Sizing up the competition.

[bushido_man96]

To me, an opponent is just that...an opponent! What the parameters are before me with any said opponent is of no consequence/concern, although, I'll "size-up" my opponent, which is to say...I'll study my opponent, I'll study myself, I'll make a plan, and I'll carry my plan out.

With sensei8's permission, I'd like to use this little quote to ask a question that likely pertains to many of us, when either sparring or rolling in class or in a competition.

What do you do to "size up" an opponent when sparring/rolling? Do you take a certain amount of time, like the first 30 seconds of a match, to feel out your opponent?

How do "feel them out?" Do you throw out some attacks to see how they react? Do you wait for them to attack, to see what they favor?

I await your responses.

[JusticeZero]

Their build, the way they walk, their facial expressions, their eyes, and the way they shake hands first are all clues. Beyond that, i'll get a good feel when they're in the ring.

[bushido_man96]

...i'll get a good feel when they're in the ring.

How so? Do you try to bait them with techniques? Do you let them make the first move? Or do you just fight your game, and see how they react?

[Kuma]

Usually the only people I've sparred with for a while are those I know well. As a general rule though and out of occupational necessity, I tend to size everyone up to some degree though.

I'll look at height, weight, apparent fitness level, which side they tend to lean more of their weight on, what hand they use, how they act, how they hold themselves, etc.

[DWx]

Good question. When sizing up an opponent I'm looking for which side they favour forward, which techniques they favour from certain positions, how they like to counter, do they have any tells... IMO in a match you don't really have the time to spend feeling out your opponent and testing them with technqiues so you need to be picking these things up as you play our own game. The liklihood is that they will be watching you in the same way in any case so their style may change slightly as they pick up more on what you're doing and what you learnt during your first 30 secs wont be of much use anymore. A good fighter is constantly adjusting their tactics as they learn more about their opponent so sizing up should be a constant thing and not just something you do at the beginning.

As JusticZero said, sizing up happens before they even step into the ring. At a competition or tournament always look at how they warm-up and what they did in previous matches as well as how they conduct themselves. Looking at how others from their school fight can also be of use too because that'll give you an indication of what to expect. More than anything else though, I think sizing up has to be an intuitive thing that you learn to do through experience...

[JusticeZero]

Well, I play, I don't spar; in a chess game you don't throw away a few pawns just to get a feel of the other player before you start trying to advance toward a checkmate that I know of; you start hammering away and working your strategy straight from the word go and any personality will reveal itself on it's own accord.

In any case, the concept of spending thirty seconds of one of your fighting drills not trying to work on your offense and defense but instead teasing the other person as a personality test seems like a waste of a perfectly good 60 seconds. It wastes your 30 seconds for working on a self-defense-useless skill, as an attacker won't play pattycake with you for half a minute to get to know you more intimately; it wastes your opponent's time for the exact same reason. What are you trying to develop with this exactly? Seems like precisely the sort of thing that led me to disregard sparring as an unrealistic and misleading drill counter to developing martial skill. If this is the sort of thing that people think is 'realistic', i'd rather they do something more reality-based like forms or blindfolded defense drills or bag work or some such.

Trying to read what someone will do before you ever start trading blows is a good skill to learn, though. Get a bit of malicia and figure out what sort of sneak attacks they might throw when they think you aren't paying attention.

[DWx]

The following post was removed in error. Sorry for any confusion.

Outside of looking at their general appearance and fitness level, I like to watch them fight, if possible. If I am in the first round of sparring, I don't get that opportunity. In that case, I just use my techniques and see how they react. If I am able, I will try to adjust what I do in hopes of throwing them off and getting my points.

[tallgeese]

In a sd sense, about the only thing I do in regard to "sizing up" has already been stated. Size, athleticisim, posture, how he's holding his hands, the potental for hidden weapons, the availiabilty of him to access his buddies for back up, ect.

Once it's go time, it's time to initiate what movments that instictively present themselves to you and try to effect them as best as possbile. If these are blocked, then you move on and continue to assert control over the individual in question.

That's about the long and short of it.

For sparrng, I tend to just put my best game out there. Or, if we're working specific drills, I just do them as best as I can to, again, assert control. I don't spend as much time sorting out what he's good at, ect before hand. I just continue to adapt my work to whatever he gives me that seems vuneralbe.

Now, for competition, you should probibly do your best to scout first. Video of your opponat is good, against a wide variety of fighters. This will help prepare the way for you to capatalize on training your tools to face him. Remember, that this is a bit different from the suprise element often faced in sd settings, or the use of sparring to train for that. This is a predetermined contest that will allow for specific preperation. You should use it.

If it's a tourny setting, then watch as many of the competititors in other matches as possible. This will give a feel of the things that they will try often, and maybe holes they give up frequently. Not as good as video study, but maybe all you've got under the circumstances.

So, it varys, I think from what perspective you're looking at it from. For sd training, it's good to get inghe habit of reading pre-fight indicators, but not such a good idea to give any sort of quarter during a "feeling out" period. Take the fight to them and over come. Adapt as needed. That's how I think in terms of the question for sd.

[bushido_man96]

In any case, the concept of spending thirty seconds of one of your fighting drills not trying to work on your offense and defense but instead teasing the other person as a personality test seems like a waste of a perfectly good 60 seconds. It wastes your 30 seconds for working on a self-defense-useless skill, as an attacker won't play pattycake with you for half a minute to get to know you more intimately; it wastes your opponent's time for the exact same reason. What are you trying to develop with this exactly? Seems like precisely the sort of thing that led me to disregard sparring as an unrealistic and misleading drill counter to developing martial skill. If this is the sort of thing that people think is 'realistic', i'd rather they do something more reality-based like forms or blindfolded defense drills or bag work or some such.

I am referring to sparring in my opening post, so it is looked at from a competitive, sport aspect. Sorry for any confusion. It is pretty much a competition-directed question.

[Throwdown0850]

Well, I play, I don't spar; in a chess game you don't throw away a few pawns just to get a feel of the other player before you start trying to advance toward a checkmate that I know of; you start hammering away and working your strategy straight from the word go and any personality will reveal itself on it's own accord.

In any case, the concept of spending thirty seconds of one of your fighting drills not trying to work on your offense and defense but instead teasing the other person as a personality test seems like a waste of a perfectly good 60 seconds. It wastes your 30 seconds for working on a self-defense-useless skill, as an attacker won't play pattycake with you for half a minute to get to know you more intimately; it wastes your opponent's time for the exact same reason. What are you trying to develop with this exactly? Seems like precisely the sort of thing that led me to disregard sparring as an unrealistic and misleading drill counter to developing martial skill. If this is the sort of thing that people think is 'realistic', i'd rather they do something more reality-based like forms or blindfolded defense drills or bag work or some such.

Trying to read what someone will do before you ever start trading blows is a good skill to learn, though. Get a bit of malicia and figure out what sort of sneak attacks they might throw when they think you aren't paying attention.

forms are exactly that.. forms... A pre-determined set of techniques.... useless in an actual knock down drag out fight IMO. sparring is the best way of developing martial skill in my opinion, assuming that the players are already skilled in there techniques and are able to apply them in a fully resistant situation. and bagwork over sparring, justice?? bag work is a good workout and all but it does not hit back....