Sylvie's Technique Vlog #38 - Head Diving, Small Changes In Balance (21 min) (Patreon)

Voicing my Library session with Kaisuwit Nor Pattaya (Kru Pern) really was an Eureka! experience for me. He was telling me something I've been aware of previously, but knowing and KNOWING are different things, and in the moment I was voicing the session I came to really know what he was talking about. Since then, I've really been focusing on correcting my weight being slightly too far forward with my head past my feet, rather than over my hips and legs. This is one of those corrections that seems so tiny - and is so tiny - but changes practically everything; that is to say, I didn't know how many of my chronic flaws were attached to this matter of being slightly off balance all the time.

Balance is a huge deal in any martial art and any sport; anything physical. In Muay Thai, balance is a key to scoring, so I know it's important but because I wasn't necessarily falling over, I wasn't aware that I was off balance at a lot of these moments. But in becoming aware of it, simply knowing it, I can feel how constant it is. To explain how all encompassing balance is, I used this example while talking to Kevin: when you're under stress, you reach for what's closest to you because anything slightly out of reach feels just way too far away. If you're balanced, all your weapons are within reach. When you're off balance, even a little, it feels like some weapons are out of reach and instead of reaching for them, you'll just go with what's closest. That's why sometimes all you can do is punch, even though you want to be kicking. All you can do is grab, even though you want to be controlling space. I laughed while telling Kevin this example, "that's why in slasher movies they're always running up the stairs instead of going out the front door: the stairs are right there and the door feels too far away." Correcting this head position, really by tucking my chin better and leading with my chest, I change my whole alignment and balance, making far more of the weapons I want to be grabbing, more accessible.

Sessions I talk about in this session which you can do a deeper study on:

#120 Kaisuwit "Kru Pern" - Muay Maat Centrifugal Power (104 mins) watch it here

#111 The Karuhat Rosetta Stone 7 - The Secrets of the Matador (83 min) watch it here

#64 Chatchai Sasakul 2 - Elements of Boxing (72 min) watch it here

All my Technique Vlogs for Patrons

Check out my other Patron-only technique vlogs:

#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