Aliveness - Alive training methods

So to be succinct, you do freestyle padwork straight away, and then add light sparring in afterward.

Is that right?

 

Thats how every gym ive ever trained in has trained.

DH have you ever trained anywhere else?

 

No, not at all. The variables of both pad work and partnered work without pads are increased in concert.

 

Nope.

I don't get why you are getting defensive. At no point have I criticised Matt Thornton, other than finding his terminology a little vague.

 

This is a good example of the usefulness of "non-resistant" training. I've been laid out boxing because I threw my right hand too deep. Now I practice much more in the mirror, twisting the hip, and making sure I am still centered when I throw my straight right. Is this alive? Not in the sense that I am actually sparring with someone, but it is very much alive because I am monitoring my movement and trying to correct an error. An error that was pointed out (with a fist) in sparring. So its kind of a feed back loop.

 

So you've never done set pad drills such as this?

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiVRvMZFkP0&t=28s"]Boxing Combo 14 Basic Mitts Boxing Pad Work Drills Focus Mitt Combinations - YouTube[/ame]

Not so much as it would relevant to this conversation

 

This is the kind of mindful self reflection and correction I'm talking about.

All I've been trying to get to the bottom of is if this fits Matt Thornton's definition of "alive" training, but instead people are getting their hackles up as if I'd pooped on their doorstep. It's the kind of thing I'd expect from the ninjers to be honest.

 

Your initial error was pointed out in alive sparring, the best way to fix this is being aware whilst sparring, if you cant do that, padwork is next best, then solo practise worst best.

itll help, but might fall apart under pressure.

 

Yes, and then went freestyle afterwards in the same session.

Then you have a progression.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by this. Different trainers catch different ways. But I don't know what you mean by different techniques. If a pad is held in boxing you know what punch to throw, they adjust your body mechanics. Then you throw combinations. You work distance, timing etc. It's not really a 'drill'.

 

It depends entirely on the nature of the kink that needs ironing out.

If it is something that requires the feedback of another body, such as grappling, then progressive pressure with a live opponent is necessary.

If it something like correcting the angle of the wrist on a punch, you can condition that reflex more efficiently (i.e.. get more reps in) on your own. A heavy bag would provide better feedback for that problem than a sparring partner would.

It's about matching tools to desired outcomes.

 

Lol. Sorry man honestly I can't access youtube now so only can remember the video from a few years ago. I also skipped to the end of the thread and posted my opinion. So haven't followed what arguments are going on. Just giving my two cents on aliveness.

 

Yup. Very true.

 

I mean that a live opponent will not reveal targets to you in a scripted pattern.

So why is it better to use pads in a scripted pattern rather than in a more dynamic fashion that more closely resembles application?

You are entirely right that the position of the pad dictates the optimum strike to deliver. So why not give students the opportunity to improve their reflexes by having to think on their feet as to which strike to throw at any given time, or make it random as to when they have to duck or slip the pad? Otherwise you are relying on rote choreography.

Set sequences smell like kata to me.

 

if you want to be having a straight wrist whilst hitting someone who is hitting back the progression could be
1) solo bag work
2) active moving pad work
3) light sparring focusing on hitting straight.

stopping at level 1 is incomplete.

 

The most reliable way to iron out kinks is to go back to basics and methodically progress back up to live application.

Your constant implications that I am somehow denigrating the importance of sparring is beginning to look like a straw man.

All I'm saying is don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Just because you can use something sufficiently in sparring, doesn't mean that it is not beneficial to go back to basics with that technique.

 

Yes and no. I need to do it thousands of times in the mirror and keep doing it sparring. It's not an either or situation. Monitoring of an opponent is much easier than monitoring oneself. Thus the reason you have a coach. It's just too easy to think your doing something right when your actually doing it wrong.

 

If that were the case everybody would be saying that shadowboxing was useless.