The Addition of CrossFit to Combat Ready Edinburgh

The new CrossFit classes started this week and were well received.  For those of you who don’t know what CrossFit is then please check out www.crossfit.com for more info or look at our new sister site www.crgcrossfit.com

In simple terms it is a strength and conditioning programme created by Greg Glassman in the US.  It uses weight lifting and bodyweight drills to provide you with what CrossFit refers to as general physical preparedness.  Does this sound familiar?  Yes, it’s what the whole Combat Ready approach has always been about.  Having you ready to deal with whatever life throws at you at any point in time.  Be it a hostile Monday morning meeting, a robbery or having to lift someone to safety after a house fire. 

The Combat Ready approach started almost six years ago now at the old Edinburgh Judo Club.  Back in those days the strength and conditioning we used involved kettlebells, bodyweight drills, monkey bars and ropes as that is what we had to work with.   There was a class which we just called 'Conditioning' in those days.  Then we opened the Combat Ready Gym and we renamed it 'Performance Conditioning' .  I got my first dose of CrossFit back in August 2008 when I was at one of the Krav Maga summer camps in Norway.  The instructor there runs a CrossFit gym so he made us all do a few workouts and then work through various multiple attacker drills.  I toyed with the idea of adding CrossFit to our curriculum but it wasn't until January this year when I went to train in Vegas that I was really convinced we needed it.  CrossFit is certainly gaining popularity in the UK and I’m never one to sit still. I always want to bring the best to Combat Ready no matter if it is fitness or self defence. 

So, in a nutshell, don’t be scared of something because it has a new name.  Check out and compare below:

(A) Workout 1

Push Ups x10

Kettlebell Swings x15

Chins x 6

As many times as you can in 7 mins

 (B) WOD 1

Push ups x10

Kettlebell Swings 1.5poods

C2B x 6 (no kipping)

AMRAP 7 mins

Confused? Don't be. Both are the same thing.  'WOD' is a CrossFit acronym and refers to Work Out of the Day.

Poods is an old Russian term which lets you know the weight.  Why the hell they don’t say kgs or pounds is beyond me though. 

What we refer to as chin ups can be called C2B (chest to bar) and kipping is a term for a cheating way to do a chin up. 

AMRAP – As many rounds as possible.  

Remember, there is nothing new in the world. Every Martial Art move is a copy of something else and all the fitness stuff is years old.  People trying to claim high intensity exercise is something new need to think about how martial artists have been training since the dawn of time. 

The only new thing is how you present and package it.  A cheeseburger is a cheeseburger - it's only different in how it sits on your plate.

In short don’t fear change, embrace it.

Krav Round up

Last week the classes focussed heavily on developing our sparring skills.  The classes were planned to develop the boxing curriculum and also added in some clinch work and knee strikes.  Everyone performed very well and seemed to really enjoy the contact.  With this in mind the format of the classes will change to the following:

Warm up to include mobility and a strength and conditioning workout. Using kettlebells or olympic weights. 

Pad work developing effective combinations for street confrontations.

Technical application of defences against specific attacks.

Sparring (optional) to develop timing, rhythm and tempo.  Application of techniques in real time.

Interesting read on heart disease and red meat consumption

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/08/health/study-points-to-new-culprit-in-heart-disease.html?_r=1&

Going the Distance: Improve Your Running.

Distance running is becoming very popular with men and women of all ages. Now I run a lot, but until recently I hadn't given distance running much thought. Sure, I'd popped out a 10k or two, but I've never contemplated a marathon, or even a half marathon. However, I was out running with my brother in law, a very keen marathon runner, and I started to think about how tough it'd be to run 26 miles in one go. I found my will power starting to flag about six miles in, and with four to go my brother in law was still going strong. So I asked him how he built up, not only his stamina, but his determination to keep going when your enthusiasm started to flag. His answer was variety, rest, and then, on the day, putting your head down and getting it done. For your average Joe, 26 miles seems like a lot, and well, it is a lot, but its not unachievable, people of all ages have completed marathons, even some men and women of 70 and over! Not all of us will be aiming at marathons, however, so whatever distance you are shooting for, 2 miles, 8 miles, or 26, there are a few key concepts that will help you build up your distance.

So lets take a look at some of those key training features. First off, variety. Variety in any training program keeps it fresh, but its especially important in distance running. If you think of the range of training options open to most athletes - weight training, sparring, conditioning, circuits - and then those which improve running - more running - you'll see how important it is to work some variety into your plan. This means, for one, varying the distance, the speed, and the gradients at which you run. Try a simple variety of distances, one short range run - maybe 30% of what you are training for - i.e. 5 miles for a 15 mile event, or 1 mile for a 3 mile goal. one medium distance at a good pace, so say 60% of your aim, and then another at around 90%. Don't just go out and attempt to train the full distance three times a week. The best way to build up to a distance/speed goal is to progressively build up the time that you can run for, then you can worrying about upping your speed. This is a good simple program to build up to any distance of running. Also you can throw in a couple of short 10-20 minute interval sessions - a mixture of hill sprints and flats - to help you conquer any hills in your course.

If you find your enthusiasm for running flagging, you can think about cross training. Cycling is a fantastic way to improve your cardio, but without the impact of running. Taking a week or two off running in favour of cycling will help you to keep up your training, without punishing your joints or your zeal. Swimming is another great cardio exercise that couples well with running. Find what you like to do best, and stick at it, if you find that you are forcing yourself out more often than not, its maybe time to change discipline for a little while. Don't see this as a defeat, its just another part of your training plan. If every exercise starts to leave you weary and uninspired don't be afraid to take a week or so off entirely. Rest is a very important part of a training program, it gives your muscles time to recover, but also. crucially, it keep your energy levels up. I think the importance of keeping your love for exercise strong is more important than any short term goal. If you want to be that person keeping active and fit right into old age, you've got to keep the fun alive in your training. If you don't like it, ultimately, you won't keep doing it. Yes theres an element of punishment involved in any exercise, but being able to enjoy it is what keeps runners going into their 60s and even 70s. Go for runs in the countryside, vary your scenery, vary your training partners, run with a club, take up cross country, whatever you need to keep the fun and the excitement in it. That way you are bound not only to improve your goals, but also to keep yourself happy and fit.

Lawrie

Strive for progress, not perfection

So you start training in whatever discipline you can think of. You seek out a role model and aim to be like them. You then beat yourself up as after a few weeks or months you don't look like them, play like them or fight like them. Keep in mind most of us will choose someone at the top of their game to idolise. That individual is paid and it is more often than not their profession to do what they do. Now you work 37 hours a week, have two kids, a wife, husband, maybe a second job and you need to fit all your training around that. YES, it can be done but don't quit too early.

Understand that little but often gains are good. Strive for progress, not the perfection you idolise. Small, regular amounts of weight loss, the ability to shift heavier weights over bigger distances. Learning and applying new techniques or being able to string more combinations together, even just surviving to the end of a class.  These are all good indicators of progress. I think the main thing to take from this is not to give up too early. I spoke with a guy last week who I train with and he told me that his girlfriend was going to start training. He told her she needs to give it at least 3 months. That's only 12 sessions to give it a fair shot. 

Remember in the early stages the warm up can feel like an exercise class, you have jargon and your body is being asked to move in a way that might be alien. Just don't give up and jack it in, be stronger than that and I hate this term but man up. Imagine, as a toddler you fell over and went well I'm not walking again, I fell over and I am not great at it the first time I tried it. So I am going to sit on my behind forever and shuffle. The same can be said for training. Stick in there, train hard, learn new skills.  It will change your life, I promise you for the better and for those around you.

Krav Maga This Thursday

On Thursday we worked a lot on the fighting system in Krav Maga. The early stages of KM are very, he grabbed you, you react.  The later stages are why the hell have you let him grab you. How to fight, how to bridge the gap, how to engage and disengage and multiple attackers are all part of the fighting system. I am going to spend the next 12 months developing this in the gym with the members. So we need to get boxing gloves, groin guards and gum shields. I will soon be quite adamant about people training and having the correct equipment as it all forms part of the insurance policy in the gym. Its a minimal investment to ensure better quality and ultimately safer training. If you want to get the kit from the gym then just ask or if you need advice about what to get ask as well.

HOW TO PRACTICE CONTROLLING YOUR SPACE

Well everyone who trains should be aware of being able to control their personal space and the passive guard guard or as some in KM circles call it semi passive. I mean you have your hands up protecting your space in a non-threatening manner. Now you can make this a clear barrier or you can make it more subtle. There are reason for doing both and you need to learn when to you use the correct approach.

When you are speaking with people in the work place or in general conversation practice this life saving skill. Control your area, measure range, move your hands towards them in subtle gestures which you can interpret you as pre-emptive striking or trapping or controlling their limbs to prevent an attack.

What how people will mirror your behaviour. Look at how they copy your hand gestures and posture. Learn to use this to your advantage. These are the soft skills that can keep you save. Remember that if you are in a environment such as a club or pub, distances between people will be much shorter. You often can't hear people so they will position themselves closer to you in the verbal stage. Sometimes you are going to have to let them do this. You never know whether they are going to say "Hi don't I work beside you?" or "why do you keep staring at me?". Remember, we want to avoid conflict at all costs however in the real world you can't always just run away, you can't ignore people and you can create distance between you and an attacker in a club all the time. Well you certainly can't in Scotland anyway! Bars, clubs are jammed packed so you tell me how easy it is to escape if someone was aggressive towards you. Running is the best option but not always possible. So the lesson there is always consider your environment.

Marcus

What Krav Maga Training Can I Do Today

It's Saturday and there are no classes running - panic over! Get the other half to hold a sheet of a4 sized paper up at head height or maybe an envelope. We are going to work on our speed and our finger spear, eye jab - call it what you want. Either way the hand is keep loose and you are striking with the tips of your fingers. I've heard lots of people talk about the positioning of the hand in order to keep your fingers safe. At the end of the day the target is the eyes or the throat. Neither require a hard strike, it's all about speed.

The worst thing that can happened is you stave your finger like your playing basketball. If you thought that is bad then maybe don't use your shin to block a round kick!

So partner holds up the paper for you and try and mark on it an area where you wish to strike. Practice from a passive guard hands up trying to de-escalate and then with your hands down at your sides. Think about how fast you can move to the target and have your partner feed back telling you if you are telegraphing. Think about how you can use this strike, is it pre-emptive, is it get a reaction to draw the hands up so you can attack low. Is it to set up a right cross or are you intercepting forward pressure from an attacker. It's a great tool and there is not a person alive who won't react to being struck in the vision area or throat.

It's easy fun training and can be a good vehicle to maybe involving the other half in your training. Or train it with the kids, turn it into a game. You don't need to tell them what it's for, tell them to see how fast they can do it. It's like the wax on, wax off from the Karate Kid. Have fun.

MMA Class on Thursday

We started off with a good warm which consisted of 1 minute rounds of:

Shadow boxing
Shooting for a takedown
Shadow boxing with sprawls
Punching the heavy bag
Shadow boxing with sprawls
Kicking the heavy bag

This was repeated 3 times so a good, fast paced warm up to get the guys moving.
Tonight we started with a basic combo of low inside leg kick into jab, cross, uppercut, cross. The guys worked this back and forth, moving about and using footwork to good effect. Once everyone had got to grips with that we add in a couple of knees, worked that back and forth then added some dirty boxing, controlling the head we put in two short uppercuts followed by a straight right. From the straight right we then added the single leg take down, this took a bit of getting used to for some off the guys but after a while they were all doing well. Now we looked at being on the ground, take down achived but we've ended up in our opponents guard. So open their guard, pass and into side control. Once in side control we looked at various versions of figure four arm locks, straight arm bars, fore arm chokes and the good old neck crank.

So once we pieced it all together it went like this

Low inside leg kick, jab, cross, uppercut, cross into clinch with two knees, two short uppercuts into a straight right, shot for the single leg takedown, into opponents guard, open guard then pass to side control and look to finish with submission or strikes.

All the guys were looking good so we finished the class off with a little light sparring/rolling to let them put what they'd learnt to use.
All in all a great class and the guys all looked sharp. See you all again next week!

Scott Mellia

TONIGHT AT KRAV MAGA EDINBURGH

Tonight we focussed on lowline kicks, defending a football style kick and a straight punch. I asked the guys to emphasise the hand and body defence and slow it right down. What seems like a large movement will shrink under stress. It's why a lot of traditional movements look large. People ridicule the big sweeping motions however its a lack of understanding. Martial Arts were born on the battle field and they knew what worked. Where do you think KM got all its material from. However, people don't understand a lot of what they see and then think it won't work. Everything is useful and you simply need to know what to take from it and when to apply it. We looked at the hooking motion from KM and I quickly showed the guys all the different areas you can find it in KM. So train something that can be used often and in a lot of situations. You don't want a 100 responses to something. A few choice select ones should see you through. Then practice them and own them. I also stressed the need for closest tool to the closest target. Nobody wants to get hit so you need to choose your shots.

KRAV MAGA ON TUESDAY EVENING

We warmed up with a circuit using the gym equipment and then looked at defending against various grabs and intimidation positions. We looked at soft and hard responses and defending straight and circular attacks. We looked at counter strikes which contoured the body so they were much harder to defend against.

LAST NIGHT AT KRAV MAGA EDINBURGH

Last night we went straight into pad work covering evasion and attacks. All the tools in the sets could be used to defend against so many attacks. We worked some shadow fighting trying to further develop our physical and also mental visualisation skills. We concentrated on defending against a headlock from the rear. I spoke about prevention and offered two options. At the end of the day the situation will more than likely arise out of surprise and be the result of a multiple attack therefore not much room for prevention. We worked the release in isolation and then as part of a multiple attack drill. I stressed the need for being a difficult partner once in a while. If you see your partner has the skills down then foul him a little. This will force him to improvise and adapt. However, you can't do this all the time as it can create a poor training environment and hinder their development. Also, they then can do the same to you. So every once in a while foul a little. If you do it too much you end up with nobody wanting to partner you. This came about through demonstrations last night where a couple of the guys whether deliberately or not fowled me. So, build it into your training and keep yourself sharp. Great effort from everyone.

Marcus

KICKBOXING EDINBURGH

This week has seen the kickboxing classes very busy. Maybe in the run up to Xmas or people just wanting to get some useful self defence material under their belts. Some of the classes have concentrated on conditioning drills and others have looked at technical applications. The more you come the better you get. The classes can be attended by anyone and you can start at any point. No need to book. So if you know someone who you think might be interested in trying it out why not send them along.

Marcus

KRAV MAGA EDINBURGH

Last night we worked on our boxing skills and closing into clinch. From there we looked at defending on the ground against multiple attackers, how to get up from the ground, break fall principles and also defending specific attacks from the ground.

KICKBOXING EDINBURGH

Last night we concentrated on developing various kicks. We used the kick shields working lead side kick and the focus mitts for turning kicks and hook kicks. We looked at the sport applications of the kicks and also the self defence aspects. We finished off the remainder of the class working hand combinations on the focus mitts.

KRAV MAGA EDINBURGH

Last night Michael took the guys through some striking sets after the kettle bell warm up. From there we looked at defences against chokes and how they would apply gender specific. We worked with the defender pinned against the wall and from there we looked at using our environment. We looked at using the same tactical approach to deal with a variety of similar attacks when we had our back to the wall. We also looked at defending whilst on the ground which will be the theme this week.

Marcus

LAST NIGHT AT TACTICAL EDGE EDINBURGH

Last night we worked with the karambit knife. We started looking at the traditional battlefield applications and then toned it down and looked how we could use it as an impact tool and then to control. We then shifted to a regular blade and used it in forward and reverse grip reviewing all the combat sets we had covered with the karambit We looked at the empty hand applications and then the defensive matrix with the karambit and also the empty hand equivalent.

LAST NIGHT AT KICKBOXING EDINBURGH

Dynamic warm up to open up the class then we concentrated on developing power with the thai pads. We worked various combinations interspersed with conditioning drills. Finished the class off with a challenging kicking drill to develop speed, accuracy and flexibility.

LAST NIGHT AT TACTICAL EDGE

Derek took the warm up and then Michael took the guys through our defensive flow drill with edge weapons. The guys then moved on to look at the empty hand applications and follow up strikes leading into takedowns. Michael then looked at a series of guntings and low line traps and levers.

LAST NIGHT @ KME

After a warm up with the kettlebells we moved onto tool and target development. We worked in 3's and looked at ways of using a person as a shield and also projecting them into someone before engaging that target. We then looked at various ways of obtaining a chest to back position on the secondary target and then using various takedowns. From there we looked at a defence against a guillotine choke and also against a headlock. We did this in drill form so one person starts the encounter pre-emptively and goes from a high line shot to a low line shot thus bringing the head forward so it would seem logical to put them into a guillotine. From there the person would use the escape and then put that person into a headlock from which the person would do the standard escape. It had a good flow and some people were really letting rip with it.