Beginner (B3)

Punches- Straight Punch

Palm Heel Strike

Knees

Drill: A/B Combatives Drill: Groups of 3. A's stand at one end of the mat with pad. B's stand across from them at opposite end with curved kick shield. Third person from each group stands in between them. On instructor's call of "A!" Striker sprints to A and throws nonstop Punches and Palm Heel Strikes. On instructor's call of "B!" they sprint to B and thrown nonstop knees. Vary the length of striking time, sometimes only allowing one or two strikes before calling the other letter, sometimes exhausting them by going longer.

Choke from the Front, 1 handed Pluck

Choke from the Side

Drill: Round Robin. Groups of 3. One curved kick shield holder (A); One striker (B); One defender (C). B sprints to A and throws 10 palm strikes and 10 knees then takes pad from A. A sprints to where C is waiting in neutral with eyes closed and applies Choke from the Front or Choke from the Side. C defends and sprints to pad while A becomes the new Defender. Rotate through the positions for time.

Intermediate (D3)

Basic Takedown Defense

Thai Pads

Round 1: Basic combinations with a kick. On Padholder's call of "DOWN!" Striker performs Basic Takedown Defense and 4 knees.

Round 2: Basic combinations with a kick. On Instructor's call of "DOWN!" Striker does a push-up. Padholder runs to a different spot on the map. Striker gets up from push-up, finds their Padholder and sprints to them, throwing nonstop power punches (Left/Right combo) until Instructor calls "TIME!" at which point they return back to drill.

Round 3: Same as Round 2, except once Striker sprints to Padholder, they throw 2 round kicks right and 2 round kicks left nonstop until Instructor calls "TIME!"

Reflexive Defense v. Front Kick

Choke from the Front Against a Wall

Drill: A/B Drill Against a Wall. Split class into A's and B's. A's line up with their backs to a wall, eyes closed, in neutral stance. B's are roaming attackers and can apply Choke from the Front Against a Wall or give a verbal cue, and one A opens their eyes throw a Front Kick for Reflexive Defense v. Front Kick.

Advanced (D3)

Thai Pad Cauldron

Round 1: Combinations 1-10 with a kick

Round 2: For every combo Padholder calls, Striker must throw that combo twice (i.e. 2K = Jab/cross/left kick/Jab/Cross/Left kick)

Round 3: For every combo Padholder calls, Striker must throw that combo three times!

Knife – threat def. to dead side

Knife – threat def. to live side

Drill: Monkey in the Middle. Groups of 3; 1 defender; 2 attackers. Attackers can apply either Knife attack from today's class or any attack from levels 1-3.

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)
Palm Strikes
Hammerfist Forward
Drill: non-stop punches and hammerfists forward
360 Defenses (quick review)
Inside Defense v. Straight Punch Low
Drill: defend v. straight punch low OR any 360

INTERMEDIATE CLASS (D3)
Bearhug Behind Arms Free
Bearhug Behind (finger leverage)
Ground: Elbow Escape from Full Mount
Drill: defender punches pad; attacker makes Bearhug From Behind, Arms Free; defender makes the bearhug defenses OR the attacker says “Down!”; defender must go down and allow attacker to get full mount; defender defends and gets up, continues

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)
Thai Pads: Left/Right/step right and pivot/Right/Left Round
Thai Pads: Left Hook/Right/Left Hook/step left and pivot/Right Round
Gun – behind at a distance (live side & dead side)
Drill: Group of 3-4. 1 thai pad holder, 1 striker, 1-2 gunmen. Striker & pad holder free work both combinations from above. Gunmen verbally get striker’s attention from some reasonable distance behind. Striker performs appropriate defense, then returns immediately to pad work. Safety Note: Striker must hit barehanded in order to be able to perform defenses, encourage strikers to use palm heel strikes rather than punches on thai pads and/or encourage thai pad holders to lighten up on the amount of back pressure they give strikers.

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)

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 (D3)

Straight Punches

Hammerfist Punches

Drill: pushed from side, give hammer fist followed by straight punches; resent with eyes closed

Outside Defenses 1-5

Choke Behind Review

Choke Behind with a Pull

Drill: eyes closed; Choke Behind Pull OR verbal warning and then straight punch from either side

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)

Belt Drill — 3 rounds each! 30 seconds – 45 seconds – 30 seconds

Gun Front

Long Gun Front (live side)

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)

Movement

Straight Punches – Left/Right Combo

Drill — Circle Drill — puncher makes Left/Right Combo, then moves in a half circle around the pad holder; after moving 180 degrees, make Left/Right Combo and move back 180 degrees. During movement, the puncher should be just outside of punching range. This is a basic drill for improving footwork.

Straight Punch with Advance

Inside Defenses

INTERMEDIATE CLASS (D3)

Straight Punch

Hammerfist Forward

Drill: begin standing up, throwing straight punches and hammerfist punches, then drop to knees and continue striking, then lie on your back and continue striking; then return to your knees, and then stand up. The striking should be CONTINUOS. Switch with your partner. Do 2 rounds. This is very tiring!

Guard Drill – maintain good posture while in the attacker’s guard

Guard Escape – gouge, posture up, striking groin

Guard – Arm Bar

Guard Drill: bottom person works for arm bar, top person works guard escape

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)

Punch One Direction, Kick Another (Straight Punch, Side Kick)

General Defense v. High Round Kick

Sliding Defense v. High Round Kick

General Defense v. Knife Slash (Live and Dead Side)

Beginner (B3)

Straight Punches

Hammerfist Forward

Round Kick

Knee

Drill: Upside Down Pyramid: 15 seconds straight punches, 20 seconds hammerfist forward, 30 seconds 2 round kicks right and 2 round kicks left, 45 seconds knees, then back down to 30 seconds 2 round kicks right and 2 round kicks left, 20 seconds hammerfist forward, 15 seconds straight punches.

Choke from Behind with a Push

Drill: Bull in the Ring. Groups of 4-5; 1 defender; everyone else is an attacker. 2 pads per group. Defender is in center and begins with eyes closed in neutral. Attackers can give a shove with pad and Defender orients and throws non-stop straight punches and hammerfists until they are tapped by a new pad holder OR an attacker applies Choke from Behind with a Push. 1 minute round with everyone getting a chance to be a Defender.

Intermediate (D3)

Focus mitts and belly pad

Round 1: Basic combinations + Mitt holder can take 3 steps back and walk straight to Striker. Striker throws a Front Kick to Vertical Target to belly pad.

Round 2: Basic combinations + Basic Takedown Defense/spin on centerline to 2 knees.

Hair Grab from the Front

Hair Grab from the Side, Impending Knee

Drill: Large groups. 1 Defender; 1 Attacker; Everyone else with Kick Shield. Defender in middle. On instructor's call of “CLOSE!” Pad holders close in and jostle Defender. Attacker stalks outside. On “OPEN!” the KS holders back off, allowing the Attacker to enter. Attacker applies Hair Grab from the Front OR Hair Grab from the Side, Impending Knee. Repeat “OPEN/CLOSE” for time.

Advanced (D3)

Jumping Spinning Back Kick

Round 1: Pad holder holds for basic combatives: 2 punches, Front Kick to the Groin, Round Kick, Knee. On instructor's call of "UP!" Pad holder gets ready and Striker throws a Jumping Spinning Back Kick.

Round 2: Add in "DOWN!" for sprawl or "BURST!" for 10 hard, fast straight punches.

Gun to the Side of the Head

Gun from Behind at a Distance

Drill: A/B Drill. A's spread out across the mat in neutral stance with eyes closed. B's can apply Gun to the Side of the Head or Gun from Behind at a Distance to any A.

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)
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 (D3)
Straight Punch
Hammerfist Forward
Drill: begin standing up, throwing straight punches and hammerfist punches, then drop to knees and continue striking, then lie on your back and continue striking; then return to your knees, and then stand up. The striking should be CONTINUOS. Switch with your partner. Do 2 rounds. This is very tiring!
Guard Drill – maintain good posture while in the attacker’s guard
Guard Escape – gouge, posture up, striking groin
Guard – Arm Bar
Guard Drill: bottom person works for arm bar, top person works guard escape

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)
Focus Mitts – including pad holder striking to encourage good defense
Sweeps
Bearhug Behind Arms Free (review)
Full Nelson Sweep
Drill: Bearhug Behind, Arms Free or Full Nelson Sweep (if you don’t have good mats, just “show” the sweep, do not actually take your partner down

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)
Front Kick – practice from passive stance, followed by straight punches
Round Kick
Round Kick – focus on various angles: downward, horizontal, upward
Drill: Horseshoe Drill (Horseshoe Kicking Drill)

Wrist Releases – discuss aggressive v. soft responses based on situation and stimulus

Arm Pull — burst forward with counterattacks
Drill: Aggressive or Soft — the defender has eyes closed; the attacker grabs the wrist, sometimes pulling aggressively; the defender react according to the aggressiveness of the grab with either a wrist release OR bursting forward with counterattacks.

INTERMEDIATE CLASS (D3)
Focus Mitts — Left/Left/Right
Focus Mitts — Left/Right/Right
Round kick (review)
Round Kick – variation, striking with the ball of the foot
Choke from Behind with a Pull

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)
Focus Mitts — Right/slip left punch/Right
Focus Mitts — Right/Left Hook/duck under right hook/Left Hook
Hip Throw
Basic Self Defense Review — include Hip Throw into counterattacks
Long Gun Behind, Touching

Beginner Class (B3)
Straight Punch Low
Knees (include switch knee)
Thai Pads: Basic combinations; include Straight Punch Low and knees (both sides)
Inside Defense v. Straight Punch Low
Choke from the side
Drill: Non-stop knees on pad; attacker gives a verbal signal “Hey!” and attacks with a straight punch low OR Choke from the Side.

Intermediate Class (D3)
Heel Kick
Defensive Back Kick with a Spin
Combination: Heel Kick/Defensive Back Kick with Spin
Hair Grab Behind
Ground- Strike from top
Ground- Dismount from top
Drill: Groups of 3; defender starts from mount, strikes from top, dismounts from top and makes non-stop strikes on pad, attacker (person on bottom) makes Hair Grab attack.

Advanced Class (D3)
Jump Spinning Back Kick
Fun Back Kick Combination: Side Kick/Spinning Back Kick/Jump Spinning Back Kick
Gun from Front
Long Gun from Front- live side
Knife- Threat def. to dead side
Drill: 5 Burpees/10 knee strikes (each side), 10 Push ups, followed by non- stop strikes; attacker attacks with either Gun, Long Gun OR Knife; repeat for 5 rounds.

Beginner (B3)

Left/Right Combination

Straight Punch Low

Round Kick

Introduction to Thai Pads: 2 minute rounds with 30 seconds rest

Round 1: Pad holder calls a number 1-4. Striker throws that number of straight punches, always beginning with the lead hand.

Round 2: Pad holder can also call 1 Body-4 Body. Striker's last punch now ends in a Straight Punch Low

Round 3: Pad holder can also call 1 Kick-4 Kick, and add an opposite leg round kick to the punch combination

Inside Defense

Inside Defense v. Straight Punch Low

Drill:  10 for 10, attacker can throw a Straight Punch or Straight Punch Low. If attacker can make contact with defender's stomach before the Inside Defense v. Straight Punch Low is completed, the defender does 3 burpees. Have students change partners multiple times.

 

Intermediate (D3)

Side Kick (with and without advance)

Back Kick

Drill: Warming up with Target Recognition: 1) 2 punches to elbow #1, 2)Front Kick to DW Hammerfist, 3) Round kick to same leg knee

Drill: Groups of 3: Monkey in the middle, (approximately 1 minute unless students not getting fatigued), non-stop palm strikes on padholder #1, Padholder #2 holding for Elbow 3 OR Back Kick OR side kick, striker returns to palm strikes on padholder

Bearhug from Behind with a Lift

Drill: Monkey in the middle from earlier but now second padholder can apply Bearhug from Behind with a Lift.

 

Advanced (D3)

Conditioning Drill: 3 minutes on the clock: 10 hand combatives, 10 FKG, 5 round kicks right, 5 round kicks left, 2 burpees, switch pad. Have partner groups compete for who can get the most rounds in the 3 minutes.

Drill: Punch one direction, kick in another

Full Nelson – finger strip

Long Gun from Behind, touching (both sides)

Drill: Groups of 3, 1 defender, 2 attackers. Defender stands in neutral with eyes closed. Attackers can apply Full Nelson – finger strip OR Long Gun from Behind, touching (both sides) OR can pick up pads, position themselves with defender in the middle, and verbal cue for Punch one direction, kick in another.

BEGINNER CLASS (B3)
Hammerfist to the side
Knees
Drill: 1 striker,1 pad holder. Defender; eyes closed. Pad holder; bumps defender from the side or gives a verbal signal, Defender; executes a hammerfist to the side, turn towards the pad and continue with counter attacks until pad holder calls time!
Wrist Releases
Choke from side
Drill: 1 striker, 1 pad holder, 1 attacker. Striker starts on the ground (laying on stomach) with their eyes closed. Pad holder moves anywhere in the room. On instructors signal, Striker opens eyes, gets up, locates and advances towards the pad holder with non- stop strikes. Attacker; makes choke from the side. Striker defends, finishes the fight and then resets, face down.

 

INTERMEDIATE CLASS (D3)
Thai Pads- 3-2 minute rounds
Round 1- Left/Right/Right Elbow/Liver Shot/Left hook/Right Cross
Round 2- Add- Bob and weave/Left hook/Right Cross/Left Round Kick/Right Knee
Round 3- Put both combos together!
Hair Grab Side, impending knee
Hair Grab Behind
Drill: Groups of 3; Striker, works Thai Pad combinations. Attacker randomly performs hair grab attack on striker. Striker defends, finishes fight and returns to pad work.

 

ADVANCED CLASS (D3)
Jumping Spinning Back Kick
Jumping Spinning Heel Kick
General Def. V. Medium to High Kick
Inside Defense with counters
Slow Sparring- 1-2 min round- Open Hands, light contact
Hip Throw
Buck trap roll (quick review)
Elbow escape (quick review)
Drill: Slow Sparring with Hip throw- 2-2 min rounds- A’s & B’s
Round 1- A’s are the Aggressors- Open hands, light contact sparring, on instructors signal “Down” A’s are taking their partner (safely) down with a hip throw and quickly mounting them, B’s must work to gain a better position, quickly get up on their feet and continue with Slow sparring.
Round 2- B’s are now the Aggressors- Same drill as above.