Joker's Training Journal

For the Jeet Kune Do portion of class I showed a few striking combinations on the pads:

1. Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Cover/Parry (cross)-Cross-Hook-Cross
   This combination was used as our warm-up and to run through the punches.
   
   
2. Jab-Rear Kick / Jab-Cross-Shuffle Kick / Shuffle Kick-Cross
   This round used basic Thai punch-kick combinations and reframed them in the context of JKD.
   
   
3. Shuffle Kick-Evade-Jab-Cross-Lead Hook-Evade
   Jeet Kune Do emphasizes range and movement in its approach to fighting. This round tried to train those attributes while using the focus mitts. The hitter must initiate (close), evade (open), react (close), and exit (open).
   
   
4. "Fear will teach you" round
   Using the basic punch-kick combinations you know make sure your partner is defending and moving well by slapping at their head or body after a combination. One sharp face shot with a focus mitt will teach people to expand the range and keep their hands up far better than telling them to do the same.

For the BJJ portion of practice we reviewed the hip toss and rear uki-waza throws. The set-ups are essentially the same, your opponent has a same side collar grab and you use a cross hand sleeve control while wrapping your other arm inside to his control his back (grab the kimono not the belt). Form a tight controlling grip, close an exert head pressure against his temporal mandibular joint (the insertion of the jaw). Release the sleeve and grab the far arm. To hip toss step rudely in the way and toss over the hip, to sweep pull forward and use the natural reactive straightening to pull them over your knee in the direction of flexion of the knee, do not sheer them laterally and pull them on top of you.
I then covered the basics and fine-tuning of the side mount position.

Extended/traditional side mount

The superior arm controls the far collar, pinching the head between the forearm and shoulder, turn their face away from you -- making them exponentially weaker, try next time you bench. The inferior arm controls the pants or posts on the hip. Stay on the balls of your feet, driving your pelvis to the mat, your only points of contact are your toes and chest. Keep your head low and tight to their body. Stay as perpendicular to them as possible creating the longest lever versus their shortest.

Kneeling/no-gi side mount

Use a broad kneeling position, inferior knee controlling their hip, superior knee circled inside their near arm, posting their triceps on your hip. Pinch the head using the armpit or collar as grip. Alternatively use the inferior arm as an underhook and form a wrestler's grip with the other. Another position for the inferior hand in is posted at the far side, forming a pincer between the knee and forearm. Still drive your weight into the mat, keeping your hips low. Tuck your head flush with their body and always turn their head.

Defense against the side mount is simple -- don't get there. Thus if you can achieve the top position and are never placed in jeopardy of being side mounted you have "defended" it. If the pass your guard, keep fighting to get back to your guard, that is work your side mount defense early to prevent them from achieving the side-mount. If they do get, take a breather and remember patience is a virtue -- they are in the offensive position, wait a second and see if they attack. If you need to escape here are two options

Shrimp to guard

Tuck your near hand near their hip, the far hand goes under the inferior armpit (an underhook if you will). Grab the kimono and use slight pressure to slide your head free allowing your to look straight up. Use a short explosive "bench press" to create reaction and then shrimp your posterior as far away from them as you can, then slide your bottom knee inside and pull them to the guard as they "fall" into the hole you created with your shrimp as they try to reacquire the side mount. Some troubleshooting: You can use your far hand to push in their triceps, breaking their hip control of you and allowing freer access for your leg. Alternatively you can sink your shin inside their elbow joint (the antecubital fossa) and push away breaking the hip control down in this way.

Shrimp to four points

If one road is blocked we can take the other. In this case after clearing your head as before, your shrimp will turn your body to prone position (belly down), from here establish a four points position by pulling your elbows and knees together. From here the "shot" is available as is rolling to the guard.