My cross-training journey

[drop bear103]

Ok I might have gotten the term wrong. I was talking about option 2 in this video:

I l8ke the 2nd one of these. The hip breakdown.

 

[O'Malley89]

7th session
We did some light physical conditioning and rounds on the heavy bag and it was less taxing than the previous times, so I guess my cardio is adapting. That being said, I'm still a long way from a level where I'd be happy. We did some striking and clinching sparring.

Striking
- Sensei noted that I tend to reach out with my head and my guard is too open. I need to correct my form, cover myself better and improve my footwork.
- Same issue as usual with poking from outer range. I need to cover and parry so I can fight at my proper range.
- My best tools for now are quick front kicks from both legs, and a good jab from both hands (I switch guards), which landed on instructors and the best competitor.
- Talking about the wonderkid, he's a teenager with at least 15kg less than me, and the gap in cardio and speed is incredible. I feel like Will E. Coyote but I'm not giving up.
- At about halfway, I realized that I was holding my breath as I was trying too hard to keep up with him. Focusing on breathing while fighting made it more manageable.

Clinching
- I finally consciously tried to apply aikido ideas. It helped that I was sparring with one of the instructors who's among the best throwers in the dojo (he still lands them in competition) but his cardio and athleticism are understandably worse than mine (he's shorter, about 60 yo, 75kg VS my 32yo, 80kg). Sensei was encouraging me to take advantage of my size but I don't feel like I would have learned if I had overpowered him.
- If I consciously maintain my structure it creates headaches for my opponent. We mainly work from the elbow-and-neck clinch (with boxing gloves) and doing the unbendable arm from that position warded off most of what he tried. He got frustrated and resorted to 'winging' the throws and takedowns without unbalancing me first, which just gave me opportunities to counter.
- I tried a couple of aikido techniques which didn't work because he adjusted and the boxing gloves are so slippery.
- I tried typical aikido unbalancing ideas and could break his structure backwards, forwards and I could even put him on one leg and "spin" him on it. If I get used to pushing my advantage once I get the guy off balance it will be very fun. Can't do any of the esoteric stuff yet though (unsurprisingly).
- Another aikido idea was using his grip on my neck to manipulate his balance, and it kind of works.
- I used a technique I came up with, which I call the "throw by" (shout out to @drop bear ) and chained throw by > (slow) iriminage attempt > back take > forward crush. We ended up out of bounds.
- I should learn some basic judo sweeps, which synergize with aikido.
- At some point I unbalanced him backwards so he tried to drag me down to the ground (a reliable counter in competition) but I kept my balance, avoided his guard attempt, got into side control and finished with a knee strike, which scores under the NK ruleset.

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

I l8ke the 2nd one of these. The hip breakdown.

This is a good example that BJJ take downs don't include throw. Not sure this is good or bad for the future of the throwing art.

 

[drop bear103]

This is a good example that BJJ take downs don't include throw. Not sure this is good or bad for the future of the throwing art.

For me specifically for training. I focus on throws that don't require a lot of breakfall training. Or is likley to blow out a person's knee or something.

And that way I get more volume of training in and my partners are not freaking out.

 

[HighKick1]

7th session
We did some light physical conditioning and rounds on the heavy bag and it was less taxing than the previous times, so I guess my cardio is adapting. That being said, I'm still a long way from a level where I'd be happy. We did some striking and clinching sparring.

Striking
- Sensei noted that I tend to reach out with my head and my guard is too open. I need to correct my form, cover myself better and improve my footwork.
- Same issue as usual with poking from outer range. I need to cover and parry so I can fight at my proper range.
- My best tools for now are quick front kicks from both legs, and a good jab from both hands (I switch guards), which landed on instructors and the best competitor.
- Talking about the wonderkid, he's a teenager with at least 15kg less than me, and the gap in cardio and speed is incredible. I feel like Will E. Coyote but I'm not giving up.
- At about halfway, I realized that I was holding my breath as I was trying too hard to keep up with him. Focusing on breathing while fighting made it more manageable.

Clinching
- I finally consciously tried to apply aikido ideas. It helped that I was sparring with one of the instructors who's among the best throwers in the dojo (he still lands them in competition) but his cardio and athleticism are understandably worse than mine (he's shorter, about 60 yo, 75kg VS my 32yo, 80kg). Sensei was encouraging me to take advantage of my size but I don't feel like I would have learned if I had overpowered him.
- If I consciously maintain my structure it creates headaches for my opponent. We mainly work from the elbow-and-neck clinch (with boxing gloves) and doing the unbendable arm from that position warded off most of what he tried. He got frustrated and resorted to 'winging' the throws and takedowns without unbalancing me first, which just gave me opportunities to counter.
- I tried a couple of aikido techniques which didn't work because he adjusted and the boxing gloves are so slippery.
- I tried typical aikido unbalancing ideas and could break his structure backwards, forwards and I could even put him on one leg and "spin" him on it. If I get used to pushing my advantage once I get the guy off balance it will be very fun. Can't do any of the esoteric stuff yet though (unsurprisingly).
- Another aikido idea was using his grip on my neck to manipulate his balance, and it kind of works.
- I used a technique I came up with, which I call the "throw by" (shout out to @drop bear ) and chained throw by > (slow) iriminage attempt > back take > forward crush. We ended up out of bounds.
- I should learn some basic judo sweeps, which synergize with aikido.
- At some point I unbalanced him backwards so he tried to drag me down to the ground (a reliable counter in competition) but I kept my balance, avoided his guard attempt, got into side control and finished with a knee strike, which scores under the NK ruleset.

Well done, and keep at it.
Just a hunch since I have not seen you work, but oftentimes the 'peekaboo' head movement that gets people in defensive trouble is often caused by poor/no waist movement.

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

For me specifically for training. I focus on throws that don't require a lot of breakfall training. Or is likley to blow out a person's knee or something.

And that way I get more volume of training in and my partners are not freaking out.

If we consider sport is the path and combat is the goal, in combat, you do want to hurt your opponent as much as you can.

Some combat training can only be applied on the throwing dummy instead.

 

[O'Malley89]

Well done, and keep at it.
Just a hunch since I have not seen you work, but oftentimes the 'peekaboo' head movement that gets people in defensive trouble is often caused by poor/no waist movement.

If by that you mean leaning forward instead of moving in with my footwork, then it's exactly that.

 

[drop bear103]

If we consider sport is the path and combat is the goal, in combat, you do want to hurt your opponent as much as you can.

Some combat training can only be applied on the throwing dummy instead.

I don't think it really negatively effects combat by training safe. If I can gain positional advantage.

Or at least at the level of combat I am at.

 

[drop bear103]

For me specifically for training. I focus on throws that don't require a lot of breakfall training. Or is likley to blow out a person's knee or something.

And that way I get more volume of training in and my partners are not freaking out.

Side note. There are a lot of mat returns where you can sit on someones knee if you are careless. Or leg throws where you just kick the knee.

And I have been avoiding presenting them as something you should try by watching YouTube.

So for example this is a good controlled mat return.

But this position.

You can if you are a nong, pull them on to you while sitting down and break your partner.

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

I don't think it really negatively effects combat by training safe. If I can gain positional advantage.

Or at least at the level of combat I am at.

The "sport safety" concern was a main change in the ACSCA in the past 50 years. I expect BJJ will consider this issue in the near future too.

The original "hip throw", after you throw your opponent, you try to lift his waist so he won't hit on then mat too hard - you try to protect your opponent.



ACSCA had changed this training into this - you try to hurt your opponent. You can clearly see the difference.

 

[drop bear103]

The "sport safety" concern was a main change in the ACSCA in the past 50 years. I expect BJJ will consider this issue in the near future too.

The original "hip throw", after you throw your opponent, you try to lift his waist so he won't hit on then mat too hard - you try to protect your opponent.



ACSCA had changed this training into this - you try to hurt your opponent. You can clearly see the difference.

The thing is. I can throw a person safely on their back a thousand times in training. And get really good at it.

And I can throw someone safely on their back and sit on them and elbow their face off.

It was an issue we had during our security human weapon training. Everyone was this hard charging hard guy. So we would do our stupid wristlocks 100% because we were all realism. Right?

Exept Everyone would drill about twice. Then find something else to do for some unknown reason.

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

The thing is. I can throw a person safely on their back a thousand times in training. And get really good at it.

And I can throw someone safely on their back and sit on them and elbow their face off.

It was an issue we had during our security human weapon training. Everyone was this hard charging hard guy. So we would do our stupid wristlocks 100% because we were all realism. Right?

Exept Everyone would drill about twice. Then find something else to do for some unknown reason.

This is interest argument. For sport safety, you should not punch/kick on heavy bag. Because your heavy bag training can hurt your opponent. That's not what you want to do in sport. So, for the sake of "sport safety", MA can turn into something else other than combat.

Also, all weapon training can hurt your opponent. That's not allowed in sport either.

Where should we draw the line between sport and combat?

 

[drop bear103]

This is interest argument. For sport safety, you should not punch/kick on heavy bag. Because your heavy bag training can hurt your opponent. That's not what you want to do in sport. So, for the sake of "sport safety", MA can turn into something else other than combat.

Also, all weapon training can hurt your opponent. That's not allowed in sport either.

Where should we draw the line between sport and combat?

Interestingly I was thinking about gloves and the heavy bag. And how it relates.

Punching bare knuckle is more realistic. But the volume that boxers use the heavy bag. They will advise people use gloves an wraps. I know guys with ruined hands from boxing.

Hard sparring is more realistic. But cte is real. And the more you get knocked out. The easier it is to be knocked out.

So we can take this argument from a sport and observable outcome vs a street and an unobservable outcome.

To a sport vs sport. And observe both outcomes.

And the argument is the same. I have to spend thousands of hours to get good at something.

And I can't with realism. If the impact is too hard

 

[Kung Fu Wang102]

And the argument is the same. I have to spend thousands of hours to get good at something.

And I can't with realism. If the impact is too hard

If sport is the path and combat is the goal, at which point of the time that we should switch from sport into combat?

In CMA, this switch is clear, the moment that you start to train weapon, the moment that you are no longer training in sport.

This is my high school. This was exactly how we trained the weapon.

 

[drop bear103]

If sport is the path and combat is the goal, at which point of the time that we should switch from sport into combat?

In CMA, this switch is clear, the moment that you start to train weapon, the moment that you are no longer training in sport.

This is my high school. This was exactly how we trained the weapon.

 

[O'Malley89]

Quick update. So I haven't been training since April. I have bad and good news.

The bad news is that, a few weeks ago, my wife and I had to go to the hospital for an emergency situation. It's under control now but since then I've had my hands more than full with the consequences of that event and had to take a break from work and training. I can't sleep at night and feel exhausted.

The good news is that, as a wise man once said, "I might have a little aikidoka in my hands".

 

[_Simon_102]

Quick update. So I haven't been training since April. I have bad and good news.

The bad news is that, a few weeks ago, my wife and I had to go to the hospital for an emergency situation. It's under control now but since then I've had my hands more than full with the consequences of that event and had to take a break from work and training. I can't sleep at night and feel exhausted.

The good news is that, as a wise man once said, "I might have a little aikidoka in my hands".

Really hope all is okay brother

 

[O'Malley89]

Really hope all is okay brother

Ah, didn't mean to make you worry! My wife and baby are healthy, all's fine, but I'm discovering the joys of having a newborn with colics and sleeping 2-3h per night

 

[_Simon_102]

Ah, didn't mean to make you worry! My wife and baby are healthy, all's fine, but I'm discovering the joys of having a newborn with colics and sleeping 2-3h per night

Ohhhh sheesh I totally misread that or didn't piece it together hahaha... aww huge congrats!!!!

 

[Gerry Seymour10]

Ah, didn't mean to make you worry! My wife and baby are healthy, all's fine, but I'm discovering the joys of having a newborn with colics and sleeping 2-3h per night

You misspelled "bad roommate".