Training Log: MMA

Goshin-Jutsu, (MMA), Kevin O'Hagan, Bristol, UK - 25/02/2004

At long, long last! My first proper MMA class. It was generally a good experience, just a shame its taken me this long.

After putting on some bag mitts, class started off with a warm up split into three sections, with a break for water (which I'd cunningly forgot to bring) after each. Continual shadow-boxing was interspersed with hindu push-ups/squats, knuckle press-ups tuck jumps, sprawls, climbers, Vs (I think thats what he called them), some sit-ups and a few neck bridges.

Then the class moved on to some pad work, doing 3 basic punching combinations, which Rob and Kevin ran through - firstly, the simple jab cross jab, then jab cross hook uppercut, and finally jab cross knee knee guillotine. My girlfriend and I were happy enough with the first two, but neither of us knew how to do a guillotine properly (I've seen it and read about it, but that was the first time I'd been shown it in a class), so we kinda stuck to the first two.

After that, there was what Kevin called '50/50' sparring, which was just light stand-up with some gloves. There were two sessions of this. That was then followed by demonstration of three groundwork techniques - armlock, triangle and the kimura armlock (which was nice to finally see in action). My gf and I had enough trouble with the first one, but other members of the class helped us out. After working those three (or one, in my case!) for a while, Rob then showed us a basic choke when the opponent turns on his back from a guard, which was the final technique of the class.

It finished with a brief stretch, and then ironically at the end, we all sat in seiza (!) as Kevin ran through some news, mainly Ultimate Combat 9 and if anyone wanted tickets.

Only problem with the class was the cost - on my tight budget, £5 is a bit steep, so I'm probably only going to be able to go once a week (though I've only got til April anyway, cos I'm off travelling then back to Bucks then). Other thing I noticed, though this isn't really a disadvantage, was that the vast majority of the class seemed to consist of large, powerful men - there were two girls there, but apart from them there was no-one of my rather more modest build.