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I created a video for facebook and youtube for marketing purposes. I thought it would be nice to show the world a little bit of the training that goes on in my sparring class. While I cannot actually show the training of specific Jow Ga Kung Fu techniques and applications. I can show the exercises that I have students training.
I train with students and I will often use these videos to help me keep track of those who may be cutting corners. Here's a little background on what went on that day. We do warm up running which includes footwork exercises and mobility drills, then we stretch, followed by either Jow Ga shadow boxing or exercises like this. If we have enough energy to spar safely then we will spar. If not then I give a lecture covering fighting concepts, theories, and 1 or 2 techniques and we'll drill it until the end of class. Sparring days vary sometimes we have enough time work with the free weights and sometimes we don't. Every Thursday starts where the previous Thursday ended and this pattern continues until we reach full circle. The training exercise is a variation of Old Skool Suicide Drills, shown here for those who may not be familiar. In the video the guy doesn't come back down the ladder. But for me, coaches always made me work my way back down the court until I'm back where I started and this is how I train students in class.
I added some descriptions about the exercises in case you may want to incorporate some of it into your training
1. Horse Stance Mobility Training
The shuffling that we do is how we achieve agility and mobility while in horse stance. I know there are some debates about the lack of mobility in a horse stance, but here's why I'm able to move around in a horse stance with no problems. The goal isn't to run away, but to move out of contact range of a strike (punch or kick). It's because of exercises like this that we can quickly move around in a horse stance.
The regular speed video is a clip from half point of the exercise session. We had already completed about 90 or more push ups at this point. The shuffles should be small shuffles. Pick a comfortable height to do this from because you have to keep your knees bent through the entire process including the push.
WARNING: Don't try to be a superman and over do these exercises on the first day. Your knees will hate you for it. Also stop and rest if your legs are reaching the failure point where they are about to give out. Doing this drill when your legs get too weak will cause you to have bad technique, bad stances, and will injure your knees.
2. Jab training technique focus
We do a lot of jab training I think the most jabs that we've done in a sparring class was at 1200 -1400 jabs that was part of the suicide training drill. We fire off a alternating jab combinations 10 - 20 at a time for a set of 60 punches. By the third set the body begins to tense up and that's when the relaxation and technique is forced to kick in. On a heavy training day these jabs are thrown as fast as possible while maintaining good form and technique. In the case of this video we were putting extra emphasis on total body connection from legs to arm.
3. Ground Recovery techniques
It takes a lot of energy to get off the ground and I think that's why I like sweeps so much. I know that my opponent will need to use a lot of energy just to get back up. A few years ago I saw this video and it made me think of the students and the fact that we didn't address the issue of how to get up safely.
We get on the ground and then we get off the ground. The technique that we are doing is the foundation for other Kung Fu techniques that we have available to get off the ground. All of which begins with making sure our faces aren't being kicked or punched in.
4. Touch the ceiling crunches
Jow Ga requires an extremely powerful and strong core for our big punches and power connection. Muscular 6 packs and strong core is not the same for us. Many of our practitioners tend to be thicker around the waist because of all of the twisting that builds up the core. 6 packs tend to come from bending motions. We do these type punches to help strengthen our core and to provide some front side protection from punches. Our reality is that we are going to get hit, so we want as much protection as possible. We also do iron body conditioning which isn't shown here.
The rest of the exercises are things you guys are familiar with. Push ups help build arm and chest muscles as well as work the core and back. I think I covered everything. Feel free to comment, add input, suggestions, and recommendations.
I train with students and I will often use these videos to help me keep track of those who may be cutting corners. Here's a little background on what went on that day. We do warm up running which includes footwork exercises and mobility drills, then we stretch, followed by either Jow Ga shadow boxing or exercises like this. If we have enough energy to spar safely then we will spar. If not then I give a lecture covering fighting concepts, theories, and 1 or 2 techniques and we'll drill it until the end of class. Sparring days vary sometimes we have enough time work with the free weights and sometimes we don't. Every Thursday starts where the previous Thursday ended and this pattern continues until we reach full circle. The training exercise is a variation of Old Skool Suicide Drills, shown here for those who may not be familiar. In the video the guy doesn't come back down the ladder. But for me, coaches always made me work my way back down the court until I'm back where I started and this is how I train students in class.
I added some descriptions about the exercises in case you may want to incorporate some of it into your training
1. Horse Stance Mobility Training
The shuffling that we do is how we achieve agility and mobility while in horse stance. I know there are some debates about the lack of mobility in a horse stance, but here's why I'm able to move around in a horse stance with no problems. The goal isn't to run away, but to move out of contact range of a strike (punch or kick). It's because of exercises like this that we can quickly move around in a horse stance.
The regular speed video is a clip from half point of the exercise session. We had already completed about 90 or more push ups at this point. The shuffles should be small shuffles. Pick a comfortable height to do this from because you have to keep your knees bent through the entire process including the push.
WARNING: Don't try to be a superman and over do these exercises on the first day. Your knees will hate you for it. Also stop and rest if your legs are reaching the failure point where they are about to give out. Doing this drill when your legs get too weak will cause you to have bad technique, bad stances, and will injure your knees.
2. Jab training technique focus
We do a lot of jab training I think the most jabs that we've done in a sparring class was at 1200 -1400 jabs that was part of the suicide training drill. We fire off a alternating jab combinations 10 - 20 at a time for a set of 60 punches. By the third set the body begins to tense up and that's when the relaxation and technique is forced to kick in. On a heavy training day these jabs are thrown as fast as possible while maintaining good form and technique. In the case of this video we were putting extra emphasis on total body connection from legs to arm.
3. Ground Recovery techniques
It takes a lot of energy to get off the ground and I think that's why I like sweeps so much. I know that my opponent will need to use a lot of energy just to get back up. A few years ago I saw this video and it made me think of the students and the fact that we didn't address the issue of how to get up safely.
4. Touch the ceiling crunches
Jow Ga requires an extremely powerful and strong core for our big punches and power connection. Muscular 6 packs and strong core is not the same for us. Many of our practitioners tend to be thicker around the waist because of all of the twisting that builds up the core. 6 packs tend to come from bending motions. We do these type punches to help strengthen our core and to provide some front side protection from punches. Our reality is that we are going to get hit, so we want as much protection as possible. We also do iron body conditioning which isn't shown here.
The rest of the exercises are things you guys are familiar with. Push ups help build arm and chest muscles as well as work the core and back. I think I covered everything. Feel free to comment, add input, suggestions, and recommendations.
