Training diary Sat. 1/29/05

Participants: Sam, Nathan

We spent the beginning of the training working on the lateral/circular movement:

• Movement to the right, circling the opponent, jabbing, then when gaining positional advantage behind (7 or 8 o-clock position), loading up with both hands.
• Movement to the left, circling, jabbing, then when gaining positional advantage (1-5 o-clock position), loading up with both hands.

Then we worked the inside slip of the jab, and Sam drilled slipping inside with a simultaneous jab counter, then pivot to clear or load up, or slip inside with a simultaneous counter-right to the body, followed by the pivot to clear or load up. This went really well, though you didn't really try it later, it went well in the drills.

• Tips on this for Sam:
  We discussed that when you move to the right, take smaller, but quicker steps, only 4-6 inches at a time with the right foot, then pivot and drag the lead foot into position.
• As you slip to the inside, you HAVE to jab high and hard into the eyes/jaw/forehead to disrupt the right hand from taking you out. Otherwise you are walking into it.
• Both of those moves are too dangerous unless you pivot to get back into your defensive stance. Otherwise, positionally, you've just given everthing away.

We then handicap sparred

First round, jab only:

• Nathan started the round very aggressively, then the second half, was counter-fighting. Was effective at counter-fighting, not as much at leading off.
• Sam wasn't slipping or parrying very much, but was countering decently. He focused on turning over the punch for protection. Noticed you were moving in without leading much in this round. Also, throwing the short, low jab we discussed, too much. He was also working on the parry and catch, but was having problems with it.
• General observation: when Nathan is disrupting your rythme by moving to the right, plan for it and pump the jab as you step left, laterally cutting off the ring.

Next round we worked both hands, boxing:

• Sam started out with the same, ineffective low, short jab, then started to extend it, and double it up. Worked very well.
• Nathan was effective when leading off fast with 1-1-2, and pumping the jab to counter. When Sam came in without leading, Nathan was teeing off with punches from many angles, filling in the gap created by Sam leaving the centerline open.
• Sam's tactical objective was to lead-off with a combination, then get out. He said that goal was frustrated because Nathan was doing it first, and that he wasn't being aggressive enough.
• Sam: too much hanging out, or moving into range without firing the jab as cover.
• Recommend getting low, then jabbing into the eyes with the elbow up to cover.

Then two handicap rounds of, Sam left jab, Nathan, left hook.

• First round, Sam did a good job of keeping his right hand high to cover the hook. Longer jab and more movement would have kept the opponent away completely.
• First round, Nathan did OK when Sam stayed in range, but wasn't aggressive in slipping and coming in with the hook. Also, should work the double-hook a lot more.
• Second round, Nathan was more aggressive, and Sam was too, meaning that Sam was leading, but not clearing. Stick and move with a hooker(!).

MORE TO COME...

Training diary Sat. 1/22/05

Notes from training.
Attending:
Sam, Nathan

• It's OK to take big steps when clearing. When retreating, or when advancing, you should take the controlled steps-keeping your feet under you. When clearing after firing or leading off, OK to take the big steps.
• Don't slip the jab to the inside. When going that way, you'd better be firing or you'll get tagged with a big right hand. Examples are slip to the outside and hook over the right (when it comes), or slip inside and simultaneously counter with a high jab to protect yourself. Depending on what happens, open up while moving around your opponent.
• Commit, then clear. Don't lead off, then stop in front of your opponent. If we're going full power and you knock someone out, then so be it, but until that time, MOVE!
• Work on your 1-2 combination and keep the right foot under you. Remember to drag it up till the right knee almost touches the left as the right hand reaches extension.
• Sam, you close without leading too much. Being in range without the protection of the long-range jab is hazardous.
• When you are targeted by the right hand, move to your right and parry. Circle out to buy time, or attempt to step behind the opponent to create many fine openings.
• Nathan needs to work on dirty fighting when tired: clinching, covering up, bumping, and checking.

Creating a positional opening

Creating a positional opening: The movement around the opponent (to the left) creates an opening by moving your opponent out of position. Notice Sam's right foot is in the back, not front. He cannot defend when stance is out of position.

Don't slip jabs to the inside!

What happens when you slip the jab to the inside without a counter. Not a good idea. The 1-2 will get you.

After the Slip...

Slip, step & pivot. The best thing to do after slipping is to get into a good position to counter. To the rear-flank is best.

Slipping under the lead

Slipping under the lead and counter-jab

What happens when you fix your headgear in my class!

Slip, counter uppercut

Slip outside the jab, counter right uppercut.

Counter Overhand

Counter overhand right is effective if the lead-off fighter jabs low, or if he drops the hand as it's withdrawn.
Solution: Lead high, into the eyes or forehead. Double or triple up on the lead. Retract the weapon back to the guard position.

This slip not recommended

Slipping inside the jab. We were probably just sparring with the jab only. I don't recommend this unless you use a simultaneous counter with it.

Low checking kick

We worked on the low, checking kick. This is performed with a stiff leg, and a pendulum-type motion. It's more of a leg-obstruction or stop-hit than a true strike.

Updated: Marines go to the mat

Updated: Have you read this? It's pretty good. Check it out.

Marines go to the mat�-�Special Report�-�The Washington Times, America's Newspaper

From the 12/18 Washington Times, read about how the Marine Corps is using a hybrid martial art which combines Brazilian Ju-Jitsu, Judo, TKD, and police defensive tactics.

If Col. Shusko has his way, every Marine -- and everyone near them -- will benefit from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP). Unlike men and women in the other branches of the armed forces, every Marine is taught how to fight hand-to-hand, up close and personal. "Every Marine is a rifleman. Every Marine is a martial artist," Col. Shusko says. For the first time in the U.S. military, an effort has been made to combine the most effective techniques of martial-arts disciplines from around the world into a single course of study -- MCMAP. Among the fighting styles appropriated for MCMAP, Col. Shusko demonstrates the grappling techniques of Brazilian jujitsu, which mostly consists of ground-fighting submission holds and joint locks that he likes to call "wristy twisties." These techniques are designed to control the enemy, to break bones and, if necessary, to kill. Col. Shusko also teaches throwing techniques according to the Japanese art of judo and kicking skills from the Korean style of self-defense known as tae kwon do. In addition, Thai boxing -- with its emphasis on elbow and knee strikes to inflict damage -- figures into the MCMAP curriculum. "We did not invent anything," Col. Shusko says, "Just took the best and put it into our program."

"Ever since Vietnam, the Pentagon has sought to enhance the image of its enlisted personnel, as perceived inside and outside the military. Although they lead the world's best-equipped fighting force, senior U.S. commanders have wanted to ensure that underneath the Kevlar and microchips beats the heart of a fighter who can prevail with little more than bare hands. "I want the Marines who take this course and then return to duty feeling, 'Now people are safer because I'm here,' "Col. Shusko says. The motto "One Mind, Any Weapon" is emblazoned on the T-shirt of every instructor at MCMAP, which teaches 184 fighting techniques and more than 60 character-building lessons. Like traditional martial-arts disciplines, MCMAP uses a belt-ranking system: tan, gray, green, brown and black. Every Marine is required to become a tan belt, and the highest rank is the sixth-degree black belt. The Corps currently has more than 217,000 active and reserve Marines serving today, and there are 10,000 green-belt instructors, who are qualified to teach and test tan- and gray-belt students. About 1,300 black-belt instructors are capable of testing students up to black belt. Col. Shusko, MCMAP's director since 2003, believes his is the largest martial-arts school in the world, with more than 150,000 students across the range of tan through black belts. He personally has seen about 11,000 Marines go though MCMAP training."

It's pretty interesting. Take a read...