Class notes: striking combinations and side control work

So tonight was my first at Promai in 18 months. I had felt nervous all day in anticipation. Would the leg hold out? Would I be able to keep up with everyone? Hopefully at the end of the class the answer to both of these questions was yes. It is now the morning after and everything feels ok in the leg so thumbs up.

MMA fundamentals class.

Warm up: Variety of motions and athletics linked to MMA to get the blood and muscles ready for what was to come. Lee did some funky balance and jumping drills on the focus mitt
- single leg balancing, single leg standing extensions, jumping up and down knees high, jump with quarter, half and full turns. Press uo to forward fold and back again, slow and fast press ups, side planks.

Striking combinations with big gloves
Moving in, striking, moving out from the rear leg, aim for the chin not the hands, hands in the correct position when not striking.
1-1-2

2-1-2

2-1-1-2

1-2 round kick

On the pads

1-1-2

2-round kick-1-2-3

The head in the round kick needs to move. So if I am throwing a right round kick then the head will need to move to the left.

Pinning drill form the knees - start from the knees, takedown and wrestle for position. There was no submissions just trying to keep the partner pinned. They could try to reverse the position and pin you.

Grappling class:

Wrestling against the cage, no grip flow. Not being static and keeping the hips away and concave spine. I felt having when with my back against the cage I could use soft arms to feel and direct my partner's head without too much energy expended. I was just flowing with his movement, something that we have been working on in the other martial arts class I go to (Workman Martial Arts https://www.facebook.com/workmanmartialarts)

Side back control, with a leg on the inside Phil Davis domination from UFC 179 over Glover Texeria

We worked the basic position but we had a leg through his leg and we then hooked it behind the knee for a figure 4 control. We then looked at breaking the arm down, applying shoulder pressure, staying no more then in the centre of his back to avoid being rolled. The key was the shoulder pressure which had to be felt. It was something Georges St Pierre dominated Nick Diaz with. It was a small but vital detail that I had noticed before but will be something to watch out for in the future.

Side control far arm manipulation: getting the head up, inverted triangle, hips over the shoulder, you can face plant, go for the elbow extension, downward shoulder rotation. Tight with the inverted triangle is key.

Free form sparring with Craig and Lee. With Craig i went for a head and arm but he cheekily turned it into some type of knarly neck crank. I then managed to secure a triangle from my back which he rolled to his back and I finished from top position.

Lee got me three times with a triangle, arm extension and then a downward shoulder rotation (DWL) with me face down.

Was great to be welcomed back.