2008 USA Trainers Clinic

Marcus, Mars and Myself After Close to Two Hours of Straight Jack Clinch Training

Last week end I had the privilege of attending the USA trainers clinic for the Crazy Monkey Defense Program. Today I've finally I've been able to get some time to put up a post about the entire experience.

This was my second year attending the trainers program for the Crazy Monkey Defense Program last year was the first year of the trainers program and I feel fortunate that I was able to get on board such a high quality martial arts program from the beginning. With that said this years coaches clinic was awesome and far better than last years.

The clinic began on Thurs night and ran through the weekend concluding on Monday Morning. Here is a quick and very brief break down of the material we covered this year. Honestly we covered enough material to work on for the next several months and most of us where experiencing some severe brain over load by the end of it.

Thursday - Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Guard passing both opening the guard and working various levels to pass. We also did some really great side control material.

Friday - Crazy Monkey
In the morning session we worked various drills and games to help improve sparring. During the evening session we sparred and were able to get specific feed back from Rodney and the rest of the trainers. I even got to do some friendly sparring with Rodney himself who helped me realize how much work my clinch boxing game needs. We finished off the evening with a presentation by Rodney on The Martial Arts Game. Here Rodney went into a discussion about his new book titled; The Martial Arts Game what was cool is we were all able to go much further into detail and discussion on information in Rodney's new book.

Saturday- Fight Compass
The characteristics of each style on the compass. Four specific techniques for developing the characteristics of each style. Following two hours of fight compass training all the trainers each did ten rounds of sparring!

Sunday- Straight Jacket
How to enter into the straight jacket. The proper method to get and maintain a control position in a clinch. Striking out of a control position, without giving up control or loosing balance.

Monday - Somatic Martial Arts
This was probably one of the most interesting of all the sessions. We broke down and worked on the jab for the entire session. With the specific focus of learning how to improve the quality of our movement.

Me and Some of My Friends After a Lot of Training

The trainers clinic was so much fun I already can't wait for next years. Needless to say I will be coaching all of the material we learned from Rodney at my Gym Martial Arts Life in San Diego over the next several months.

I will also be putting up a series of posts here on the Crazy Monkey and the Crazy Monkey Defense Program specifically how I became involved in it, what I think about it and what will happen with it in the future.

Buried with a Shovel Uppercut!

Last night I spent some considerable time coaching the shovel uppercut. Specifically we worked on the proper mechanics and how to correctly strike to the body.

The stronger your defensive structure the better you'll be able to work in a good counter shovel uppercut off a straight jab, cross or hook. Changing ranges, getting in for the shovel hook and getting out with proper foot work and always follow up with several linear strikes to head after going to body are very improtant aspects of the technique.

After a solid thirty to forty minutes training the shovel uppercut I worked in some rounds of light sparring. I think just about everyone of my students nailed me with a good solid shovel uppercut at some point during the nights sparring sessions. Each one at some point seemed to find their mark and bury me with a fist.

I had become so accustom to dealing with the jab hook and cross to the head and sparred with so many guys who simply don't know how to go to the body properly. When I faced a gym full of athletes who had the proper mechanics and technique to deliver a good body shot my ability to read the attack was off.

At the end of the night driving home I felt good about the training knowing as I raise the skill level of those around me I'm able to grow further myself. Part of a true Martial Arts Life program is rather than compete with those you train with try to lift them up. You'll find your own skills and abilities will only progress further as you do.