Your tatami/ring Personality

[1kickKO]

It's all mental. Keep cool, calm, and collected..and most important of all, HAVE FUN! There's no point if you don't have fun. Remember, sparring is the easiest game in the world if you're having fun with yourself and your opponent.

[karatekid1975]

I need some help... I have a tournament coming up in march. It is my first one and i am competeing in sparring. I've only sparred twice, both were black belts (i'm yellow, i'll be orange when i compete). Is there any tips for sparring that you can offer me? I'm not too sure on the rules. any advice would be great.

 

You do Tang Soo Do, I see. So you would more than likely be doing point sparring. If it's a TSD tourny, the rules are: light to no contact. Anywhere is a target except for below the belt, the face, and some judges don't like people hitting each other in the back. If you make contact with a technique (a scoring one that is) and the judges see it, they will stop you, and restart the fight. Hand contact is allowed to the head (boy I miss that LOL).

 

Some of the rules might have changed since three years ago (when I last trained officially in TSD). So the other TSD guys/gals on this board would be more up-to-date on the rules than I am.

 

My advice would be train hard. Get your fellow students to help you out (mainly the upper ranks, since they know the rules of sparring, and they can watch you spar and give you better advice).

[italian_guy]

Another related question may be is your tatami/ring personality similar to your actual personality or is the opposite?

 

For me is the opposite. I tend to be aggressive in the tatami and very peaceful outside a sort of Dr.Jekill/Mr.Hide effect.

[1kickKO]

I'm with ya there.

[Lady Kitana]

Iam a mixture of both when I am sparring although I find sometimes when people fight agressive and let loose they do get some good kicks and punches in but get tired very quickly , especially when I fight my own belt level so I sometimes let them get tired then I go in being agressive and finish them off. I find switching stances can surprise someone ( well expect for my instructor , nothing seems to surprise him lol)

 

Even when I am not sparring I watch how people spar and get a idea on how they fight and what kind of moves they like to make.

[Muaythaiboxer]

im one of the most friendly people in the world out side the ring but when i get the go ahead i try to beat the guy im boxing/wrestling/sparring the quickest way i can no mercy. but when the match is over i shake hands and if i hurt the guy a little i buy him a gatoraide. : )

[1kickKO]

Haha that's good, I can't stand "pounders"..people who try to use brute power when sparring me...I love to get those guys with speed.

[jakmak52]

I don't wait, just bulldoze my way in, blitz works for me

[karatekid1975]

I was the aggressive type tonight in sparring class. I sparred a black belt and a high red belt (my boyfriend hehehehe). If we weren't doing just drills, I would have got them both I was having an "on" night on sparring But, I do have my "off" nights, too. They suck

[italian_guy]

I don't wait, just bulldoze my way in, blitz works for me

 

Yes, this is what I mean by aggressive... I also do that, I have the advantage to be one of the biggest guy in the class, however I'm not the fastest and the most flexible.... but if I don't do this way the others, which are faster, younger, and more expert would outclass me. By being aggressive I keep them under pressure.

I was having an "on" night on sparring But, I do have my "off" nights, too.

 

Yes me too, there are always up and down in the path.