Another strong England Squad session took place today at the USKA Fight Factory today as preparations continue for the ICO World Championships in France this October.
With over 50 participants from clubs across the country in attendance, the atmosphere was excellent and the standard of work throughout the session was very high.
The 2 hour session was instructed by England Head Coach Neil Kelly and focused on creating pressure, composure and technical sharpness under fatigue.
We opened the session with a panic padwork warm up designed to create nervous energy and put fighters under pressure from the very start. The emphasis was on staying calm in the eye of the storm, making good decisions and maintaining technique even when the pace and intensity increased.
From there, the squad moved onto basic chopping combinations and, more importantly, how and when to apply them effectively in sparring situations.
Technical sparring drills followed, giving fighters the opportunity to put the techniques into practice, work on timing, distance and ringcraft, and make the right decisions under controlled pressure.
The session was then finished off in tough fashion with a gruelling strength and conditioning circuit to test everyone physically and mentally after an already demanding afternoon of training.
With the ICO World Championships in France edging closer, the hard work continues and every session becomes more important.
The foundations are being built now for what we hope will be another successful campaign for Team England.
The next squad training will be held at the USKA Fight Factory on Saturday 11th April for anyone still interested in trying out for the team.
Watch some footage of the Squad Training Session here
