7 Animal Learning Solutions

February Exercise of the month

2012-02-06T23:33:00.002Z

Apologies for the long delay between posts, I will be back on track shortly.

For this month’s exercise I have chosen plank to press up.

The last exercise of the month we looked at moving through space with crane walking, for this exercise we will be staying put focusing on our balance using our whole body. This exercise can be quite tough but so beneficial it should be one of your regulars.

How to do it:

I like to begin in my press up position, core secured, elbows slightly bent and spine neutral. Limiting torso turning I will come onto one forearm then the other into plank. One by one I then place the heel of each palm down to come up to press up. Slow and measured is my tempo, I limit momentum to test my core and shoulder girdle. 20 complete sequences is a good place to start.

Benefits

Holding someone off in fighting and pushing someone off are two important skills; this exercise helps to do both
Core working to hold spine neutral
Makes shoulder girdle robust against pressure from the front
Helps to use the body as a whole, especially good for top position in grappling and MMA
Toughens forearms and palms for blocking, striking and grappling
Works shoulder stability especially medial and posterior deltoids
Encourages us to use the lats to secure our shoulder girdle
Encourages heavy arms good for cross facing and clinching
This exercise is an excellent conditioner of the arms,

This exercise allows us to play with weight and balance, in clinching and grappling from top position we need to use this weight to control our opponent and to make it as uncomfortable as possible. The more comfortable we are in this position the better we can react to our opponent, keeping heavy so we will not lose our dominant position. It’s easy to get distracted while sparring/grappling, if we can build up the sensitivity of weight in our arms we will have more chance keeping in control of the situation. Once you are able to do 30 reps easily now is the time to set a 1 minute time limit and make your focus fluid movement whilst shadow rolling (improvising and rehearsing) from top position, striking, stabilizing and control.

Thanks to everyone who voted on my poll

2011-08-23T22:35:00.001+01:00

Much appreciated.

August exercise of the month

2011-08-06T00:41:00.002+01:00

For this month I have chosen a walking technique.

It became clear when I reviewed the previous exercises of the month I needed to bring some movement into this months article. Walking techniques are useful letting the beginner understand the varying methods we move through space.

For this technique we begin with a salute and shift into a left or right stance. Whichever hand is forward the same foot is forward, we begin by bringing our back leg up to waist level and at the same time cycling our hands so the same hand same foot rule applies. Placing the foot down we are now in the same stance but with the opposite foot forward, practice going back and forth. Poise and grace are the order of the day here, economy of movement is crucial. If when we kick or check a kick we are using poor technique we will pay the price of fatiguing or worse, injury. Once the movement is seen to be natural kicks, blocks or evasions can be used.

Benefits:

Helps to reinforce correct form for basic movements

Acts as a dynamic balance exercise

Allows students to co-ordinate arms and legs together.

Allows students to prepare for kicking in combination with movements rather than isolation

Helps students grasp the style of movement used in crane forms

Can be and is used by any style from muay thai to tai chi

Traditionally walking sets like this proceed kicking forms, these forms are essential in grounding good technique with basic movements before moving onto elaborate forms, free forms and sparring.

My muay thai teacher had us walking up and down doing this, luckily for me I had spent the time playing with it so it appeared I picked it up quick.
------------------

exercise of the month July

2011-08-04T19:18:00.001+01:00

This being the 14th exercise of the month I have written, we now complete two exercises for all animals.

The Dragon represents the opposite of the Tiger. While one is strong and forceful the other is subtle, soft but no less effective.

When faced with an aggressive opponent this technique can be used to draw mistakes and create counter opportunities.

Standing in a ready stance with either leg forward both hands up mid range. This technique is called twin dragons return from the ocean, what we get from the words used is a returning movement to the body which is fluid and in a wave movement.

If anyone has seen someone practising tai chi no doubt they would have seen this movement, hands start extended high, they then move back towards the chest sweep down and come to rest level with lower dan tien(navel) moving forward. The entire body performs the movement otherwise a strong punch, tackle or attacking movement would easily break through.

Benefits:

Allows the beginning student to perform a movement in time with breath resulting in improved mind body connection.

Allows the student use the body entirely, an attribute of the internal animals

Reinforces structure through all the major joints.

teaches students the importance of yielding

teaches the student to accept energy, absorb and transfer

can be used to defend strikes and take downs

can be used to set up submissions, sweeps or strikes from top position in ground fighting

These benefits are varied and limited, each few weeks go by and i find more applications for this technique. The principle here is what's important, once that is understood the applications and benefits will then multiply.

June exercise of the Month

2011-06-04T17:53:00.003+01:00

For this months exercise of the month I am going to use a technique I fell in love with when I began my training.

After a suitable period conditioning the back of hands with the last exercise of the month from the mantis system we can begin to use the back of the hand for striking.

This technique is best practised with caution especially at first, your striking area is the thumb (radius)side of the wrist bone on the back of the hand.

To make clean contact bend the wrist moving the striking area forward, now all you need is a hard surface to begin developing timing, conditioning and sensitivity. The upper arm makes a back fist motion, coordinating the elbow, wrist and shoulder in this manner might well feel alien at first but long practice will develop a strike both damaging and easily hidden.

Benefits:

Helps the student develop a new striking technique

Helps the student to experiment with other parts of the body to create new techniques

Helps create a different feeling, timing and coordination unique to the mantis system

Helps the students experimental development, kung fu should encourage students to grow in all facets not just their strengths

Helps the student consider new combinations

This exercise will appear peculiar almost exotic. With this sort of technique you have visions of old kung fu movies. It's perhaps not the most pragmatic technique but used at the right time very useful indeed. A lot of this technique has to do with feeling and timing, begin with just light hits using wrist bends then move onto full hits using elbow the shoulder shrugs. Focus on the striking area and clean well coordinated hits.

A short video will soon accompany this to illustrate the technique

Short article about the benefits of older adults exercising, also register for free webinar

2011-05-29T18:59:00.000+01:00

http://www.activeliving.info/ViewArticle.cfm?ID=335&SECTION=1

May exercise of the month

2011-05-25T22:34:00.000+01:00

Apologies for the late posting, i spent some time away in Turkey this month.

This months exercise is from the monkey system although many people will recognise the movement. A lot of the monkey system deals with what happens when the fight hits the floor. If we are training for self defence are aim is to get up quickly without taking damage, in sport arts like jui jitsu or wrestling this is where most of the fight takes place so we are looking to control or out manoeuvre our opponent rather than just escaping.

The key to this exercise is improving our agility and co-ordination, the beauty of this movement is it also can be used to teach young children or older adults to get up off the floor safely and economically helping to prevent injury.

We begin sat down with our legs out in front facing north, to get up we post one hand on the floor and also the opposite foot allowing us to lift our hips off the floor. Once we are posted on one hand and opposite foot we can bring the non posting foot back and down on the floor so our body has turned through 90 degrees, for the sake of this paper we will now be facing east. At this point we have two feet and one hand posted on the floor, using legs and core strength we come to a standing position.

Benefits

Allows us to get up from the ground without loading the joints, losing our balance or relying on one part of the body for strength.

Done slowly or as isometrics to build strength in the hands, arms, back, core and legs.

Used in martial arts to stand up from a grappling situation with defence

Used repeatedly for anaerobic conditioning with forward backward rolls and anyother floor based exercise .

Can be used for post op patients to build up strength and keep injured areas safe when getting up.

Taught to toddlers as a basic co ordination exercise to increase faculties, balance and awareness(make it a game and see the smiles)

This months exercise is very versatile, its essential in all grappling styles but has a lot to offer even the most young or old. Using hands and feet together enables to move with superior co-ordination and confidence. Once the confidence is brought up so will the playfulness.

Thank you for all the people who voted on my Poll

2011-04-18T16:53:00.000+01:00

Very much appreciated, all the best.

April exercise of the month

2011-04-02T20:58:00.003+01:00

This months exercise of the month helps us understand a leopard concept or characteristic.

Combination punching is about strategy and speed. 3 punches to open up your opponent to land the perfect punch.

This exercise is called 3 tigers pounce, in traditional kung fu the options are more varied but for the sake of this paper we will put this exercise in a boxing setting.

Any combination with at least 3 power punches can qualify, the flexibility is to create as many combinations as possible to gain the most devastating advantage,
I. E. the knock out. Preferably precise targets are used mostly to the liver, spleen, heart, chin or temple. A concept of Leopard style is accurate targeting especially striking organs.

Mastering this exercise needs to be trained on pad, shadow boxing(form work), floor to ceiling bag, heavy bag and sparring.

Endless drilling, planning and honing is essential for this kind of training but the rewards are great.

To practice this exercise begin in a boxing stance, initiate the attack with a slip and fire 3 power punches focusing on your back, hips and core. Leopard is very dependent on hip turning to create explosive power.

Begin using the combination you prefer slip to set up the combination and fire during shadow boxing, paying attention on out flanking the opponent over the course of the combination. Repeat per 1000

Use the heavy bag ensure all 3 punches land with sure contact, on the top two knuckles. Use strong hip turns to rip through the bag, use speed to slip and roll after each combination.

Use the floor to ceiling to ensure full hip turns with little arm extension, big hip speed and power, think super slick speed, 0 power. Full rotation as fast as possible.

If you have some one experienced in holding pads ask if you can work some power punching. Set yourself a counter opportunity and throw you favourite attack, ask the holder to give different triggers, to create defence combinations of the combo, to out flank over the course of the combo, to strategies on likely targets we can use, to use power to land clean shots with good timing. From slow to fast from soft to hard, this type of training takes soft nurturing and diligence.

Sparring is where you put all the time and energy into action. I recommend touch sparring for 3 rounds to get movement, reaction and timing down with no fear of injury. Then move onto pre set sparring with your partner giving you the counter opportunity you have been drilling then executing the chosen combination, look to add in defensive movements. Next move onto free sparring, experiment with the combination round after round until sparring partners begin fear it, then get working another.

Drill, experiment, implement.

Benefits:

Physical

Fast and explosive core and back movements.

Anaerobic conditioning

Develops: speed, timing, power and helps to improve defence

Helps us understand the concepts of economy while causing damage

Mental

Helps us create a strategy and look for targets

Allows us to think and move laterally to achieve our goals

Helps us to think in combination

Brings out our predatory side to finish opponents

This months exercise is a little more in depth, I hope people can see the attributes discussed and
put in the time to gain the benefit of this style of technique. Some good research can really help with this, look out for Micky Wards body punching and prime Roy Jones Jr combination punching.

Age concern camden who i volunteer with is being featured on both BBC and ITV tonight!

2011-03-31T12:29:00.001+01:00

Due to government cuts this centre is being closed, tune in tonight to see how these cuts are affecting old people in Camden, and see some of the stars who come to my class. Both Rosie and Georgina who are featured are some of my regular students.

BBC 1 tonight at 630

ITV tonight 730 charities in crisis

Thanks

Boxing clinic event in Vauxhall next week

2011-03-19T13:36:00.002Z

Another great night of fights lined up by The Boxing Clinic, follow link below for details and ticket information.

Ben who featured in a previous bout on the blog is taking part in a 4 man tournament!!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139424059451613

ITV Special to be delayed

2011-03-17T14:01:00.003Z

Dear All

Due to earthquake in Japan itv is not going to show this program today. This program is pushed back, will be on 31^st March 7.30.

Sorry about this.

Age Concern Great Croft where i volunteer teaching tai chi to be feautred on ITV

2011-03-16T14:45:00.002Z

Great Croft resource will feature in ITV1's Tonight programme at 7.30pm on Thursday 17 March - 7.30pm: on a special programme called Charities in Crisis:Tonight. Details below:

Next month, spending cuts kick in and state funding for charities which look after the elderly, children, families and the homeless is being slashed. As a result, many hard-pressed charities will face closure in the coming weeks. Fiona Foster examines the devastating impact this will have on some of our poorest communities

Exercise of the month March

2011-03-02T17:04:00.002Z

Following on for this month I am going to use a technique which helps us understand the differences between the animals. 'Golden scissors cuts the bond' is a technique which is used a lot in the snake system. It’s used both as a defensive movement and offensively to change the angle of attack. Moving laterally and subtly is an attribute of the snake system, this movement is used in many self defence arts, and once you learn it you will recognise it in many diverse styles.

To perform the exercise we can stand either with lead or rear hand extended like the previous exercises.

From a left stance perform 100 birds return to nest finishing with the left hand and foot forward, slide the right hand down the left arm, once the left hand reaches the elbow switch the stance and turn the torso to the right. The power comes from the sharpness of the cut, this allows you for a short time to over power possibly even a stronger opponent. Sensitivity is the key to this technique practice sliding one arm up and down against another using subtle control.

Benefits:

Physical

Stabilisers shoulder girdle and arms

Allows arms to work in pairs

With snake footwork teaches to move the body as one

Teaches the student to use fa jin(soft energy) rather than just strength to defeat opponents

Mental

Brings attention to the centre line

Ingrains the desire to change the line of the attack

Encourages to use techniques in combination

This exercise is a little different from the last two months as it deals with a technique that works well paired with a strike rather than on its own. It teaches students to use opponents attacks against them by blocking them and changing the line of attack. Working this technique on its own will help, but to get the most out of it you should use a partner, wooden dummy if you have one or any thing that can double as a limb.

Guardian article on spending cuts in Camden

2011-02-25T10:07:00.001Z

Follow link below to article and short video featuring the centre I volunteer at teaching tai chi and qi gong.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/24/cuts-local-councils-services-camden?INTCMP=SRCH

Exercise of the month February

2011-02-01T22:16:00.008Z

Following on from last month I have decided to pick an exercise that emphasises an attribute of an animal style. Last month I used 100 birds return to nest to reinforce the torso turn for long range striking. This week I will use black tiger steals heart which emphasises the power of the tiger from driving its weight down.

From a fighting stance we execute a block with our lead hand then throw a straight right hand at the chest of an imaginary opponent. Once in this position we can hold and find ourselves comfortable, special notice must be directed to the weight in the legs and core. Drawing our hand back we return to our fighting stance. The emphasis is on our weight moving down, our balance is deliberate with no wasted power or movement. Last week we looked at lengthening the torso and twisting to allow us to reach our opponent from far away this week we are stepping deliberately into our opponents space and stealing his heart. This exercise can be done slowly or very slowly, with speed comes wasted energy or the loss of balance, this exercise takes a long time to master but will bring the feeling of power to our straight punches especially the cross.

Physical benefits:

Helps student to feel power transfer from foot to fist

Teaches correct alignment in all major joints

Adds base to common techniques

Increases endurance in legs

Teaches student power comes from legs and core not arms

Mental benefits:

Gives student confidence in the power of their body

Enhances mind body connection when done in time with breath

Encourages destructive nature of tiger style

Can be used with visualisation to help students get inside their opponents range

This weeks exercise is excellent to get the feeling that we can throw hard strikes from any position. Power is magnified if we can stop our body at the end of the strike accurately, this causes great damage because none of it dissipates. Having the timing to do this against a live opponents is very tricky but starts with us doing this sort of exercise on our own, very slowly and with great focus. Both this and last months exercise can be practised separately then added together to create a form or shadow boxing drill, a simple jab cross with these two techniques emphasis can be formidable if well used and thoroughly trained.

Recently found out Camden council are shutting the age concern I volunteer at, this is a video of the demonstration. The good people here say it all really

2011-01-20T23:14:00.003Z

Older People and UNISON unite in protest against savage cuts to social care in Camden

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMR98WIOvJc&feature=player_embedded

interesting article in new scientist about meditation, you will have to regsiter with them to read article but its free

2011-01-11T17:06:00.001Z

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20927940.200-mind-gym-putting-meditation-to-the-test.html

7 Animal Circuit

2011-01-04T15:58:00.001Z

With the exercise of the Months covering all 7 animals we now are able to create a simple circuit based around these exercises. Below is a simple and easy circuit that can be done 3 times a week which will benefit the student in all areas discussed previously.

Please always warm up to prepare the body for exercise.

1 minute crane stance each side

20 monkey rolls

1 minute crane stance each side (this time with raised heart rate)

10 wrist pressups

2 mins cannon punching

20 prowls forest

20 Dragon lunges

3 mins Horse stance

Balance, coordination and speed for both mind and body are our focus and goals. A video will be upped shortly to illustrate the circuit.

New additions

2010-12-31T12:11:00.000Z

I have added a Youtube box for viewing videos from the MMA clinic and Shaolin Society, new videos will be added in the new year for each exercises of the month.

I have also added a photo section at the top of the page and moved the links into their own section. Please also pay attention to the disclaimer. Happy new year to all the people who read this blog, much more to come in 2011.

Regards Drew

Amazing fight from the mma clinic, i helped out Ben for a few sessions on the pads, he did great!!

2010-12-26T14:12:00.001Z

Exercise of the month January

2010-12-26T14:01:00.003Z

Happy New Year to one and all, the first exercise of the month a technique called 100 birds return to nest. This exercise is as you can guess from the name to do with the crane system; I like it because it can be used in correcting people's posture and range when striking. Crane operates at long range as they use long limbs, this technique can be used to correct the torso turn when using straight punches.

We begin in the horse stance from the May exercise of the month, we bring our arms out to the sides palms facing down. We swing the left arm to our front and the right to the back keeping level with the shoulders, we repeat the exercise 100 times 50 each side making sure we are balanced and keeping good alignment.

Benefits:

Warms up torso musculature for rotation

Reinforces alignment with torso turning through 180 degrees

Acts as a dynamic balance exercise, creating force and controlling deceleration

Once comfortable in horse stance student can move to fighting stance, single leg, low stance

Reinforces straight arms and proud chest which encourages long straight punches

Exercise can be used for conditioning for torso and core rotation

Resistance with dyna-bands, small weights or in water

Exercise can be practised in time with breathing as a simple mind body connection drill

Can be used in shadow boxing drill using evasive foot work, level changes, attack and defence.

The list of benefits above are limited but show how this very simple technique can be used to enhance and reinforce many common movements in martial arts. If you wrestle, box or practice any martial art practice this technique with your art in mind and see how it can help. A short video will follow to show the exercise clearly to prevent students performing incorrectly, this exercise I have used recently to great effect when helping a training partner prepare for his boxing debut, what stood out on watching his fight was the length of his jab and the turn of his torso when throwing it.

New website launched by cage warriors

2010-12-16T15:25:00.000Z

http://184.106.128.122/

Cage warriors card tonight in Cork

2010-11-27T16:59:00.001Z

http://www.cagewarriors.com/

Exercise of the month December

2010-11-24T20:53:00.005Z

Again i have jumped the gun with the exercise of the month.

If you have been paying attention you will see this is the 7^th exercise of the month and this system is called 7 animals.

We have come to the dragon. For the purposes of this blog I am going to keep it simple by not exploring Dragon style gung fu but rather using a simple exercise that helps us understand one if its fundamental characteristics. Essentially the Dragon archetype is used in 7 animal shaolin to represent when all other animals attributes are used together creating a perfect hybrid.

Certain characteristics attributed to the classical dragon style are the use of dragon hand positions and the growing and shrinking (level changing) For today’s blog exercise we will use this level change.

For this exercise we start in the horse stance as in the blog for May, we begin by doing 10 squats keeping our back straight and not allowing the knees to pass the toes. Next we turn our left foot out 90 degrees followed by the right ending up in a lunge, this lunge position is called a Dragon stance in gung fu, here again do 10 squats ensuring the back is straight and our left knees does not pass the toes. From here we turn back to the horse stance then over to the other side again performing 10 dragon lunges.

Special attention should be paid on the transition, the horse stance is a 50/50 stance, to turn we must place more weight on the right foot so the left foot can turn then switch our base to the left so our right can turn. Perfecting this turn and level change can add power, balance and structure to any technique.

Benefits:

Physical:

Preparing the student to use hip, knee and ankles as a unit

Preparing the student to take what they have learned from earlier balance exercises and use it in motion

Prepares the student for using the concept of rooted and searching leg.

Conditions the thighs and lower legs

Allows the students to rehearse level change used in hundreds of techniques

Allows the student to practice hip rotation for good striking technique

Mental:

Allows student to internalize balance transition started in the earlier crane exercise.

Exercise can be used as moving meditation with a focus on breathing and focus to keep heart rate and breathing as normal as possible.

Exercise can be used once student is tired to ensure good form and technique, prepares student to the effect of fatigue on technique.

The list above is limited but hopefully students can get an idea of what dragon represents. This exercise is excellent and very flexible; it can be used to reinforce correct alignment in the legs, correct students with poor balance through movement, Conditioning, meditation or anything really