Using Control

[Shotokan-kez]

In our dojo we are taught to use control when striking apponents, we are only allowed to use semi force when we are wearing our sparring gear. When we are doing standard three step or one step for the kyu grades we don't wear the mitts because its not contact just a slight touch.

Anyway i will get to the point. Last night in training we were doing the three and one step for the lower grades because they have a grading on friday. I paired up with a fellow black belt and i must admit she is very good but she kept punching me hard in the ribs. She wasn't doing it on purpose but it hurt and like a said its supposed to be just making the touch.

On the third time that she did it in the same place i had to tell her to cool it a little because that third time winded me. After getting home i have been aching in that same place. I'm not a wimp at all but because i don't trust myself not to hurt someone i always leave a little room (unless i am wearing mitts)

I mean where do we draw the line...when do you say..'excuse me but that hurts, can you take it easy please' This girl is thinking to take her second dan in may and i'm sure she will pass because like i say she is good at her karate, i'm just glad im not taking my second dan because i wouldnt like to fight her. She just needs to learn to use control. I'm getting to the point where i don't want to work with her anymore because i always end up covered in bruises.

I can quite happily work with the other dan grades because they are very experienced and use control. What do you guys think on the issue of using control?

[Weedman]

I thought it was just new people to MA like myself that struggled with this issue. My experience has been that when I train with a higher level student they exhibit remarkable control. I am happy to be thrown around by any of the brown/black belts because they do so in a way that doesn't hurt, I know when I've been punched or kicked because they are crisp and firm but not painful. On the other hand there is a guy I often get paired up with who is also new and studied Judo quite a while ago. He is a very good guy but he is incredibly rough and he has very poor body awareness, his throws are HUGE and they hurt, and when we practice striking I end up in alot of pain. I haven't said anything to him or my sensei because I'm not sure it is appropriate to do so. I'm not sure whether pain is just part of the deal when starting out in MA. Should I just wait for one of the ranking students to say something or do I take the initiative? I can't avoid this guy in every class?

[DisgruntledGirl]

I actually often worry that I am that student that "lacks control". It is a hard thing to judge really and for some things it can be different what is acceptable from dojo to dojo and for other things it is still different from person to person exactly what is appropriate.

I'm on the opposite end in fact to you guys problem in that I find the really higher ups... go almost too easy on me. I like to feel more than gi contact. If I miss a block and its my fault, I dont mind an occational bruise (though I dont want to be beaten to a bloody pulp either, cus that'd be mighty easy to do). But I do try to lighten my own strikes etc for "lower" belts (even though I'm fairly low myself) and toughen 'em up slightly for higher ups... but sometimes I find myself not so much being "told" to pull back but just reacting from my "opponents" reactions to things and we do generally have an understanding that if it is "too much" it will be made known though usually in a very light-hearted manner.

My experience has been that when I train with a higher level student they exhibit remarkable control. I am happy to be thrown around by any of the brown/black belts because they do so in a way that doesn't hurt, I know when I've been punched or kicked because they are crisp and firm but not painful. On the other hand there is a guy I often get paired up with who is also new...

In your case however because there is a marked difference between how much the lower ranked strikes hurt over the higher ups you might want to bring it to the attention of the one who's hitting too hard and not necessarily the sensei. You can even bring it up in a manner such as "That's a bit too hard for me, I dont mind hitting you more on the harder side if that is what you prefer but would you mind lightening up a bit as I've got to go to work/school/whatever )

[yingampyang]

I think that all that has been said here is really good stuff. Control is very important for everything not just martial arts.

[bushido_man96]

When doing step-sparring, I think control is important because you are allowing yourself to be a target. However, when it comes to sparring, I think that more contact is important. It is important to know what happens when you don't defend successfully.

Therefore, I think that the situations are a bit different, and require a different approach. If someone hits you while doing one-steps, maybe give them a pop back. In sparring, you just have to up your level of contact to keep up.

[pittbullJudoka]

We've always been taught to give what we get. And most importantly don't injury your training partner becuse without them you can't practice you technique. There's a time to make moderate to hard contact and I don't believe that she chose the proper time.

How does she work with kyu ranking within you school?

[bushido_man96]

I would tell here that she should adjust her distance a bit more until she has got a handle on it. That may help her get the picture.

[The BB of C]

I think most schools I've seen often use too much control. I think control should basically be full and pulling back just enough so one doesn't cause brain damage or a broken bone to a sparring partner.

Whenever I am sparring, and I get hit hard in the face or wherever for that matter, I always yell at my partner for appologizing. "Don't ever appologize for hitting someone durring sparring. Last I checked, that's what you're supposed to do. If anything, that's a reminder to me to keep my guard up and work on my reflexes." then they say "But I don't want to hurt you." and I say "Hit me as hard as you can. This is what martial arts is about." then they say "But I need to exhibit control." to which I reply "A) If you train over controlling yourself, you'll never deliver the force you need on the street. B) The only control you need with me is enough control to not break my ribs into my lungs. Now put your guards back up!"

That's what I believe

[Shotokan-kez]

Erm yeah i think a lot of this is true, we are not always saying nobody is going to get hit because we do aim for targets and it is the defenders fault if we don't block in time, but in my opinion lack of control is sloppy karate, simply because an experienced Karateka should know the difference.

In answer to somebodys question i'm not sure what she is like with the kyu grades. Usually when we do partner work we automatically go together because she is the same height and grade. When we get our mitts and and spar in class i cant see what she's doing cos im busy getting my butt kicked (or not).

When we do pad work sensei always says aim through the pad, go through it and sometimes thats what it feels like she is doing with my ribs. I have been injured before....i DO expect it. But constantly being hit hard in the ribs by an experienced karateka during simple three step sparring is becoming an annoyance.

[ineluki]

When we are doing standard three step or one step for the kyu grades we don't wear the mitts because its not contact just a slight touch.

There is a time and place for contact and there is a time and place for non contact.

One and three step sparring* is the latter.

Basically the attacker is presenting himself as a standing target to the defender, hitting hard serves little purpose.

If the exercise asks for control and she can't do it, she doesn't deserve her black belt.

*whether you like it or not isn't the issue...