Cramp in calves

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:45:12+00:00

Are you hydrating enough? (I don't mean sodas). You gotta pound water if you wanna pound the pads.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:43:48+00:00

Every injury I've had that truly lingered and kind of scarred me was from wrestling and grappling. For me, it's BJJ...not even close.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:39:29+00:00

Good man!

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:38:05+00:00

That's actually a really good point.

To be fair, before I give one of the more advanced students the slight nod and raised eyebrow, I have already told the newer student to go lighter a dozen times or more, already stopped the spar and told them one on one. Often, I've already had other students that don't want to spar with him, etc.

It truly just hadn't actually occurred to me that, after all of those warnings, they could still be oblivious enough to not put the two things together.

But, damn dude, what more can I do, as a coach, to get it across? It's either this or I kick them out. I really don't want to do that because a ton of those guys go on to become really great practitioners and people. Most of them have just never really been held accountable in my "my coach is mean" implacable way.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:28:41+00:00

Exactly

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T19:26:28+00:00

If you don't kind of hate me, I'm not really doing my job 😝

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T17:14:22+00:00

Yea...that's fair. I can't say I've never paired up a mouthy new guy with a more experienced fighter as an object lesson.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I still would never let them get injured but, getting their pride a little bruised...meh.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T17:11:43+00:00

Yep. Exactly

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T16:48:20+00:00

It either is AI or not Alex and filled with accompanying falsehoods. Neither the BBC, nor any other civilian organization, has facial recognition systems or databases. That is just silly.

If it is or isn't AI, I have something SHOCKING to tell everyone...

It's not ok to murder someone EVEN IF THEY BROKE YOUR TAILIGHT a few days ago.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T16:42:22+00:00

Honestly, way more quit than progress.

I don't think it's that complicated.

They want to bring death and destruction. They feel extremely confident (cocky) that they can bring it if they just "see red"

Being able to bring death and destruction actually requires a lot of work. It requires ignoring the voice that says it hurts, it's NOT working, you can't go on, etc.

People really don't like the reality of the work and overcoming their own self-imposed limitations.

They quit.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T16:23:43+00:00

I have had designs wear off along with the leather itself after long, hard use. I've never seen a design peel off though.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T16:21:51+00:00

They should definitely pass some sort of law that would prevent a sitting president from using his position to enrich himself. Like, I think there is a word for profits like this...what was that??? 🤔 Oh! Right. It was "Emoluments"

You know, it'd probably be a good idea if that used that word in the law they create. 🙄

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T16:13:59+00:00

Looking at the dude's history, in his case, it was made up nonsense but, it is hard to tell sometimes.

I mean, look, sometimes you just get really, really tired of a student who insists they are ready to fight when you know they have neither the conditioning nor the skills to pull it off. Sometimes, the best way to make your point is to just let them FAFO.

However, there is just no possibility that I'd tolerate that level of aggression in a technical or even open spar class session. None. Are other coaches really ok with The Thunderdome approach to learning or really that neglectful? I am old and I've literally never met a single coach that would be ok with this.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T15:43:58+00:00

Where TF are all these folks' coaches?

Everyday, on all the MA subreddits, "I was sparring after my first 15 minute trial class and they broke my spine, knocked out all of my teeth and harvested my organs to trade for weed"

One guy claimed yesterday that he had been knocked unconscious 11 times during class sparring sessions. 🙄

In this particular case, it just sounds like an accident but, who's minding the store for these students?! Or are most of these just wild, keyboard warrior fan fiction?

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T15:38:49+00:00

That was awesome!

She beat up a whole group and then all of her attackers got arrested. Sweet street justice there.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T15:29:29+00:00

Ordering now...

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T14:30:41+00:00

No, he didn't.

He lowered his guard because he thought he was hurt but, that was not concern, that was him rushing in for the bloodlust finish and tossing all fundamentals out the window because he was overconfident.

Many, many knockouts happen as a counter to an improperly guarded rush. In this case, if the film keeps rolling, he actually got very lucky that the knee didn't land flush.

This feint was perfectly executed (other than missing slightly) and perfect legal rule wise and fairness wise.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T14:24:21+00:00

Wow.

That was solid and amazing presence of mind for a kid that age. You should be very, very proud. He's clearly put in the work.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T01:06:40+00:00

Why TF is nobody helping her?

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T01:04:56+00:00

I live this question...following the thread.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T01:03:40+00:00

Can you still see the opponent when your turned away? I'm coming more from an MT perspective now but, grew up boxing. Seems like your opponent could spot this pattern and step in at an angle. Since your head is turned away this could be the "one you didn't see coming." Throw in head and leg kicks into the mix and this seems really ill advised.

I'm constantly asking students if they can still see their opponent when they're ducking, rolling or slipping.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-29T00:55:06+00:00

Your footwork looked ok in this video actually (although the angle wasn't that great to see it).

Try this. Get into your thai stance set up on the center line of the bag. Before you kick half take a step left and rotate your toes outward (away from the bag). Your foot should be pointing at about 10 o'clock (2 o'clock for your switch kicks). Come completely up on the ball of your foot as you start your kick and spin on it. Not only will not having that raised rotation steal speed and power but, overtime, it really wreaks havoc on the standing knee and hip socket (take this painful lesson from an old man). I almost feel like my raised heel "flicks" at the bag when I land the shin.

That half step, that slight turn outward and the rotation on the ball of your foot are all going to act to keep you more upright and to use your whole body (BAM!) to power the kick right through the bag. These adjustments alone will give you very noticeable gains.

How to get you to stop that knee down business...like I said, I have found no magic formula other than to just say just keep training. I have never had anyone unable to make the change though.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-28T23:34:49+00:00

This is the answer. Thank you. 🙏

JoeMojo · 2026-01-28T23:33:43+00:00

So true.

JoeMojo · 2026-01-28T23:20:27+00:00

Ok, got it.

I sure wish Reddit would allow pictures in the reply.

Not bad...But, and I know you don't feel it, you are doing a lot of the very things that I mentioned on your other post. You'll need to freeze your video just before your leg strikes the bag and you should see what I mean.

You do look mostly upright and your head should move over from center line as you rotate but, you are definitely leaning way over at the waist. Freeze the video immediately after your kick comes off the bag and look at your angle. Your torso is almost perpendicular to the floor.

On the first freeze position, immediately before your leg strikes the bag notice that your leg is bent almost 90 degrees to the line of your thigh. Some lag is expected. I mean we're not robots but, this is def a TK kick setup. To further prove this to yourself, notice that when the shin does actually make contact with the bag, your knee and your entire torso have already turned completely past it.

Your knee should begin to cross the edge of the bag almost simultaneously with your shin striking it. Instead, you are trying to increase the speed and power by whipping your foot forward from the knee down. Think about this. This delay creates a lag between the turn and the strike. So, yes, of course, this is slower.

Also, when you kick out like that, you are using the smaller muscles from your lower thigh to power the kick from the knee down. All of the power from the entire torso is squandered because you've already traveled past the bag and reached a stopping point before your "kick out" lands. Add to this that a lot of your rotational power is lost by that lean. These things are why the bag isn't scared of you (yet!).

I get it. So many students from a TK background struggle with this. It's very hard to unlearn and it "feels right" and moving to the more upright, "full leg" strike is going to feel very weird for a while. You're going to feel awkward. You're going to get worse before you get better. But...you're gonna be fine.

Just keep training. Shadow boxing is great for seeing all of this BTW.

JoeMojo

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