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October 2010 Syllabus

The October 2010 syllabus is subject to change. This post will be updated throughout the month.

In our Krav Maga training, we often borrow methods from combat sports, perhaps none more than focus mitts and thai pads. We’re not boxers nor Thai fighters; we don’t need to develop as high a level of skill on pads. However, training this way develops our fundamentals of striking for self-defense—and it’s really, really fun.

Below are just a few videos that, when viewed, may inspire a sudden desire to hit stuff.

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out so well for Marcus Davis at UFC 118 in Boston. Here he is training with Mark DellaGrotte of Sityodtong:

Duane Ludwig riffing on the Bas combos:

The jaw-dropping speed of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. can be seen at 0:34:

Sandbaggin’ It

09.21.10 By Patrick Leave a Comment

I was asked about training with sandbags last week and thought I would put up a post to share with everyone.

I wouldn’t say that sandbags are a frequent workout implement for me, but I do use them now and again, particularly in metabolic conditioning circuits. Though the term “functional” has been widely misappropriated in the fitness industry (in my opinion), I think sandbags can be rightfully classified as such. If functional is defined as closely replicating movements used in everyday activity, what’s more real-life than lifting a heavy, awkward object?

I could blather on about the benefits of sandbag training and describe different exercises, but I’d rather simply say that I think it’s particularly transferable to what we do. Hoist about a heavy sandbag for a few workouts and tell me it doesn’t improve your clinching and grappling. I suggest doing a search for “sandbag workout” and see what you come up with. Some stuff you’ll see falls more into the arena of “novelty” than “functional”, so surf skeptically and come to your own conclusions.

One of the best things about sandbag training is that you can do it on the cheap and just about anywhere. This fits perfectly with Ross Enamait’s “low-tech, high-effect” principle, so it’s only fitting that he has an excellent how-to guide for constructing your own bag here [PDF]. (You can read a bit more about Ross in an earlier post of mine or on his website.)

Along with that guide, here are my suggestions for doing it cheaply:

Sand: Lowe’s or Home Depot – 50 lbs for a couple bucks.
Inner Sandbags: McMaster-Carr. (Neither Lowe’s nor Home Depot had them when I went. Booo…)
Outer Bag: McMaster-Carr (canvas bags) or a canvas duffel / sea bag found online or at a surplus store.

There are also many not-so-cheap (but maybe more durable?) options like the Rogue Fitness Tactical Sandbag.

Like anything else, sandbag training is safe so long as it’s done safely. If you start too heavy or train past your limits, your form will degrade. Under a heavy and awkward load it can be very easy to wrench something you don’t want wrenched.

Some more references:

Henkin Fitness Systems
Mark’s Daily Apple: The Sandbag Workout

Knees in Review

09.02.10 By Patrick 2 Comments

Check out the link below for a great review on the finer points of delivering effective knees. It was written by Matt Caballero of Fit & Fearless, Krav Maga Austin. Danelle and I trained with Matt in Phase B, and he definitely knows his stuff.

Here’s a very important, overarching point from Matt’s post I’d like to highlight:

We can defend all day but striking ends the fight. However, we are more vulnerable when we are striking because in order to strike we must leave our defensive position for a split second.