Comment on this version of the corner drill

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 2/05/2007 12:04pm

Between my university and my rib injury I haven't been able to attend many MA classes, so I try to maintain at least a basic level of fitness and technique by working out at home. Unfortunately I live on a second-floor flat, so my roomates and I can't really do any drills involving kicks or a lot of footwork for noise reasons.

Therefore we work mainly on hands, with focus-mitt work (with as much footwork as space and noise constraints allow) and also the "corner drill", which we discovered in a Bas Rutten video.

If you're not familiar, the drill is for one partner to be in the corner in a boxing ring while the other throws a series of punches at them, like you would if you cornered someone in a match. The punches are thrown slow motion at first and sped up once the rythm sets in. My friends and I do a version of this drill where one person stands on a line and can't move their rear foot past the line, while the other throws hand combinations at them. The goal is to work on staring down and slipping a punch, and also covering, blocking flurries, parrying, and conditioning for body shots (we don't hold back much on body shots).

We do the drill with boxing headgear, mouthguards, and 16 oz. gloves. We usually go for up to fifteen or twenty minutes (or more) at a time (each), since it's relatively low-intensity due to the absence of real footwork (though the person punching ususally moves in and out of range while throwing).

My question is; is this training useful and worth pursuing, given my constraints about training elsewhere? Our defense with blocking and slipping has improved a lot (it seems) over the month or so we've been trying this drill, and my flinch reflex (which is pretty hyperactive) has gotten much better.

Is this sort of defense drill part of anyone's MT, KB, or boxing training?

If anyone cares I'll try to get a video.

**gabbah** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 6:02am

Oh yeah, it's very good, especially given your situation. And it will definitely develop your bob and weave to the point where you duck just enough.
But I also think that you guys can build on this drill and allow the guy in the corner to counter, first with only one punch or specific technique, and at the end you can actually do "inside boxing". You just stay inside hook range the whole time boxing. This will make you mean mofos on inside boxing. :)
That kind of training shouldn't make more noise than the drill you're doing now, since you're almost standing still.

**theword** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 10:18am

I'm far from an expert so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. But, doesn't it seem like this kind of drill might build some bad habits? For instance, not throwing back and staying stationary in a corner are both traits that fighters try and avoid. I understand that you have limited space to train but you should also be working on getting out of the corner not just getting comfortable in it. I do think however that learning to get hit and being relaxed in the corner is invaluable and extremely important.

**Anna Kovacs** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 11:15am

Originally Posted by theword

I'm far from an expert so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. But, doesn't it seem like this kind of drill might build some bad habits? For instance, not throwing back and staying stationary in a corner are both traits that fighters try and avoid. I understand that you have limited space to train but you should also be working on getting out of the corner not just getting comfortable in it. I do think however that learning to get hit and being relaxed in the corner is invaluable and extremely important.

I don't think it's going to build bad habits. It's simply isolationist training as part of an overall curriculum. As long as this isnt all they do then it's just fine.

I can't say I've ever done the corner drill or heard of it till now but it sounds good to me and if I had a boxing ring to work in these days I would start putting it in my own curriculum.

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 2:57pm

Regarding throwing counters: yep, good idea - in fact, that's part of the Bas Ruttenversion, once you get used to the basic blocks. We didn't at first because at the time we didn't have decent gloves and headgear but now that we do, we can start working the counter game more.

As for bad habits - the main habits I'm concerned about are that it's easy to get sloppy with your form if you're punching someone who is limited on counters and evasion, and it also is hard for the defender to keep a good stance under a barrage of punches, i.e. defensive footwork may suffer.

but whatever, I'm sure it's a lot more good than bad, and it's the most fun you can have without sparring (which is right out until spring)

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 3:21pm

Originally Posted by Epicurus

Regarding throwing counters: yep, good idea - in fact, that's part of the Bas Ruttenversion, once you get used to the basic blocks. We didn't at first because at the time we didn't have decent gloves and headgear but now that we do, we can start working the counter game more.

As for bad habits - the main habits I'm concerned about are that it's easy to get sloppy with your form if you're punching someone who is limited on counters and evasion, and it also is hard for the defender to keep a good stance under a barrage of punches, i.e. defensive footwork may suffer.

but whatever, I'm sure it's a lot more good than bad, and it's the most fun you can have without sparring (which is right out until spring)

Well if you can learn how to fight off the ropes like James Toney, I'm all for it.

**gabbah** · Posted On: 2/06/2007 3:23pm

As for defensive footwork, sure you miss out on the footwork that moves you away an angle from your opponent. That is a good way of escaping his attack. But often it's even better to close the distance and smother his attacks. This is something you guys can practise; disrupting the distance of the attacker. So just step in close from time to time, and put your hands on his biceps and your head close to his (on the side). That is the eye of the storm in boxing. :)

**octaviousbp** · Posted On: 2/08/2007 12:22am

I am a big fan of the corner drill (which I was introduced to through the Thaiboxing Association), and use it in classes frequently. I find it an invaluabe tool to acquaint new people to MT with contact. It is a very "alive" drill, that can be modified to suit different stages of the training cycle (I have used it as a conditioning drill, a technical drill, etc).

I have also seen it modified for MT with the addition of teeps, kicks, and knees, but haven't included this in my own curriculum. I prefer to use it as an isolation drill.

However, footwork can be added, with the "recipient" using bobs and weaves to get out of the corner, and even place the "feeder" into the corner.

Originally Posted by Epicurus

Between my university and my rib injury I haven't been able to attend many MA classes

Originally Posted by Epicurus

The goal is to work on staring down and slipping a punch, and also covering, blocking flurries, parrying, and conditioning for body shots (we don't hold back much on body shots).

I don't really understand this... the first thing that jumped to my mind when i read the OP was that this would likely be the last drill I would do with a rib-injury. Maybe you can get back to class then, cause the injury seems to be healed?

**Torakaka** · Posted On: 2/08/2007 1:13am

Originally Posted by octaviousbp

I am a big fan of the corner drill (which I was introduced to through the Thaiboxing Association), and use it in classes frequently. I find it an invaluabe tool to acquaint new people to MT with contact. It is a very "alive" drill, that can be modified to suit different stages of the training cycle (I have used it as a conditioning drill, a technical drill, etc).

I have also seen it modified for MT with the addition of teeps, kicks, and knees, but haven't included this in my own curriculum. I prefer to use it as an isolation drill.

However, footwork can be added, with the "recipient" using bobs and weaves to get out of the corner, and even place the "feeder" into the corner.

Back in Nashville we used to do something like a corner drill where we just practiced covering up from a flurry while in the corner to close the distance, clinch around the body, and toss the attacker in the corner. We'd just sort of trade back forth like this. It was a pretty cool drill.

**Epicurus** · Posted On: 2/08/2007 10:20am

Originally Posted by octaviousbp

I don't really understand this... the first thing that jumped to my mind when i read the OP was that this would likely be the last drill I would do with a rib-injury. Maybe you can get back to class then, cause the injury seems to be healed?

I guess my quote does let on the impression that I'm just there getting cracked in the ribs ;)

Okay, I should amend it to "we don't hold back much on body shots except to my right side", which I frequently remind my partner about.