Elite Team Day 9, 10 and 11

Day 9-

The kids did only 500 kicks.  Several of the kids earned the privilege of doing kicks 'off the wall'.  Kicks off the wall are much more difficult due to the balance issue.  The base leg (;ivot foot) starts to burn due to the constant compensating of the small balance muscles in the foot, ankle and calf.   Basically 250 kicks off the wall is equal to 500 kicks on the wall.  So, some kids got to do less kicks....but much more difficult.

We went back to the 50-50-50 drill (push ups, sit ups and jumping jacks)...the kids did 130 push ups...107 sit ups and about 100 jumping jacks.  I do this every year.  When the kids start to 'get it', I stop doing it.  Then when they least expect it, I go back to it to try and mess them up.  This team actually did very well.....better than teams in the past.

We worked on Front kick, Axe kick and slant kick fighting system.  This system is based on only using those kicks mixed with hand techniques.  This system features a full facing stance towards the opponent so that students can use all four striking tools.  This is for brawlers.  Some kids are brawlers (people that just fling out techniques....hoping something hits).  Some kids are technicians (people that pick their shots and don't wast time and energy throwing something that isn't going to make contact).

The kids did pretty well at that system.

We also started the in tight series of kicks.  We worked on in tight side kick first.

We had our first 'Top Dawg' competition......Jonathan Ma won it.

We also talked about what makes someone great....what makes someone excellent and how to win constantly at whatever you choose to do.  The 'Secret'.....personal choice.    It was a great opportunity for me to talk with them about decision making.  People that win...conciously choose to win.....they have no doubt of the outcome.  There is no fear...there is no anxiety of any kind....They have made up their mind and then go for it.  If there is doubt, students tend to not do as well.....they settle for 2nd or third.  The difference is choice.

Day 10-

We did suicide sprints....3 kids earned the right to NOT do any kicks.  I did not tell them that whoever won would get out of kicks.  I just  made them do the suicides.  I watched who pushed themself to win (because they chose to) and who gave up and just wanted to survive the exercise.  When the 'exercise' was finished, I told the students that the winners don't have to do any kicks all day.  I used this as a teachable moment to let students know (that didn't push themselves to win)  that they always have to push...becuase they never know what they are going to get.....that they shouldn't expect anything....that they should do their best every time no matter what. Sometimes knowing you did your best is the only reward.  In the Elite Team, when I see character shifting to 'I will do my best every time regardless of the reward'....I tend to reward that.

We did the 'dead bug' exercise.  

We went over slant kick.  We talked about kicking faster and moving faster.  We talked about fight rythm.

We did a LOT of sparring and drill work.  We went light on exercise and more on information.

Day 11 - 

We sparred a LOT again.  Because we had 3 days of elite team, I went really heavy on information and light on workout.  We did the top dawg competition again.  I am not sure who won...hehehe.....for some reason...I didn't write it down...hehehe....Old age.

We went over the in tight side kick and upward angle hook kick.  We started on the hook kick, round kick, side kick fighting system.  This is more for technicians in the group.

I contrasted what they learn in regular classes to how things really work.  The distance is the key.  

The team is moving along nicely.  

We also revisited an old contest that we did in the beginning of the Elite team.....I had the kids try and knock over the bags with a round kick.  When we did it at the first of the Elite Team....only one or two could do it.  This weekend almost all of them did it....there were only about 6 kids that couldn't do it.   Again, illustrating to the kids how much they've improved.  It is visible and measurable.

Thanks for letting me work with your kids....2 weekends to go to graduation.

Scott Wilkinson