Sparring Tips & Tricks

[tkdchris]

I just graded to yellow tag in WTF TDK last week and had my first sparing class today. I pretty much was destroyed and also kicked a guy in the gonads twice.

 

Im in desperate need of some tips and tricks to impress the instructor as I hope to be entered into a competition in February. Please help. cheers

[steveb]

I only have 1 tip for you...keep practicing. You get better at sparring by sparring. Trying a fancy trick to get noticed will probably work, since you will most likely mess it up and get pounded. For now just try to learn how to hit a moving target. Good luck.

[tommarker]

work on your distancing. if you're too close and not on the offensive, the guy who moves first will most likely win the point on the basis of "action beats reaction"

 

so unless you have a plan of action for attacking, don't just hang around idly in that "danger zone" unless you like getting ravaged in sparring.

 

As you get more experienced, that "danger zone" will decrease, which will also make it easier for you to get closer and score more points, and eventually kick yellow belts in the groin and leave them wondering what happened.

[tkdchris]

im just home from my sparing class it lasted an hour and 50 mins and im wrecked. i kicked so much people in the elbow, my feet are dieing, clashed shins and knees too. i got back kicked to nothing, but i was sparing a yellow belt and a blue tag for most of the night. i didnt know full sparing gear included shin guards and forearm guards.i do now

[Jinxx0r]

I hate catching an elbow block to the shin... ouch...

[Kaminari]

Critical distance is important, like tommarker said. Practice, practice, practice. You've only done it for a very short amount of time, you'll get better with experience.

[ninjanurse]

i just graded to yellow tag in WTF TDK last week and had my first sparing class today

 

...and what exactly did you expect for your FIRST class? The road is long my friend and your first sparring class is just the beginning. Time is a great teacher (of course do is pain but that's beside the point )and you will get better each class. Be patient with yourself and keep your hands up!!!

 

[Ottman]

A few beginner tips of my own:

 

1) Concentrate on movement and foot work rather than striking and attacking for now. You need to learn how to avoid attacks, and position yourself correctly for your own attacks before you can spar effectively. As others have said already this (as everything) takes time and practice. Don't give up

 

2) Try to move away from attacks rather than blocking. A lot of beginners like to stand still and 'practice' their blocking skills while sparring. Blocking should be a last resort. Moving out of the way should be your first line of defense.

 

3) Don't forget to move laterally (side to side) in addition to just back and forth. This is another mistake that I see a lot of beginners make. They don't move laterally, and the most effective counter attacks come from moving to the side, out of the way of an attack, and countering at an angle. This allows you to move out of the way of an attack, without moving further away from your opponent and out of your own range of attack.

 

4) As steveb already mentioned, stick to basic, direct kicks like turn, front, and side, instead of trying more fancy spinning and jumping kicks which will get you into more trouble than is worth it right now. Once you improve these advanced techniques and move up in rank, you can practice these more advanced moves on lower belts to get better at them as I'm sure is happening to you right now. (trust me, you are the higher ranks' guinea pig for now, but don't let that deter you. Learn from the mistakes you make and keep at it and you will get better. Just because your getting your licks now doesn't mean you're doing poorly. That which does not kill us makes us stronger. Try to learn something about your own sparring style in every fight, then work on your weaknesses and technique in class.)

 

Good Training!

[tommarker]

another good idea is to work on getting that leg up as quick as you can... from your fighter stance work on lifting that front leg up and down as quick as you can... bring the knee all the way to your chest and bring your foot almost back down to the floor and repeat. as those muscles get stronger, the kicks will get faster.

 

the bruises and bumps don't go away. last week i walked out of class with bruises all over my shins and toes and ankles, just par for the course.