Tuesday 30 September 2014

Joel Gerson, an MMA pioneer

The latest edition of the Drunken Daoist podcast had Joel Gerson:

http://thedrunkentaoist.com/episodes/bonus-episode-3-joel-gerson-about-fighting-and-phi

I knew nothing of him and his story is fascinating. Well worth a listen.

Here is a list of the topics covered:

Rumina Sato, god of grappling
Daniele's shady quasi-legal deals in the Japanese enclave on Sawtelle
Had texting existed back then, Joel's life would have turned out different
"I was trying to convince myself that I could win, and I knew that I was bullshitting myself"
Joel's university professor father "My son is a bruiser"
"Anybody can learn how to give a beating, it's learning how to take a beating that is the tricky part"
The appeal of combat sports
Being honest with oneself is the antidote to ending up like Ted Haggard
Dogma and ideologies
The fear of facing the universe without certainties
Ideology is a disease
Lessening the hold of fear
Inspiration as fuel for heroism
The quest for self-perfection is something that any human being who is not an ass should be on
Sakuraba epic 2000 Grand Prix
MMA work ethic
Carlos Newton
The joys of the internet

And here is the video of Joel fighting Sato. I particularly enjoyed him talking about 'checking' (taking) leg kicks in the podcast.

This is his fight

Class notes: controlling the centre

The class was mainly working out of the 3 drill

Chopping off the other hand in the first attack of the 3 drill:
This is done by grabbing and circling the chop over.

Leaning chops: falling steps, the legs catch up to the body. Stay balanced. Martin's chops were tight and deep and he was covered.

Head down shoulder up entry chops

Inside pak attacks from the chops both same side pak and opposite side

Using the attacks from 3 drills after the inside pak

Inside lap off the chop in the 3 drill

Having the commitment to attack. Feeling Tristan attack gave me little time to react even though I knew what was coming. My instinct was to clinch and wait for a gap. Several times he had me tried up in knots. A lot of the above can be transfered to fighting someone with a guard up.

You want the X. Never pak from the rear hand as it is too far to travel.

If they are right leg forward then mirror

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Ronda Rousey and Gil Melendez rolling

Lovely fluid work on the ground

http://www.sherdog.com/blog/Video-Gilbert-Melendez-Rolls-with-Ronda-Rousey-73893#s564ovqdQWfXAVKv.01

Class notes: Boxing and wrestling drilling

Lots of 3 drill, boxing drilling and standing grappling work. Here is a short video of some of our work tonight


Wednesday 10 September 2014

Brutal knock outs

Just because...


Class notes: boxing, boxing, boxing.

Gloves on straight away.

Footwork reminders which were to be put into practise straight away with the first drill and practised well all session.

Partner A throw the punches: jab, cross, jab and cross. Of course this was dependent on what pads (hands) partner B was holding up.  Moving around the room, partner B directed the footwork by moving, leading, encroaching in all directions whilst putting the hands up. I started off with Trist and we looked at each others' footwork and non punching hand. The non punching hand needs to be protecting but also pulling that side of the body back to increase the power in the punches.

A key learning point was range awareness. Be at the end of your punches and use full rotation on the right hand.

When I went with Martin my range was too short, I was making contact too close as he could throw a left hook over my right cross and it would land. I needed to become much more aware of the few centimetres difference in range. After a couple of partner changes I began to feel the range with more understanding.  It did feel most strange at first though. An analogy would be being aware of your own personal space in a conversation with another. There is a point where you feel too close. In my head this was the feeling I wanted when throwing punches but the opposite: feeling like I am too far away to make contact. Thankfully that awkward feeling was a truth gauge. Moving forward in learning I need be super aware of the range.

This video shows a concept of range. Watch how the smaller fighter plays the fights at his range. I know this is a typical Japanese mis-match bout but nonetheless just watch the range finding.



Next we did our jab/perve drill. This too enabled footwork and range practise. Less punches were thrown as people were now begin to gain a better feel for the range. Additions to this drill was the counter puncher could now add the left hook. This gave the attacker a chance to watch the punches and work on the hook cover (clasping the head, chin down). Martin did go on to show using a small and tight rotation towards the hook using a mum sau but I did not work on this.

The tale of theory samurai engage bed in the sword fight, holding position for 30 mins. I will endeavour to find this story and post it in full and the principles behind the apparent lack of action in said duel.

Standing grappling drills.

Rep ping the 4 hands on positions
Same side arm on shoulder = arm drag
Opposite side arm on shoulder = head and arm choke
Same side hand on hip = DWL
Opposite side arm on hip = double lap

2 new additions were:

Zombie standing (hand down by the sides): push the shoulder to turn them and apply the rear naked choke.

Here is UFC fighter Alan Belcher showing the correct form.


If they are too tall for you, push through on the lower back or hips to drop their level so you can secure the choke.

Here are a couple of vids to keep you going.



A little Saracen-esqe at the end.

Some old school footage when style fought styles. Oh how the sport of MMA has evolved.



Headlock defence: positive spine, arm over the top f his as you push his face away this will release his grip.

Wrist control dirty boxing:

Feeling the pressure when having various wrist controls we looked at feeling the different pressure and punching out of them.

Elbow control and pushing the upper arm control. This became a constant rolling flow drill.

Head and arm choke defence:
Answer the telephone then pull down on the shoulder. The bail out is sliding out and coming round for head and seat belt control.

DWL counter bail out:
If they link their hands then go straight for the arm drag.

Monday 8 September 2014

Class notes: Basketball players and dwarves

3 drill:

Attacking off the first attack - punch under the chop forwards.

Punching distance for this attack: Aim for the chin and be closer to his potential attacks. Aim for the nose to have a higher degree of safety behind your punch. Sky the arm as it gives you more extension.

Groin elbow to nose attack from the backfist then move over for the lap and punch.

Ben forearm hammer of death instead of the backfist. This will give you the energy for the uppercut with the other hand.

If they defend high you can turn it into a standing arm bar; rev the wrist, pressure the tricep for standing control. Go for the wrist and fold his hand on to his shoulder blade for a single arm chicken wing.

3 drill sparring with all. I was useless with crap attacks and defending the whole time. Jamie said he did this with Ayyaz and he did not hold back and got stuck into J. J loves it!!

Footwork: the four analogies:

1: Each foot moves the same distance so at the end of the step you are balanced and powerful.

2: No tight rope walking. Have the feet hips width apart.

3: Be ready = go and don't delay.

4: Thumbs up = positive and engaged legs

Drilling footwork by pushing and piston punching the partner. Leading to looking for the head and arm trap. If this gets loose then apply the seat belt, 'wash' the face so the hand goes to the back of the neck for the head control. Look to knee from here.

Grip breaks:

Grab the grabber:

1: Vain basketball player - same side grab going down - fingers through hair and folding the elbow over his forearm

2: Angry basketballer - flaps his arms - cross grab-grab the forearm

3: Angry dwarf - he's on minimum wage serving tables (defence = tan sau)

4: Vain dwarf - Grab the grabber. You had to be there to fully appreciate my poorly remembered words.

Nev v Nish double grab of death defence: Smash the thumbs or p'eng/hinge arms and step deeply with a shoulder barge

ALWAYS GO FOR THE GRAB WHEN GRABBED

THEM GRABBING YOU IS LIKE YOU GRABBING THEM AS YOU ALWAYS KNOW WHERE THEY ARE!!