Training knees during sparring

[skilzkid]

Just curious on how you all train knees during sparring. At our intermediate class, sparring is generally hands and feet only. On days we work the plumb, we are allowed to motion/touch with the knees (which is enough since I'd really like to not have broken ribs if I'm caught in the wrong place), and on some days we can use straight knees to the bread basket to counter punches.

How does everyone else train knees in sparring/sparring-like situations? We can train technique all day, but heavy bags and thai pads are different from people Specifically, is there any equipment you use to go hard yet still keep it safe? Our instructor mentioned that he'd let us go harder on the knees if we had some vests or kneepads or something along those lines.

Input/Thoughts??

[terry]

One thing to when knee sparring is to modify the tool used to do the hitting while preserving more of the original power of the blow. You can do this by using the the inside of the thigh to hit (kind of a modified curve knee intended specifically for training).

If you're working this in a pre-fight-prep phase you can still use knee sparring for physical conditioning as it works both the abdominal muscles as well as the aerobic energy system. Long rounds of training or iron man rounds of this type is great for loosing weight. Try doing 30 to 45 minutes sometime.

You'll find that it isn't too tough to throttle the force up or down to the fitness level of your opponent.

Terry

[retired]

Sparring with knees can be hard & is down to the skills of both participants usually, although you can get belly pads & chest armour which i cant really coment on as i never used them.
You can spar with as much pads as you like but the risks of injuring toes & bits is still very high & requires a lot of concentration & control.
We do sparring & have used knees just like you said with that reserved soft/medium power & it can feel frustrating but with a lot of practice you can gain more with your defence when going a bit softer than just rushing in & kneeing willy nilly.

Splitting it up into techniques on the pads you can still attack & defend at full power & if he drops his guard give him a wallop with your pads as all he'll hurt is his pride.

Do you neck wrestle & add knees?

[Khun Kao]

I usually break up Clinchwork and Knees into different drills, where you work on very specific techniques.

For instance, we do a Side-Knee drill where you get a loose clinch and throw Side Knees so that they miss and pass in between you and your partner. This allows you to work with speed and power, and it works the heck out of your abs and obliques.

We will do drills where one person takes the dominant clinch position, then pulls and twists his opponent around to deliver a Straight Knee Strike. The 'defender' simply works on keeping his or her elbows down to guard against the knee and attempts to keep their balance so as not to be thrown around so easily.

Many of our knee drills use what we call "Jahb-Daht", which is a Thai phrase which basically refers to throwing a technique with speed, but no power.

Khun Kao

[retired]

Yes same here but we like to play a little game to see if you can absolutelly knacker your opponent by doing 3 mins of heavy neck wrestling then 30 secs of pressups then straight back up into the clinch & alternate between people after a few rounds, & after a while people start dropping like flies or just burn out completelly....it's quite funny to watch but bloody hard to do (varying heights & weights have differing effects too).

[Khun Kao]

We've done drills similar to that. I love them! Thanks for reminding me! My students are going to hate this....

Khun Kao

[retired]

Another good exercise to practice Knee's in close is to hold the pads in the same way for a Teep (front push kick) only tilt them down slightlly then get the fighter to rest his hands on your shoulders/neck & throw alternating knee's into the pads.
This exercise makes the fighter throw close knee's while tucking in his stomach close to you until the knee starts & shows how different a technique it is to the front attacking knee where you stretch out & are able to reach him with the knee but are out of range of a punch.
Alternate between 1 rd of Knee's then 1 min of squats, 1 rd of Knee's then 30 sec's of pressups.

[skilzkid]

Retired's last post reminds me of a drill we do all the time in class...double left kick, double right kick, get pad holder in plumb, 10 skip knees, throw out and double kick. Simple and exhausting

[Khun Kao]

One of my favorite drills is what we call '10-20-10's'

You need a partner to hold Thai pads for you, obviously

10 lead roundhouse kicks
20 clinching straight knees
10 rear roundhouse kicks

All the kicks and knees are to be performed fast & hard. I save this drill for the very last pad drill of the day, as a burnout drill. Regular students are to do at least 3 of them, and fighters have to do at least 5.

Khun Kao

[retired]

Yes & we like to do 30 sec bursts on the bags:
Punch continuous at as fast & as hard a pace you can, breathing out on your right & in on your left, if you manage to speed up in the last 10 secs then your either very fit or cheated.
do this for a few sets alternating with your partner (your rest is holding the bag).

[little bullie]

we knee spar at least 3 times a week more if we are fighting sooner. it is not meant to be "neck wrestling" at all. you jockey for position a bit to get a controlling hand inside. and use the side of your knee rather than straight knees to prevent hurting your friend. we go for approximately 20 mins at a time w/out a break.

[retired]

Neck Wrestling is just the way i like to explain it as when you wake up the day after it feels like someones been wrestling with your neck.
Different Words Same Stuff.
If you alternate with people it throws you sussing them out and sometimes the other guy is stronger than you, also if you do pressups inbetween rounds it causes havoc with your tired arms.

[retired]

Pics Of Jamming & Blocking While Knee Sparring

[Khun Kao]

Those pics are cool. I especially like the 2nd one. We call that one the "Knee Escape", and we use it all the time.

But I don't condone the other two defenses. I do not allow my students to use them. They are expected to work other blocks and escapes.

Khun Kao

[Guest]

Whys that then?