MMA and me; day 91

Another day of boxing, another long and complex combo to work, and I couldn't have been happier to flex my mental muscles during the class. The combo started with a similar pattern to one we'd worked before, but slightly different. Block a hook to the body, rear uppercut to a straight, hook, straight, lead uppercut, hook, straight. It looked like this; block body 3-6-2-3-2-5-3-2. We also had a catch counter on the end of that, where you catch a straight on your glove, and throw the 2-3-2 counter. Next, we added a pull counter roll counter, or pull-2-3-2-roll-2-3-2. We finished by adding the slip sequence, and worked that for a couple rounds. So the last bit was slip jab-6-2-3-2-slip straight-body 3-3-2. A total of 23 punches, and a lot of memorization, but it starts to become muscle memory, and you don't have to think about it as much. We flutter kicked and over undered for two rounds, and it was time for wrestling.

Wrestling featured a lot of offense and defense for take downs. First we worked on a defensive sweep from defending a single leg. If your leg is sucked in and trapped between their legs, spin your free leg out to the side, lean down and post on the outside arm, then slip your free leg behind their knee, and twist your hips into them, driving them backwards and to the mat. Finish by reaching across them for a far side under hook and kicking your leg free to end in side control.

Next was an option from a single leg, where if you have the leg over both of your arms, and you drive your near side shoulder into their thigh, forcing them to turn away from you and drop to their knees. From here, all you have to do is jump to cover their back, and sink your hooks in and work for the sub.

A simplified double leg take down was next. As you shoot in, your knee that is down should split their legs, and your head should be on the same side as your leg that is up. Get both arms behind their knees, and arch your back to get them off the mat. From there, you simply push with your head, pull with your arms to pass their legs, and land in side control.

Lastly, we worked on running the pipe, a term for driving a single leg take down to the mat with your head and shoulder pressure. Shoot in for a deep single leg, making sure that your head is on the inside, or you'll get choked out in a heart beat. Pin their leg between your thighs, and twist your hips to the outside as you drive your head and shoulder in the opposite direction, forcing them to the mat. As they fall, begin to get your legs free so you land outside their half guard, and in a more advantageous position such as side control or high judo.