JKD & BJJ "The pointy end goes into the other man."

Filipino kali is used in Jeet Kune Do not only to teach the use of a weapon for self-defnse, e.g. a stick or knife as well as a rolled newspaper, car antenna, screwdriver, or bat, but also to translate the body mechanics of fighting with weapons to that of unarmed fighting. The complex motor skills need to whip a stick or sword around are difficult skills to master and the thought process may have been, if these skills are hard they may help hone the simpler (unarmed) ones, see for example the Dog Brothers series on stickfighting concepts in MMA called Kali Tudo. However this translation is not always obvious. Today I used some simple stick drills to highlight the offense and defense similarities in unarmed combat. There is one caveat, whenever one trains with weapons from fists to nuclear missiles always remember that it is applied to a specific target. Thus when we do a stick drill we are not merely waving the stick around we are picking a target and attempting to damage it because of the inherent properties of both weapon and target. In each drill use both a stick and a boxing glove

Jab

Using the high-low-high stick jab drill, envisioning targets at the throat and just distal to the knee cap, the footwork and energy of the unarmed jab is developed. After 90-seconds of the drill, drop the stick and go into 90-seconds of jab panatuken (3-strike drill).

Lead Hook

Using the high-low-high pattern to emulate the the lead hook. The initial forehand has many of the same torso driven power delivery of the hook. Again 90-seconds of stick work followed by 90-seconds of lead hook panatuken.

Lead Upper Cut

The upward figure eight pattern is similar to the lead upper cut. Repeat as above.

Slipping the jab

Using the middle range passing drill, where a forward angle with a triangular step is necessary to avoid the angle 1 we can emulate slipping the jab. As they strike with the stick you defang the snake and pass the hand, stepping with your rear foot to not only off-angle but to close on their flank. Then you pivot bringing all off your weapons against their backhand. In the unarmed version you slip the jab without checking it.

Slipping the jab/cross

The downward backhand (angle 2) emulates a cross, the lowering of your level and the roof block prevent the stick from landing. In striking your opponent has measure you for the jab and knows you will slip off angle, they then try to catch you with the cross and your merely bob and weave to the opposite side.

During the BJJ portion I reviewed the figure 4. We covered the drills we worked on Wednesday. We also did:

Round the world version for the neck

From standing, figure 4 guillotine, pivot your partner for rear naked choke from both sides, and then finish another figure 4 guillotine from the front, switch after each set

The Clockface

From side mount do the americana, followed by the straight lateral arm bar (figure 4 the arm pointed directly perpendicular from your opponents body), and the kimura, then switch sides by jumping from one knee on the stomach position to the other. You should tap your partner in each position, relax it and allow the to "escape" the next one before resubmitting them.

We finished with two rounds of using only figure 4 submissions. Remember with the figure 4 that a stable, locked grip is key. The hand on your opponent must fully surround the appendage you are submitting while the opposite arm must encircle this appendage and have a thumbless grip attached to your wrist. This grip should be immovable thus your wrists should be straight and you should be holding them at roughly your peanut butter jar point (the place in front of your abdomen where you would open a tightly stuck jar of peanut butter). Be as relaxed as possible as you tighten the submission, you should ooze into place gently taking as much slack out of the submission until it is as tight as you can make it without effort, then apply the muscle. In order to tighten the shoulder locks bring your partners elbows in the direction opposite their hand is pointing, for ankles try to put their foot to their butt.

Grueling Days of Summer

This evening we trained in the Bugeishako (my garage) our warm-up and conditioning consisted of

• Lower body: 1 minute rounds of kicks starting with one and going up to five, alternating each minute for a total of 10 minutes.
  
• Anterior core: Two minutes of crunches while throwing the medicine ball, one minute rest before doing leg lifts with the medicine ball.
  
• Posterior core: 20 second neck bridges, 10 second alternating side plank x 10 rounds.
  
• Upper body: 20 seconds pitter pat, 20 seconds holding, 20 seconds push-ups w/ 10 second hold while being kicked in the abdomen.

After this "light" warm up we worked on grappling technique, specifically the figure-4. The Figure 4 allows you to do several things (1) it locks your grip, securing you to the extremity you want to submit, (2) it gives you a 2-on-1 set-up allowing you to recruit more muscle groups than your opponent for controlling an extremity, and (3) it increases your leverage on the extremity you want to submit. Thus given (1) it is important to lock your grip even if that means riding your opponent until the submission presents it self. The drills we worked are the following:

Surrendering Gorilla Drill

Place your partner in the guard position, they put their hands on their knees and flare their elbows (the Gorilla) use your same side hand to grab their wrist and then do a sit-up reaching over their arm and secure your figure-4 grip by grabbing your own wrist. This is the kimura or inferior shoulder lock set-up position, notice if your partner's hands point inferiorly (i.e. down) it is a same side grip with an over hook figure-4. Repeat on the opposite side.
Now your partner holds their hands up (the Surrender) do a sit-up and use your cross hand to grab their wrist, then slide your same side hand beneath their arm to finish your figure-4 by grabbing your cross hand wrist. For the americana or superior shoulder lock set-up position your opponents hands points upward or superiorly, it is cross hand grip with your same side hand underhook figure-4.

MALrotation (medial ankle lock rotation)

Start with a reverse knee on stomach, i.e. with one knee on your opponents hip and lower abdomen, facing inferiorly, use the hand nearest the midline to grab the lateral side of your opponents foot. Slide your other hand beneath their calf and lock your figure-4, then fold the ankle medially and inferiorly (i.e. toward the buttocks). Next transition around the leg, and stand with one foot at midline and the other laterally toward the side you same from. Use the hand farthest from your opponent to grab the plantar and lateral surface of their foot and then reach over their shin to secure the figure-4. Again try to force their foot to their buttocks, they may turn over partially in the process. Repeat this on the opposite leg, and then transition around to the hip on this side and set-up your reverse knee mount to repeat the first ankle lock described.

Happy Submission Feet

Sit with one of your partners legs between yours and drifting over your hip. Lock a figure four by looping your same side hand around the leg and then placing your cross hand on their shin, cinch the grip by grabbing your own wrist. Pinch with your knees (your midline leg should be bent with your foot under your partners posterior and your other foot in your opponents hip, with the toes diverted laterally) Roll to the side the submission is locked and arch while raising the arm beneath the leg. Then switch the legs tapping the other side.

We finished by first rolling rounds where we could only submit one another with figure 4's and then with rounds using our full arsenal.