Nicks Blog

[Nick Forrer]

Sat 9/4/05:

12-230

Wing chun. Lesson in St albans. Covered shifting force of tan in response to light inverse Jut against online bong. Then Free Chi Sau.

4-630

BJJ

Escaping from the bottom turtle. Two Roll and sweep Techniques.

Sparring

[Nick Forrer]

Sun 10/4/05

3-530

BJJ

Escaping from Bottom Turtle. Sakuraba plus two sweeps.

Sparring

Tapped Judo BB with armbar from guard

Also half hour no Gi with Johnathan (purple)

[Nick Forrer]

Mon 11/04/05

wing chun at home with training partner

1/2 hr conditioning: 5 rounds on focus mitts, 40 stand ups, 40 squats, 12 Dive Bombers.

20 min attack series: overjut, overpak, underjut with turn.

10 min stepping drill

1/2 hr CHi sau

[Nick Forrer]

Tue 13/4/05

Dinner Thai food - Tom Yum Gung, Pad Thai Gung, Singer Beer HMMMMMMM

Late back so only one hour of training + Still sore from last five days

4 rounds on focus pads

then

15 mins attack series
10 min stepping drill
10 min Bong lap
20 min Slow Chi Sau

[Nick Forrer]

Wed 13/4/05

Training at home with T Partner

5 Rounds on Pads

Lok sau

Clearing action Attack series

Kicking drill (they push you away, you realign undercontrol and kick as they come in)

Stepping drill

Chen taiji standing post and silk reeling

Free chi sau

[Nick Forrer]

Thur 14/04/05

Finally found xsing I/bagua in London

Gonna check it out tonight

Otherwise Zhu Zhitsu

[Chief Fox]

Nick, so how do you balance your wing chun with your BJJ. I study praying mantis kung fu and would like to do a bit of cross training in BJJ but I have a wife and two kids and have no idea where I would find the time. How do you do it?

[Nick Forrer]

Hey CF,

I have a solid foundation in WC (6 1/2years) and have only started BJJ in last 6 months. If your time is limited you might want to establish a good foundation in one art first (you have 2 years or so right?).

Ive done bits of Kali and other stuff as well.

The short answer to your question is basically

a) Im single with no kids and so my evenings and weekends are my own.
b) A few years back I found a training partner at the same level as me to work drills/spar out of class at times that were convinient for both of us. I also now live with him so it works out even better (hes an actor so he keeps weird hours - its a bit chandler and joey actually).
c) I train everyday and am always thinking about/looking for ways to improve

If you want to do BJJ go for it - its an eye opener (I like the quote from one of the machados 'the ground is an ocean, i am a shark and most people cant even swim)

Its also tons of fun although physically hard esp at first when you have no technique.

I basically do BJJ on the weekends (on fri eve as well - which stops me from going out drinking - saving money and liver) and wing chun during the week as well as saturday afternoons (i train about 5 hours on saturdays which kills)).

You just have to make time and find classes that fit into your schedule. Lots of guys at BJJ have young families (some of them even bring their kids to watch sometimes). One class a week is still good especially if you are consistant.

Anyway i really encourage you to try BJJ even if its only once every other week or something.

[Nick Forrer]

Thur 14/04/05

BJJ 8.30-10.00

Opening the guard - two ways
Guard pass - knee over leck, kick other leg behind.
Guard pass - they roll back into turtle - how to turn them over into rear mount.

Specificity training: From inside the closed guard - tapped three white belts, passed blue belts, got passed by blue belt.

Sparring - ok - didnt get tapped. Pulled off nice spider guard sweep.

[Nick Forrer]

Fri: 15/04/05

7-30-930

BJJ

Spider guard to De la Riva Guard: Two sweeps -pulling him forward, pushing him back + moving to the back, kicking his legs out and taking his back.

[Nick Forrer]

Sat 16/04/05

AM: Wing chun.

Lesson at teachers. Saw Steve from Canada for 1st time in more than a year. He remarked on how much Id improved. Practice -its the only way.

Covered both hands on inside, he pushed across. How to replace the hand without leaving any gaps. Also impromptu kicking lecture from teacher. Hip always forward when you kick, knee covers the centre. Cut the chord of the circle. Dont follow radius or circumference.

Natural bow of YGKYM improving. Now just need to work on shooting arrow.

PM: BJJ.

Arm bar from guard review. How to escape. Grab own bicep and their leg (RNC)
Spawl weight over them and yank arm out.

Sparring- so so. tired from am.

Evening: Watched WSL HK seminar on SLT. Everything he had when younger was there in his 60s despite filling out round waist. Footwork particularly noteworthy.

[Nick Forrer]

Sun 17/4/05

BJJ

Attacks from the half guard: Kimura on both arms - weight/posture slightly different in each technique. This determines which arm you go for.

Also grab his leg triangle roll forward and come over to take back.

Kimura defence. Either lean weight in or post leg out in base (grab ham string).

When passing - push his knees on the floor - exert constant pressure on legs. When he pushes on your torso switch hips. Than a good sequence is grab collar go for Knee on stomach and drive knee in. As he pushes on knee underhook that arm, stand up and pull him torwards you so he is on his side, spin and arm bar.

[Nick Forrer]

Mon 18/4/05

Paul Chapman RIP

9.30-11.00

WC at home with TP.

3 rounds pads (turning punch)
Lok sau
Attack series
Push and kick drill
Bong lap with variations (hook, kneck chop, hidden hand, elbow pak and adjusment step)
Stepping drill
Free Chi Sau

[Nick Forrer]

Tue 19/04/05

Training at home with TP

5 rounds pads
Lok sau
Attack series
Bong Lap with variations
Tried out wing chun/jiu jitsu/aikido lock flow to silat helicopter throw to knee on stomach to spinning arm bar combo
stepping drill
chi sau
sparring

[Nick Forrer]

Wed 20/04/05

Private Lesson covering CK

Noticed that many actions put you in awkward/twisted positions to test your ability to move/turn/kick with control of your COG/balance.