Get past mental block of actually hitting someone

[DisgruntledGirl]

I'm still a bit of a beginner and in our class we dont really free spar unitll weve gotten a few basic techniques down and have gone through some very rehearsed 3 point sparring type things (so basically not untill you are yellow belt) etc.

Well last night was my first night of what I guess you'd call free sparring. I think I evaded pretty well... but I found that I hardly ever even *tried* to hit the man (my Sensei). I have a mental block that "I dont wanna hurt anyone!!" even though I know that I am probably really not gonna hurt the sensei all that bad, I still couldnt get over it. I think I would handle myself a bitt better/differently if it was against someone who I didnt care for or was actually trying to hurt me (woulda hit a lot more to the groin)... but against someone that "hasnt done anything to me" I just have a hard time.

Any tips on getting over this mental block or is this just one of them things that will just come with time and practice?

[Hwa Rang Warrior]

You get over that real quick after he hits you. When your sparring you have to put yourself in a different mental state, your training to fight so the person your sparring is an opponent at that point in time, nothing more , nothing less.

[bushido_man96]

That is good advise. If you get popped a few times, you start to lose that feeling about you. You just need to spend more time doing it, and forcing yourself to commit. It will come with time.

[marie curie]

I had trouble with this at first, too. I don't know what changed, but over time, it became less of "I'm supposed to just hit someone who's just standing there looking at me?" and more of a game- not something bad to do to someone.

[DisgruntledGirl]

You get over that real quick after he hits you.

Good point to the both of you. I'd have to agree here.

I think that maybe because it was my first time he went rather easy on me so therefore I never really felt in any danger of even being minorly/temporarily hurt or hit hard. He seemed to just be messing with me a bit but never "truely" hitting me either.

I'm sure when my opponents get a bit rougher with me... i will probably then return the favor, but will probably have a little difficulty untill that finally happens.

[lordtariel]

Once you get more sure of your techniques, you'll loose some of that inhibition. When I first started, I wasn't so much afraid of my technique hurting someone as I was of making a mistake and clocking someone accidentally. I recommend doing some heavy bag work so you can get used to hitting harder without those feelings of holding back.

[AngelaG]

The likelihood is that you would be unlikely to be able to hit your instructor anyway, if he did not want you to. A good instructor will always bring themselves down to a level where they are just slightly ahead of the person they are sparring. After all what would you (or he) gain if he just obliterated you every time he sparred you. I have had to explain to lower grade students on many occasion that when they have got shots in on the higher grades often it is because the higher grade is deliberately leaving themselves open, so that the lower grade can learn how to exploit openings etc.

[DisgruntledGirl]

The likelihood is that you would be unlikely to be able to hit your instructor anyway, if he did not want you to. A good instructor will always bring themselves down to a level where they are just slightly ahead of the person they are sparring. After all what would you (or he) gain if he just obliterated you every time he sparred you. I have had to explain to lower grade students on many occasion that when they have got shots in on the higher grades often it is because the higher grade is deliberately leaving themselves open, so that the lower grade can learn how to exploit openings etc.

Oh I understand that... I dont really expect to be able to beat the man or anything. Its just even *I* know that he (purposely) left some openings that I just didnt take advantage of. I just couldnt bring myself to "hit" him... on occation I would like "pat" him ... but we were supposed to be going for something a little harder than that (was a situation of sorta self-defence and sorta "Karate" sparring together. So some traditional "rules" of karate could be broken but it wasnt like a light tap point sparring situation) and I just couldnt bring myself to do it. I'm sure I'll do better next time though. I think I just need to establish a little bit better with him how hard is "acceptable" before we get started.

[NY_Karatedork]

Well I guess with some they fear what may happen if they do hit the person even though they are supposed to. But Sparring could save your life or someone else's so go ahead, push the thoughts out of your mind and remember the person in front of you is your opponent.