1st Full Contact Sombo Course

Full Contact Sombo and Sport CombatSombo

Level 1 Instructor Course

Organised by the BCSA

1st April 2012,

Venue, Black Knights Gym Burnley

Coach/Tutor Allan Clarkin

The first of many.

Nine Sombo players attended the course, this includes two females.

Females are not permitted to compete in these events but there is no rule to say they can not become instructors.

The course started with a welcome and photo, which took some time as the camera decided to have a little fun on the day, this broke the ice.

Course content was started with a warm up, warm ups can save time on foot work and movement, so basic foot work and movement was shown and then used as a warm up with light hand techniques.

It was explained the importance of correct foot work and distancing, so we can execute strikes and the ability to close the distance for grips moving into throws.

Students then paired up and put their new skills to the test, with NONE Contact sparring, this is to train the brain, so it will develop the skill to read the correct distance for what strike to use.

We then progressed to pad drills for basic techniques, hand strikes, kicks and knees.

Explanation was given how to hold the focus mitts, kick shields and Thai pads.

The basic strikes were all from the first three grades of the Full Contact syllabus.

Students after some time on these new skills went on to combinations, once again all from the syllabus.

Consent feed back was given the students as regards positioning of the feet, correcting posture and also showing blocking skills against strikes.

Advice was given on the type of gloves for early days in sparring moving to the type of gloves for competition, the same applied to head guards.

Now moving onto body conditioning and improving fitness levels, circuit training, bag work, medicine balls, grappling dummies and how to use body shields with focus mitts to pre-pair the body.

Throughout the course advice was being given with questions being asked.

After 4 1/2 hours of taking information in, it was time for the students to become Instructors. They paired up and each had to instructor in all aspects covered on the day for 20 minutes, all this time they were being marked and advice given, how to improve their coaching skills. Students then reversed roles.

Was it over no, to make sure students had taken info on board a questionnaire had to be completed.

Finally instructing a group of students and warm down a good six hours of hard work by all.

I would like to compliment all nine Sombo students for their attitude all day, with nine good passes.

I hope in the future some will attempt Level 2 and more will attend the next Level 1.

The sport is not be be feared but understood and developed.

Thanks to the BSCA and BSF for allowing me to put these course on.

TIME TO EDUCATE STUDENTS 

Good luck to all NEW INSTRUCTORS

Allan Clarkin