BEGINNER CLASS
Straight Punch Review
Knees (straight knees and round knees)
Combo: Left/Right/Left/Knee/Round Knee (pad holder adjust pad for round knee)
Combo: Left/Right/Left Knee/Left Round Knee (pad holder adjust pad)
Choke from Behind with a Push
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Focus Mitt: 3 rounds of 2 minutes, emphasize movement after combo
Basic Takedown Defense, Spinning on Centerline
Bearhug from Behind, Arms Free
Bearhug from Behind, Leverage on Finger
Drill: attacker rushes forward; defender uses Basic Takedown Defense; attacker slips under the defender's elbow and takes the defender's back; defender does either Bearhug from Behind OR the finger leverage technique
ADVANCED CLASS
Focus Mitts with shin guards: 3 rounds of 3 minutes with 30 second break; pad holder throws a jab, cross, or low round kick now and then to make sure striker is also reader to defend
Hip Throw
Pummel Drill to Hip Throw: partners work the pummel drill, but one is assigned to the throw; maneuver weight and position until you make make the hip throw; partner shoulder some resistance so that practitioner must decide when the throw is available.
Focus Mitts Plus Hip Throw: 2 rounds of 2 minutes; pad holder makes basic combination OR advances and forces a clinch; defender establishes under hook and makes hip throw
Stick Overhead
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
Left Right Combination
Round Kick
Knees (Regular and Round)
Drill: Introduce Muay Thai Pads
-- Round 1- Pad holder- Calls out straight punch combinations- 1-4 (straight punches)
-- Round 2- Straight punch combinations plus Round kicks & Knee strikes
Wrist Releases
Inside Defense
Choke from Behind with a push
Drill: Defender, yes closed; attacker gives a verbal signal and makes a straight punch or makes choke from behind with a push
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Side Kick (with and without advance)
Combo: Side Kick, side Hammer fist followed by knee strikes
Outside defense v. Right Punch
Hair Grab Behind
Bearhug Behind Lifting
Drill: Focus Mitts
Defender combo #5; attacker make a Hair Grab from behind OR Bearhug Lifting
Ground- Strike from Full Mount
Ground- side mount to full mount
ADVANCED CLASS
3 Round Drill
Ax Kick
Combo: Front Kick Groin (Back Leg) followed by an Ax Kick (Forward Leg)
General Defense v. Medium to high Kicks
Hip Throw
stick- overhead defense
Headlock from the side, spinning inward
Drill: Groups of 3, one large shield
Defender non stop knee strikes; attacker gives a verbal signal and makes an overhead defense OR Headlock from the side, spinning inward
BEGINNER CLASS
Movement in fighting stance (forward, backward, left, right)
Palm Heel Strike
Knees
Basic Takedown Defense (changing height, moving feet)
Hammerfist to the Side
Elbow #4
Drill: 2 curved kick shield holders; 1 Striker. Pad holder 1 holds for 2 palm heel strikes or 2 knees. 2nd Pad holder can give a tap from the side for Hammerfist to the Side or from behind for Elbow #4, followed up by 4 palm heel strikes.
Drill: Now striker must attempt to stack attackers when they see 2nd pad holder attempting to tap them from the side or behind. Using the frame-hold position, Striker moves Pad holder 1 to use them as a human shield against Pad holder 2, while still delivering knees.
Ground-Side Position and Side Kick from Ground
Ground-Getting up
Drill: 1 defender, 1 pad holder. Defender and pad holder begin at opposite ends of the mat. Pad holder initiates drill by walking towards striker at a constant speed. Striker must get up as quickly as possible, get into a fighting stance and then deliver nonstop palm heel strikes until instructor calls "TIME." As the striker has success, the pad holder increases speed until striker must perform Side Kick from Ground and then get up.
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Focus mitts and belly pad
Round 1: Basic combinations
Round 2: Basic combinations + knees
Round 3: Upside down pyramid
15 seconds power straight punches
20 seconds power hooks
20 seconds power uppercuts
30 seconds Olympic burnout
45 seconds knees, frame-hold or clinch
30 seconds Olympic burnout
20 seconds power uppercuts
20 seconds power hooks
15 seconds power straight punches
Choke from Behind Against a Wall
Choke from Behind with a Pull
Outside Defense #5
Drill: A/B Drill. A's are Defenders and stand spaced apart facing a wall. B's are roaming attackers and can apply Choke from Behind Against a Wall, Choke from Behind with a Pull or can give a verbal cue from the side/off angle and throw a punch for A to make Outside Defense #5.
ADVANCED CLASS
General Defense v. Medium to High Kicks
Plucking/Rowing Defense v. Side Kick
Partner drills: Gloves and shin guards on
Round 1: Combinations 1K-10K, back and forth. Striker hits partner's gloves like focus mitts. Defending/receiving partner makes 2 or 3 point block v. Medium Round Kick
Round 2: Combinations 1K-10K. Combinations stay in order, but kick can go to the body or the head. Now defending/receiving partner makes General Defense v. Medium to High Kick.
Round 3: Same as Round 2, but Striker begins or ends their combination with a Side Kick. Defending/receiving partner makes Plucking/Rowing Defense v. Side Kick
Gun from Behind at a Distance
Drill: Open/Close: Large groups of 5 or more; 1 attacker; 1 defender; everyone else with curved kick shields. On instructor's call of "CLOSE" pad holders surround, pressure, and jostle defender. Defender has hands up to protect their head, but is not striking pads or fighting out. Attacker is waiting outside perimeter of pads. On instructor's call of "OPEN" pad holders take a few steps back to open the circle, allowing Attacker enough space to make a verbal cue for Gun from Behind at a Distance.
Drill: Open/Close 2: Same as previous drill, but now Attacker can make a Medium to High Kick, Side Kick, or Gun from Behind at a Distance. Defender makes defense with follow up combatives as appropriate and returns back to neutral for instructor's call for "CLOSE."
BEGINNER CLASS
Hammerfist Forward
Hammerfist Downward
Tombstone Drill: 1 or 2 punch hammerfist combinations (forward or downward), groin kicks, and sprawls. 3 rounds: 90-seconds freework, 30 second flurry at the end. Round 1 flurry hammerfist forward, round 2 flurry hammerfist downward, round 3 flurry groin kicks.
Choke from the Side
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Back Kick
Defensive Back Kick with a Spin
Hair Grab Side, Impending Knee
Shark Tank Drill: 1 defender, 4 attackers (front, both sides, and behind). Attackers in front and behind have kick shields and call for spinning back kick or back kick respectively. Attackers on the side perform hair grabs with impending knee.
ADVANCED CLASS
Kick Paddle (or Focus Mitt)Warm-up: Medium-to-high round kicks & spinning heel kicks. Students should focus on flexibility, not power.
Sliding Defense vs. Medium-to-High Round Kicks
Sliding Defense vs. Spinning Heel Kick
Stopping Defense vs. Spinning Heel Kick
Stick-Baseball Bat Defense
Shark Tank Drill: 1 defender, 4 attackers. Attackers throw Medium-to-high round kicks and spinning heel kicks (50% speed, 1% power), as well as baseball bat swings with a stick. If necessary, for added difficulty attackers may also randomly throw in self-defenses from levels 1-3.
BEGINNER CLASS
Left Right Combination
Round Kick
Knees (Regular and Round)
Drill: Introduce Muay Thai Pads
-- Round 1- Pad holder- Calls out straight punch combinations- 1-4 (straight punches)
-- Round 2- Straight punch combinations plus Round kicks & Knee strikes
Wrist Releases
Inside Defense
Choke from Behind with a push
Drill: Defender, yes closed; attacker gives a verbal signal and makes a straight punch or makes choke from behind with a push
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Side Kick (with and without advance)
Combo: Side Kick, side Hammer fist followed by knee strikes
Outside defense v. Right Punch
Hair Grab Behind
Bearhug Behind Lifting
Drill: Focus Mitts
Defender combo #5; attacker make a Hair Grab from behind OR Bearhug Lifting
Ground- Strike from Full Mount
Ground- side mount to full mount
ADVANCED CLASS
3 Round Drill
Ax Kick
Combo: Front Kick Groin (Back Leg) followed by an Ax Kick (Forward Leg)
General Defense v. Medium to high Kicks
Hip Throw
stick- overhead defense
Headlock from the side, spinning inward
Drill: Groups of 3, one large shield
Defender non stop knee strikes; attacker gives a verbal signal and makes an overhead defense OR Headlock from the side, spinning inward
BEGINNER CLASS
Palm Strikes/Elbows review
Combo: Left/Right/Right Elbow
Knees (emphasize with a switch)
Choke from the Side (both sides)
Drill: Barricade Drill – knees until pad holder tells you to run; push through barricade of pads; punch target at end; 2nd attacker makes Choke from the Side
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Thai Pads: Combo #3 with knee
Thai Pads: Combo #4 with knee
Bearhug Front and Behind, Arms Free
Bearhug Front, Lifting
Bearhug Behind, Lifting
Drill: groups of 4; one person in the middle, two hold pads. The defender strikes targets as instructed; at any time, the last person can make any of the bearhugs practiced in this class.
ADVANCED CLASS
A/B Drill w/sprawls: striker; 3 Sprawls before sprinting to the other pad
Ax Kick
Combo: Front Kick-groin/Ax Kick
Stick- Overhead
Stick- Baseball bat swing
Drill: Defender; non- stop sprawls, attacker gives a verbal signal and makes stick attack. Defender; makes the proper defense and continues with sprawls.
BEGINNER CLASS
Punches Straight
Round Kick
Switch Round Kick
Thai Pads: 3 Rounds of 2 minutes; Straight punch combinations include Round Kicks/Switch Round Kick; Round 2: add sprawls; round 3: add sprawls, 2 push ups and non-stop punches the last :30 seconds of the round
Inside Defense
Choke from the Front (1 handed)
Quick Drill: Use an object as a barricade (ie; a chair, a stack of pads) bet. Defender and Attacker taking away the option of kicking to the groin, defend Choke from Front (1 handed pluck)
Drill: Eyes Closed; defend Choke from Front OR Inside Defense
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Heel Kick
Combination: Focus Mitts: Forward leg Heel Kick/Cross/Hook/Cross, (Both sides)
Outside Defense v. a Right Punch
Hair Grab Side, impending Knee
Hair Grab Behind
Drill: Non-stop strikes on pad; defend either Hair Grab; after the defense attacker attacks with a wild right punch, defender; defends (Outside Defense v. Right Cross) and continues with non-stop strikes on the pad.
ADVANCED CLASS
Thai Pads MEET Ground and Pound: Thai Pads and one kicking shield per group; 2 Rounds of 3 minutes. (Opposite stance), basic combinations, Knees, Elbows, Kicks; On instructor’s signal “Down”, striker; mounts pad and delivers non-stop strikes from mount. On instructor’s signal “Up”, striker stands up and continues working combinations on Thai Pads.
Hip Throw
Quick Drill: Any level 1 & 2 techniques; execute a hip throw when available
Stick-Overhead defense
Stick-Baseball bat defense
Drill: Defender; Ground and pound; attacker gives a verbal signal and makes a Stick attack; defender; make the appropriate defense and back to non-stop strikes from mount.
BEGINNER CLASS
Hammerfist forward
Hammerfist downward
Round Kick
Drill: Pyramid: 20 seconds forward hammerfist, 30 seconds 2 round kicks right and 2 round kicks left, 45 seconds hammerfist downward
Choke from the Behind with a Push
Drill: Round Robin: A is pad holder. B is striker. C is defender. B sprints to pad and throws 10 forward HF, 10 DW HF, and 10 Round Kicks, then takes pad. A sprints to C and applies Choke from Behind with a Push.
INTERMEDIATE CLASS
Basic Takedown Defense
Side Kick
Defensive Back with a Spin
Focus mitts and belly pad
Round 1: Free work with all the combinations students know; 1-4 or 1-10 +
Round 2: On combinations 3, 7, and 9, Striker uses hook to disguise step across centerline with lead leg, and makes a side kick with lead leg to belly pad
Round 3: Same as Round 2, but Striker takes a deeper step across centerline off combinations ending with a hook and makes Defensive Back Kick with a Spin
Ground – Elbow Escape
Ground – escape from guard (gouge and stack)
Drill: Attacker Flow: Gloves on. A holds gloves like focus mitts for hand combinations for B and can mimic takedown for Basic Takedown Defense. On instructor's call of "DOWN" B gets on ground safely and A mounts. B makes Elbow Escape. A makes Escape from Guard (gouge and stack) and B should be careful to cover head and defend any strikes where possible, and throw light, tapping strikes to A to create some realism. (Note to students that once their knowledge base increases, there are better options for next move.)
ADVANCED CLASS
Interval Round Day!
Interval Round 1: 4:00 minute round
-40 seconds free work on the bag
-40 seconds jump rope
-40 seconds 5 jumping jacks, 5 air squats, 5 push ups, 5 sit ups
-40 seconds free work on the heavy bag
-40 seconds jump rope
-40 seconds 5 jumping jacks, 5 air squats, 5 push ups, 5 sit ups
1 minute rest
Interval Round 2: 4:00 minute round
-30 seconds straight punches
-30 seconds air squats
-30 seconds 2 round kicks right, 2 round kicks left
-30 seconds sit ups
-30 seconds free work
-30 seconds push ups
-30 seconds free work
-30 seconds burpees
1 minute rest
Interval Round 3: 4:00 minute round
15 seconds on, 15 seconds rest on the heavy bag
Defense v. Bayonet Stab, live and dead side
Drill: Groups of 4-5: Circle of Death: One defender in center, everyone else is an attacker. Nonstop attacks for 1:30. All levels 1-3, plus any appropriate attacks for student's level, plus Defense v. Bayonet Stab, live and dead side.
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)
Ready to build a stronger school with better training, better support, and a better network? Click here to submit your info and learn what it means to join the Krav Maga Alliance.