10/1/16: Footwork, Thai 4 counts, pad rounds and standing catch wrestling flow drill

FOOTWORK
Step and slide in 4 directions with single step then double. Added jabs to coincide with every step. Feet shoulder width apart, rear heel up which means the rear leg is bent. Be mindful of the feet as what you feel might not necessarily be what is going on. Having the mirrors is a great benefit. The rear foot is alive and not being dragged around.

Slide and step (to cover distance) forwards and backwards adding punches, as above – timed into the stepping.

THAI ROUND KICK PREP
The prep was on both sides of the body.
Coiling/screwing the body to open the hips. Had a silat feel to it.
Round kicks – coil, back up and throw the kick. Steve used the analogy of having a torch out of the hips laterally, so when you kick, you want the beam of the torch now goes forward.

THAI 4 COUNTS (off the jab)
1: Catch the jab, shift off the line on the inside jab (a high protective jab)-cross-left inside leg kick-right outside leg kick. Steve also talked about major and minor shots; in this instance the inside kick is minor, the outside kick is major as it has more hip/torque/body behind it. He also mentioned minor shots are used to set up major shots.
2: Catch the jab on the inside again, jab-cross then double right outside round kick. First to the thigh then up to the ribs. Bas Rutten style

Here is a great highlight video of the great man in sweet spleen splitting action.



3: Parry the jab (hard and at the elbow, you want his centre and equilibrium stunned for a brief moment to allow your attack in) and step out to the right and attack with the jab-cross-outside right round kick (minor) and step down on the right to deliver the left inside (major) round kick. Check your distance on the final kick so you’re not too close so the kick is compressed.

PAD ROUNDS
Each ‘group’ of punches was:
Cross
Jab
2 punches (any)
3 punches (any)
5 punches (any) repeat from the beginning again.

CATCH WRESTLING STANDING FLOW DRILL
Start with the split entry off the jab (parry right and split with the left hand)
1: Snake the left hand so it clasps the occipital bone (top of the base, base of the skull as this will prevent him muscling up and out. He could do this if the hand was on the back of the neck) and control the tricep with the right hand. The left foot is standing on his lead foot.
2: Swap/replace hands so the right snakes in to the same place. Keep the turn of the head for control, control his arm with your left hand. Step on his foot with the right hand. Be aware of your base and posture. Just because his head is lower and you ‘have him’, don’t let this break or weaken your base and posture.
3: Move to his back, head against the shoulder blades so he can’t elbow you. Be close to him. Reach around and put the fingers on his hip bones. This is one of those parts of the body that when manipulated can have a dramatic effect on the body.
4: Slide the hands up the torso and insert the fingers into the clavicle for the takedown.
5: Full Nelson, hands at the occipital bone and straight the arms as you push forward.
6: Snake an arm to do number 2 on the other arm.
7: Switch to number 1