First MMA Kickboxing Class

by | Sep 14, 2013 | Training

Quite a few years since I’ve done a lot of punching and kicking in a class.  Before I forget, things I found out that I learnt:

  • When punching / kicking continuously at a heavy bag / focus pads; wraps and gloves are good. If nothing more than to save the knuckles on your hands
  • I hit too much with the last couple of knuckles – right hand little finger knuckle skin came off
  • My left cross has a tendency to drift outwards and come in a circle instead of snapping right out.  Also, I’m way too lazy on both sides with putting a proper twist to my hips to generate power.
  • I fight southpaw naturally, though my lead hand is my right.
  • I throw way too many crosses as a start especially when I’m in southpaw
  • My right roundhouse though (from orthodox in particular) is very powerful.  My left roundhouse needs more work
  • Heck, kicks in general from orthodox / left need a lot more work
  • I need to work on shifting stances more often and more dynamically.  Time to do more research
  • I need to work combinations more, especially straights and body hook combinations.  Not as fluid as I’d like it to be.
  • Same with the front kick / switch / back leg roundhouse & forward plant roundhouse. (From orthodox, that’d be right front kick, right roundhouse after switch, plant with right foot forward and left roundhouse).
  • Don’t rush – plant my feet more before I throw a combination so each has power.  I’ll probably want to change that up a bit in a fight to throw both speed / power shots but it’s a good habit to make sure I’m throwing proper shots in drill.
  • Work on planting my foot better so I can throw a proper high roundhouse and pivoting all the way through.

Things I’m unsure I need to work on, have to consider:

  • Breathing out more harshly when I hit.  I do so normally, but not in the explosive manner these guys like.
  • Hands in muay-thai / boxer stance.  Shoulders raised, elbows in a lot more, hands at same height (or almost) and covering face much higher.

Other general observations:

  • Movement fluidity came back after a while
  • Same with combinations before I started flagging
  • Cardio isn’t as bad as I thought, didn’t have a huge amount of rest but I kept it up for nearly an hour and a half
  • I obviously didn’t kick things as much as I should – bruises all along my shin / top of my foot

Overall, good training.  Time to get back to it properly.