Having trouble with sparring

[Ravencroft]

I agree with that system. im not a big point guy because i like having fun sparring with not that much stress. not having to worry about if someone just got a point..."one more and im out". im more into letting the sparring partners go at it for a set period of time so theres les stress and more sparring time. plus if someone gets mad because he doesnt think that his partner deserved that point then it creates tension. but thats me.

[White Warlock]

Krunchy,

 

Those you practice with in the gym are not the 'average joe' you would meet on the street. For many years i was very hard on myself because i would practice with other instructors/students and occasionally find i wasn't as good as i would have liked. But, then i was thrown into a group of n00blets and realized my aptitude was far higher than the 'average joe.'

 

Rather than punishing yourself, take each session as an opportunity to note those things, whether they be physical or mental, that are inhibiting your overall performance. Also, continuously remind yourself you're not in there to beat them, but to grow. Compare yourself to yourself, not to them.

 

Compare yourself to how you were 9 months ago... when you were an 'average joe.'

[krunchyfrogg]

Totally off topic.... but Krunchyfrogg.... your name sends shivers up my spine for some reason.

 

Maybe I should just tell people I go by "krunchyfrogg" online!

 

Seriously though, thanks for all the help everybody. White Warlock, thanks for putting things in perspective.

[White Warlock]

*burp*

[muaythaifreak]

First of all, sparring should not be about winning or losing. You miss the point of sparring if that is your mindset. Sparring is about learning. If you learned something during your sparring, you have not lost. Particularly when sparring someone of greater skill than yourself. I spar my kru as often as possible, now I know I cannot "beat" this man. That's just the cold hard facts, but I'm not there to beat him, I'm there to learn from him. And every time I spar with him, I always come away with something. Either a new technique he may have nailed me with or a bad block or something upon which I can improve. Don't think of it in terms of winning or losing, think of it in terms of bettering yourself in your art or not bettering yourself in your art and you cannot possibly lose. You only win or lose in a real fight.

[krunchyfrogg]

Thanks.

 

During one of my Sensei's speaches to the class, he talked about how students tend to grow, then hit a plateau, then start growing again.

 

I think I'm getting off of my plateau, and getting better.

 

It's not just sparring, but I'm getting a lot better with Ippon Kumite. My moves seem to have more of a flow to them than they did, even a week ago!

[Isshinryu Man]

Very interesting thread.

 

I'm not sure who else here is an instructor, but as one myself, I see this type of frustration with my students from time to time. At some point in everyone's path within the Martial Arts, they experience some frustration because they feel inadequate at some particular event (kumite, kata, kobudo, etc.).

 

Your instructors are there to help improve you. If I were to merely fight at your level or below, you would notice that your skills would reach a pleateau with only minimal increases in skills/performance over the months/years. On the other hand, setting my level one notch above the student's current skill set, I force them to reach for that next level. Yes, you will experience "loss", but understand that when you get a hit in, sometimes the instructor was not expecting it and hence you are gaining that skill s/he wants you to obtain.

 

Secondly, as stated already, you must understand that you are surrounded by other skilled individuals. Your skills could be notches above an other student's skill set in another school, but you won't see that.

 

One student of mine (green belt) was getting very frustrated about her inability to get a "point" on me. I explained to her in similar words as above that the students she is surround by are top notch. That she can't gauge her skill soley on someone else within the school. Luckily there was a local tournament she attended, shortly there after where she was able to see first hand the skills she had aquired. She was so happy after seeing what she could do, outside of the dojo.

 

So, don't get discouraged. Keep that chin up. You have a better skill set then you realize.

[Ironberg]

First of all, sparring should not be about winning or losing. You miss the point of sparring if that is your mindset. Sparring is about learning. If you learned something during your sparring, you have not lost. Particularly when sparring someone of greater skill than yourself. I spar my kru as often as possible, now I know I cannot "beat" this man. That's just the cold hard facts, but I'm not there to beat him, I'm there to learn from him. And every time I spar with him, I always come away with something. Either a new technique he may have nailed me with or a bad block or something upon which I can improve. Don't think of it in terms of winning or losing, think of it in terms of bettering yourself in your art or not bettering yourself in your art and you cannot possibly lose. You only win or lose in a real fight.

 

Ahmen! You hit the nail on the head. I miss my white belt through green belt days when there were people better than me.

[krunchyfrogg]

Sometimes it seems like simple things forgotten make such a huge difference.

 

For instance, tonight I was sparring like crap, but my Sensei told me I was too heavy on my feet, and to shift my weight onto the balls of my feet. He also told me to stay in a better kiba-dachi (horse stance), and the next spar was immensly more productive for me.

[Ryan gry]

When sparring i relax i try not to think of it as a fight but as a way getting to know your opponet .the more u spar the better u get to know your opponets tatics and eventully you can counter attack with ease