Best partner training exercises?

**feedback** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 3:51pm

What are the best drills/techniques you like to work with a partner? I've got a pair of thai pads and two pairs of gloves, as well as a 100lb heavybag. Other than sparring, what drills would you recommend? I've been working my guy on the basics, single punches, kicks, some short combos, etc. for a few weeks, and I'd like to do some new drills to keep it interesting, but I'm drawing a blank. I need to go train him in a couple hours, so any ideas would be appreciated.

**hl1978** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:18pm

i like to use these

take two of them, and practicing blocking, ducking/evading. you can whack the guy as hard as you like and it doesnt hurt,however they won't stand up to too much damage if you do that. grab them by the base. what is great about them is that you can hit to the head all day long, and since they dont hurt, no damage is done. it is also great to get a newbie acclamated to head shots, and avoid turning away.

i basically have one guy go all out attacking their partner, who just blocks the whole time and counters.

a cheaper version is to take two bo's and put gloves on the end, but the gloves have a tendancy to fall off.

take the heavy bag and use it as a target. slowly work your way backwards with kicks, inch by inch, so that you learn how to increase your range without telegraphing.

work on clinching, how to get out of it, throwing, grappling etc

try the chi sao exercises to learn body mechanics, which you then apply while sparring.

play slap hands with your partner, stand parallell to one another, one person with both hands out in a fist within 1 arms distance, the other with their hands open on top. the fists guy punches the other guy as fast as possible without winding up/telegraphing, the slap hands guy blocks with the same side as the other guy is punching. you have to be standing very close to one another. you dont step in on this drill at all.

the above drill improves reaction time, develops speed, and reduces telegraphing by limiting a big wind up.

the three step repition drill: throw any three techniques you want at your partner at about 50% speed, they just sit there as a dummy, repeat the last technique, they counter and do any three techniques. include takedowns, elbows whatever repeat back and forth.

a variation on a kendo drill:

do five punches as fast as possible on the heavy bag in 1 breath exhaling constantly. move up to 6 punches, 7 etc until your partner is totally gassed out.

spar one armed. i was injured early on while training and for about 3 months had to spar with one arm only. you will get your ass kicked, but blocking will improve.

kicking drill: you dont actually do a kick, just pull your leg from your fighting guard to however you would throw a kick (if you chamber it), but without actually doing the kick. put it back to your guard as fast as possible. do this 30x in a row and then switch legs. if you do chamber kicks (and doing MT i assume not) you will get some additional speed out of it eventually.

**Aesopian** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:20pm

Originally Posted by hl1978

try the chi sao exercises to learn body mechanics, which you then apply while sparring.

THE THIRD EYE IS ALL-SEEING.

**hl1978** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:34pm

Originally Posted by Aesopian

THE THIRD EYE IS ALL-SEEING.

Maybe if you have one in the back of your head or you are the dude from heman.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:40pm

Focus mitt drills. Work combos, then slap at their head or ribs so that they can work defense. It's fantastic for target aquisition, accuracy, handspeed, and defense.

Attack/defend drills. One guy works a combo, the other defends, then counters. Work various combos, then combine them and it's a nice bridge to free sparring.

Range drills with the Thai pads. Kick, punch, clench, knee, release, punch, kick. Work long to close, then close to long. Anything you can think of here.

Controlled sparring: 1. Body shots only. Teach them to keep their elbows in and deflect punches. This really helps defense, and eases fears of getting blasted in the face. 2. Leg kicks only. Learn how to check kicks. 3. Headhunting only. With headgear and boxing gloves, teaches head movement, use of jab, and keeping hands up.

I find that limiting the options in controlled sparring really lets people focus on one aspect of fighting without feeling overwhelmed. It really lets them improve one aspect of their game. Once they are comfortable with several aspects, you open up sparring to include multiple aspects at once, until it becomes totally free sparring.

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:45pm

Parry/Jab drills - With gloves on you jab he parrys, then he jabs you parry.

Parry/Low Kick Drills - You throw a cross he parrys with his front hand and throws a low kick to your lead leg. Hold the pad on your lead leg with you lead hand.

Parry/Kick - You throw a front kick he parrys and throws a lead leg kick. You should be holding the pads when he does this obviously, and it would be even better if he hits the pads too.

Rear Leg/Lead Leg - have him do a either a low or mid rear leg round kick then a mid or a high lead leg round.

**Emevas** · Posted On: 5/03/2006 4:48pm

If you got a ring, put him in the corner with some headgear and gloves, and throw some techniques at him. He's not allowed to attack, only to defend.

If you don't have a ring, just put his back against a wall.

If you want to get more specific, one round he can only slip, one round only bob and weave, one round only block, then throw them all together for another round.