Kumite Cop Out

[Guest]

My school does no kihon kumite. We only freespar. Our school usually owns every kumite division we compete in at tournaments. Many times the adults will fight in the next higher division if they can just to get some decent competition.

 

There is the possibility that this speaks less of our kumite skills, and more of the lack of skilled competitors at tournaments ...

 

Although we don't do kihon kumite, we do control our bouts when we spar somebody who doesn't have enough experience to really spar. Normally the beginning students will spar the more advanced students and we will spar "down to their level." We'll present a challenge for them, but not so challenging so that they cannot win if they tried.

[mikS]

Fellow Karateka,

 

I have been training for six months now, and I thought I was progressing well. I really feel confidant doing kata and Basic moves, but I have massive problems when it comes to sparring.

 

When I spar with the more experienced students who are my size I seem to flinch a lot and continually move backwards away from my opponent. I just cannot commit to holding my ground and taking whatever comes my way if I cannot block it. As our sparring is only light contact and we wear protective headgear you would think this would not be a problem.

 

I have spoken to my Sensai about this and he believes that it I will become more confident with exposure to Kumite over time. This is really getting me down and I do not know if I am confident to progress any further up the ranks until I overcome this problem/fear.

 

Can anyone who has been in this situation give me some tips on how to rise above this problem?

 

First off, your sensei is right, with more experience, instead of moving as they come in at you, you'll hit them instead.

 

Try a lead leg front kick, it's brutal (knocked a kid down with it today). Just be determined not to move back. If anything move forward.

[mikS]

If you are "Free" sparring at six months, this is wrong. You have not matured to a technique level at this point to comfortably free-spar. A good instructor will know this and not expect it at this stage.

 

However, if you are doing Kihon Kumite, that's another story. You need to concentrate on technique in this case. A good instructor will segments of Kihon Kumite and work on it repetitively until it becomes a natural action. When you learn enough Kihon Kumite where it all is primarily a natural reaction, THEN you have matured enough to start free-sparring.

 

If your instructor does not agree with this training concept, then you are going to get hurt before you can learn and build confidence for sparring...

 

- Killer Miller -

 

Believe it or not, the single most valuable tool in training any martial art is actually TRYING THEM OUT on a resisting opponent. i.e. sparring. If a student HADN'T free sparred within six months, I would personally recommend that they leave the school...

[mikS]

You're 7th Kyu in under 6 months??? That seems really fast! I started beginning of December, so therefore I've been doing it for 5 months and I am only 10th Kyu.

 

Weird.

 

hehe, i just got my 2nd kyu yesterday. Tomorrow will mark 2 years since I entered the dojo (training 6 days a week, 3 hours a day mind you). Today at a tournament in auburn (washington), I decimated the adult advanced heavyweight sparring division. I'm 17 and was the youngest one in the division by about 6 years.

 

Is my achievement of brownbelt in 2 years unusual? I'm just asking because i'm no really sure. BTW the above is to tell you about me, not to brag!

[aefibird]

Congratulations on getting promoted to 2nd kyu!

 

If you train regularly (as you do) then it will usually take less time to get to brown and black belt, as you're practicing tecniques more and you don't tend to have to go back over old ground as often as someone who only trains once or twice a week.

 

Yesterday, my instructor was saying after class that, really, he ought to charge more to those who train less often as he has to spend proportionally more time on those people, because he has to remind them of what they've forgotten since last week, whereas someone who trains 4 or 5 or more times a week generally remembers what was said to them last session. He's not going to charge more to people who train less often, but I can see his point - he's wasting time telling people things that he told them last week, whereas if they'd trained more they'd probably have remembered them.

 

As I train every session I asked my instructor that would his new plan mean that he would be paying me to train?? Strangely, he was quiet about that!

[trekmann]

I would love to train four times a week at the dojo. But my school only runs two classes a week. Offcourse having to work 11 hour shifts does not make it easy also.

[Jiyn]

I believe what you sensei says,that you will come more and more adapt to it over time.

[Red Triangle student]

I think that you need to chill out more, you need to think about what is going on here, you are sparring with your friends, they arent going to hurt you. You need to chill and enjoy it. Think what it must feel like for them to have you coming at them like a wild animal. have you tried that yet?