Ryan Blackorby Muay Thai Seminar

Ryan Blackorby came over and did a much appreciated seminar for several of us today. Ryan is a fantastic coach and my guys love him (and think he's a better instructor than me so I don't bring him over too often). We worked a lot of inside boxing/thai boxing and covered some neat trick plays.

Working the Body

Shovel Hook Basics

The shovel hook is delivered palm up at a distance about the length of your forearm. "Dirty boxing" or fighting on the inside means it is not a question of if but when you will get hit. For the lead shovel hook, drop the rear heel and pivot toward that side. For the rear pivot toward the lead while sinking into to rear knee. Always cover your head immediately after the shot, throwing shovel hooks risk a counter head hook. Use the shovel hooks to herd your opponent, if they step to one side shovel hook them back the other way.

3 Body

Jab-Cross-Lead shovel shook

3 Body Knee

Jab-Cross-Lead shovel shook-Rear hand knee clinch-Rear knee-Push.

Clinch hand is hooked behind head, other hand is on forehead. Pull your elbow your body as you throw the straight knee. The push should roll your partner back on their heels, use the angle on the neck to move them.

5 Double Hook (3 Body Head Cross)

Jab-Cross-Lead Body Hook-Lead Head Hook-Cross

Be sure to re-cock your hook hand between the body and head hooks

Catch (Jab) Cross Body

Catch the jab, return cross, and finish with lead shovel hook to body

2 Knee Cross

Jab-Cross-Lead hand knee clinch-Lead knee-Push (while obscuring vision with glove)-Cross

Side Cover (Body Hook) [Rear Uppercut-Lead Hook-Cross] Knee Cross

Partner throws body hook to floating ribs, cover. Return rear (struck side) uppercut, lead hook, and cross. Lead hand knee clinch-lead knee-Push-Cross

Trick Plays

"Superman"

Throw a hard rear kick. Now "show and go", that is stick your leg out laterally to fake the kick then thrust it back while throwing a cross. Do not pose, do not overextend. If your opponent ducks the punch, quit the punch and switch to lead knee.

"Heat Seaker"

Throw a hard rear kick. Now fake the kick but pull it, circling the check leg and throwing a rear tiip. Just as with a regular rear kick, the small step is required on the fake so that you can reach with the rear tiip.

Basic Jump Knee

Use four shots to force your opponent to cover up. Single hand clinch to top of head, opposite hand to forehead. Leap up and aim for superior chest, the pulling hand will make chin meet knee.

"Crane Technique"

Fake the rear knee, then throw lead knee. This will be a jump knee and will look like a one-legged hop to the knee. Extend lead hand (control top of head) rear hand to forehead.

SpinsUse basic ring generalship, cutting off one side (rather than trying to control both giving them a 50/50 chance to escape) allowing an escape route to set-up your spinning technique.In the beginning break the escape into three pieces:

1. Pivot approximately 135^o so that your leads switch and you can look over your shoulder in the direction of the spin.
   
2. Finish spin and step through (keeping switched lead) throwing technique.
   
3. Use new rear hook to reestablish normal lead.

Do not crowd your opponent.

Spinning Back Fist

Deliver with a bent arm, rather than with a locked elbow.

Spinning (Downward) Elbow

As you turn bring elbow up and down, splitting your opponents guard. Use a lead snap elbow rather than a hook in the final reestablishment stage.

Spinning (Upward) Elbow

Come from beneath again splitting the guard. You can also reestablish with a lead snap elbow here.

Spinning Kick

Cock the new lead and deliver a "mule" or side kick to the floating ribs/liver/spleen. Although this is a spin the kick is thrown linearly straight from the body to the target.

RoundsBelly pad and focus mitts

1. Basic Shovel Hook
   
2. 3 Body and using shovel hook to position partner
   
3. 5 Double Hook

Belly pad and thai pads

1. 3 Body Knee and Catch Cross Body
   
2. 2 Knee Cross and Side Cover (Body Hook) Knee Cross with 30 seconds of three kicks per side
   
3. All four combinations with 30 seconds of five kicks per side and 30 seconds of continuous 4 count (lead kick-cross-lead hook-rear kick-lead hook-cross-repeat)

Focus Mitt (partner's power hand) and suitcase pad

1. Rear kick alternating with "Superman"

Belly and suitcase pads

1. Rear kick alternating with "Heatseeker"

Four Person Conditioning Drill (10 minutes):

1. Hold suitcase pad for 5 kicks each side, hand off to kicker when done
   
2. Squats (20)
   
3. Push-ups (20)
   
4. 5 kicks each side to suitcase pad, repeat

We will review this material this week and incorporate our new wisdom in our respective games.