BEGINNER
Eye Strike
Elbow #6
Focus Mitt Drill: pad holder holds one focus mitt approximately head level. Striker throws eye strike with lead hand, closes distance and throws elbow #6. Once comfortable with drill, both striker & pad holder may begin to move between combinations.
Choke from Front (1-handed)

INTERMEDIATE
Basic Takedown Defense/Spinning on Centerline
Review Bearhug Defenses (Front & Rear)
Bearhug Front (lifting)
Bearhug Behind (lifting)
Circle-of-Death: 1 defender, rest of class attacking constantly. All level 1 self-defenses + bearhug attacks with or without lifting.

ADVANCED
Gun from Behind at a Distance
Long Gun from Behind - Touching (both sides)
Circle-of-Death: 1 defender, rest of class attacks. All lower level self-defenses involving attacks from behind + hand gun from behind at a distance + long gun from behind (touching)

BEGINNER
Knees w/ Clinch
Hammerfist Side
DRILL:
Grps 2, Striker, Padholder. Striker neutral/eyes closed. Padholder cues for either HF Side. Striker opens, sends, orients and finishes with Knees until Pad cues to “RESET!”
Choke Side
DRILL - FINAL:
Same as above, but partner has option of cueing with pad or attacking with Choke Side.
___________

INTERMEDIATE
Outside Defenses (1-5)
SPARRING - Trigger
Grps 2. A/B. Determine who will send trigger. Defender will begin with hands lower than fighting stancy. Attacker will send straight punch to begin round. Defender will attempt to defend, but regardless free sparring. 20 second rounds. Switch roles each round.
Choke Front Against Wall
DRILL:
Grps 2. Defender/Attacker
Rnd 1: Regular attack/defense
Rnd 2: Explore using Outside defense to intercept the choke.
SAFETY NOTE: Have attacker switch attacker to aim for lower chest or shoulders to avoid slamming choke on.
Choke Rear Against Wall
DRILL - FINAL:
Grps 2. Defender slowly circles in front of wall, eyes open. Attacker can decide to apply either Choke. If Front, Defender can attempt to intercept choke.
__________

ADVANCED
Axe Kick
Spinning Outside Slap Kick
DRILL: Hollywood
Grps 2, Attacker (glove on), Defender. Attacker holds weapon out in gloved hand. Defender performs spinning kick to slap it out of hand and get to exit. Instructor should designate an item to serve as the “exit,” moving it during the exercise to test awareness.
Hip Throw
Headlock Side, Spinning Inward
DRILL - FINAL:
Roaming Attackers. Defenders neutral, eyes closed. Attackers apply Headlock Spinning Inward. After defense, Defender attempts to mount/keep Attacker from gaining dominant position/getting to feet. If Attacker regains dominance/feet, s/he moves on to victim, while Defender resets for another attack.

BEGINNER CLASS
Straight Punch with Advance (quick lesson)
Inside Defense
Inside Defense v. Straight Punch Low
Ground – Side Position
Ground – Side Kick
Ground – Get Up from Side
Drill: defender makes Inside Defense; puncher can also yell “Down!” and defender must drop down into a Ground Side Position, give a kick to the air, and get back up

INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Focus Mitts: Combo #6, add movement to right after the cross
Focus Mitts: combo #7, add movement to left after the hook
Outside Defenses 1-5
Bearhug Front (lifting)
Choke Front Against Wall
Drill “Back To The Wall”: defender stands with back to wall, eyes closed; attacker either gives a verbal signal and makes a straight punch from any angle OR makes Choke Front Against Wall

ADVANCED CLASS
Combination #8, then shuffle right
Combination #9, then step/pivot left
Baseball Bat
Baseball Bat v. Left Handed attacker or Right Handed Backhand
Drill: eyes closed, defend against Baseball Bat from the right or left side

BEGINNER CLASS

Straight Punches

Hammerfist Forward

Drill: 30 seconds of punches (straight and hammer forward) – 2 rounds (3 if you want to make it difficult!)

Knees – practice switching feet (i.e., start with right leg forward; switch feet and give right knee)

Choke from Behind with a Push

 

INTERMEDIATE CLASS

Basic Takedown Defense/spin on centerline – include in warm up

Defense v. Hook Punch

Sparring: hands only

Sparring: include Basic Takedown Defense

Ground: Arm Bar from Guard

Drill: attempt arm bar; if it fails, kick and get up, spar for 1 minute

 

ADVANCED CLASS

Free work to pad, including punches, elbows, headbutts, kicks, and knees – 4 rounds of 30 seconds each

Plucking/Rowing Defense v. Front Kick

Plucking/Rowing Defense v. Side Kick

Gun from the Front

Gun from Behind at a Distance

Drill: eyes closed, any of these attacks

BEGINNER CLASS
Left/Right Combinations (1-4)
Inside Defense
Straight Punch Low
Inside Defense vs. Low Straight Punch
"Sparring" Drill (1%-50% speed): Round 1; each partner takes turns throwing combination 1 or 2 while other partner defends. Round 2; Combinations 3 or 4. Round 3; Combinations 1 or 2 with low straight punch included in combo. Round 4; Combinations 3 or 4 with low straight punch included in combo. Round 5; Combinations 1-4, low straight punch may be included or omitted from combination.

INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Review Back & Side Ground Fighting Positions
Ground - Fallbreak Back
Ground - Fallbreak Side
Ground - Side Mount to Full Mount Transition
Ground - Dismount from Full Mount
Drill: 1-for-1; Defenders stand in passive stance, eyes shut, with enough space around them to fall backwards or sideways safely. Attackers use kick shields to jolt defenders backward or sideways. Defenders fallbreak in appropriate direction, deliver 1 front or side kick from ground depending on position, then attacker ditches pad and gets into side mount. From side mount attacker transitions to full mount, then disengages from full mount. Attacker then stands in passive stance with eyes closed and drill repeats with defender serving as new attacker.

ADVANCED CLASS
Spinning Outside Slap Kick
Focus Mitt Drills: Free-work combinations. Incorporate spinning outside slap kicks (Safety Note: Kick for contact, not for power)
Simple Takedown
Double Leg Takedown
Sparring Drill: 1-for-1 Partners use any combination to set up a takedown. After takedown, partner on top must hold partner on bottom there (no transitions). Partner on bottom must escape from position and return to standing.

BEGINNER CLASS

Palm Heel Strike

Choke from the Front (1-Handed)

Ground - Side Position

Ground - Side Kick

Ground - Get Up (from side position)

Drill: groups of 3; eyes closed, attacker makes Choke from the Front; defender makes the defense; sometimes, the attacker says "Down!" and the defender must sit down (fall break, if your students know it and it is safe to do so); third person steps forward with pad; defender delivers a side kick, then gets up and does palm heel strikes until the holder calls "time."  Reset and continue.

 

INTERMEDIATE CLASS

Focus Mitts: 2 rounds of 2 minutes, :30 second break

Back Kick

Defensive Back Kick with a Spin

Bearhug Behind, Arms Free

Bearhug Behind, Finger Leverage

 

ADVANCED CLASS

Dutch Kickboxing Drills (using focus mitts to catch partner's punches, but defending kicks). For this set up, do 1 minute per person as attacker for each combination:

Combo #3 with low kick

Combo #3 with medium kick

Combo #4 with low kick

Combo #4 with medium kick

Headlock from the Side (review from Level 2)

Headlock from the Side, Spinning Inward

Drill: groups of 3; one person makes combos 3 or 4 with kicks, partner defends (defending now, not dutch drill!); at any time, the third person attacks the STRIKER with a headlock; striker makes the defense spinning inward, the resumes.

BEGINNER

Knees w/ Clinch

DRILL:
Strikers spread out around room neutral/eyes closed, roaming Padholders. Padholders give a pad push and “shoot” in trying to tag pad to Striker’s hips. Striker stops takedown attempt with Clinch and sends 3-4 knees. Reset.

360 Defenses

DRILL:

Same as above. However, after pad push, Padholder can either “shoot” in for Clinch/Knees or throw the pad away and attack with a 360.

Knife - Downward Stab

DRILL:

Groups of 2, Defender, Attacker with knife tucked into rear waist line. Attacker sends 360 attack occasionally reaching back to grab/attack with knife. Defend accordingly.

DRILL - FINAL:

Same as above with pad push, but pad holder now can now attack with “shoot”, 360, or knife stab.

___________

INTERMEDIATE

Inside Defense vs. Right Punch (1-counter)

DRILL:
Defenders spread out around room fighting stance/eyes closed, roaming Attackers. Attackers give a verbal cue and send a Right Straight Punch. Defend, finish and reset.

Advancing Front Kick from Neutral:

DRILL:

Groups of 2, Striker, Padholder. Padholder begins just outside of kicking range and Striker performs and Advancing Front Kick. Padholder continues moving back slightly after each kick in order for Striker to determine both optimal, and maximal, advancing capability.

Advanced - Gun 2 Hand Cupping

Advanced - Gun Front Kneeling

DRILL - FINAL:

Defenders spread out around room neutral/eyes closed, roaming Attackers. Attackers give a verbal cue and either present gun while Defender is standing or order Defender to knees. Defend as necessary and reset.

___________

ADVANCED

Sparring:

30s - Hands only

30s - Feet only

30s - Hands and Feet

3x30s - Hands and Feet (switching to new partner after each round)

REVIEW:

Inside Defense vs. Right Punch (2 & 1 Counters)

Trigger Sparring1:

30s Rounds. Determine Attacker/Defender. At the start of the round, Attacker sends a Right Straight. Defend accordingly and then begin regular sparring. Switch who attacks first each round.

Advanced Gun from Front - Assailant pushing

DRILL:

Defenders spread out around room neutral/eyes closed, roaming Attackers. Attackers cue by pushing Defender. Defend as necessary and reset.

Trigger Sparing 3:

Defenders spread out around room neutral/eyes closed, roaming Attackers. Attackers cue by pushing Defender, eventually throwing a Right Straight Punch. Defend accordingly and begin regular sparring. 30s.

BEGINNER
Left/Right Combination
Front Kick to a Vertical Target
Round Kick
Combination: Sprawl/Front Kick Vertical Target/Round Kick/Left/Right Combination
Choke from Behind
Headlock from Behind
Drill: React to either Choke or Headlock from Behind

INTERMEDIATE
Bobbing/weaving/slipping punches
Focus Mitt Combination- Left/Right/Bob and weave/Right/Left hook/Right Cross
Ground- Arm Bar
Ground- Guard Reversal
Inside Defenses with Counterattacks
Drill: groups of three; one person starts on the ground with attacker in guard; the defender must reverse positions and get up, then defend straight punches from a second attacker; if the defender does not get up in time, both attackers should pummel him (lightly) until he succeeds in getting up.

ADVANCED
Spinning Heel Kick-Practice both sides
Gun from Behind- touching
- do the same technique while holding objects
- do the same technique while being walked
Knife-defense v. downward stab
Drill: defender eyes closed, mix gun from behind or knife

BEGINNER CLASS
Introduce focus mitts
Palm heel strike
Elbow 1
Round 1: Mitt holder calls a number between 1 and 4, Striker throws that many palm heel strikes beginning with lead hand
Round 2: Mitt holder can also call 1Elbow, 2Elbow, etc. and Striker will throw the called number of palm heel strikes and finish with an elbow, i.e. 2Elbow= lead palm/rear palm/lead elbow
Drill: Find your partner: Mitt holder and Striker repeat calls from previous round. At any time, instructor can call "DOWN" and Striker does a push-up while Mitt holder sprints to a different spot in the room. Striker must find them and do 2 hard palm heel strikes and a burpee until instructor calls "TIME!" Drill resets.
Choke from the Front with a Push
Ground – Back Position
Ground – Getting Up
Drill: A/B Drill. Attackers can apply Choke from the Front with a Push OR give a shove with pad and call "DOWN." Defender gets safely into ground position and tracks Attacker, then gets up for nonstop palm strikes until Attacker calls "TIME"

INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Thai Pads
Round 1: Basic combinations with kicks and knee
Round 2: Add Basic Takedown Defense/spinning on centerline
360 with Counterattacks
Defense v. High Round Kick (covering)
Drill: Defend haymaker using 360 with Counterattacks or Defense v. High Round Kick (covering)
Drill: Non-compliant attacker: After defending haymaker or High Round Kick, Attacker can mimic takedown, forcing Defender to make Basic Takedown Defense

ADVANCED CLASS
Mouth of Hand Punch
Drill: Target recognition on pad: 2 hand combatives, Front Kick Groin to Mouth of Hand Punch, Front Kick to a Vertical Target/Defensive Front Kick/Knee, Round Kick
Drill: Shared interval round: Partners switch pad every 15 seconds for 4 minutes. Max combatives as hard and fast as possible with the following
-Hand combatives (switch)
-Front Kick groin (switch)
-Knees (switch)
-2 round kicks right, 2 round kicks left
Gun from Behind (touching)
Advanced Gun – from the side or behind, assailant using off hand
Drill: A/B Drill with Gun from Behind (touching) or Advanced Gun – from the side or behind, assailant using off hand