Elite Training Center: Redondo

Each year we all come “shooting” out of the gates of the New Year! We start new diets, new exercise routines, and cut out things we recognize as frivolous or detrimental to living a healthy lifestyle..

Then we snap back to reality because of one excuse, not a reason. Recognize the difference between the two.

There is no 1 time, fix it all, “meta” tool to improve your lifestyle. It is about devoting yourself to steadily and gradually improve. The martial arts taught at Elite Training Center (Redondo Beach, CA) weren’t discovered in a day. Like anything else we undertake in our lives it is important to put the necessary time in to steadily improve.

Krav Maga, Kali Silat, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Jiu Jitsu (Japanese Jiu Jitsu as well as BJJ) are still discovering new ways to apply techniques.

Take a developmental approach to your New Year. Try new things out that can improve one or two aspects of your life. Be conscious about your decisions and don’t try, DO what you must. Make the tough decision as the reward will be sweeter this time next year.

This is a big weekend at Elite Training Center! We have nearly forty students promoting or testing to higher belts in Jiu-Jitsu, Krav Maga, and Mixed Martial Arts, and many of these students are advancing in more than one discipline and truly becoming complete martial artists. We are so proud of everyone, and we’re proud of the students who have shown up to support their teammates and to help them succeed. Keep up the great work!!

As the instructors and students take the day off to be with their immediate families, I wanted to take a minute to express how thankful I am for my Elite family.  Elite Training Center has become a cornerstone in my life, and it’s not just the world-class training and martial arts instruction that is so special.  The people at Elite, from the newest students to the most experienced instructors, are universally wonderful and exceptional people.  Whether it be an everyday class or a Krav Maga test or supporting one of our fighters at an MMA fight, everyone is truly there for one another, encouraging, guiding, pushing, and, if needed, holding each other up so he or she can stand side by side with his or her teammates.  What an amazing thing to find in a world where people are increasingly disconnected from one another.  I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be a part of such a unique school.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Katie

We are proud when each and every one of our students performs well on and off the mat. To reinforce positive behavior we must instill positivity in each student. This is important in the early stages of the martial artist’s path.

Last Friday the Youth Krav Maga students had a promotion and test along with the Youth MMA students. To see each and every student perform not only technique but exercise proper etiquette was rewarding for the instructors. But without signing praises for behavior as well as execution of technique would be a disservice to all that Elite Training Center is about.

We expect our Youth programs to carry over into the areas of life that coincide with societal contributions i.e. school, groups, teams, and family activities.

Never settle for less than your best! Again, fantastic job!!!

We are fortunate at Elite Training Center in Redondo Beach to be able to offer a women’s-only mixed martial arts class. Elite provides a safe, comfortable learning environment for females of all skill levels. Whether your goal is to step into the cage or to expand your self-defense abilities, the class is designed to help you gain confidence in this male-dominant sport. Whatever your primary martial arts discipline is, we encourage you to check out Elite Women’s MMA as an excellent supplement and benefit to your training.

Class is offered Monday evenings at 8pm and is open to all female Elite students.

Hello Elite Training Center Friends,

This week’s classes in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program saw us practicing techniques in combatives and self-defense focusing on escaping from the front bearhug over both arms and under both arms; effectively using the front headlock snap down; the single leg takedown & the standing hook sweep takedown. On the mats this week, we continued to practice sweeps from the guard.

Observations in the basic program this week were how very good all of you are getting at jiu-jitsu and of how very fast the advance program will be here. I for one am excited to see you all start sparring full time in the advance program. Up until now, the basic program has been learning techniques and light positional sparring. In the advance program, each class will have sparring at the end of the lesson; moreover, we will begin having open mat sessions. During open mat, it is common to see students practicing jiu-jitsu right-along-side other students practicing krav maga, kickboxing and mixed martial arts.

Be ready for October,

Prof. Tony Pacenski

Hello Elite Training Center Friends,

This week’s classes in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program saw us practicing techniques in combatives and self-defense focusing passing the guard, escaping from headlocks against a wall and escaping for the mounted position against a resisting opponent or one that throws punches. Last week, I was on the East Coast conducting Martial Arts seminars and I had a busy schedule that affected the writing process for the first week of September in our blog. Nonetheless, let us reflect on this week’s progress.

Passing the guard of your opponent is one of the most difficult objectives in a ground fight. The opponent has many tools and strategies that he or she can use to defend against your attacks. In a jiu-jitsu competition is a commonplace to see full matches spent inside the guard. Once again the basic objectives in passing are to establish posture, open the legs on your opponent in a technical way using leverage; control the hips of your opponent in some form, and move pass the legs of your opponent to the knee in the belly, side control or mounted position on top. This week we reviewed the basic leg on the shoulder passing and strategy of passing over one leg. The main concept taught was to learn how to change sides when the opponent resists your forward movement; or should I say forward-angled-pressure-movement. Yes, with the leg on the shoulder pass or passing over the leg pass, we learned the importance of “being” very heavy at the correct times.

One rule I have always followed is, “If the opponent wants space, be tight…and if the opponent wants no space, create space!” It is a game of influencing the distance, timing, movement and pressure. The latter technique we worked on this week was to pass under both legs. During the type of guard pass, the technique of gaining the superior grip on the kimono/uniform or controlling the far hip on the opponent was explored. When questions what I met by, “Control the gi/lapel first before you move to pass the guard,” I demonstrated how get gaining the superior grip before making the next transition could lead to running in circles wasting energy, using strength verse leverage, losing control of the position instead of controlling the next part of the positional battle. Please remember that is the series of little battles that wins positions in a ground fight. And when you win superior positions, you will start to finalize more victories in your training.

Further into the week we practiced escaping headlocks against the wall. In two different headlocks, the opponent was using the wall for assistance. The escape and counter to these specific types of headlocks were different compared to a headlock in the open space. In both situations, we learned to use the wall for your advantage. From there was took the lesson to the mounted position, yet we reviewed how to escape the position.

The basic concept that was type this week was to understand how to use the trap & roll (Opa) technique and the elbow & knee escape technique effectively. The approach here was to use one strategy first and if there is any resistance from the opponent, use the second strategy next at this correct time. It is important to commit to one strategy first whole-heartedly, and only use the second strategy when there is a real resistance. Many times in escaping the mount in a technical way, “IT” is a give and take battle or relationship. For the opponent to choke you, he or she needs to give up his or her arms. In this context to defend the choke, you can trap the arms (TAKE) and roll the heavier opponent.

Finally, we practiced learning one of the basic strategies and techniques of defending against a punching opponent that is in the top mounted position. Once again for the opponent to gain the most leverage and power to punch downward towards your face/head, he will need to create distance. When you close this space and get really tight to the opponent’s chest, you can effectively protect your face from damage. In this situation you are in a survival mode, yet you need to relax so you do not use a lot of personal strength. The technique we practiced from here was to trap the arm and roll. The major details are for those that came to class. Moving forward as you develop better ground fighting skills, the defenses to the mount will be making in very difficult of the opponent to mount you the first place. You strategies in escaping from the cross side position and putting up defensive “Road-Blocks” will prevent the mount position from being established.

Congratulations to all of the students that have been promoted this week in their progress towards blue belts: Faixa Azul!

Be ready for next week!

Best,

Prof. Tony Pacenski

Elite Training Center

Hello Elite Training Center Friends,

This week’s classes in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu program saw us practicing techniques in combatives and self-defense focusing using the guard to influence and control the distance against punches, elbows and headbutt strikes by the top fighter. After this instruction, we moved on to additional submission attacks from the bottom position using the triangle choke & kimura armlock.

During the punching defense classes from the guard, we continuously practiced the understanding of making it extremely difficult for the top fighter to land successful strikes in a series. If the top opponent is hitting you effectively, you are not influencing the control of the distance. The middle position in the guard is the major factor of control. When the top fighter can stay in the middle position with good posture, it is going to be a difficult day for the bottom fighter. This is the start of effective guard passing and striking attacks for the man on top.

The basic strategy was to keep the opponent very close (Closed Guard) or very far away from you (Open Guard). This is a similar concept that relates to the standing clinch and closing the distance in jiu-jitsu. We need to keep in mind, our opponent will be bigger and stronger than us in a ground fight; therefore, you will not be able to hold a position for ever or a long period of time. When your opponent attacks with a strike or a punching technique, you will need to move at the right time in this situation to counter it. Using too much strength or wasted energy will quickly make you tired. Move at the right times and use your whole body: Mostly your hips and legs to control the bigger opponent.

Later in the week we continued our understanding of the kimura armlock and the triangle choke from the guard. Some of my observation saw many of the students trying to understand the details of the triangle choke. The kimura was easy to perform after a basic review. The triangle choke had many of you making adjustments to finalize the technique. And adjustments in the details are exactly what you have to do to making all jiu-jitsu techniques and strategies work for you: not just the triangle choke.

Keys to success in finishing the opponent with the triangle choke for the guard are: Getting a good bite on the opponent’s neck with your leg; controlling the opponent’s arm to bring it to the correct side of your body; controlling the posture on the opponent’s body by controlling the head; making body adjustments with your foot on the opponent’s hip to get the best angle to finish the technique; and finally, using a figure-four lock with your legs with the foot behind the knee to squeeze the opponent’s neck for the choke hold. Extra details to finalize the leg choke triangle is to pull downward on the opponent’s head with your hands, squeeze your knees together and lift upward with your hips. This is done at the same time and making for a three directional pressure.

For many of you this was the first time really learning the triangle choke. All the details will get easier: I promise you! There are 15 partner drills I can think of that will help you improve this technique; plus, you will also get a nice workout while improving your jiu-jitsu!

Be ready for next week!

Best,

Prof. Tony Pacenski

Elite Training Center

This past weekend a new crop of Elite Training Center (Redondo Beach, CA) basic Krav Maga students took their training to another level after promoting into the Advanced Krav Maga program.

We couldn’t be more proud of this most recent group of Team Elite! Now it is their responsibility to apply the lessons learned in the Basic Level to what they will be learning from here on out.

Within all of our programs we expect nothing less than 100% commitment not only on the mat, but in everyday life. Whether Krav Maga, Kali / Silat, Thai Boxing or Jiu Jitsu is your discipline, give all you’ve got and then some.

Being a top martial artist doesn’t have to do with who can kick or hit the hardest or who can do the most reps. Being top tier is about attitude. Being top tier is about maintaining discipline. Being top tier is about giving all you’ve got so someone else can have something more.

These are the basic Krav Maga stances that we use at
Elite Training Center in Redondo beach ca,
these stances are also similar in the other martial arts we teach
as well…Thai Boxing,kail,Combative and spots orented mixed martial arts etc…

Neutral stance – when you are standing in a normal fashion.
 
Self-Defense Stance – My hands are chest height, face exposed, feet are heel, toe shoulder width apart.

Fighting Stance – My hands are eye level, head protected, chin-tucked, shoulders high, feet are heel, toe and shoulder width apart.
Rear heel is off the ground, knees are bent.