sports • football • combat training

KAMASE - Skill Enhancement Training for Football
Pittsburgh Fight Club has developed the ultimate program specifically geared for the skill enhancement of “OFFENSIVE & DEFENSIVE LINEMEN.” Direct relational training for the job they must do and the battle they must win! Concentration on the specialized training for linemen is an often-neglected area. The linemen are usually sent to a distant corner of the field while specific training emphasis is placed on the star players like the Quarterback or Running backs. Linemen are left to figure out their required skills through trial and error. The battle for control of the trenches is complex. It relies on learned conditioned response skills, and is very similar to a brutal fistfight. Through the use of martial arts systems such as; Thai Boxing, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Western Boxing, Judo, Kali, etc. this chaotic battle can be trained for, brought under control, fought and won!
A winning program relies on its foundation, and the increased individual skill of each player is that foundation. When the players are taught a proper progression the conditioned response skills of each player will increase. Together their combined skills contribute integruly to the overall performance of a winning team. This is where the martial arts come into play. They can improve the reflexes, sensitivity, and balance, of each player. Not just any kind of martial arts however but, a practical martial arts system that can form the necessary skills and good habits that linemen need. A specialized type of martial arts training that focuses on football’s sports specific related skills.
Attribute Training Footwork:    Footwork is the foundation of all positional movement. Good foot speed and directional understanding help; increase agility, maintain balance, improve angle of engagement and help gauge range. Body Mechanics:    Biomechanical understanding can improve an athlete’s: overall coordination, increases leverage understanding, maximize kinetic energy exchange and utilize the proper transference of weight. Punching: (primarily for offense)    Proper punching technique is important for striking with power. Punching, in combination with the 2 previous skill areas, can be brought to a sweet science with the development of independent hand use as well as striking with both hands simultaneously.
Trapping: (primarily for defense)    Trapping is the magic bullet for the use of hand immobilization and control of the opponent. Regardless of size or strength, trapping utilizes hand sensitivity to dissolve, redirect, pin, bounce back an opponent’s attacks, or break down his defenses. Physical Conditioning & Flexibility:    Flexibility and conditioning are often overlooked aspects of skill related fitness. The martial arts pay special attention to these areas. The use of plyometric martial arts exercises and a synergistic flexibility program can reduce; injury, improve fluidity, increase range of motion and remove the chemical toxins the body produces during physical exertion for faster recovery. Creative Visualization:    Visualization techniques have been proven to improve an athlete’s perception of the goal he must accomplish. Seeing the technique in the minds-eye can bring a stronger connection to individual and team performance.
Program overview Phase 1     Starts with basic stances and footwork for both Offensive and Defensive players. This introduction is the foundation of stability, movement and neutral readiness positioning. All other training initiates from here!
Stance – In the first section the stability of the square stance will be examined and the bent knee staggered stance will be introduced. Proper stance is the structural integrity of each player. A proper stationary base must be established in order to progress to a movement phase. Learning to identify proper stance change and being able to adapt to any variation will make players more versatile. Footwork - This part of the program moves to the next step of practicing moving stances, otherwise known as footwork. Footwork is mobility without losing balance. Footwork allows the player to make adjustments in his positioning to varying situations. This section introduces a checkerboard grid in which players utilize open-close stepping, drop stepping, and swing pivoting for the offense. We will also cover angular advantages through the use of the Escala grid to set up defensive maneuvers. Phase 2    Concentrates on hand-eye coordination and body mechanics. Offense - blocking and punching form and mechanics are worked into a fluid sequential progression of motion. Punching is shown singularly and in combination. Double push punching is concentrated on first to improve the mechanical involvement of the entire body. Later independent punching is introduced with jab, cross, hook and the uppercut. This is to break the balance and rhythm of the opponents and keep them from getting a good grip. These new tools are then put into motion with footwork. The player is now ready to function fluidly during live drills. Defense – trapping form and mechanics are covered through the use of familiar techniques such as the: swim, rip, spin, cut and jerk. Then development of sensitivity training is introduced through the use of modified pressure-understanding drills. These are the initial disengagement techniques such as the: lift, snap down, split, slap and gunting. This gives the muscles a chance to establish their own memories and connects them to the brain to make snap decisions with respect to what feels right. Body-feel speed is increased in this way through the efficient use of pressure control. Phase 3    Comprised of blended pad work for Phases 1 and 2 Offensive - Shield hitting, focus mitt training and use of the coach’s body protector improve the coordination of the hands while punching the pads. Tactile sensitivity aspects are added to the pad drills to improve reaction time and consistency during actual play. Balance sensitivity training drills are then added to the mix to improve overall stability during reaction training. The players can then punch with a real idea of effective hitting! Defensive – training is centered around angular advantages to trapping. Initial engagement progresses with an intuitive feel, once the energy choice is understood it is put under guided control. Feinting and faking are used as timing breaks and worked-in to give the energy a more substantial credence. The common trapping maneuvers such as the: swim, rip, cut, jerk and spin are employed as well as other specialized moves. These new tools are then blended into the footwork of the Escala grid and improve the chances of successful pass rushing.