This is how I run my classes, and I’m sure there are better ways.
I work skillsets on a monthly rotation. Every week, we focus on a certian discipline:
Week 1: San Shou
Week 2: Submission wrestling
Week 3: MMA
Week 4: Submission wrestling
I run 1.5 hours class, three days a week.
Every class starts with a 10-minute, instructor-led circuit warm up. I have three warm up routines that I use - two different routines for stand-up days and one routine for wrestling days. The routines use exercise specific to those skillsets, with regular exercises like squats and jumping jacks added in. For example, on wrestling days, I use bridges, sit-outs, sprawls, etc.. in the circuit. On stand up days, I use punching combos, knees, and leg kicking/blocking techniques in the circuit.
After the warm up, we partner up and do two 2-minute rounds of pummeling. One round is pummeling the body lock, the other is pummeling against the neck clinch.
This is a cooperative drill.
Then, we drill 3 or 4 techniques for 40 minutes, specific to the discipline we are working. If it’s stand up, I use one class that week purley for pad work, either with mitts or Muay Thai pads. If it’s wreslting, I use one class that week purely for takedowns or throws.
We ALWAYS DRILL in 2-minute rounds. Otherwise, people do it once or twice and then start joking around.
So, if it’s a San Shou week, the schedule might look like this
–Day 1: Drill shielding against straight punch, cross, and hook.
–Day 2: Entering the clinch off a straight punch, off a cross, or off a hook
–Day 3: Pad work - combos using straight punch, cross, and hook
If it’s a wrestling week, the schedule might look like this:
–Day 1: Single Leg and Double Leg takedowns
–Day 2: Attacks from the mount
–Day 3–Escaping the mount
If it’s an MMA week, the schedule might look like this:
–Day 1: Striking from the guard and the mount, holding positon
–Day 2: Defending strikes from the guard and mount w/ escapes
–Day 3: Pad work: Jab + right kick low, Jab +Cross + Left Kick low, Jab + right kick body, Jab +Cross + Left Kick body, Jab + right kick head, Jab +Cross + Left Kick head
The last 30 minutes of class we go live. Everyone rotates in for at least two 2-minute rounds (San Shou and MMA) or multiple 5-minute rounds (Wrestling). We get more rounds in on wrestling days because I can run 4 two-man groups on my mat at once, where as on striking days really only two guys can go at once.
On wreslting days, we sometimes start the round already in a situation: mount, side control, back control, or guard. So one guy has to at least attempt an escape we worked in class before he can do anything else; and if you have someone that’s not so good at getting a dominant position, he at least gets some experience trying to hold one.
I spend the last 10 minutes doing a Tabata conditioning circuit, usually involving Kettlebells, Throwing bags, and Heavy bag work.