We have progressed further into the Evolution Core of CM with the incorporation of more clinch work and takedowns.
My arms have been aching from all this work but it's a nice sort of burn and gives me the feeling that I've got a good workout!
CM's hunchback stance and its squared hip reasoning is reinforced when takedowns are incorporated in. Because of the squared hip, we can readily go into a sprawl position which is very difficult to do from a side facing/blade stance.
Here's a video of our first exposure to the sprawl:
And here's a video of the beginning of integration between all elements of the CM E-Core game, takedowns, clinch and boxing. In these sparring videos, we were focusing more on entering into clinch and takedowns hence the reduced boxing. Knees have not been incorporated yet as well.
Our first session:
Notes from the sparring:
- Be aware of closing off the center line. Do not lose attention.
- Remember to get full extension on punches even when moving forward. Switch to 3PC if intending to clinch.
- Position hands so they don't get locked up in clinch.
- The takedown attempt was not a good idea and left me open to knees nor did it have the necessary driving force to reach. Need to make sure my upper body is more upright if I'm attempting takedown. Especially not a good idea when his hands were already on my head.
Notes from this sparring session:
- A more raised back heel and don't narrow stance too much.
- Better use of 3 point Cover.
- Smoother entry into a necktie
- More fluid combinations.
- Better control of speed and pace.
- Try not to charge in like a freight train.
Perhaps the most important thing to be taken from this session after consulting with the helpful guys at the CM Pro Gym (thanks guys!), is to be more proactive with the jab even though you might not land.
Chris Bishop:
JAB!!!!! Use your jab to gauge distance. Use your jab to stop them coming forward... he is able to walk in on you because there is nothing holding him back... stiff jab to the face will make his job harder. Secondly when you work your jab, you will then be able to follow with combinations. You both seem to have an 'all or nothing' mentality with the punching, as in if you can't hit the person you don't throw.... the jab is like a blind man's cane, constantly probing to find objects, feeling around and giving feedback to the blind man. It doesn't touch something all the time, but it's looking.
Scott Walker:
Spend some time on getting that jab really working for you and then start to let the cross work its when in naturally. Get your distancing down and control the range with jabs and crosses and get it to happen automatic. In other words, put some time into getting those straight punches to come off with out having to plan it out, such as "I am now going to jab and cross".
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Long story short learning to throw a jab that lands a a few inches from their face as I worked my way in and instead finding my range on the second or third jab really helped me. This of course is not done every time because you would become predictable, but I learned a lot from it.
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playing the single shooter jab a lot more and really working on being creative with the jab and coming in on all different angles was a lot of help too.
