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About Us

Exercises

Stance & Body Position

Warm-up: 3 to 5 minutes

 

• Jab

• Jab / cross

• Four step with knee folds

• Jab / Jab

• Low front snap kicks

• low front kicks

• Jab / Jab / cross

• Block / cross hand punch

• Bob and weave

• Four count step round kicks

 

 

Stretch: 3 to 5 minutes

 

The stretch is performed immediately following the warm-up. The focus of this stretch

is to elongate the muscles to prepare them for maximum extension to avoid injury.

Hold each stretch for four to eight counts.

 

• Rotate the neck, rotate in front without making a full circle.

• Look to each side

• Look down and back

• Arm circles, forward and back

• Waist turning

• Hip rotations

• Ham string stretch, toes down and toes up

• Hurdlers stretch

• 25 push-ups

• 25 crunches

 

Rhythmic Cardio: 8-10 minutes

 

The purpose is to gradually increase the heart rate, while reaching “level 10” intensity.

Routines should include working both upper and lower body areas. Try to keep routines

of each move to 12 to 20 moves (15- 30 seconds) then go to the next move.

 

Rhythmic Combinations:

• Jab

• Cross

• Jab-jab-cross hand, step.

• Jab-jab-jab-cross hand

• Jab-cross-jab, step

• Jab-cross-jab-hook

• Jab-cross-jab-uppercut

• Jab-uppercut

• Jab-uppercut-hook, step

• Jab-uppercut-hook-cross hand

• Jab (l) –hook (r)

• Jab (l) –hook (r) – hook (l)

• Jab (l) – hook punch (l)

• Jab (l) – elbow (l)

• Jab (l) – uppercut (l)

• Jab (l) – hook punch block (l)

• Cross hand (r) -hook (l)

• Cross hand (r) -hook punch block (l)

• Cross hand (r) -hook punch (l) - hook (r)

• Cross hand (r) -hook punch (l) - uppercut (r)

• Cross hand (r) -hook punch (l) – cross hand (r), step

• Cross hand (r) – uppercut (l)

• Cross hand (r) – elbow strike (l)

• Knee strikes

• Knee, jab cross

• Knee, cross

• Knee, cross, jab

• Knee, jab, cross, jab

• Knee strikes, step, side kick to the back

• Knee strikes, step, side kick off to the side

• Squat, alternating knee strikes

• Round kicks

• Round kick, jab cross

• Round kick, cross

• Round kick, cross, jab

• Round kick, jab, cross, jab

• Round kick, step, side kick to the back

• Squat, same side round kicks

 

Station drills: 2-5 minutes

 

Maximum of 5 minutes. This is can be done at the end of cardio as a transition to bags or at the end of bags as a transition to cool down.

• One minute push ups

• One minute squats

• One minute crunches

• One minute of steps over line

 

Bag work: 25-28 minutes

 

The bag segment of the class is where the rubber meets the road. Putting an object

(like a bag) behind a technique re-enforces better technique. Putting weight behind the

technique also develops bone density, strengthens muscles, and brings a sense of realism

to the movements. Instructors should rotate from upper to lower body and also

interject off the bag drills to allow a short opportunity for cardiovascular recovery time

On bag:

•2-technique combos starting with a jab punch:

• Jab, cross

• Jab, jab

• Jab, hook (l,r)

• Jab, hook (l,l)

• Jab, uppercut to midsection (l,r)

•2-technique combos starting with a cross hand punch:

• Cross hand, hook (r,l)

• Cross hand, uppercut (r,l)

•Other 2-technique combos:

• Cross hand hook, front hand hook (r,l)

• Front hand hook, cross hand hook

• Front hand hook low, front hand hook high

• Front hand hook, cross hand

•3-technique combos starting with a jab:

• Jab, jab, cross

• Jab, hook, hook (l,r,l)

• Jab, hook, hook (l,l,r)

• Jab, uppercut, hook (l,r,l)

• Jab, cross, hook (l,r,l)

• Jab, cross, jab (l,r,l)

• Jab, hook, uppercut (l,l,r)

• Jab, hook, cross hand (l,l,r)

•Other 3-technique combos:

• Cross hand, hook, hook (r,l,r)

• Cross hand hook, front hand hook, cross (r,l,r)

•Kicks and combo techniques:

• Jab, cross, front leg round kick

• Jab, cross, jab, switch foot round kick

• Jab, jab, cross, switch foot round kick

• Sliding side kick

• Jab, cross, hook, switch foot round kick

• Switch foot round kick, cross hand

• Switch foot round kick, jab cross

• Switch foot round kick, cross, hook, back leg round kick

• Jab, cross, switch foot, round kick

• Jab, round kick

• Cross, switch foot round kick

• Front round kick, rear round kick

• Cross, round kick to the body

• Hook, round kick to the body

• Hook, cross, round kick to the body

 

Off Bag:

•Squats:

• Squat switchfoot

• Squat front kicks (round, side kicks)

•Lunges:

• Alternating front (X2)

• Alternating back (X2)

•Calf Muscles:

• Nordic Track

• Ski Iowa

• Jump Rope

• Drills over a line on the mat

• Calf raises center, toes in, toes out

•Abs

• Situps

• Partner sit ups

• Sit ups with punches at top

• Crunches

• Crunches with cross punch

• Crunch with legs up

• Crunches with legs flat

• Crunches with leg in butterfly

• Cross crunch (elbows to knees with legs bent and feet on the floor)

• Ankle grabbers

• Oblique crunch on each side

• Oblique twists with body at 45 degree angle

• Tea pots with or without med ball above the head

• Leg scissors

• Shin kicks without ball

•Pushups

• Regular pushups

• Pushups on your fists

• Wide stance pushups

• Narrow stance pushups

• Tricep pushups

• Slow count pushups

•Glutes

• Kneeling or standing fire hydrants

• Donkey kicks

• Bent knee or straight leg heel to the ceiling

• Butt burners (feet up on the bag hips to the ceiling)

• Lying stationary round kick or side kick

 

Bag Routines:

 

On Bag: (2-3 minutes) Off Bag: (2-3 minutes)

Back foot roundhouse kick L Right leg slow side kicks

Back foot RH kick X 2 L Left leg slow side kicks

Back foot roundhouse kick R (from hands and knees)

Back foot RH kick X 2 R

L jab/ R cross left side oblique crunches

L jab/ R cross/ L jab right side oblique crunches

L jab/ R cross/ L jab/ R roundhouse

R jab/ L cross Calf Raises

R jab/ L cross/ R jab Squats

R jab/ L cross/ R jab/ L roundhouse

30 second burnout roundhouse R

30 second quick jab/cross right lead Alt forward lunges

30 second burnout roundhouse L Alt step back lunges

30 second quick jab/cross left lead

 

Cool down stretching: 2-3 minutes

 

Straddle stretch (feet apart wide, stretch right-center-left)

Butterfly stretch

Ab stretch

Arm, shoulders, glute stretch

•Feet:

 

• Feet staggered, lead foot forward.

• Front foot FLAT, weight in middle, big toe pointing toward your target.

• Back foot at 45 degrees outward angle, heel up slightly to press off the ball of the foot.

• Weight equally distributed between both feet.

 

•Hands:

 

• Hands up covering your jaw line (eye brows), elbows in next to your body.

• Front hand slightly lower than back hand.

• Back hand up closer to temple.

• Hold hands so the palm is next to your face, knuckles facing outward, this will help keep the elbows down.

 

•Finally:

 

• Shoulders over your hips, and head in the centre of your body.

• Chin should drop naturally and stay down during all techniques.

 

Basic movements for all punching:

 

• Relaxed, open fist until the point of impact, then make a tight fist driving big knuckles forward.

• Elbows in and down, close to body.

• Turn body (hips & shoulder) driving punch hand shoulder towards target.

• Always bring your hands back to your face. Your straight punches should follow the same line forward and back.

• Hip and shoulder work together, shoulder over hips.

• Shift some weight to front foot while pressing off the back foot.

• Drive your big knuckles forward, and rotate hand at the very end of the punch, so the palm of hand is down.

• Keep punching shoulder up to protect face.

• Keep jaw closed.

• Opposite punching hand will always stay up to protect yourself.

 

Jab punch

 

• Big toe points toward target, front hand leaves your shoulder and face.

• Keeping the front foot FLAT, dip your front leg knee to the inside slightly while turning the hip and shoulder into the target and driving the hand forward.

• Apply slight amount of weight to the front foot for balance.

• Elbow down, hand turns over at the end of punch, while turning the hand, make a tight fist so the big knuckles are forward.

• After contact, the hand relaxes again and comes back on the same line.

 

Cross hand punch

 

• Big toe points toward target (front foot), back hand leaves your face with hand slightly open, elbow down until point of contact.

• Pushing off back foot driving some weight forward to the front foot, shoulder and hip should move forward simultaneously towards the target.

• Elbow down, hand turns over at the end of punch, while turning the hand; make a tight fist so the big knuckles are forward.

• After contact, the hand relaxes again and comes back on the same line.

• Don’t forget to keep your jabbing hand up while throwing the cross.

 

Hook punch

 

• Bring hand (thumb up position) and elbow parallel to the floor.

• Arm is fixed in one place, strong, no sweeping punch motion.

• Pivot front foot (heel up) driving the hip and shoulder into the target.

• At the same time, make a fist and drive the big knuckles forward.

• Hand and body position should return on the same line they left from.

• Hook is very short and tight, it does not loop wildly outward, do not lean forward with your head.

 

Uppercut punch

 

• Elbows in Tight to the body.

• The hand leaves face at the same time the back foot pushes weight, back hip and shoulder forward – pivot back foot.

• Hand turns over so the palm is facing you.

• At the same time, make a fist and drive the big knuckles forward and upward through the target. (Only during rhythmic cardio)

• Hand and body position should return on the same line they left from.

 

Knee strike

 

• Push knee into target (don’t sit on knee strike).

• Reach and pull into target.

• Keep toes pointed down when striking.

• Base foot on “tippy toes” and keep body “tall”

Front snap kick

 

• Extend your knee into the target and recoil after extension.

• Use the ball of your foot or heel for striking.

 

Roundhouse kick

 

• Turn the base foot 135 degrees when kicking.

• Strike with instep and shin, pointing foot when kicking.

• Keywords: Twist, Knee, Snap, Recoil.

 

Side kick

 

• Turn base heel 180 degrees towards target.

• Strike with heel and knife edge of foot.

• Keep foot level on target.

• Keywords: Twist, chamber, stomp, recoil.

 

Punching

 

Punching techniques are very much identical to boxing punches, including:

 

Jab – straight punch from the front hand, to either the head or the body, often used in conjunction with the cross

Cross – strait punch from the back hand

Hook – rounded punch to either the head or body in an arching motion, usually not scored in points scoring

Uppercut – rising punch striking to the chin.

Short straight-punch usually striking to the chin

Backfist usually from the front hand, reverse-back fist and spinning back-fist both usually from the back hand – are strikes to the head, raising the arm and bending the arm at the elbow and then straightening the arm quickly to strike to the side of the head with the rear of the knuckles, common in “light contact”.

Flying-punch struck usually from the rear hand, the combatant hops on the front foot, kicking back with the rear foot and simultaneously extending the rear hand as a punch, in the form of "superman" flying through the sky.

Cross-counter a cross-counter is a counterpunch begun immediately after an opponent throws a jab, exploiting the opening in the opponent's position

Overhand (overcut or drop) – a semi-circular and vertical punch thrown with the rear hand. It is usually when the opponent bobbing or slipping. The strategic utility of the drop relying on body weight can deliver a great deal of power

Bolo punch – a combination of a wide uppercut/right cross/swing that was delivered seemingly from the floor.

Half-hook – a combination of a wide jab/hook or cross/hook

Half-swing – a combination of a wide hook/swing

 

Kicking

 

The standard kicking techniques are:

 

Front kick or push Kick/high Kick – Striking face or chest on with the heel of the foot

Side kick – Striking with the side or heel of the foot with leg parallel to the ground, can be performed to either the head or body Semi-circular kick or forty five degree roundhouse kick

Roundhouse kick or circle kick – Striking with the front of the foot or the lower shin to the head or the body in a chopping motion.

There are a large number of special or variant kicking techniques, including spinning kicks, jumping kicks, and other variants such as

Hook kick (heel kick) – Extending the leg out to the side of the body, and hooking the leg back to strike the head with either the heel or sole

Crescent kick and forward crescent kick

Axe kick – is a stomp out kick or axe kick. The stomp kick normally travel downward, striking with the side or base heel.

Back kick – is delivered with the base heel of the foot.

Sweeping – One foot or both feet of an opponent may be swept depending upon their position, balance and strength.

Spinning versions of the back, side, hook and axe kicks can also be performed along with jumping versions of all kicks

 

Defense

 

There are three main defensive positions (guards or styles) used in kickboxing. Within each style, there is considerable variation among fighters, as some fighters may have their guard higher for more head protection while others have their guard lower to provide better protection against body punches. Many fighters vary their defensive style throughout a bout in order to adapt to the situation of the moment, choosing the position best suited to protect them.

 

Slip – Slipping rotates the body slightly so that an incoming punch passes harmlessly next to the head. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer sharply rotates the hips and shoulders. This turns the chin sideways and allows the punch to "slip" past. Muhammed Ali was famous for extremely fast and close slips.

 

Bob and weave – bobbing moves the head laterally and beneath an incoming punch. As the opponent's punch arrives, the kick boxer bends the legs quickly and simultaneously shifts the body either slightly right or left. Once the punch has been evaded, the kick boxer "weaves" back to an upright position, emerging on either the outside or inside of the opponent's still-extended arm. To move outside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the outside". To move inside the opponent's extended arm is called "bobbing to the inside".

 

Parry/Block – Parrying or blocking uses the kick boxer’s hands as defensive tools to deflect incoming attacks. As the opponent's punch arrives, the boxer delivers a sharp, lateral, open-handed blow to the opponent's wrist or forearm, redirecting the punch.

 

The cover-up – Covering up is the last opportunity to avoid an incoming strike to an unprotected face or body. Generally speaking, the hands are held high to protect the head and chin and the forearms are tucked against the torso to impede body shots. When protecting the body, the kick boxer rotates the hips and lets incoming punches "roll" off the guard. To protect the head, the kick boxer presses both fists against the front of the face with the forearms parallel and facing outwards. This type of guard is weak against attacks from below.

 

The clinch – Clinching is a form of standing grappling and occurs when the distance between both fighters has closed and straight punches cannot be employed. In this situation, the kick boxer attempts to hold or "tie up" the opponent's hands or enter neck wrestling position. In one way to perform a clinch, the kick boxer loops both hands around the outside of the opponent's shoulders, scooping back under the forearms to grasp the opponent's arms tightly against his own body. In this position, the opponent's arms are pinned and cannot be used to attack. Other form of clinch involves getting control of opponent’s neck by collar tie or upper body by under hooks, over hooks and body lock. It is often in the clinch where knee, elbow, sweep and throw techniques are used.

 

Counting

Ichi means one. (一)         The "i" sounds like "ea" in "each" and the "chee" is like "cheek."

When spoken quickly, the "ee" part is not or barely pronounced and the whole word sounds like "each."

 

Ni means two. (二)        It sounds like "knee."

 

San means three. (三)  It sounds like "sahn."

 

Shi means four. (四)      It sounds just like "she."

 

Go means five. (五)       English speakers have a tendency to say the word "go" as if it were spelled "gohw". When you say "go" in Japanese, you need to leave your mouth rounded when you're done to prevent slipping towards a "w" sound

 

Roku means six. (六)     The  R is pronounced like a cross between R and L, so when you say it, it should sound similar to "loh-koo." But an English R is pronounced at the center of the tongue, and an English L is pronounced about a quarter of an inch from the tip of the tongue, but the Japanese r is pronounced using only the very tip of the tongue.

 

Shichi means seven. (七)         Sounds like "she-chee", with a hint of tch on the "chee."

 

Hachi means eight. (八)           It sounds like "ha!" then "tchee."

 

Kyuu means nine. (九)  It sounds like the letter "q." Similarly to "go," English speakers tend to pronounce it as "kyoow" - make sure to keep your mouth rounded on the "oo" sound and not to slip towards "w".

 

Juu means ten. (十)           Its pronounced "joo", with a teensy-tiny bit of zh on the j.

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