How To Incorporate Trigger Drills In Our Training With Brandon Gibson
Drilling is one of the most popular ways to train in the martial arts world, and it is widely seen worldwide in different gyms. But drilling is a vast subject, and we can drill in many different ways to develop different types of aspects a fighter needs to use in a fight.
The main reason drills are utilized in martial arts is to develop complex motor programs that will, later on, become an automatic reaction for the right situation. Efficient motor programs are the main difference between elite athletes and regular practitioners; they can use their knowledge immediately in a complex situation.
As we hear the old saying “Practice Makes Perfect,” we understand that to cross that bridge between knowledge to skill, a practitioner must repeat the movement repeatedly in a type of drill that focuses on repetitions instead of reactions.
Let’s go over the different types of drills we can incorporate in our training:
- Repetition drills
- Hearing reaction drills (reacting to a command)
- Vision reaction drills (reacting to what we see)
- Contact reaction drills (reacting when we feel something touched us)
- Hand and eye coordination drills
- Power drills
- Flow/technical drills
- Speed drills
As we can see, drills can be used to develop almost everything specifically to the sport we are practicing. Because of this, we can’t give up on drills as a part of our professional training, but is it good to only use drills as a way of training?
The answer is - Absolutely no. many fighters can look very good when they are drilling but then look like novices in a fight. To become a good fighter a fighter must fight.
There is no other way around it, we might be able to develop skills when we drill, but we won’t be able to use them in a fight if they are not practiced in a live situation, so always keep that in mind - drilling is only a tool we can use to become better.
In the following video, Brandon Gibson will show us a defensive trigger drill to develop combinations off the parry.
Who Is Brandon Gibson?
Brandon Gibson is one of the youngest coaches we see today, working at the highest levels with many world champions. Because Brandon started his coaching career at Jackson Wink MMA, he had the privilege to work with the best fighters on the planet and gain his experience. Fighting is what Brandon dedicates his life to, how and he tries to pass the knowledge as on the best that he can.
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Defensive Trigger Drills Off The Parry
In the following video, Brandon Gibson will show us a defensive trigger drill against linear strikes. So we will throw a Jab at our partner, and he will parry with his right hand and follow with a combination - Cross - Hook - Cross.
The good thing about this drill is that it allows the fighter to use a controlled parry and deny him from reaching his hand too far in a way that dangers him. If the fighter is reaching too hard, he will be open to fakes where I can draw his reaction and then catch him with a counter.
Another reason this drill is good for us is that we are never out of position; as we parry the Jab, we continue the movement and rotate our shoulders into a cross with the same hand.
We can also trigger a combination at the close range where I hit him in the body; he blocks with the elbow and comes up with the same side uppercut and two punches to follow. The same thing about the hook, I block it to counter with the same side hook and two punches to follow the same thing about the hook.
After getting better at those drills, we can mix them up in the same drill; this will train our partner’s eye to see what’s coming and react accordingly. Remember, because we are mixing between ranges too, we need to keep everything tight as some shots like the Jab need fast reaction time.
When we get better, we can also add rolls under the hook; this way, we can raise the speed, and this will look like the drills many pro boxers do, and it’s good because it trains the eyes and the body to feel and react quickly.
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