Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ with Bryan Popejoy

Great striking isn't simply about knowing more techniques.

At the highest level, fighters need to recognise patterns, create reactions, defend intelligently and understand how one attack can lead naturally into the next.

In Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ, world-renowned Muay Thai coach and Boxing Works owner Bryan Popejoy breaks down the progressive Muay Thai striking drills and training methods he uses to develop more intelligent, adaptable and technically complete fighters.

This is the first volume in Bryan's three-part Warrior Collective instructional series and provides the foundation for understanding his approach to fighter development.

Across the volume, Bryan covers lead and rear kick systems, defensive drilling, parrying and countering, dynamic striking, kick exchanges, angles, feints, pad work and advanced fighter-development drills.

Rather than simply giving you combinations to memorise, Bryan explains how purposeful drilling can be used to develop the decision-making and reactions fighters need when those combinations inevitably meet resistance.

 

 

Develop Better Fighters with Muay Thai Striking Drills

Bryan Popejoy's approach to training is built around a simple principle: drills should develop skills that transfer into fighting.

That means developing offence alongside defence.

Learning how to attack while remaining positionally responsible.

Understanding the reaction an attack is likely to create.

And progressively giving fighters the tools to solve problems for themselves.

Throughout this instructional, Bryan demonstrates how carefully structured striking drills can develop timing, reactions, positioning, defensive awareness, creativity and fight IQ alongside the physical execution of punches and kicks.

For fighters, it provides a framework for making your striking more intelligent and difficult to predict.

For coaches, it provides a library of concepts and training methods that can be adapted directly into classes, pad sessions, partner drills and fighter-development programmes.

 

 

 

Learn from Bryan Popejoy

Bryan Popejoy is the owner and head instructor of Boxing Works in Los Angeles, California, and one of the most respected American Muay Thai coaches of his generation.

Bryan took over Boxing Works in 1997 and has subsequently spent decades developing fighters and helping establish the gym as one of the leading centres for Muay Thai and striking in the United States.

A successful competitor himself before moving completely into coaching, Bryan represented the United States internationally before retiring from active competition in 2001 to concentrate on developing fighters.

It is through his coaching, however, that Bryan has built his reputation internationally.

His students include two of the most successful American female strikers of the modern era, Janet Todd and Jackie Buntan, both of whom have represented Boxing Works at the highest levels of ONE Championship.

Despite rarely seeking the spotlight himself, Bryan's detailed, analytical and continually evolving approach to coaching has earned him considerable respect amongst fighters and coaches around the world.

His Warrior Collective instructionals provide a rare opportunity to study those methods in detail.

 

 

   

Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ

This first volume establishes many of the ideas that run throughout Bryan's wider coaching system.

Instead of treating offence, defence, movement and countering as completely separate skills, Bryan demonstrates how they can be developed together through intelligent drilling.

The result is an extensive collection of practical training frameworks covering everything from building complete kicking systems and defending responsibly to changing angles, manipulating reactions and creating counter-striking opportunities.

 

 

 

What You'll Learn

The Switch Left Kick System

Develop a complete framework around the switch left kick rather than treating it as an isolated technique.

Bryan demonstrates how to land the kick effectively, create opportunities for it and use the opponent's reactions to develop further combination attacks.

Building a Lead-Leg Toolkit

Turn your lead leg into a complete attacking weapon.

Learn how different lead-leg attacks can be connected into a structured training system, allowing fighters to vary targets, manipulate reactions and become increasingly difficult to read.

The Rear-Leg System

Balance your striking by developing the same depth and understanding with your rear-side attacks.

Bryan demonstrates drills and concepts designed to build effective rear-leg kicking while connecting those attacks naturally with the rest of your striking.

Defence into Offence

Good fighters don't simply practise attacking.

Bryan introduces a series of drills designed to ensure defensive skills receive the same repetition and attention as offensive techniques.

Learn how to defend while remaining in position to immediately respond.

Parrying to Counter

Develop different parrying systems against incoming punches and understand how each defensive reaction can create a different counter-striking opportunity.

Instead of simply stopping the attack, learn to use your opponent's offence against them.

Shielding, Blocking & Returning

Understand why remaining composed and positionally sound while defending can allow you to counter faster and with greater power.

Bryan demonstrates how effective covers and blocks can become the starting point for your own offence.

Developing Fight IQ

Predictable fighters are easier to solve.

Learn how Bryan develops fighters capable of changing rhythm, attack and intention rather than continually operating in the same patterns.

The objective is to make your striking increasingly difficult for an opponent to anticipate.

Advanced Striking Drills

Progress beyond basic combination training with drills designed to develop the timing, awareness and technical responsibility required for high-level striking.

Rather than simply increasing volume, Bryan demonstrates how complexity can be added without losing fundamental technique.

Kick Exchanges

Develop the ability to operate intelligently during kicking exchanges.

Learn when to trade, when to interrupt an opponent's attack and how to use defensive reactions to regain the initiative.

Working Angles

Learn how angle changes can be incorporated naturally into both attacking and defensive sequences.

Instead of repeatedly attacking along the same line, Bryan develops fighters capable of repositioning themselves while forcing their opponent to continually adjust.

Fighting Tricks & Feints

Learn how to influence an opponent before committing to your attack.

Bryan demonstrates how feints, positioning and deliberate actions can be used to draw predictable reactions and create openings for more effective strikes.

Fighter Pad Work

Bonus pad-work material demonstrates how Bryan develops kicking attacks and counters through structured pad training.

The emphasis remains consistent throughout: don't simply hit pads — use them to develop skills that transfer into fighting.

 

 

More Than a Collection of Striking Drills

The real value of this instructional isn't simply the number of techniques or drills included.

It's the thinking behind them.

Bryan uses drills to develop specific qualities within fighters.

Some develop reactions.

Some improve defensive responsibility.

Others teach fighters to recognise patterns, manipulate opponents, create angles or understand when to attack and counter.

Together, these ideas provide a framework for developing something much harder to teach than an individual technique:

Fight IQ.

 

 

Who Is This Instructional For?

Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ is ideal for intermediate and advanced:

Muay Thai fighters looking to develop more intelligent and adaptable striking.

Kickboxers and K-1 fighters wanting to improve combinations, kicking systems, defensive reactions and counter fighting.

MMA athletes looking for striking drills that develop decision-making rather than isolated technique.

Competitive fighters wanting to improve timing, positioning, reactions and tactical awareness.

And particularly coaches looking for structured drills and training concepts they can incorporate directly into their own fighter-development programmes.

Although the material is sophisticated, the drills can also be progressively adapted to suit developing athletes.

 

Volume 1 of the Bryan Popejoy Coaching Series

Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ is the foundation of Bryan Popejoy's three-part Warrior Collective instructional series.

Each volume explores a different part of the coaching methodology Bryan has developed through decades of working with fighters at Boxing Works.

Volume 1 – Elite Level Striking Drills: Raising Fight IQ

Build the foundation through intelligent striking drills, kicking systems, defensive responsibility, angles, feints, dynamic striking and fighter-development concepts.

Volume 2 – Muay Thai Fight IQ: The Counter Fighting System

Take those concepts further with Bryan's dedicated counter-fighting system.

Study footwork, stalking opponents, drawing attacks, controlling tempo, countering punches and kicks, positioning, stop counters and attacking from angles.

Volume 2 explores how intelligent fighters can deliberately create and exploit counter-striking opportunities rather than simply waiting for them to appear.

Volume 3 – Muay Thai Training: Building Elite Muay Khao Fighters

Move into Bryan's system for developing pressure-orientated Muay Khao fighters.

Explore athlete-led pad work, clinch dominance, hand fighting, knees, elbows, positional control, sweeps, reversals and the ability to control exchanges across different fighting ranges.

Together, the three volumes provide an extensive insight into how Bryan develops technically intelligent fighters rather than forcing every athlete into the same fighting style.

 

 

Learn the Boxing Works Approach to Fighter Development

There is a reason Bryan Popejoy has become one of Warrior Collective's most popular instructional coaches.

His teaching isn't built around flashy techniques or endless combinations.

It's about understanding why something works, what reaction it creates and what the fighter should be capable of doing next.

Whether you're looking to improve your own striking or develop more intelligent athletes as a coach, Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ provides the ideal starting point for studying Bryan's complete approach.

Develop the skills. Understand the reactions. Raise your fight IQ.

Then continue your development through Volumes 2 and 3 of the Bryan Popejoy Warrior Collective series.

 

Looking for Bryan Popejoy's Complete Coaching System?

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of this page to discover the Bryan Popejoy Complete Bundle.

You'll receive every Warrior Collective instructional in Bryan's acclaimed series while saving substantially compared to purchasing each volume individually.

From elite striking drills and Fight IQ development through to advanced counter fighting, pressure, clinch control and Muay Khao training, the Complete Bundle provides an in-depth insight into the coaching systems Bryan uses to develop world-class fighters at Boxing Works.

Ideal for fighters looking to become more intelligent and adaptable strikers, and coaches wanting proven training methods, drills and frameworks they can introduce directly into their own sessions.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are striking drills?

Striking drills are structured training exercises designed to develop specific skills such as timing, combinations, defence, countering, movement, reactions and positioning.

Rather than simply practising individual techniques, good striking drills give fighters repeated opportunities to recognise situations and make appropriate decisions.

Throughout Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ, Bryan Popejoy uses progressive drills to connect technique with tactical understanding, helping fighters develop skills that can transfer directly into sparring and competition.

What are the best Muay Thai striking drills?

The best Muay Thai striking drills depend on the skill you are trying to develop.

Useful drills can focus on kicking combinations, defensive reactions, parrying, blocking, countering, kick exchanges, changing angles, feints and controlling distance.

Bryan Popejoy's approach is to give each drill a specific fighter-development objective rather than simply repeating combinations for the sake of repetition.

As fighters progress, additional reactions and decisions can be introduced to make the drills increasingly representative of real fighting.

How do you improve fight IQ in Muay Thai?

Fight IQ is developed by learning to recognise patterns, understand reactions and make better decisions under pressure.

Technical knowledge is important, but fighters also need to understand when and why particular techniques should be used.

Bryan develops this through structured training drills that encourage fighters to recognise defensive reactions, change rhythm, create angles, manipulate opponents and connect offence with defence.

The objective is to develop fighters who can solve problems rather than simply reproduce techniques.

What does fight IQ mean in combat sports?

Fight IQ describes a fighter's ability to understand what is happening during an exchange and make intelligent tactical decisions accordingly.

A fighter with good fight IQ can recognise patterns, manage distance, anticipate reactions, adapt their strategy and understand when to attack, defend, counter or reposition.

It is relevant across Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA and becomes increasingly important as fighters reach higher levels of competition.

How can I make my striking less predictable?

One of the most effective ways to become less predictable is to avoid continually attacking with the same techniques, combinations, rhythms and entries.

Fighters can vary their timing, targets, angles and attacking patterns while using feints to create reactions before committing to an attack.

Bryan Popejoy places considerable emphasis on developing this type of dynamic striking throughout the instructional, teaching fighters to think beyond predetermined combinations and understand how their opponent is responding.

How do you train offence and defence together?

Offence and defence can be developed together through partner drills where attacking combinations are followed by defensive responsibilities.

Instead of completing a combination and immediately resetting, the fighter may have to block, parry, evade or counter their partner's response.

This creates a more realistic training environment and helps prevent the common habit of becoming defensively vulnerable immediately after attacking.

Bryan uses this principle extensively to develop fighters who remain technically responsible throughout an exchange.

Why are angles important in Muay Thai and Kickboxing?

Angles allow fighters to attack and defend without continually remaining directly in front of their opponent.

Changing position after an attack can create new striking opportunities while simultaneously making it more difficult for an opponent to respond effectively.

Bryan incorporates angle changes into his striking drills so that movement becomes a natural part of attacking and defending rather than something practised completely separately.

How do you use feints to improve your striking?

Feints are used to create reactions without fully committing to an attack.

A convincing feint may cause an opponent to block, parry, move, change their guard or prepare to counter. Once the fighter understands that reaction, it can be exploited with a different attack.

Bryan's approach encourages fighters to think about what their actions make an opponent do, helping develop more intelligent and less predictable striking.

Is this instructional suitable for Muay Thai coaches?

Yes. Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ is particularly valuable for coaches because the emphasis is on training methodology rather than simply demonstrating individual techniques.

Bryan explains drills and frameworks covering kicking systems, defensive development, parrying, countering, angles, feints, pad work and fight IQ that can be adapted for classes, small-group training and individual fighter development.

Coaches can also progressively modify the drills according to the experience and ability of their athletes.

Is this instructional only for Muay Thai fighters?

No. Although Bryan Popejoy is best known as an elite Muay Thai coach, many of the principles covered in this volume transfer directly into Kickboxing, K-1 and MMA striking.

Concepts including timing, defensive responsibility, angles, feints, kick exchanges, reactions and fight IQ are relevant across striking-based combat sports.

Fighters can adapt individual drills according to the rules and tactical demands of their own discipline.

Who is Bryan Popejoy?

Bryan Popejoy is the owner and head coach of Boxing Works in Los Angeles, California, and one of the most respected Muay Thai coaches in the United States.

He has spent decades developing fighters and is particularly well known for coaching elite athletes including Janet Todd and Jackie Buntan, who have competed successfully at the highest levels of ONE Championship.

Bryan is recognised for an intelligent and highly detailed approach to fighter development, placing particular emphasis on technical understanding, adaptability and fight IQ.

Is this suitable for beginners?

The concepts in Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ are primarily aimed at intermediate and advanced practitioners, fighters and coaches.

However, many of the individual drills can be simplified and introduced to less experienced students.

For coaches in particular, the value lies in understanding how Bryan structures and progressively develops drills so that additional layers can be introduced as an athlete's technical ability and tactical understanding improve.

Which Bryan Popejoy instructional should I start with?

If you're new to Bryan Popejoy's coaching methodology, Elite Level Striking Drills – Raising Fight IQ is the best place to start.

It establishes many of the principles that appear throughout the wider series, particularly Bryan's approach to purposeful drilling, defensive responsibility, reactions, positioning and fight IQ.

From there, fighters and coaches can progress into the specialised counter-fighting systems of Volume 2 and the Muay Khao fighter-development methodology of Volume 3.

   

Below is an extract from the volume.  This clip is from Video 9 - Bonus Content

 

      

 

Bryan Popejoy Series

Volume 1 - Elite Level Striking Drills - Raising Fight IQ

Volume 2 - Muay Thai Fight IQ - The Counter Fighting System

Volume 3 - Muay Thai Training - Building Muay Khao Fighters