BEGINNER CLASS
Straight Punches
Left/Right Combo
Left/Left/Right - focus on making both left punches strong
Left/Right/Right - focus on making the second right punch strong
Front Kick Vertical Target
Round Kick
Combo - Left Front Kick/Right Round Kick
Combo: Right Front Kick/Left Round Kick
Drill: any hand combo or kick comob
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Thai Pads - 3 rounds of 2 minutes, basic combinations
Thai pads - work "drop step/left cross/right hook" (switching stances suddenly)
Thai pads - work "drop step/left round kick"
Thai Pads - Combos #3 and #4, finishing with Elbow
Thai Pads - 3 rounds of 3 minutes, incorporate elbows and drop step
ADVANCED CLASS
Thai Pads - 3 rounds of 3 minutes
Spinning Heel Kick
Focus Mitts - 3 rounds of 3 minutes, incorporate spinning heel kick
Defense v. Spinning Heel Kick (sliding defense)
Our Chief Instructor, John Whitman, taught back to back seminars during the last two weekends. He was invited again to Colorado Krav Maga's annual Winter Camp (thanks, Shannon and James!) for three days of training. Then the next weekend, he taught at East Valley Krav Maga in Phoenix, AZ (thanks to Keith Larkin and all his fantastic instructors and students). Next up: Luxembourg, Costa Rica, and Barcelona!
Beginner
Fighting stance
Movement - fighting stance moving forward, left, right, back
Partner A/B drill - one leader, one follower. Leader steps forward, back, left, or right; and the follower must keep within punching range. Instructor calls switch
Punches - left/right combination
Front kick (groin)
Partner A/B drill with tombstone - add punches, kicks, and sprawl
360 Defense
Partner A/B drill, add roving attacker(s). Same as above, but roving attackers will attack with multiple 360 attacks to any striker in the room. After the defense, that striker becomes a new roving attacker.
Intermediate
Warm up - touching shoulders/knees. Clinch fighting/pummeling.
Bearhug - front, arms caught
Bearhug - front, arms free (with space and without space)
Drill - partner pairs, 1 tombstone per pair; with roving attackers. Defender stands with eyes closed while pad holder stages in a random location around the room. Roving attacker may attack anyone with eyes closed using a front bear hug (heavy resistance. After defender breaks free they find their pad holder and strike until pad holder calls "time." The pad holder then becomes a new roving attacker and the defender becomes the pad holder for the person that just attacked them.
Advanced
Warm up - crawls, falls, and rolls.
Review 360s - add in knives, grappling, and multiple attackers
One arm shoulder throw
Machine gun takedown
Drill - use an obstacle course if possible, including low light, blind corners, and/or multiple rooms. Defender must clear obstacle course with multiple attackers. If the attack is a wide right overhand punch or stab, counter with shoulder throw. Counter gun threats with machine gun takedown. Make sure to have plenty of room for falls.
BEGINNER CLASS
Straight Punches
Drill: Belt Drill
Advancing Straight Punch
Drill: Advancing straight punch on pad from one end of the mat to the other. Pad holder and Striker do two burpees and then sprint back to starting point and switch roles until Instructor calls time.
Advanced Technique: Gun from the Front
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Defensive Front Kick
Hook Punch
Drill: practice hook punch at various ranges from very close to full extension
Combo #7: Left Hook/Right Cross/Left Hook
Bearhug Front Arms Free, Neck Leverage
Drill: eyes closed; attacker may hold for Defensive Front Kick OR Hook Punch OR make an attack with Bearhug From the Front Arms Free
ADVANCED CLASS
Focus Mitts: Opposite stance — Right/Left/move out/burst in with Right/Left Again
Knife Downward Stab – emphasis on disarms
Knife Upward Stab – emphasis on disarms
Drill: two attackers; first attacker uses knife; defender makes the defense and attempts to disarm and use the knife to defend himself against the second attacker, who also has a knife.
BEGINNER CLASS
Movement- Shadow Boxing w/o Punches or Kicks
Punches- Left/Right combination
Combination- Left/Right/Right Elbow Strike
Drill: Light striking on the pad with straight punches; on the pad holder’s command (“Go”) burst in with Left/Right/Right Elbow 3x aggressively, then move back out and continue with light strikes.
360 Defense
Choke from the Front (2-handed)
Drill: Start with packages in hand and eyes closed, attacker either makes a choke from front or gives a verbal signal and makes 360.
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Hook Punch
Focus Mitt Drill: Mitt holder throws looping hook with either left or right. Striker bobs & weaves, then throws combo 6 or 7 to counter.
Defense vs. Low Round Kick (adsorbing & shin block)
Sparring Drill: 1-for-1 partners take turns either throwing a hook or a low round kick. Defender either bobs & weaves or uses a kick defense. In either case, defender should counter with either combo 6 or 7.
Bearhug from Behind Arms Caught
ADVANCED CLASS
Thai Pads: Combos 8 & 9 with knees, 2 rounds of 2 minutes
One Arm Shoulder Throw
Drill: Clinch work to One Arm Shoulder Throw
Stick v. Left Handed Attacker
BEGINNER CLASS
Left/Right Combination
Knees
Combo: Left/Right/Right Knee
Basic Clinch Defense (position for knees)
Drill: make the combination above; then pad holder tries to push forward, drop below elbow, etc. Defender must maintain position and then give another knee when possible
Ground - Back Position
Ground - Front Kick
Ground - Get Up
Drill: as above, but sometimes pad holder says "down!" Defender must drop down onto her back, kick the pad, and them get up
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Front Kick with Advance
Drill: eyes closed; pad holder pushes the defender; defender recovers and makes Front Kick With Advance
Hair Grab from the Side
Drill: as above, but attacker can either push with pad or make Hair Grab From Side
Ground - Arm Bar From Guard
ADVANCED CLASS
Thai Pads - 1 round of four minutes!
Knife Downward Stab
Stick Overhead
Two Attacks - stick and knife
BEGINNER CLASS
Straight Punches (review)
Knees (without grabbing)
360 Defense
Choke From Behind
Drill: defender strikes a pad with punches and knees; at any time, another attacker can give a verbal signal and make. 360 from the side OR make Choke From Behind.
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Striking Review: straight punches, front kick to groin, round kicks
Outside Defenses 1-5
Drill: group of 3; defender punches a pad; third person makes straight punch from the side at any time; defender must defend, make counterattacks, then continue to strike the pad
Bearhug From Behind, Arms Free
Drill: as above, but include Bearhug From Behind also
ADVANCED CLASS
Front Kick Vertical Target
Two Front Kicks with a Switch
Gun From The Front - attacker holding shirt with left hand (regular technique)
Gun From The Front - Machine Gun Takedown (attacker reaching across defender's body with left hand)
BEGINNER CLASS
Palm Heel Strike
Front Kick to Groin
Knees
Partners; Curved Kick Shield
Round 1: Target recognition for 2 Palm Heel Strikes or 1 Front Kick Groin
Round 2: Pad holder can call “TAKEDOWN” at any time. Striker makes Basic Takedown Defense, knee, and spins on centerline for one more knee
Drill: Multiple Attacker Stack. Groups of 3. 2 pad holders. Defender tries to stack attackers.
Basic Ground Position
Front Kick from the Ground
Round Kick from the Ground
Drill: Multiple Attacker Stack + Ground. Attackers can call “DOWN!”. Defender gets in Basic Ground Position, attacks closest target, grabs leg of defender to side to get up.
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Thai Pads and Shin Guards
Drill: Combinations 1-4 with a kick. Pad holder can throw the low round kick to striker. Striker defends using the shin block.
Drill: Same as previous drill, but after performing shin block, striker touches defending leg down and then launches that same leg to return with a body level round kick to the Thai pads.
Drill: Puke round! 30 seconds power punches Left/Right combination. 30 seconds 2 round kicks right, 2 round kicks left. 30 seconds speed punches.
Bearhug from the Front, Arms Free
Bearhug from the Front, Lifting
Drill: Circle of Death. Break class into small groups of 3 or 4. 1 defender, everyone else is an attacker. Defender stands in neutral with eyes closed. Attackers can apply Bearhug from the Front, Arms Free OR Bearhug from the Front, Lifting OR any Level 1 self defense technique.
ADVANCED CLASS
Focus mitts; 4 minute rounds
Round 1: Free work on the focus mitts adding Spinning Outside Slap Kick to any combination ending in hook punch (combinations 3, 7, or 9). Show students how to use the hook to cover/distract from initial step across centerline that sets up spin.
Round 2: Focus mitts in opposite stance. Spinning Outside Slap Kick from opposite stance only required for black belts and black belt candidates.
Double Leg Takedown
Hip Throw
Drill: A/B Drill. A’s can attack B’s with any Level 1-3 self defense technique. B’s finish with the initial set up for a Hip Throw when possible/appropriate.
BEGINNER CLASS
Front Kick Vertical Target
Knees
Combo: Left/Right/pad holder backs up slightly/Front Kick Vertical Target/Knee
Choke From Behind (include combo whenever possible)
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Focus Mitts: Combinations 6 and 8 (focus on right lead)
Hair Grab from the Front
Bearhug from Behind, Leverage on Finger
Drill: eyes closed, either attack
ADVANCED CLASS
Thai Pads – 2 rounds of 2 minutes
Sparring – hands only
Gun from the Front
Machine Gun Takedown
Beginner
Movement-Fighting stance (forward, left, right, and back)
Straight punch w/ advance & retreat
Inside defenses
Drill: Group of 3 with 1 tombstone pad. Pad holder moves 1 step in fighting stance in any direction & calls a straight punch combo. Striker moves back into range and delivers combo. When 3rd person randomly yells "Threat!" pad holder backs away, & striker turns to face 3rd person. 3rd person throws an advancing straight punch at striker which should be defended w/ an inside defense. After defending, striker & pad holder resume movement & combos
Intermediate
Review round kicks
Defense vs. high round kicks (reflexive, 2 points of contact, 3 points of contact, & covering)
Bearhug behind arms free
Drill: defender starts with eyes closed, attacker bearhugs defender from behind (arms free). Defender goes through defense & disengages after combatives. Attacker throws 1 high round kick immediately after being disengaged for defender to defend. Then reset.
Advanced
Scissor Front Kick
Scissor Round Kick
Knife- defense vs. backslash
Drill: Attacker "hides" knife in their waist band. Attacker holds kick shield for either scissor front or scissor round kick. After defender delivers kick, attacker staggers back, drops pad and draws knife to attack with a backslash. After defender completes defense, reset.