The September focus is grappling (a.k.a. "stand-up wrestling", a.k.a. "the clinch"). Being able to handle yourself in this range is key to real self-defense.

In this week's involution we're going to hit you with a delightful bit of grappling fitness training followed by some technique training -- namely the way to create space by using braced strikes and crams.

The clinch is where you avoid being carried away, forced to the ground, or smashed against a wall. This is where the rubber hits the road!

And now on with the show...

Attack and Track, Cram and Exam: Martial Arts T.I. #226

Warm-up thoroughly for at at least 8 minutes. Do 2-3 minutes each of (a) jumping rope (b) light calisthenics and (c) shadowboxing, forms, or light heavy bag work, or 8 minutes of MBF.
Attack. Grappling Conditioner #2. Set timer for 3 x 3:00/1:00. For each 3:00, Splay-n-Punch 1-2, Splay-n-Punch 1-2-3-4, Splay-n-Punch 1-2-3-4-5-6, etc. up to Splay-n-Punch 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, then start again. If you’re not dawdling you should be able to get at least 5 climbs done during every 3:00 round — that’s 25 Sprawls and 150 punches. For the 1:00 “rests” body-lock a heavy bag and squeeze it as hard as you can. Take as many 12-count breaks as you must in order keep from reaching for the bucket. I promise it’ll be over in 12 minutes.
Track. Go for a walk in your neighborhood and see if you can find the tracks of an animal. Tip: Look just after sunrise with the sun at an angle so that you can spot places where the morning dew has been lifted or disturbed. Follow them as far as you can. Sketch or photograph the tracks (and any droppings that may be associated with them) and see if you can identify them in a tracking book. You never know when you may need to hunt for your next meal.
Cram. 3 rounds of braced crams. Watch video below, then set timer for 3 x 3:00/1:00. Round one, use your naked forearm to brace against, and strike, the bag. Round two, use a short, blunt training weapon (a wooden knife, escrima stick, etc.). Round three, a longer blunt training weapon (a jo staff, shinai, cane, bokken, etc.).

Exam. Journaling "exercise." This month's internal focus is journaling, and the goal is to write in your journal every day this month. Get out your journal and complete 5 clean Push-ups for every day this month you've failed to make a journal entry. It's no good setting benchmarks, creating to-do items, planning, tracking progress, or any of that if you aren't self-evaluating. Try to make an entry every day, even if it's only one sentence. If you forget or get sidetracked, don't sweat it, just start again. Include your training activities -- if it ain't in the training journal it didn't happen!