Kumite Cop Out

[aes]

I started Kumite about a year ago. Simular to you only 6 months of Karate training under my belt (pun intended). I also became to defensive when attacked.

 

Now I am doing much better. I think this is from the extra Karate training and just plain experience in Kumite.

 

You will get it, just give it time.

[trekmann]

Thankyou all for your advice. Karatekid1975 that was a fantastic article that gave me a lot to think about. I still have a strong desire to practice Karate so I am definitely going to keep at it.

[Killer Miller]

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 -

[Dijita]

KillerMiller,

 

What if the said student is competing in tournements? Shouldn't the student then be alloted time to practice free sparring under the guidance of the instructer?

 

I have been practicing Kyokushin for less than 6 months now and have done 2 tournements so far (smaller local ones). I have decided that I want to fight at the Canadians in May. Therefore the bunch of us in the class that are going to Canadians have been doing a lot of fight training, which involves a lot of different types of drills, and yes free sparring. I do not fault my sempai, he is very careful and good about keeping a close eye to make sure that we are well taken care of. I really like the free sparring because it lets me practice my combos in a more realistic situation rather than strictly doing bag work.

 

I do not believe there should be a set time frame as to when a person should be allowed to free spar. I think it is up to the indivdual. If the person is under good supervision and has the confidence then I think it is ok. I agree though, throwing someone into a situation where they have to free spar and they do not even have the confidence to do so, is a big mistake.

[Karateka]

Another way to help you train in Kumite and learning to fight effectively is doing Randori. You and your partner face off, your opponent does one technique which you must block and then you do a technique which they must block. Attack, block, attack, block. As you start to get used to it, you start going faster and build a rhythm. It builds up your ability to block a technique as you see it. It helped me a lot in my tournament and dojo kumite training. Try it out.

[Killer Miller]

What you refer to here is what I'm referring to as "Kihon Kumite." Same thing. This can be one step (or technique), two step, three step, etc., in a controlled environment...

 

- Killer Miller -

Another way to help you train in Kumite and learning to fight effectively is doing Randori. You and your partner face off, your opponent does one technique which you must block and then you do a technique which they must block. Attack, block, attack, block. As you start to get used to it, you start going faster and build a rhythm. It builds up your ability to block a technique as you see it. It helped me a lot in my tournament and dojo kumite training. Try it out.

[Killer Miller]

Based on myself being an instructor for several years and seeing the development patters of students, know student is mature enough at six months of training to be going full blast sparring...

 

You are dealing with technique development as well as physical development to truly be ready for tournaments and general free sparring.

 

I totally disagree with this premise.

 

- Killer Miller -

KillerMiller,

 

What if the said student is competing in tournements? Shouldn't the student then be alloted time to practice free sparring under the guidance of the instructer?

[Dijita]

I'm not sure if I get what you are trying to say. I think what I read is that you feel that a student shouldn't participate in both free sparring as well as tournements before 6 months because they have not developed their technique and such. Am I correct?

 

I suppose, personally, I don't have a problem entering tournements prior to 6 months. I know that my technique is developing, but I love the experience of the tournements. I learn a GREAT deal at them, and find a lot of things that I need to work at. On top of it all, I have a really great time.

 

I believe that every student will develop at a different rate. This is why I am very confident that my instructor would have advised me to hold off on the tournements for a little while if he felt I was unready or at risk of serious injury. Instead my instructer asked if I would want to compete as it is very good experience. I was excited, and I trained/train very hard for them.

 

I'm not trying to say that your opinion is wrong. I respect your judgement in your class. It is your class, it is important to make sure your students are taken care of, and I applaud you for that because you obviously care about them.

 

I'm just glad that I've had the oppurtunity to enter tournements at the early stages, and I personally feel that if the instructor feels that a student is ready (which is the MAIN key), and the sparring is taken place under strict supervision, then I think it is ok. Obviously for someone who backs off from Kihon Kumite then yes, they are not ready yet, and making the free spare would be the worst thing you could do.

 

Just out of curiosity, I assume you teach Shotokan. What does your free sparring entail? I'm under the assumption that Shotokan tournements are not full contact... do your students participate in full contact sparring? Please correct me if I am wrong, as I do not have a vast knowledge of Shotokan.

[Sasori_Te]

Listen to your instructor. You just need more exposure and experience.

[Killer Miller]

I'm not sure if I get what you are trying to say. I think what I read is that you feel that a student shouldn't participate in both free sparring as well as tournements before 6 months because they have not developed their technique and such. Am I correct?

 

This is exactly what I'm saying. I know many of you believe differently from a sports perspective, but tournaments have more purpose that just getting out there and bashing it out...

 

Now, if the tournament had a white belt class...perhaps I might be persuaded to allow you to participate depending on the circumstances. But to allow you to participate in upper level events is definately wrong... It's not fair to you being underdeveloped, and it's not fair to those at levels above you. Regardless, I know from experience of teaching that you, nor anyone esle, has the experience or technical ability, at 6 months of training, to interact with others at tournaments (assuming no prior martial arts experience). People get hurt, and that's not fair to you or them, not to mention being disrespectiful to others. There's an old saying, and I don't remember the Nihongo translation (if someone knows, please post), but If You Draw the Sword, It is to Slice, Not to Cut... This holds a lot of meaning for you when you pre-maturely enter tournaments. You go into a tournament hacking away instead of using clean techniques (no disrespect intended here in this statement BTW).

Just out of curiosity, I assume you teach Shotokan. What does your free sparring entail? I'm under the assumption that Shotokan tournements are not full contact... do your students participate in full contact sparring? Please correct me if I am wrong, as I do not have a vast knowledge of Shotokan.

 

Yes, Shotokan. free sparring is exactly what it means "Free" sparring. Anything goes withing the technical and philosophical aspects of the art. Even though it's "no contact" in concept, people get SERIOUSLY hurt all the time in the art. This is not because one is careless, but usually because the one recieving the attack is inexperienced, or not trained well, and can not defend themselves or get out of the way quick enough. It's serious stuff from many different reasons. I was given the nick name for reasons of similar circumstances I refer to. No, didn't kill anyone, but did seriously hurt a couple... Didn't feel to good about doing that, but none of these circumstances were really my fault. It was usually less experienced participants that didn't have a clue what I was about to do, and couldn't get out of my way in time after commiting to a technique. People stepping into an arena that was far above their level - in reality, that was not fair to me because I was use to training with higher level practioners...

 

- Killer Miller -