“Think about every principle you know, and apply it to the technique you are practising”
- Master Karl Bergman at the Adults’ Session
Would you love to learn power, strength and resilience, combined with mental agility, and centuries of combat technique? Adults’ Wai Muay Kali can teach you.
For male and female students, this Kombat Principle class is for ages 14 and up – and welcomes graduates of the Juniors class, as well as complete beginners. Whatever your fitness, age or experience level, you’ll be welcome: commitment and determination are the only things you need to bring.
Here’s what happens at a typical session.
Warm up – shadowboxing and circuits
The students get started with some shadowboxing. Master Karl throws in things to think about during the session to come – “Remember extension, even distribution of weight, keeping your guard up, using your ‘monkey tail’, your footwork, never stand with your feet too wide apart.”
Then it’s time to start sweating.
There are 30 second intervals of squats, running on the spot, lunges, mountain climbers, and planks to complete – twice at each station. This is followed by some intense floorwork, designed to stretch out the muscles; improve flexibility; energise the nervous system; promote consistently excellent posture; and build core and leg muscle strength.
Technique tuition: Roundhouse and Push Kick Drills
In pairs, students practise landing kicks on the inside and outside leg. Master Karl goes around the group and drills with each person one to one, giving them feedback on their performance, and demonstrating textbook technique – always helping everyone to achieve what he’s just shown them.
Whenever he explains a technique, Master Karl also explains the effect on the body, and how the attack debilitates your opponent. “We’re taking the body apart, based on how it was put together.”
Time to “Inject the Pain”
Combinations of punches and kicks are brought together using protective gloves and pads, with limited force to begin with, and then kicking it up a gear to more energetic, high octane drilling, when the technique is combined with power to get as close as possible to an authentic combat situation.
Technique Tuition: Elbow drills
“Throw an elbow, you’ll get 20 back.” This is what Master Karl tells the Juniors class – and here’s why. There are times that you can throw a punch or a kick, and it doesn’t connect, or they’ve surprised you with an elbow out of nowhere. Suddenly your opponent has the upper hand: and one of the quickest and most effective ways to get out of this is to throw a sequence of elbow moves. This is what the Adults class will be practising today.
There are dozens of different ways to attack with the elbows, and once you know them all, they can be sequenced, so that the key ingredients – fluidity and continuity of movement – can be added. That’s what makes them so effective. Master Karl is teaching the first sequence of 13 moves this evening.
It’s not so that the students will be able to throw 13 elbows in succession; but learning the sequence means that you have a pattern of moves at the ready, to call on if you suddenly find yourself in trouble.
“Find your energy, and harness it – load your weapon, and fire it”
Next it’s intervals of sequenced jab and cross punches, elbows, roundhouse and inside leg kicks, using protective pads and gloves again for full power. Master Karl teaches that aiming the kick to land on the nerve on the outer thigh is incredibly effective in making the upper body crumple, and giving you the upper hand against your weakened opponent.
And that is all packed in to 1.5 hours of training.
Whatever your ability level, if you want to learn, sweat and apply yourself, you’ll be very welcome at Kombat Principle. Come along and try a session on a Monday evening, 6:30 – 8pm, at Wolverton Working Men’s Club. £7.50, pay as you train.
Testimonials
“I go to Kombat Principle classes because there can be a lot of trouble at my school, and I feel more secure knowing that I’ve got the knowledge and ability to defend myself if I need to. It helps so much with my confidence, too.”
- Adults and Women’s Class Student, age 14
“My children attend the Juniors class, and coming to this class means I can train with them at home – as well as being amazing for fitness. I wish I’d started doing it years ago.”
- Barry – every member of the family attends a Kombat Principle class
“I started at Kombat Principle because I used to work as a doorman, and I wanted to be able to defend myself in violent situations. The confidence and technique I’ve learned are so valuable.”
- Andy, who now represents Kombat Principle in competitions