need help with sparring...ROAR

[mourning_]

ok 2nd week in a row this crap has happened! same guy he's about 2-3 inches taller than me and about 50lbs heavier. so anyways i just keep getting hit. other than the fact that he keeps throwing hooks when we are only suppose to be throwing straights, im not sure what im doing wrong. some one told me i need to bob and weave more. also how came i bridge the gap between me an dthis guy without getting hit everytime? he has a much longer reach. please help any tips for bridging gaps, bobbing, or fakes would be greatly appreciated.

[AndrewGreen]

First off, work on your footwork:

http://www.karateforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=22890

next work on your timing. Learn to counter punch, learn to time his footwork, learn to stop punches by jabbing him in the face

Keep your hands tighter, usually when guys are getting nailed with hooks all the time there posture is to blame. chin down, shoulders up, hands in tight. Cover up when he punches, don't go out to meet it.

[mourning_]

thanks for the help. =D

[mourning_]

but one question, when you talk about same lead food, do you mean both leads are OUR lefts or same lead foot as in my lead is my left and his lead is his right?

hope that made sense. nice post tho

[AndrewGreen]

Same lead - both left (or right)

Opposite lead - One left, one right.

[Justfulwardog]

Ok, this will be hard to explain on here, but I will try. You say he throws hooks with longer arms than yours. Practice weaving as you step in. What I mean by that is, you put most of your weight on your lead leg. You dip down, making sure your chin does not go over your knee. Try to be aware of your center. It is in your stomach between your navel and your groin. If you feel it being crunched at all, then you need to keep your back more straight up and down. Use your legs. As you dip, you want your head to go in a U shape. Don't dip too low. You want to dip just enough to dodge the blow, no more. Practice that first. Then as you become more comfortable with that, you then practice stepping in with it, as if you were stepping in with the jab. As the hook slides over your head, you turn that U into a circle, coming back around with your own left hook. The power you can generate is immense. You are not suppose to throw bent arm punches, but what the hell, I say. Fight fire with fire. That's just one possible counter, there are many many more to discover. You are your best teacher, so remeber in your minds eye exactly how he moves, and come up with counters. Visuallize them over and over again.

[Justfulwardog]

I just reallized that you might not know how to throw a hook. A couple of pointers on that. As you dip down, push your right shoulder forward, cocking your hook shoulder, and rotating on your right ball of the toe counter clockwise. As you start to come up, your right shoulder should be pointing at him. Your left and right hand, should be on your cheek bones. As you begin throwing the hook, counter rotate your left shoulder around and your right shoulder back, and rotate the right ball of toe clockwise and your left ball of toe clockwise. Your right heel "sits down", as your left heel comes up. As you do this you want to lift your elbow, as you are extending your left fist toward his face. Your elbow and fist, should be perfectly horizontal, as you impact his face. Your shoulder should be up, tucked against your chin, guarding it. Your arm should be at a perfect right angle. Anything straighter than that loses power. Haybailers use arm strength, you want to convey your bodies strength, threw your arm. A 90% angle is the optimal way to do that, in a bent arm punch. Power comes from violent twists of the waist and shoulders, as you launch with your legs. As your punch passes the target area, you want to pull your fist back to your cheek as you bring your elbow in, tight against your body, and your left toe pointing at him again. Regrouping to your basic beggining stance.

It is very hard to explain this in writing. There are many little tecniques you have to pay attention to, thoughout your body, just to throw a "simple" hook. I probably forgot some things, but I hope that gives you a clue. You rotate your shoulders and pivot your feet simultaneously.

And now I am exhausted.

[mourning_]

yea i think with a little more experience i'll do better. its just kind of frustrating. thanks for all the tips. here's my chechlist to do better for next week.

1. move and stay on my toes

2. don't play defense the whole time

3. relax

4. hands up - chin down

5. keep my head as well as my body moving.

i think 4 and 5 will help alot as well as #1.....i know for a fact i wasn't doing 1 or 5 and i know i was mainly playing defense....

[Twago]

i might not be as experienced as Justfulwardog & AndrewGreen, but i guess it also depends on which MA u do. cause if u do Muay Thai, i don't think bobbing will work against knees (and yes...i DID bob against a knee and it hurts sooooooo much ). personnally i agree with u guys when u mention that he's gotta stay "inside" his longer range

[mourning_]

so stay up close with him? within his range?