tournament sparring tactics

[Lost in Osaka]

My advice would be to have about 4 or more (depending on your experiance) combos ranging from anything simple (Jab reverse punch) to more complicated ones (make ones that work for you, but don't make them past your ability). Practice these combos a lot before the tournament with a partner, find out what works and what doesn't. Make sure you change up what you throw at your opponent or else he will be able to predict what you will do and you will be in big trouble.

good luck!

[JissenKumite100]

In tournement fighting i find that sitting down and calming going over in your head what it is that your going to do. Dont worry about who your fighting, just focus on being calm and BREATHING. Alot of guys go into a tounrey sooo nervous that they forget to breath...i know it sounds kinda stupid but it happenes all the time. So, after doing about 30 min worth of stretching and warm ups before hand(but not soo much warm ups as to ware yourself out) sit down and practice breathing. Try and clear your mind as much as your nerves will allow. When called to the mat, make eye contact with your opponent. Make him think that your arn't nervous at all. Beat him mentally before you fight him physically. Give it all you have and dont give up! Just remember that winning isnt the goal of it. Your goal should be to learn somthing new and to have a good time. If you really dont want to fight, dont enter.....but if you want to fight, have a good time and learn somthing, then giver. Thats my view on the situation, hope it helps answer your question.

[Sandan]

I've done lots of competition, and the key is not only having your techniques, I have a series of 8 and I interchange them as required but to figure out very quickly the sort of fighter that your facing.

I generally tap the front hand of my opponent to see how they react. I reckon that fighters are broken down into three or four main groups.

1. Straight line fighters

2. Defensive Fighters

3. Circular Fighters

4. Combination Fighters.

Depending on the sort of fighter I'm facing I vary my tackic. Defensive or static fighters... difficult have to move around them more.

Straight line, need to move off line etc.

Combination are the most difficult...

That's my two pence worth..

[Oahngoji]

Combine all you have learned and put it into your combat. I think training your body is essential, since greater endurance means better performance.

[clearsky]

I have been in martial arts for about 10 years now.

In both tournament and street fighting,

you have to look at this simple over looked fact: Adrenalin

When your adrenalin starts to pump, you forget most of your moves and react with instinct. This is why you should hit as many tournaments as possible to get use to the rush. If you think in a fight your reaction is to slow.

This is why it is important to practice 2 to 3 hours everyday, the moves will become natural almost instinctual in nature.

Remember to calm yourself and just react to the moves of your opponent then aggress back at your opponent.

The Tiger form: To strike with speed and strength

The Dragon form: To strike with grace of speed and to have anticipated the next move.

This philosophy may not be for everyone, and I have not mastered it fully yet myself, but I do work on it everyday…

That is my best advice.

[DCLXVI]

I find generally, that if you watch before it's your turn (unless your up first), see how others from the same schools fight (sometimes, people tend to fight alike if there from the same school). Otherwise, when you get in the ring, test them for the first few seconds. Keep your guard up and see what they can do. If they try to counter your probing, then there either aggressive or a little jumpy. If they just take it in stride, they either are waiting for you to attack so they can counter or they're defensive. Either way, the best tactic I find is don't hesitate. Once you have to think about your move, you've been beaten. Just launch your attacks, don't think, well, maybe I'll throw a roundhouse, followed by a punch then front kick. Think in simplier terms. Lemme throw two kicks, one quick low to the knees as a feint, then up quickly to the head. Anyways, it's all about how you prefer to fight, but a very good point never to forget, is don't hesitate. Good luck.