MMA and me; day 138

Wow, too long! A tweaked elbow, and here I am a week later not having posted anything. Will probably be the same this week, since I'm gearing up for softball playoffs this weekend, but I'll have a couple of classes to get to. Monday's kickboxing was interesting. We started with ten minutes of calisthenics (push ups, sit ups, etc.) and went right into a set up for the thai clinch. We started with a 1-2-3, where the hook is actually a set up for a collar tie, letting you pummel into a Thai clinch. From the clinch we threw two knees, then brought the left hand out and around the head to push them away and reset. After a round of alternating with our partner, we added a pummel in with the right arm to grab an under hook, and used that to control the body while pushing down on the back of the neck with the left hand. Another round of alternating, and then we moved on to throwing knees to the leg and then body, before separating. After this, we threw knees to kick shields doing ten on each side, then nine, then eight, all the way down to one each. Both partners did two sets, and it was then time to move on to jiu jitsu.

We worked on triangles, and a couple variations to boot. First, from guard, slip your heels to your opponents hips, and push one of their hands to their opposite side hip of that hand. From there, swing the leg from that side over the back of their neck, getting the crook of your knee tightly around the back of their neck. Under hook their near side leg with your arm, and pinch your knees together before you secure your other leg over your shin across the back of their neck. From here, extend your hips off the ground, and push with your top leg until they tap, or pull down on the head if you need to. Next was an armless variation if they block your leg from getting over your shin. Reach your near side arm under their chin, and grab underneath your topside leg, preferably on the shin. At this point, simply pull your elbow away from the head until they tap, or just down far enough so you can secure your other leg over the shin, and then squeeze for the tap. Lastly, if the first armless triangle doesn't work, you can swim your opposite side arm from the leg you have across their neck, under that leg's shin to secure your opponent. As soon as they pull their arm free, pull the leg down far enough to secure your other leg over the top of it. Keeping the first arm in, reach your other arm behind your top side knee, and lock hands with your under hooked hand, palm out. From here, it's a simple matter of pushing with the legs, and pulling with the arms until they tap. Good classes today, thanks Coach Vern!