Coaches Need Coaching, Too

I firmly believe that the best teachers never stop learning. For me that means traveling off island to seek out training. I need to refresh and improve my skills, and see other coaches in action. Especially more experienced ones. That's why I attend the Hard Ready event at Fit to Fight every year. I'll give a brief summary of Hard Ready 8, held in October 2023. I'll also be posting details on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. For this year's event participants were split into two groups. My group started Friday, 10/6 at Fit To Fight (FTF) Gastonia, and Saturday was a relatively easier day physically. This meant we were somewhat rested coming into the final day. The smaller groups meant we could cover more details, which was especially helpful on the shooting range.

Day 1 - 10/6/23 at FTF Gastonia. This was the only day where coaches named their own course. For the other days I created my own titles for the sessions.

Session 1 : Range of Glory with Amber Staklinski

This 2 hour session focused on controlling the range, and using striking to create grappling opportunities.

Session 2: I don't Need a Name with Ryan Hoover

Ryan's 2 hour session was a smooth continuation of Ambers, with a greater focus on clinch work.

Session 3: Sparring Skills

Ryan continued teaching for this 2 hour session. It started with a series of great drills that I'll be bringing back to class (no spoilers here, you'll just have to wait and see them in person). We finished with roughly 30 minutes of light sparring. This was an awesome opportunity to work with a wide variety of partners who had different body types, experience levels, and tendencies. This was probably my favorite session of the day. I really liked how Ryan highlighted that everyone should be able to work with anyone else in the room. This is especially true for partners of very different experience levels. More experienced practicioners should have more control, and be able to adjust as needed. Fit to Fight affiliated training centers are not fight gyms. They're open to anyone. Ryan emphasized that there needs to be a welcoming environment, and everyone needs to feel safe working with anyone else.

Day 2 - 10/7 at Private Firing Range

Range Day was my favorite part of Hard Ready 8. I knew this is the area where I have the most work to do. Chris Magno spent about 6 hours sharing his knowledge and expertise. I was among the least experienced shooters in my group. No one was ever talked down to or made to feel like they were holding back the class. Chris did a great job of finding that sweet spot where everyone was engaged, and no one was left out. This is a difficult skill for any sort of teacher, and it was great to see it in action. Chris finished the session by asking each participant what was 1 new thing they learned that they'll take forward. Every single person gained at least 1 thing, from the least experienced to the most experienced.

Day 3 - 10/8 at FTF Gastonia

Session 1: Using Strikes to Improve Ground Position with Eli Knight

Eli made sure to emphasize that if we're tangled up with another person and strikes are involved, it's not actually about never getting hit. It's about not getting hit hard. While Eli didn't cover anything completely new to me, he provided some great details.

Session 2: Kickboxing with Mark Corman

This session focused on two parts: controlling the pace with strikes, and striking into takedown entries. This was a great way to build on Eli's content. Mark really emphasized the need for continuous pressure. He explained the concept of OODA: Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act. We want to constantly create the need for our opponent to adjust to what we're doing, rather than worrying about what they do.

Session 3: Controlling on the Ground with Anthony Quartapella

Anthony focused on maximum control on the ground, which helps ensure safety. This was a great way to top off the weekend, especially since many of us were tired and sore at this point. He provided some great details on ways to solidify control positions, and some bonus pointers on how to escape some particularly difficult positions.

This was my 3rd Hard Ready. Every event has been hugely enjoyable, and informative in its own way. As soon as I finished my first Hard Ready I knew I would make every effort to attend each following year. So far I haven't missed one, and I hope to keep this streak going as long as I can.