Sparring Notes
Awareness . State of Mind . Styles . Training notes . VideoI have been working with my students to improve their sparring skills this month, it’s a great hot weather activity! Sparring can be a tough skill to perfect since everyone wants to jump in the ring and mix things up. Sparring is a very dynamic activity but it can be broken down to individual skills which can be perfected. A short list of these skills include: technique, stamina, focus, and self-awareness. As with any skill technique is paramount to success. Put on some boxing gloves and get in the ring doesn’t make you a boxer, the same is true for Martial Arts sparring. To often I’ve witnessed students at competitions degrade their technique to wildly slapping and kicking.
Sparring matches are won by staying in control. Control comes from confidence and technique. Confidence is something people have to find within themselves. Technique is somethings an instructor can help you perfect. I won’t delve into technique specifics as they vary from style to style, but form is critical to minimizing your vulnerabilities and maximizing your opportunities. Stamina comes with the practice and perfection of your form and technique. As we get older we need to add additional cardio-conditioning! ๐ With good technique and strong stamina you are well equip to win most matches simply by outlasting your opponent.
Focus is perhaps the more difficult thing to learn, as focus is probably the wrong word to use, since you need a lack of focus when sparring. Say what?!? If we focus on our opponent we forget about our surroundings, this may be OK in a sparring ring, but in a real fight that can be fatal. More importantly though focusing on your opponent can lead to signaling your movements. When I spar I typically spar primarily with my peripheral vision, this allows me to “focus” on movements as they occur not a specific movement. Let me give an example: if someone fakes a move with their left, then follows through with the real attack with their right… If I am focused on the person, then my focus will shift to the left fake, when the right comes in, I will have to realize it, shift my focus and then react. If I am focused on the situation, using my peripheral vision then I can more rapidly react to movements in my “sphere” of focus. Basically it reduces the thought process drag that comes from thinking to much. Relax your mind and your awareness becomes more basic, instinctual and reactionary. Hopefully that makes sense, I’ll be happy to clarify any of that.
Self-awareness is probably the most ignored part of sparring, though it is the direct result of good technique training and peripheral or sphere focus. When we spar it is important to be self-aware of your vulnerabilities. It is the only way you can truly improve your art. When you begin sparring your instructor will tell you what you are doing wrong. You should take this instruction as an opportunity to train yourself to find these corrections before you are told of them. The next step of course is correcting the problem, not always that easy. For example, two of my students where sparring and one would lean her head froward after a particular move. Her opponent realized this and he exploited it, with a downward strike to the head. A very bad way to get hit, a fight-ender. After the first hit, I pulled her aside and told her what she was doing. When she did it again I saw her realize it after it was to late. The third time her realization came a little sooner but still to late. Frustration was her enemy on the last point. She has the first part of self-awareness down and is now struggling with correcting the problem. It is a process, no different then learning your first martial arts technique.
I am including these videos for two reasons, first they are awesome! Secondly, they each demonstrate important aspects of sparring. See if you can figure out the importance of each video and post your conclusions in the comments section… Enjoy and pay attention!
Looking forward to the discussion…
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My thoughts on sparring are that you have to stay loose and you canโt tense up. If you do tense up, you might end up hurting yourself. If you tense up your blows will most likely be slower and less effective. You will be less agile and less ready to move and react to someone elseโs punches. In order to not tense up, you need to relax and be able to move. If you donโt tense up and you just relax, youโll have a better chance of winning the sparring match.
My thoughts on sparring are that you have to stay loose and you canโt tense up. If you do tense up, you might end up hurting yourself. If you tense up your blows will most likely be slower and less effective. You will be less agile and less ready to move and react to someone elseโs punches. In order to not tense up, you need to relax and be able to move. If you donโt tense up and you just relax, youโll have a better chance of winning the sparring match.
Wow, love those videos. It is amazing how easy they make sparring look. There are a lot of things in these videos that you didn’t mention. What I think is the most important is relaxing and having fun. Jackie Chan really does a great job here in psyching out is opponent even after being on the ropes. His smile is unnerving even given is kind/goofy face! It seems that his reactions become faster too once he relaxes and begins smiling. Not an easy thing to remember when you are in a fight especially if you are loosing!! I’ll try to stay relaxed and keep smiling the next time I am in a sparring match.
Wow, love those videos. It is amazing how easy they make sparring look. There are a lot of things in these videos that you didn’t mention. What I think is the most important is relaxing and having fun. Jackie Chan really does a great job here in psyching out is opponent even after being on the ropes. His smile is unnerving even given is kind/goofy face! It seems that his reactions become faster too once he relaxes and begins smiling. Not an easy thing to remember when you are in a fight especially if you are loosing!! I’ll try to stay relaxed and keep smiling the next time I am in a sparring match.
I have to say that what I learned the most in my very limited sparring experience is that sparring is as much mental is it is physical. It can be a very intimidating experience to say the least. You have to keep a positive attitude; because becoming discouraged/frustrated is a very easy mindset to enter into and stay there.
I have to say that what I learned the most in my very limited sparring experience is that sparring is as much mental is it is physical. It can be a very intimidating experience to say the least. You have to keep a positive attitude; because becoming discouraged/frustrated is a very easy mindset to enter into and stay there.
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A couple of my friends have been recommending your posts of late, but I never bothered to look at first. Now that I’ve actually Having now read your stuff I have gotta say that it is very, very good and I really hope this continues as long as you are well enough to write. Sometimes, it helps me get through hard times since I use sites I’m interested in to lift my mood. Your site helps me to do just that. I am very appreciative of that, for sure. Just a quick question, how long have you been writing for? I’m only wondering because I am really considering starting this myself. Naturally, if you don’t want to reply, I totally understand, and I wish you the best of luck with your blog nonetheless. This place is great!