Sylvie's Technique Vlog #42 - Centering Your Opponent (13 min) (Patreon)

It's been a while since I did a Technique vlog my my patrons, but someone requested I bring them back, so here is the first one (I've made it public for everyone). I started doing short Every Second Counts videos instead, I'll link those at bottom.

Kevin and I drove up into Ubon, a very long trip from where we live in Pattaya, to film with a number of Legends. We ended up filming with Nungubon and Lamnamoon on consecutive days, which allowed me to perceive strong connections between what each fighter was teaching me, despite them being very different styles. I refer to it as "convergent evolution" in this vlog, meaning two different ways of achieving the same goal. But in both cases, the aim is to keep the opponent at the center of your "site picture" and target for weapons. Takrowlek does this with leg kicks and punches; Lamnamoon does it with footwork as he "derns"; and Nungubon does it with footwork around the outside of the opponent, like a cattle dog herding a cow.

There are countless examples of this same kind of connection throughout the MTL, and how each fighter keeps their opponent centered might become my new fascination. Thinking about how Chamuakpet fires everything straight up the center, while Panomtuanlek lassos and attacks from a kind of "circle out" angle (and yet always at the center) is incredible to watch and think about. Dieselnoi corrals his opponents into the ropes like a spider getting a fly into the web, whereas Karuhat uses fakes and weapons to freeze his opponent. But always, all of these things to keep someone centered in the target. (check out those sessions in the Library).

All my Technique Vlogs for Patrons

Check out all my other Patron-only technique vlogs:

#41 - Designated Tension In Clinch & Other Techniques (14 min)

#40 - Whole System Learning (22 min) 

#39 Committing to Throwing 3s in Sparring (22 min)

#38 Head Diving, Small Changes In Balance (21 min)

#37 Training Around Injury (15 min)

#36 Improving Your Footwork Using a Footwork Grid (17 Min)

#35 Pressure Fighting Working on Getting In / Staying In (28 min)

#34 Experiments In Sparring pt. 2 (1 hr)

#33 The Importance of Head Alignment (13 min)

#32 How to Train Clinch in Shadowboxing

#31 Things to Try In Sparring (38 min)

#30 Training Stiff Arms and Shoves (15 min)

#29 Training The Lead Side Only (16 min)

#28 Training Through Fatigue and the Feet (15 min)

#27 Why You Should Slow Down on the Pads (17 min)

#26 Barefist Training vs Training with Bag Gloves (18 min)

#25 The Non-Switch Lead Kick (9 min)

#24 Getting on Your Toes (13 min)

#23 How to Use Bagwork in Thailand (17 min)

#22 Guard: Palms Facing Outward (17 min)

#21 Your Ambient Footwork (15 min)

#20 Jang-wa, Rhythm and Timing (15 min)

#19  Training Ruup & Composure  (13 min)

#18   Closing the Door in Long Guar (11 min) 

#17  Static Block for Balance (9 min)

#16 The Diamond Guard (20 min)

#15 Mental Gym, Beginning to Advanced Visualization (19 min)

#14 Getting the Right Hand In (13 min)

#13 Rising on Techniques (6 min)

#12 Control of the Kick (6 min)

#11 Body Position First (11 min)

#10 All About How I Recover (12 min)

#9 Creating Power and Distance At Close Range (9 min)

#8 Where Are Your Feet? Foot Position (9 min)

#7 Evolving in the Long Guard (10 min)  

#6 The Power of Eye Contact (10 min) 

#5 Dieselnoi's Lowkick in the Clinch (12 min) 

#4 Air Knees in the Corner (8 min) 

#3 Acceleration at the End of Strikes (10 min)

#2 The Kem Pivot (12 min) 

#1 Dealing With Fear, How to Cut it Out (13 min)

Remember you can browse the entire Muay Thai Library here

These are my Every Second Count videos, very short, small things that can really change your Muay Thai. Watch the whole playlist on YouTube.