Mitt Work

[Iron_Eagle_76]

This is a a repost from the bag work thread. Mitt work is also an essential part of circuit training and one can greatly benefit from this training method.

If the mitt holder is good, they will push the fighter and keep them on thier toes throughout the workout, unlike on the bag where the person can get lazy and stay stagnant or have periods of rest and "not working" so to speak.

When speaking in terms of Kung Fu you have standard boxing mitts which can be used for all hand techniques and also with snap kicks. (Front, Side, Roundhouse-non power, inside and outside crescent, hook, spinning kicks, ect.)

Than you bring in the added benefits of Thai mitts to work power roundhouse, knees, push kicks, and elbows. These are great for power strikes and allow the fighter to power up and explode. I also include a good kick shield for practicing power kicks, particuarly front thrust and side thrust as this is good for developing both power and technique, in that the coach or instructor can have someone hold the bag and observe the kick while making critiques afterwards in regards to technique and power distribution.

Mitt work is vital in the development of good Kung Fu. Please feel free to discuss or add any other training methods or comments concerning mitt work.:)

[JamesC]

This is a a repost from the bag work thread. Mitt work is also an essential part of circuit training and one can greatly benefit from this training method.

If the mitt holder is good, they will push the fighter and keep them on thier toes throughout the workout, unlike on the bag where the person can get lazy and stay stagnant or have periods of rest and "not working" so to speak.

When speaking in terms of Kung Fu you have standard boxing mitts which can be used for all hand techniques and also with snap kicks. (Front, Side, Roundhouse-non power, inside and outside crescent, hook, spinning kicks, ect.)

Than you bring in the added benefits of Thai mitts to work power roundhouse, knees, push kicks, and elbows. These are great for power strikes and allow the fighter to power up and explode. I also include a good kick shield for practicing power kicks, particuarly front thrust and side thrust as this is good for developing both power and technique, in that the coach or instructor can have someone hold the bag and observe the kick while making critiques afterwards in regards to technique and power distribution.

Mitt work is vital in the development of good Kung Fu. Please feel free to discuss or add any other training methods or comments concerning mitt work.:)


I really like the way that Ajarn Chai does his mitt work. He has a way of pressuring you without doing anything other than walking toward you.

He also uses it to teach you what you're doing wrong. Not so much by telling you, but by forcing you to figure it out for yourself, which I think is more useful.

Here's a vid of him feeding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--pK3UhryKA

[JamesC]

Here's another video that has a bit of his mitt work in it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uS2MYViouHo&feature=related

[Iron_Eagle_76]

I really like the way that Ajarn Chai does his mitt work. He has a way of pressuring you without doing anything other than walking toward you.

He also uses it to teach you what you're doing wrong. Not so much by telling you, but by forcing you to figure it out for yourself, which I think is more useful.

Here's a vid of him feeding: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--pK3UhryKA

Thanks for sharing, great mitt work and excellent defensive and counter punching in that vid. I have always heard good things about Chai and would love to attend one of his seminars!:)

[sanjuro_ronin]

If there is no pad/mitt work I dislike with a passion it is the "slappy-tappy" pad work where the pad holder slaps the pads on the boxers gloves.

[lkfmdc]

If there is no pad/mitt work I dislike with a passion it is the "slappy-tappy" pad work where the pad holder slaps the pads on the boxers gloves.

so many people (newbs) are impressed by that crap :rolleyes:

[David Jamieson]

lol @ slappy tappy..

anyway, as an aside, the holder should provide a little extra resistance on the incoming.

We like to use call outs and stay moving when doing mitt gloves and thai pads.

so ascribe a number to a combo, like 1= double jab 2= jab /cross/jab 3= jab/cross/hook and so on.

play in rounds as well in the same set up as bag work. 1 min then2 then 3 to 5 then top out at 7-10 mins per round.

mitt holder should provide wake ups too when the striker puts his guard down, the mitt holder should be free to make him aware of that by taking a swing or a jab at him to get his hands back up. It's helpful and ads a little more work and understanding to the striker.

[Iron_Eagle_76]

Sometimes numbers can be confusing, but it depends on how you work it I guess.

Two different boxing trainers I had had different delivery methods, one just called out the punch, the other used the number system.

Jab-1
Cross-2
Hook-3
Uppercut-4

So a double jab cross would be 1-1-2
Hook, Cross, Hook would be 3-2-3

So on and so on. Now this can get very confusing doing kickboxing so it would probably be best to assign something similiar to what DJ said for a combination, such as Combo #1 being Jab, Cross, Roundhouse.

Anyway, whatever system you use just make sure your guys get comfortable with it.

[JamesC]

Yup.

Ajar Chai's schools use numbered combos.

Examples:
Basic 4-counts
#1 - Jab, Cross, Hook, Cross
#2 - Jab, Cross, Body Hook, Cross
#3 - Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Cross
#4 - Jab, Cross, Uppercut, Uppercut
#5 - Jab, Cross, Shovel Hook, Cross
#6 - Jab, Cross, Shovel Hook, Shovel Hook