Point Sparring Tips?

[KickChick]

With the season of tournaments upon us, our school has been working on our point sparring.

 

Before you can be aggressive you have to learn control. Control means doing a good fast technique and landing it with a "light touch". This is a very difficult, but necessary skill to learn. Anyone can kick and hit hard, you can aim 2 inches, 4 inches, or a foot through your target and it will still be a good hit. Doing a good fast technique with only a light touch displays control, discipline, and skill. What is it to be aggressive? It doesn't mean to injure your opponent ... it means really going after that point, fast and hard. It means don't do one kick and stop, it means keep going, do more than 1 kick, don't stop until you get a point. Drive your opponent back, and get them out of sync. Also look at your opponent in the eyes. This can be intimidating. (and try not to laught!... this is a tip for me! ) Combine this with good loud ki-aps and being aggressive, you can get him/her flustered and be at a huge advantage. Also by looking into their eyes you aren't looking at where you are going to kick before you kick.

 

Also, you need a plan. Will you attack first, or wait to counter attack? Are you going to use any set-ups, fakes? If so, which ones?

 

_________________

 

KarateForums Sensei

 

1st dan BlackBelt TKD(ITF)

 

CardioKickboxing/Fitness Inst.

 

[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2002-03-20 15:32 ]

[ramcalgary]

Hit the other person first

 

seriously try to control the distance. Always make the other guy move when he does not want to.

 

 

[KickChick]

Keep in mind we are discussing "point" sparring .... so basically you need to strike your opponent where he or she is open and rack up those points.

 

In tournament sparring the distance from each competitor is well out of range for any technique to successfully land on either partner. The whole idea of attacking is to close the distance between you and your opponent so that you can become close enough to land a technique.

 

Its not so much who attacks first but to keep attacking and to be aggressive in doing so. When the score is tied at the end of the match, the referee decides the winner on the basis of aggressiveness and most techniques thrown. If you attacked and threw more techniques than your partner did during the match, then you won ... even though the score was technically tied. So, attacking has its advantages. But remember when you do attack you leave yourself open and off balance for your partner’s counter-attack ... if you kick your partner they will kick back from a closer and more effective range. So be sure to counter the counter-attack. Sparring is similar to an argument..the exchange builds up from the former exchanges, each one better than the last, and the best one wins!!

 

 

_________________

 

KarateForums Sensei

 

1st dan BlackBelt TKD(ITF)

 

CardioKickboxing/Fitness Inst.

 

[ This Message was edited by: KickChick on 2002-03-21 07:36 ]

[koreantiger81]

yeah, just like what kick chick said, closing the distance is important. You have to play close attention to distance.

 

When fighting, there are 3 different zones that i came up with. The Safety Zone, the Cautious Zone and the Danger Zone. The Safety Zone is when you're well away from the reach of your opponent's kicks. (Go into this zone, if you do'nt know what to do!) The Cautious zone is when your opponent can get you by shifting in. (Go into this zone, if you have a attack plan) The Danger Zone is when you're well enough into your opponent's kicking range. (When in this zone, make sure you execute your attack plan 100% without hesitation, then get out of the zone quickly after you execute your attack plan. )

 

You have to be aware of the zone you're in. For the beginning of your match, you figure out these zones by throwing out kicks. YOu measure your kicking range and his kicking range, since every opponent you fight has a different kicking range.

[koreantiger81]

yeah, just like what kick chick said, closing the distance is important. You have to play close attention to distance.

 

When fighting, there are 3 different zones that i came up with. The Safety Zone, the Cautious Zone and the Danger Zone. The Safety Zone is when you're well away from the reach of your opponent's kicks. (Go into this zone, if you do'nt know what to do!) The Cautious zone is when your opponent can get you by shifting in. (Go into this zone, if you have a attack plan) The Danger Zone is when you're well enough into your opponent's kicking range. (When in this zone, make sure you execute your attack plan 100% without hesitation, then get out of the zone quickly after you execute your attack plan. )

 

You have to be aware of the zone you're in. For the beginning of your match, you figure out these zones by throwing out kicks. YOu measure your kicking range and his kicking range, since every opponent you fight has a different kicking range.

[3rdanblack]

I have gotten back into the whole sport TKD scene and have found a couple of things that do really work:

 

1) LEAD WITH YOUR FOOT- Cutkicks are the way to get in. Don't lean in with the head and don't step in. Open up your options with the cut. If they are moving back you now know that, cautiously chase them with a skip or lunging motion. If they arn't moving drop the hands w/ the cut and go with with the turning kick or the hook.

 

2) LOOK FOR COMMON TRENDS: Every fighter fights differently but there are a couple of things that 98% of all fighters do. 92% of the time people over rotate when throwing back-kicks, there's the opening. There are a couple of others.

 

3)WHEN YOU THROW HIT SOMETHING: Very rarely will you only fight one fight at a tournament. So don't waste your energy. Just because you think you won't score doesn't mean its not worth throwing. Plug somebody 5 straight times w/ a cut when they come in they'll be a little less apt to do so.

 

I hope these helped a little.

 

 

[bjjbarbie]

as much as i love point sparring tournaments...they have really turned into "who can execute the quickest reverse puch!!" : alot of it also depends on the level of contact 'n rules of the tournament aswell!

 

oh well happy sparring!!

[KickChick]

Well depending on the martial art or even what rules a certain competition is following. In some comps punches aren't given any points! go figure ....

 

 

[Pacificshore]

Keep your hands up at all times to protect yourself, footwork-forward, back, and lateral...this leads to timing and distance. Develop techniques that will set up your adversary such as a front leg sweep, fake back knuckle, etc. Then develop your "bread&butter" techniques for the score. Most successful touney fighters usually have no more than 3 main techniques that they use to score on their adversary.

[tsdstud]

Well my fighting style usually isn't a good one to copy cuz its tailor made for me and fighters like me. I do use a lot of cut kicks. I also rarely use my hands to block kicks, 75% of the kicks thrown at me, I knock down with my feet. I like to hang my front leg out and search for openings, throwing multiple kicks. If I can get away with it, I won't drop my leg for 30 seconds at a time. OK though, some tips for normal people, not weird ones like me. when your legs get tied up in the air, spin off and throw a spinning back or spinning round kick with the other leg. When you're inside tight, throw an in to out crescent or axe, it's rarely picked up on if you keep your shoulders straight. backfists are always great, if they are allowed. also, lots of double and triple kicks.