Sparring Different Styles: Faviorite & Least Favorite

[Kicks]

If you spar against different MA styles, which are your favorites to spar and which are your least favorite to spar against?

 

If you are like me and only spar against one style, which individual style within your system do you favor or dislike?

 

For example, I just spar WTF TKD. Some players use finesse, good technique, while others are brawlers. Some are agressive and some are defensive or counter attackers. I like the finesse players because I appreciate the beauty of good technique as well as their effectiveness. I can't stand to fight a brawler because it's like why even bother taking a MA style if all you're going to do is brawl?

 

As far as aggresive or defensive counter attackers, I guess it really doesn't matter. I can play against any of those styles. Maybe I perfer the agressive player so I can surprise him with a defensive stop and a counter. I have the element of surprise in my favor. If I was sparring a person who just laid back and waited for me to attack so he could surprise me with a counter...well that would make for a pretty boring match as I would not be willing to fall into his traps.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

If you spar against different MA styles, which are your favorites to spar and which are your least favorite to spar against?

 

My favorites to spar are two fold. I enjoy a skilled opponent that really challenges me, and right now that would be my senior student. He's 12 years younger than me and despite my teachings, he continues to make it pretty hard work for me to get in on him....which is GREAT!

 

The other system I like to spar against are TKD black belts when I get the chance.

 

BTW...congrats on the extra stripe in your belt kicks!

[Scand]

I'd love to spar with a karateka, hanmoodo practitioner or hapkido practitioner, with locks and kicks to the head turned "on".

 

Karateka, because I'd like to get familiar with their style. The only karate styles I can think of here would be wado-ryu, koryu uchinadi and shito-ryu. The hapkido style would be kwan nyom, and I'm generally interested into hapkido styles. Hanmoodo guys have some pretty nice kicks and the like and they're used to tournaments, so I might actually learn a trick or two.

 

I myself practice shaolin kung-fu, but I wouldn't spar with anyone as a kung-fu practitioner just yet, as I'm new to the system in general. Currently I'd spar as a hoijeonmoosool practitioner because I could say that I know it, while I don't yet know kung-fu.

 

Trying to be humble and honest here.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I like to spar anyone who will challenge me. I've sparred TKD black belts, and that's pretty fun. Sparring with someone who does judo and allowing takedowns and throws can get really fun, because then you figure out just how fast you are. The least fun to spar is definitely the brawler. I've gotten a few people who just ran at me during tournaments and all I did was lean back and kick them high in the chest or in the head. It gets to be the same routine if they don't learn. I guess it's a way for them to learn though.

[GhostlySykanRyu]

I enjoy sparring with just about any style. My favorite has been a BJJ practitioner, he makes me work pretty hard to stay on my feet...almost choked me out once. Haven't sparred with him in a while, I'll have to see if he still trains.

 

High kickers are fun too, unless they manage to connect

[strangepair03]

I like to spar against more experienced karateka(not to hard for me!!)...I like having to work hard trying to land a technique and if they are aggressive, I get to work my defence...I have a regular "fighting" buddy, a sandan in Shorinryu shidokan...he is fast as lightning and has been training for about 22 years(compared to my 3 as an adult) he fought in the sabaki challenge a few years back and it is always a learning experience when we go at it.

 

As you could guess..he can pretty much hit me at will..and does!!

[Kicks]

Shorinryu Sensei:

The other system I like to spar against are TKD black belts when I get the chance.

 

BTW...congrats on the extra stripe in your belt kicks!

 

Thanks for the congrats...and God! I wish I could make it to Montana this summer. I'd love to give you the chance to spar another TKD black belt. That's right. I'm calling you out. Shannon says she's ready for you. Shannon. You know, my 12 year old! LOL She's a pepper. She'll fight anyone!

 

Have a great gathering and take plenty of photos. I'll be backpacking in the New Mexico Rocky Mountains with my son and his Boy Scout Troop this summer. That's as close as I'm going to get to Montana.

 

c ya

[Shorinryu Sensei]

Thanks for the congrats...and God! I wish I could make it to Montana this summer. I'd love to give you the chance to spar another TKD black belt. That's right. I'm calling you out. Shannon says she's ready for you. Shannon. You know, my 12 year old! LOL She's a pepper. She'll fight anyone!!

 

tell herto bring a soap box to stand on....my head's pretty far up here to be kicking at.

Have a great gathering and take plenty of photos. I'll be backpacking in the New Mexico Rocky Mountains with my son and his Boy Scout Troop this summer. That's as close as I'm going to get to Montana.

 

c ya

 

Photo's will be taken and sent to Patrick, who says he will post them somewhere.

[shotochem]

My favorite person to spar is my Kyoshukin (sp?) buddy. He's bigger and stronger than me and a hell of a fighter. We do standard sparring along with locks, throws and takedowns. We are an equal match so it's alot of good fun!!!

[hobz]

I dunno, I enjoy fighting the Goju-Ryu guys at myschool (I used to be in, I do Muay Thai now), cause they offer a different strategy kicking wise, they fight the "Try not to get hit, one kick/punch" game. Where as in Muay Thai, most people expect to be hit, just not hard.