Kumite Cop Out

[Karateka]

Killer Miller, I wasn't talking about Kihon Kumite. Perhaps we have different views of it. This is more relaxed and is more fluid. Kihon Kumite, from what I have been taught, is different then the Randori I have been taught. This is structured into set moves of 1, 2 or 3 steps. This is completely random.

[Killer Miller]

Yeah you're right, you are probably referring to a simi-free sparring method. Which in your case, is also a good preparation to Kumite, after Kihon Kumite is well learned. We didn't use the that Japanese term much and totally slipped my mind. We usually just called it simi-free sparring.

 

- Killer Miller -

[Dijita]

Killermiller,

 

Yeah I understand the fact that a lot of students when they are new and are given the oppurtunity to free spar, it looks more like a brawl then a martial art.

 

However, myself, and others that I've seen... in their first tournement, did very well. They used the combos that we were drilled in class to get openings. For example punch punch, shuffle, kick to the leg, (hopefully by this point the hands dropped) and then a quick kick to the head.

 

It's not like I went into the tournement cold. Sempai trained us very hard every class with combos and various drills. He even added an extra class during the week specifically for fight training.

 

My first tournement was when I was 4 months into Karate, and I didn't do to bad. I placed 3rd. At the tournement though, I learned that I needed to work on moving a bit more rather than fighting toe to toe. So now in class I work very hard at how to circle properly and how to "cut the ring". Sempai thought that I was ready and I trusted him.

 

Though, I have to add, a very long time ago I used to do a different style of martial arts... so my basic technique came back quickly. Not to say that I have mastered them, because I don't really think anyone masters a technique unless they've been training for like 10 years.

 

Anyways, thanks for the discussion... I think it was very constructive.

 

Osu.

[Fish]

I've also been doing Karate for just over 6 months, and gained my 7th kyu in March. I've had to spar from the beginning, against people of equal level and people of higher levels (including my Sensei). Of course, its scary at first, but I just try to go for it - the only way to overcome fear. Of course, if you get hit, it hurts, but you get used to it, and try to learn to block or get out of the way. But the big problem is, being so new, I don't have the techniques or combinations to do it well. I tend to agree that it would be better to start free sparring later on, when some techniques have been learnt sufficiently well to execute quickly and smoothly without conscious pre-thinking.

 

The other problem I have is I regularly have to spar against the biggest guy in our class - I'm 6 ft tall, but he's about 6 ft 2" and weighs about 50 lb more than I do. I spend a lot of the time on the floor!!

[Dijita]

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.

[aefibird]

Some styles have less kyu grades than others.

[Fish]

Aefibird is right. In our style, 7th Kyu is the first adult grade after white belt (8th kyu is only taken by infants). Also, 7th Kyu is not that taxing - all we have to do is demonstrate 5 basic techniques, 2 combinations, 3 blocks with gyakuzuki, and count to ten. On that basis my progress is normal.

[Dijita]

Oh, ok... thanks for claryfing.

[trekmann]

Hmmm, Standardisation in Kyu grades could be a wonderful thing I think.

[Brownguy04]

Dude..Listen..Chilll...When I firsted started sparring which was about 6-7 months ago I was getting kicked around like a rag doll. It was mostly because when I got hit I would stand their totally petrified and completely flinching. There wasnt anyway to fix it,after 1-2 months of good sparring I did less flinching and more fighting and now I'm doing pretty well when it comes to sparring. Don't give up,it all comes in time,if you're sparring someone whose going to hard ask them to slow down the tempo so you can get a chance to be the agressor so that way you will get the hang of it slowly insteada of being accustomed to gettin beat up.