Muay Thai - Day 882 - PT with Lek (More checks, sweeps, a little clinch)

Day 882
Lamai Muaythai, 30th July 2024
Similar stuff to yesterday - but perhaps a little sharper. Except my shadow boxing, which looked gross. Got me moving my weight back and forth between my feet. It still looks a bit beginnerish, but it definitely seems better as far as kicks, reactions, and checks go. I need to get up more on my toes on this though. Still manoeuvering on the heels a bit. He also wants my elbows flared more and the hands more forward in the guard "No boxing! Muay Thai!".
Still working on getting that check up there quickly. My kicks need to come back to the ground more quickly - and also the foot should land back on the toe, rather than planting back on the heel. I think also it swings back around too far; a consequence of a bladed stance, one not horizontally-wide enough.
Lek still wants my arm to swing down more. Also on up elbows, more upwards and less forwards I think. And more snap in my jabs. Punches still need to twist more. It's slowly coming.
I lean back too far on teeps. It's one reason I push myself back rather than my opponent back. They need to extend from an upright and stably centred position. I know I worry about extending it far enough, so the hip needs to rotate properly, which it does not at present.
A few nice sweep moments - Jack got pissed at me for a second for sweeping Lek. But it was part of the lesson so the anger was swallowed quickly. I keep forgetting to cross the arm under the chin for the dracula guard, rather than keeping it on the side of the head. An alternative to this long guard when receiving hooks: step in with the up elbow.
A cute maneouver from Lek: the pivoting left elbow followed by a right elbow/cross/hook depending on range. Like a check hook for when they move forward. Note the check hook is also still deployable for more apparent motions, like to interrupt a kick for example.
Very useful in the upcoming fight will be the forward left check landed forward into the straight right. Good for covering ground while simultaneously defending against and attacking a good kicker with a weak chin.
Another good one for someone who comes forward: the right kick feinted into a right teep. When they raise the leg to check they're on only one leg. They will go flying.
Finally some clinch technique for a few minutes. An interesting alteration; typically I'm fighting for the inside position, but Lek shows a method where you throw the arm over the outside, and bucks the arm and turns the head inwards and backwards to dislodge a hand grasping the back of the head. This can be used as an entry into the clinch different than always trying to swim for the inside.
Also he makes an adjustment to my grip, usually I try to grab high on the head, for the improved leverage to pull down the neck. But for turning a body, he wants the grip wrapped well around the outside of the head, even extending towards where the neck connects to the the side of the face. Then you get a really positive connection to turn your opponent with. Really wrench that arm downwards, don't forget to pivot the feet, and move the opposite arm upwards while doing the turn. The rear leg should move far enough backwards/sideways that you can throw a knee, properly turned in and spiked as a knee should be. Or, turn and place your foot outside of theirs in the direction you're turning them for the trip - this is easier if you're properly suspended up on your toes while in the clinch, with your weight on their body.
Next, if you get into a sideways position, with your leg behind theirs minimise the gap between your leg and theirs, and widen your stance. This way you can both trip them over your thigh, and also develop better power from the wide stance to throw knees.
As always, some basics: stay up on the toes and keep a broad base when facing them straight on; grasp their bicep properly with your hand and place solid downwards pressure on the arm to control it; if you swim the arm to the inside of theirs you can extend your arm above their bicep and then clasp it down with your upper arm while stepping closer to really constrict them.
Chapters
0:00 Skipping
6:35 Shadow boxing
9:40 Elbows and checks
13:15 Thai pads
22:10 Round 2
31:30 Round 3
41:10 Round 4 (Focus mitts)
48:55 Round 5
54:50 Clinching

[@KYLE_FROM_THE_FUTURE]

Thank you for the video. Was actually pretty cool to see a regular training day in Thailand.
Thinking about coming for a month to train and snag a fight in a few months. Looks amazing there!

[@autopoieticon]

Glad you enjoyed! You can certainly fight if you come for a month. Let Pi Nong or Ralph know when you arrive - and come in decent shape if you can, though the first two weeks in the humidity will always be a trial. Anyway the coaching here is second to none, so do take advantage of plenty of private sessions while you're here.