Training Log: MMA

Goshin-Jutsu, (MMA), Kevin O'Hagan, Bristol, UK - 03/03/2004

Had my second class last night, which had a bit more groundwork, and some stuff on the clinch, which we didn't do last lesson.

Started off with the same warm-up as the other one, then we moved to some clinch work. First move was to go from a clinch to a guillotine, and the second was to simply lift the other person in preparation for slamming them. Before it got to the more complicated bit, we did a quick clinch exercise to warm up (its a bloody cold room!) - can't remember what Kevin called it, but it was that one where you both try and grab eachother round the waist scrabbling away at eachothers arms. Then came the more complicated bit for the previous two techniques, which now became go to a guillotine, then shoot back, take the guy down, go to side mount then round the back, sink in the hooks, push them flat onto the floor and finally a choke (still not too sure on the right terms for everthing, though...). The lift moved into a slam and then armlock. This time round I was going through techniques with a friendly guy called Rick rather than just my girlfriend.

Next we moved to practicing some groundwork techniques - armlock, kimura, triangle leg and triangle arm. Unfortunately on that armlock, I managed to hyperextend Rick's already @#%$ up elbow, causing him great pain, which made me feel like a right dick; hopefully he's ok.

That went into some free sparring on the ground (whats the MMA term for that?), which generally involved Rick strangling, squishing and generally making me tap out in various ways. Educational.

Finally, a bit of stand-up pad work, with three combos - jab cross hook, jab cross knee and jab cross roundhouse, finishing with a quick stretch and then sitting in seiza while Kevin ran through club news.

Club Details

Club Name: Bristol Goshin Jutsu Combat Academy
Address: Lifestyles Fitness Centre, Clouds Hill Road, St George, Bristol
Zip/Postal Code: BS5 7LH
Country: United Kingdom

Website: http://www.4-site.co.uk/goshin/
[Update: That site now seems to be down, so try here instead.]

Instructor: Kevin O'Hagan
Cost: £5 per session
Styles Taught: Combat ju jutsu, MMA*

MMA training times are Tuesday & Thursday 19:30-21:00, Sunday 10:30-12:00.

*I've only been to the MMA classes, so can only recommend that part of Kevin's syllabus. Check the website for further details on combat ju jutsu.

Training Log: MMA

Goshin-Jutsu, (MMA), Kevin O'Hagan, Bristol, UK - 25/02/2004

At long, long last! My first proper MMA class. It was generally a good experience, just a shame its taken me this long.

After putting on some bag mitts, class started off with a warm up split into three sections, with a break for water (which I'd cunningly forgot to bring) after each. Continual shadow-boxing was interspersed with hindu push-ups/squats, knuckle press-ups tuck jumps, sprawls, climbers, Vs (I think thats what he called them), some sit-ups and a few neck bridges.

Then the class moved on to some pad work, doing 3 basic punching combinations, which Rob and Kevin ran through - firstly, the simple jab cross jab, then jab cross hook uppercut, and finally jab cross knee knee guillotine. My girlfriend and I were happy enough with the first two, but neither of us knew how to do a guillotine properly (I've seen it and read about it, but that was the first time I'd been shown it in a class), so we kinda stuck to the first two.

After that, there was what Kevin called '50/50' sparring, which was just light stand-up with some gloves. There were two sessions of this. That was then followed by demonstration of three groundwork techniques - armlock, triangle and the kimura armlock (which was nice to finally see in action). My gf and I had enough trouble with the first one, but other members of the class helped us out. After working those three (or one, in my case!) for a while, Rob then showed us a basic choke when the opponent turns on his back from a guard, which was the final technique of the class.

It finished with a brief stretch, and then ironically at the end, we all sat in seiza (!) as Kevin ran through some news, mainly Ultimate Combat 9 and if anyone wanted tickets.

Only problem with the class was the cost - on my tight budget, £5 is a bit steep, so I'm probably only going to be able to go once a week (though I've only got til April anyway, cos I'm off travelling then back to Bucks then). Other thing I noticed, though this isn't really a disadvantage, was that the vast majority of the class seemed to consist of large, powerful men - there were two girls there, but apart from them there was no-one of my rather more modest build.