SW Portland Martial Arts Blog

The simplest way to examine the fighting principle of defensive choices is to look at the way you hold your hands when you spar. So we kept it simple. Kid’s class today was all about trying out different covers.

I made a YouTube video that covers almost the same ground as the kid’s class – trying out different covers and experimenting with which strikes and kicks feel good from each particular cover.

For CrossFit class, we played with intervals. What happens when you do burpees for 30 seconds and rest for 15 seconds? What about burpees for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds? Answer: you get tired, pretty much no matter what.

For striking class, defense is on the menu as well! Combos with defense? Absolutely.

We decided to continue on our running theme of fighting principles. In martial arts, position is everything. In fitness, position is everything. The three most important things in movement are, after all, position, position, position.

For kid’s class, we worked the idea of position relative to our own bodies. What is a good fighting stance? How do you hold your hands? Your head? Your elbows? After we figured out a good starting point, we played, strayed and returned to that starting point.

For CrossFit class, we worked, among other things, the L-sit. Want a position that gives you immediate feedback about if you’re in balance or not? Look no further than the deadly and unforgiving L-sit.

Finally, on Saturday, I did a striking class in which I laid out what the striking classes will look like when we *hopefully* re-open on the 12th. Check it out if you are planning on attending classes.

The most fun fighting principle there is: constant forward pressure (CFP). The simple meaning of CFP is to just keep going. The more complex meaning is to keep feeding your partner problems, so many problems that they won’t be able to solve them all.

For kid’s class, we played the game “new kicks on the blocks”. Yeah. It is an awesome game where you jump from block to block constantly throwing kicks (also punches). CFP on those blocks!

For CrossFit class, we did 12 of everything. Split jumps, ground to overheads, Superman’s… and squats. So many squats. CFP on the squats.

Are you using CFP in your internal martial arts? You should be. You gotta keep working at it if you want it to work!

Continuing our week of fighting principles, today we worked “Economy of Motion”. What’s that, you ask? It’s being efficient. How little energy do you need to use to accomplish your goal. One of the easiest ways to work this idea is to NOT rear back your arms as you punch.

Check out the amazing game “cone wars” as well as the many other brilliant ways that we explore economy of motion in kid’s class today.

For striking class, watch Dug duck! That’s right. You can put defense in your striking combos. It doesn’t all have to be offense.

CrossFit class is ALWAYS about economy of motion. How little energy can you use to get the work done? Jump rope is a fantastic example of this. Are you swinging your shoulders all crazy? Cut that out and just use your wrists. Be efficient! Are you slamming your feet down like a yeti between each rep? Knock that crazy biz off. Bounce off the balls of your feet.