Joker's Training Journal

Today we started with the new warm-up. We did 2 minute boxing combinations with RATTLE variations (i.e. changing the angle or level):

1. Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Cross
   
2. (Jab-)Lead Hook-Cross-Lead Hook
   
3. Jab-Cross-Lead (Body) Hook-Lead (Head) Hook
   
4. (Jab-)Overhand-Lead Uppercut-Overhand

Next we revisited defense movement on the focus mitts with three 2 minute drills:

1. Partner holds for jab/cross/jab-cross, you deliver the combination and then have to move out with a "checkmark".
   
2. In this round, partner calls "body" when you have to stay in and deliver two hooks, otherwise the movement is similar to the previous round. Same side hooks with the hand opposite the last shot thrown.
   
3. Last start in pitterpat, partner will calls "move" at which point you must "checkmark" out.

On the thai pads we worked on punch kick combinations:

1. Jab-Rear Kick, Jab-Cross-Lead Kick, and Lead Kick-Cross
   
2. Double-Rear Kick, Jab-Double Cross-Lead Kick, and Lead Kick-Cross-Lead Hook-Cross
   
3. Jab-Rear Kick-Lead Kick, Jab-Cross-Lead Kick-Rear Kick
   
4. Tiip-Jab-Rear Kick, Tiip-Jab-Cross-Lead Kick, Tiip-Drunken Pirate to Lead Kick-Cross

Here is where I'll wax poetic about kicking. Like any striking, round kicking is a hip motion, basically maximizing the torque deliverable by the body. Your hips and legs contain the strongest muscles in your body, they generate the force (F = ma, that is the force created by accelerating the mass of your leg to the target). You are delivering blow with the longest lever you have available, your leg. As torque is the product of force and distance, the round kick (should) be your most powerful weapon. However, technically and athletically kicks are more difficult to deliver than a punch, simply from the fact that you are standing on one foot to do it. To kick properly, several things have to happen in sequence:

1. Step/switch step to get a little closer and increase your off angle.
   
2. Begin rising to the ball of your foot (the meaty/bony part just proximal to your toes) and drive your knee up and toward your target.
   
3. Your leg will rise in an arc toward your chosen target, open your hips and extend the kicking leg. Posture is erect.
   
4. At the point of impact your base foot will revolve fully pointing your heel toward your opponent. You are trying to hit with bottom few inches of the shin (thick bones) above the ankle (smaller bones). The kicking leg's foot needs to turn over and make the shin cut perpendicularly to the target, imagine chopping with an ax.
   
5. After landing, the leg springboards from the target, creating an equally intense recoil to the floor and return to your "fighting stance" (I HATE THAT TERM).

As Jim pointed out, holding the pads vertically rather than horizontally helps the kicker turn the foot over.
With a ten minutes remaining in practice we covered kote gaeshi (wrist throw). The kote gaeshi is a simple throw that incorporates two basic concepts of throwing (a) joint manipulation/locking and (b) body leverage. Joint manipulation is accomplished by turning our partner's palm up and out toward the floor, while body leverage is achieved by extending your partner's hand away from them, pulling them forward or backward by a series of 180^o turns. We looked at two throws:

Off the push (180^o anteriorly to partner)

Pivot to the outside of partner's hand, chest toward hand, secure grip with thumbs on the back of the hand gripping the thenar and hypothenar eminences. Pivot backwards away from your partner as you twist their hand over toward the floor, keep your hands close to your body in the "peanut butter jar" position, pulling them across the floor.

Off the same hand wrist grab (180^o posteriorly to partner)

Pivot to the outside of gripping hand (elbow to their biceps), center of back to their shoulder, secure grip with thumbs on the back of the hand gripping the thenar and hypothenar eminences. Pivot around opposite foot away and behind partner as you twist their hand over toward the floor, keep your hands close to your body in the "peanut butter jar" position, pulling them across the floor.

We finished with seven rounds of 20 sec interval sprints...which can apparently cause sport-induced asthma in anyone...