CFS - Empty Hands - Basic striking/padwork series - Curriculum - 2011 for Instructors & Students

Ok Guys, further to requests from some of you, I have put on video the current basic striking series I am using for all levels. It is essential that all students and instructors familiarise themselves with this material.

The series is centred around five pasic punches and is really useful for the pad holder as well as the striker. In my view, in order to gain a better understanding of striking you really ought to be able to pad hold in as many different ways as possible.
The videos are self explanatory but the five punches are as follows (using the numbering system)

1.Jab
2.Cross
3.Lead hook
4.Lead uppercut to head
5.Rear uppercut to head

I also want to thank Glen Akwei for his help. Glen is one of only 2 coaches on the CFS MMA program, and has extensive experience in the art of Muay Thai having trained in Thailand many times as well as in Holland. He has competed in Muay Thai as well as amateur MMA. He is a former student of Guro Bob Breen and Winston Fraser and has been training with me for many years now. He currently teaches the Muay Thai classes at Mill Hill CCA academy and assists me in the MMA classes.





Video 2



Video 3



Video 4



Video 5



Enjoy and feel free to let me know how you get on with it

Training With the best Grappler of 2011 - Rodolfo Vieira

Following a great training session on 4.10.11 with Mestre Julio Cesar Pereira, 6th Degree Black belt and head of the now famous GF Team, it was time for another great session, but this time with his student, Current weight & absolute World champion, Rodolfo Vieira.

I managed to arrange the session so that he could teach the Thursday evening class (6.10.11) at the home of my good friend Prof Nick 'Sloth' Brooks and my second home, namely Mill Hill BJJ.

What was great is that we managed to keep it quiet so that the students had no idea....until he turned up. Priceless!!!

He taught a session on guard passing, covering 1 simple but very effective pass with 3 variations.

He then sparred with a lucky few, including yours truly and it really was an experience being spanked by the current no 1 ranked BJJ fighter in the World this year. One thing that surprised me most I confess, was how quickly he moved for a big guy. Very slick and very impressive.

Some pics of the crazy crew below :)

One Year Anniversary - Mill Hill BJJ - 12.9.10

It was an honour and pleasure to attend the one year anniversary of Mill Hill BJJ on Sunday 12th September. The plan was for Roger Gracie to attend in order to teach a few techniques and officiate the grading that was also due to take place. It was more or less standing room only with what looked like 50 plus people in attendance to show their support.

There was the full range of belts in attendance with all from Black to White. Unfortunately, Roger was unable to attend so the guys had to make do with being taught by Nick Brooks and myself, with young Dan Strauss taking care of the warm up


(see vid below for numbers/warm up)

Nick (despite recovering from recent knee surgery!!) kicked things off by teaching a series of techniques fresh from his recent training with Master De La Riva.

He taught a variation of the lapel/posture break and arm wrap when the person is in your guard leading to a very slick back take and then an even slicker armbar if they manage to avoid the back take. It was niiiiicccce!

.....the set up....

....the armbar

I taught some of the principles and concepts from the half guard position both top and bottom. Rather than concentrating on loads of techniques, I wanted to emphasize the need to understand what each hand and your legs are supposed to be doing from the top and bottom position. I then taught the way that I attack the Kimura from half guard which seems to have a high percentage success rate for me

After this began the formalities of the grading:

Andrew Marshall - Blue Belt

Steve Carr - Purple Belt

Steve Griffiths - Purple Belt

Rob Connor - Brown Belt

There was also a number of stripes given out to various people from white to Purple Belt. Parabens to them all!!

We then had some great rolling followed by the long awaited sushi trip in Edgware where some people ate like there was no tomorrow!!! Hehehe!

A great day

CFS BJJ SEMINAR/GRADING - 29.8.10

On Bank holiday Sunday, we gathered together for a day of fun, training, meeting new people and finally formally recognising the progress of some individuals personal BJJ journey.

The CFS BJJ family is a combination of different people and groups both here in the UK and abroad. It is a relatively small group but with a big presence. Apart from the group who train with me directly, we have the group based in Barnet at Gary Hoptroff's academy (Herts Martial Arts) taught by Corey Donoghue, Vitaliano Sestito in Italy, Affiliates Andy Nugent also based in Hertford and Gary Baker/Scramble Academy based in Bournmouth.

Congratulations to all who were promoted in one way or another:

(In no particular order)

Corey 'Doninho' Donoghue - Blue belt 4 stripes
Tim Harding - Blue belt 1 stripe
Steve 'Longrinho' Payne - Blue belt - 1 stripe
Savash Mustafa - Blue belt - 1 stripe
Gary Hoptroff - White belt - 3 stripes
Jay Walker - White belt - 2 stripes
Pad Beillard - White belt - 1 stripe
Mark Kelly - White belt - 1 stripe
Darren Owen - White belt - 1 stripe

And last but not least, congrats to 41 year old MMA fighter Alan Dillon who was promoted to Blue Belt with my blessing by his instructor 1 Stripe Brown Belt Andy Nugent - He did get a whipping.

Apologiies if i have missed anyone out but if i have let me know as it's easily rectified.

A big thank you to my good friend Nick Brooks for allowing us to use his excellent gym

MMA Training - MHCCA - 17.8.10

Great training last night guys!!! An hour of sparring with very little breaks and constant changes of partners.

I think almost everyone took home a momento of their training in the form of a bruise, knock, sprain or shin clash including yours truly but it was all in good spirit.

We will formalise the team for the MMA league next week

"Intelligent Combat"

BJJ Drilling - 26.7.10

The first drill is one I use when I have managed to pass the guard but my opponent is shrimping away and pushing on my head. I react by posting off my head which is on the floor and hopping over to the other side. This can be done continuously for a minute or so or simply by the numbers

The second drill is practicing 'floating' from side to side keeping knee contact. I normally do this on a grappling dummy or heavy bag on the floor. The idea is to be able to react to the movement underneath and then adjust. This can then lead to submission openings etc without losing the control

Intelligent combat

MMA Training - 20.7.10

In the last session, the focus was on clinch work and striking/defending striking in the clinch.

Warm ups:

1. wrist pummeling
2. elbow control
3. chest pummeling
4. neck control

Drills:

1. person A seeks the takedown whilst person B can only defend with strikes (punches only)
2. person A strikes with punches only whilst person B can only clinch and seek the takedown
3. person A has their back against the cage defending the takedown
4. person A has their back against the wall defending the takedown with strikes only
5. person A has their back against the wall defending strikes and takedown with clinch defence only
6. persons A and B try to strike and takedown against each other off the wall and then on the wall trying to reverse their partner when able

Floor:

In order to develop the use of your legs on the floor, the person in the guard could only use their legs to defend and control whilst the person in their guard could only strike

'Intelligent Combat'

MMA Training - 13.7.10

Another great session and good turnout. This week we covered some of the striking techniques and strategies as found in the Filipino Martial Arts (Panantukan) that are able to be utilised in MMA.

We covered:

1. Jab catch drill - basic
2. into the cross
3. catching the jab
4. parrying the cross
5. catching the jab and cross leaving a free hand

We also carried out the continuous jab cross drill with the power emphasis on the first and fourth strike........the sound was...........boom tap tap boom tap tap boom tap tap etc

The vid below is that particular drill being practiced. Enjoy!!

MMA Training - Mill Hill CCA - 29.6.10

Good training session - Worked on some clinch work and striking from the clinch. Also trained some ground work with one person only allowed tot try to submit from guard whilst his opponent could only strike to the body.

Enjoy the vids

MMA Training - 22.6.10

This week concentrated on pummeling and body control.

We looked at:

1. wrist control
2. elbow control
3. chest control
4. head control

We played using the following options:

1. wrist control only
2. elbow control only
3. head control only
4. wrist and elbow
5. elbow and head
6. wrist, elbow and head

These drills give a greater understanding of in fighting and controlling your oppopnent from hand fighting range.

MMA - 15.6.10 - Techniques

Overview of last night's training:

Floor Bag work

1. side to side
2. step over
3. pop up to knee on belly
4. knee switch
5. back switch to mount

4 count basic muay thai striking series

1. jab, cross, lead round kick (LR), rear round kick (RR)
2. jab,cross, RR and LR
3. LR, RR, jab then cross
4. RR,LR, jab then cross
5. LR,cross,LR,RR
6. LR,cross, hook, RR
7. RR,hook,cross, LR
8. RR,hook,cross, RR

Lead hook entry (Series 1)

1. High jab
2. Low jab
3. High cross
4. Low cross
5. Any kick
6. Direct
7. Fake entry

MMA Training - Mill Hill combat & conditioning - 18.4.10

As some of you guys may know, I have a very long association with BJJ Black Belt Nick Brooks and his Academy based in Mill Hill.

I am honoured to be their MMA coach and the journey to success from humble beginnings has begun.

On Sunday 18th we had our first clinic and (as promised) I set out below the things that we covered.

Basic Stance/Posture:

• For MMA
• Long range striking
• Close range striking
• Wrestling base
• pros and cons of each
• Ability to adapt physially and mentally

Basic Footwork:

• Positioning of the feet - keeping the right distance
• Directions of movement - left/right/front/back & pad circling
• single steps/shuffle
• double steps/shuffle
• Single complete steps - forward and backwards
• knee raises/bounces - vertical, outside crush and cross crush

CFS Progression No 1:

1. jab
2. double jab
3. jab, cross
4. double jab, cross
5. jab, cross, hook
6. cross, hook, cross
7. (slip) hook, cross, hook