So I guess other people might not have been in. I can say my muscles are still tired, and my hip flexors are sore still. But I did it.

Enough gabbing, here is what we did.

Muay Thai Combos from Thai Camp

  1. 1 round of jump rope
  2. Feeder Jabs, and then right kicks
  3. You side step, or move leg out of the way
  4. You teep
  5. Feeder feeds a right kick then a cross
  6. You parry the cross, with left hand
  7. You cover with right hand, grab back of neck and then knee feeder
  8. Feeder right kick
  9. You Shield kick
  10. Feeder feeds a lead hand upper cut
  11. You lean step back and lean back with left arm down to the side, and right hand covering right hand side of face.
  12. Right knee, to right Kick

Kali

In Kali we worked on a entry with jabs creating noise or distraction. The finished with an Cross, hook, cross.

We worked on: Disarms both Snake and Vine

Vine disarms – are weapon assisted disarms, in this instance with a stick

Snake disarms – are disarms without a weapon

  1. Plus leaver disarm with the stick, using an indide deflect
  2. Off of an equis feed, or strike #1 and strike #2
  3. Inside deflect, and control opponents arm
  4. Strike a #4 or back hand shot to opponents ribs
  5. Slide controlling hand to end of opponents stick
  6. Strike hand of opponent holding stick
  7. Making a plus sign with sticks use your stick to leaver opponents stick out of opponents hand
  8. Equal leaver disarm with the stick, using an inside deflect
  9. Off of an equis feed or strike #1, strike #2, strike #1
  10. Outside deflect, and control opponents arm
  11. Slide your stick along their stick and under opponents wrist making an equal sign
  12. Turn over your hand, and slide your other hand along stick to their hand to grab and wrench out of their grip
  13. Inside Snake disarm
  14. Off of a Strike #1 inside deflect
  15. Snake arm down and around counter clockwise
  16. Look at palm of your hand and turn your whole torso around to pull stick out of their grip in your arm
  17. Outside Snake disarm
  18. Off a Strike #2 outside deflect
  19. Snake arm down and around clockwise
  20. Either wing it out of their grip, or blade hand and squat to take stick from opponent.

Below is a paper doll I made for the 17 count. So the numbers I am referring to above are here below.

Then we worked on Kali sparring with a soft stick, and boxing gloves. One person had gloves and one had a soft stick. We had to work on our distance management, getting in for the boxing and keeping the other person at bay for the soft stick.

Today was a really fun day. I did not push it to hard. I had a good time. I got to see my fellow classmates and Martial Arts family again. As always I try to put up terms when I remember them, into the glossary (What does that even mean?) if you are interested. I use it to remember terms myself. It is a living document, and will keep being added to. If you practice Kali/Escrima/Silat/JKD or Muay Thai and I made a mistake let me know of course. I will fix it.

Thank you for reading, and if you have questions let me know. Keep working to be the best you that you can be.

Conditioning Day 15…4 hours, Espada Y Daga, and hitting a wall

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, workoutLeave a comment

4 hours of training today on day 15. I am exhausted. I hit a wall. Not a plateau, nor do I feel like I hit an over training hurdle. I just hit a wall like Wile E Coyote hits the ground after falling off the cliff. Like a Mac Truck hit me. I know that for your body to adapt you must hit these walls/hurdles and keep going, so that is what I did. I got in 20 rounds of training.

Yup that is what it felt like. But I had to keep pushing through.

I started out with a 1 mile run. It was not great timing wise. It was a 13.33 minute mile… it was also 93 degrees out.

I cam back in and did kicking rounds.

  1. Power kicking rounds. 1 to two kicks per side for the entirety of the round.
  2. Speed kicking rounds. Power is taken out, and technique is focused on. Pyramid kicks from 1 kick, 2 kicks, 3 kicks, 4 kicks, 5 kicks, 6 kicks, 5 kicks, 4 kicks, 3 kicks, 2 kicks, 1 kick. All in succession.
  3. Speed and Power kicking rounds mixed together.

I did 4 bag rounds of 3 minutes each with a 30 second burn out.

I also working on rounds of boxing. Jab, Cross, Upper cut, Upper cut, body hook, body hook.

Muay Thai Class

Then we had Thai class. We warmed up with jump rope, then we did clench work to warm up.

Kru Kristen had us then work on punches transitioning to elbows, to knees. I got to work with Kru Krysta so we could both work on our conditioning for Thai Camp. As we are both going. Yay!

Each round ended with an elbow flurry blitz.

Kali – Espada y Daga

Then came Kali class, the 4th hour. My brain had stopped braining. My body was just tired, but I kept working at the drills. We worked on Gunting (scissor) five count. With double stick, Espada y Daga, and with single knife. We worked on pass, cut and disarm.

I know this is not super detailed but I am exhausted, need to shower and get to bed. I hope you all have a great day/night when ever you get to read this. Keep being awesome and working to be the best you can be.

Conditioning Day 12… Pad Work In the Park

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, Muay Thai, Fitness, workoutLeave a comment

2.5 hour Conditioning training today. There was a BJJ seminar in our gym today so all of the classes were canceled, and we decided to do our training out in the park. It was a beautiful day. Sunny, breezy and not terribly hot. We stayed in the shade of a big tree. The kiddos got to play in a play ground right next to us. There was a graduation party going on next to us as well. The people setting up wound up watching us. I guess it is not normal to see people drilling boxing, elbows, and knees at the park.

H had me working on 4 minute rounds. No burn outs today, just constant work. We worked on my boxing stance, since I tend to square up when I shift weight on my cross and jab.

We worked on my slip, knees and elbows. We also worked on knees to elbows, punches to elbows, punches to knees.

He can tell the difference in my downward diagonal elbow now that I have been to a Arjan Chai seminar. It is more powerful, and I throw it much better. He has started using that technique as well.

I worked up a sweat, we got about 20 x 4 minute rounds in. It was a great Saturday workout, and a great conditioning day 12 workout. I have 10 days left to train up for camp.

I recorded some video of two of the drills we did.

Here is the Cross, Jab, Slip, Jab, Cross, Slip drill we did.

And this is the Jab, Cross, Upper Cut, Upper Cut, Body Hook drill we did.

I hope you have a great day! Thanks for reading.

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

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Martial Arts, Muay Thai, workoutLeave a comment

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.

Tuesday Muay Thai and Kali…Same side flow like water, Thai shirts, 7 count knife drill

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay ThaiLeave a comment

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali training. Today was so much fun. I was excited to unveil the shirts I had made. Also thought today was going to be a test day. But alas it was not. Kru Kristen had to do some book keeping and see where everyone is first. And then we worked on espada y daga or sword and knife drills. Kru Krysta took over an taught both classes.

Muay Thai – Same side flow like water, Thai Shirts

So today was a great day for training. We worked on same side flow from, teeps, to kicks, to knees and back again. But all on the same side. So this make it difficult cause if your balance is not correct you will fall. You will not have power if you balance is off, and if you do not step out. If you do not teep your partner hard enough they may not step back far enough for you to get your kick in, so then you have to step off the line.

So I took video of me doing some of the drills. Meh…

  1. Lead round house kick to lead tee
  2. Rear round house kick to rear teep
  3. Lead round house kick, to lead shield of kick, to lead round house kick to lead teep.
  4. Rear round house kick, to rear shield of kick, to rear round house kick to rear teep.
  5. Lead round house kick, to rear teep, rear feint, to lead knee.

Ok let me pick this crap apart. For some reason today I was dropping my hands, all the time. That is going to get me punched in the face. I was a bit off balance today that is not great for teeps, or kicks. My shields of kicks were down right sad. I need to remember to keep my foot flexed tight to shield, but I kept failing at that. My timing was not great and I felt slow, sometimes waiting for a few seconds to long to move to the next move. The strikes should be smooth and flow like water. So many things wrong with my drilling today… my body was just not doing what I wanted it to today. I know what I need to do, but just not executing it today.

And don’t get me started on how I looked. A hot mess is what comes to mind. But I digress, I know focusing on that does not help me flow like water.


I made Thai shirts for my team. I made the design, and had them printed up. I was able to hand them out today. I was so excited to do this. But the back of my head that little mean part of my brain was saying what if they hate it, what if they don’t like it? Trying to make me doubt myself.

So I ignored that mean chatter, and took them in anyway. My team loved it. They thought it was so cool and thanked me for it. I was very happy to do it and relieved that it was received well. It was a surprise and they did not know it was coming.

It says:

Crew AmpliThai

Nak Muay (means Thai Fighter) 
Respect
Hard Work
Perseverance
Dedication

Then Kru Kristen’s quote:
“Less Talking, More Hitting”

I like the way the shirts came out. =)

Kali – 7 count Knife Drill, T drill, all with Espada y Daga

Today in Kali we worked on the 7 count knife and stick drill or espada y daga (sword and dagger). We worked on the T drill separately, then hubud drill, then the 7 count separately. Finally we worked on the T drill and 7 count together in one full flow drill.

I filmed the T and 7 count full flow drill. Here is the video in all its um… glory? Well its something.

It is 12 pm here, and I must go to bed. I have a 5 am wake up. Weeee! Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Thursday Muay Thai and Kali…A Little Uncomfortable, Time to Play

On By Thinks with SpinksIn Fitness, Kali Escrima, Martial Arts, Muay ThaiLeave a comment

2 hours of Muay Thai and Kali. I woke up had a lot on my plate, went into work early to get a cake done that my boss needed me to do. Her boss asked for me personally to do the cake. =)

Everything on this cake is made by me, and is edible.

I don’t usually show my work here. But this is just an example of what I have/had to work on today.

I digress though… back to the martial arts. =)

Muay Thai – A Little Uncomfortable

There are days we cover so much, and then there are days were we need to just drill out what we have been working on. Lately we have been working on the T.B.A. (Thai Boxing Association) Thai 17 count. But today Kru Kristen broke down some of the combinations.

The first combo we worked on left knee, left kick, cross, hook, right kick. With this combo we were working on knee to left kick, we needed to load the kick and not just land heavy on the left foot. We needed to set it back almost parallel with our back foot so that we could take the quick step and land the kick. With this combo we were working on flow, and transition, trying to make them smooth, and in my case kicking harder.

The second combo we worked on is right knee, right kick, hook, cross, left kick. Again we were working on the knee to right kick, with a quick step to load and step out. Producing power, and a better striking kick when you do. Flow and transition are again things we needed to strive to attain.

Its important to learn new skills but it is also important to take apart the new skills, drills, moves, and work the parts through. I feel that doing this, gives me time to develop the skills I need so that next time we go through the entire Thai 17 count I will be just a tiny bit improved. Its all about them baby steps.

We worked on clench work after that. We worked with the less experienced students, and were helping them learn half clench, to off balances.

Kru Kristen said an interesting thing. Training is important, and taking people to a high fear level, like throwing them into sparring to soon, is a detriment. The high fear just hinders their learning, however, on the other hand letting them stay in this cushy close, comfortable area does them no good. You can have a great technician, that does not know how to practically use the skills they have. You have some one that is good at fighting but does not have the technical skills. Its taking a student out of their comfort zone, and making them a little uncomfortable is where the real learning comes from. So practicing the skill in a safe environment is important, but then letting the student play around with it is also important. I personally have noticed this is true. You can see how a skill can get used, then strung together with another move, and you can begin to see the openings. When I first started learning Muay Thai, and Kali, the instructors would talk about seeing openings in a persons attack. This was daunting for me then. How was I supposed to remember the attack or move and see an opening at the same time? I can tell you it gets better with experience. You will see the openings when you know what they look like, and you will see what they look like when you learn the moves and how to make your body do the strike.

Kali – Time to Play

In Kali we worked on playing with each other. Kru Kristen says that playful drills where we are able do some flow drills, while then being able to find an opening and using a previously learned move is the beginnings of sparring. Now I have been sparring for a while now, and she has mentioned this before. I agree with her. Being able to take the fear out of it, but making it it fun, and just a partner and yourself just trying to find an in/entry. Or you and a partner trying to find a way to alternate drills that you are doing forces your brain to look for those openings.

We worked on hubud drills again, body pummeling, wrist pummeling, and Thai Boxing pummeling. She encouraged us to talk while doing it. She did not want us to focus on our hands but what our partners energy was doing. Where were they moving their body to, and could you counter without looking directly at their hands.

So to bring the same theme into the Kali class, she wanted us to have time to play. Because if we can play and flow through the hubud, flow drills, then into the body grappling, and then out again into striking, you can see where you would have a opening. Again play is the precursor to sparring, and allows us to be in a safe environment but again, makes you slightly uncomfortable.

This has become a long blog, and if you read this far, wow and thank you. I need to wrap this up and head to bed.