A Game Plan for Sparring/Fighting

[youremean]

Does anybody have any strategies or tactics they use in sparring that they would like to share?

 

1. What is your "game plan"?

 

2. How would someone counter your strategy / gameplan?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Does anybody have any strategies or tactics they use in sparring that they would like to share?

 

1. What is your "game plan"?

 

2. How would someone counter your strategy / gameplan?

 

I've never had a game plan as such when sparring. I go up very relaxed and loose, watch what the other guys is doing, how he's standing, the way the he moves..and pretty much wing it! It seems to work for me. No two people fight the same, so having a game plan isn't a good idea I don't think. There are generalities of course, so maybe a basic game plan might be OK...but I don't use one.

[Kicks]

I agree with Shorinryu Sensei for the most part. But here are a few things I have made part of my style:

 

1. Play to the judges. Make sure they notice you first by showing good spirit and being the first to attack. That way they'll be watching you and see your scores instead of your oppenents.

 

2. When you attack, position yourself so that the majority of the judges can see your score. This is hard to get used to doing.

 

3. After setting the pace I usually back off a little to see what my opponent has. If he's aggresive then I'll have his timing down after a couple of flurries. Then he's all mine.

 

4. Be sure to yell when you hit, and when you get hit.

 

5. Don't get hit.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

1. Play to the judges. Make sure they notice you first by showing good spirit and being the first to attack. That way they'll be watching you and see your scores instead of your oppenents.

 

This one I have a problem with. I've been a judge/referee for about 25 or more years now, and who makes the first attack or shows more aggression makes absolutly no differance to me. It's who scores a point first..period. Any referee that does what you're alluding to has no business sitting in a ring calling points. A ref MUST be impartial and as fair as possible, or he shouldn't be there. If this practice is common in tournaments you participate in, then you have some pretty shoddy refs. I assume they are also black belts? Then I have no respect for these black belts.

[47MartialMan]

Yeah, some "refs" and "judges" are going to be "biased". Hopefullt the event promoters choose them wisely.

[Kicks]

Shorinryu Sensei wrote:

I've been a judge/referee for about 25 or more years now, and who makes the first attack or shows more aggression makes absolutly no differance to me.

 

That's right, old grasshopper. It shouldn't matter. But it's human nature to follow the action. Also, one must observe what the judges in that ring, at that time, are looking for. When you are at ring side waiting to compete, you should not only look at what the other competitors are doing but also at what the judges are doing. If they score the aggressor, then be the aggressor.

 

Under USTU and AAU Olympic style rules (Article 15 of the WTF Competition Rules), in the event of a tied score at the end of the match, the head of court will instruct the referee to make a superiority decision. The Referee will take the following into account in making a superiority decision:

 

1. If the tied score involves a tie through the deduction of penalty points, the competitor who scored more points will be declared the winner.

 

2. Technical dominance of one competitor over the other. (Hence, be the aggressor)

 

3. Greater number of techniques. (Hence, be the aggressor).

 

4. More advanced techniques.

 

5. Best competition manner.

 

You should never have to leave the decision up to the judges. They always make the wrong decision, unless you win. But, just in case it is left to the judges, it is in your favor to know the rules and use them to your advantage. I won a national championship that way.

[47MartialMan]

Good point kicks

 

How did you do with Ivan?

 

Did you stay or leave?

[Kicks]

Good point kicks

 

How did you do with Ivan?

 

Did you stay or leave?

 

Thanks.

 

We evacuated to Natchitoches, LA. It's normally a 5 hour drive, but took us 14 hours with all the other refugees. How about you?

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Under USTU and AAU Olympic style rules (Article 15 of the WTF Competition Rules)....

 

Ahhhhh...well, that's where we have the biggest differance. I don't do TKD, nor do I judge strictly TKD tournaments. I only do open tournaments where any system may participate.

 

In these open tournaments, aggression isn't dconsidered a factor. Myself, I'm not an aggressive fighter, but a counter fighter, and I can nail most people as they come in...it's the way Shorinryu is set up and I like it that way. So under your rules, I probably wouldn'ty do well. Nothing wrong with the way you do things, but it's not the way we do tyhem.

[Kicks]

Shorinryu Sensei wrote:

I only do open tournaments where any system may participate.

 

I've been meaning to ask you about that. What are the rules of competition for the "open tournament" you mention? What scores a point, what equipment do you wear, and what's the duration of a match?