How to develop sparring?

[JusticeZero]

You have to learn techniques before any sparring. Otherwise it's the blind fighting the blind.

Not -entirely- true. You can do like i've seen done - "Here is one defense. It's big and tolerant of a lot of slop. Here is one attack that is defended against with that defense. It's big and swoopy and takes very little coordination to do at a recognizable level. Here is the basic stance. Now - go play at slow speed, and you can only use that one attack and defense."

[JCavin]

I always found that sparring before learning techniques made learning the techniques more important to the students.

For instance, we make people spar the first night so they have an idea of what to expect. Then we teach them a couple techniques and have them think about exactly how they would have used that, and then have them spar again, using only those techniques.

Has worked well for me. Gives you perspective.

[Lee M]

allot spend way too much time of the technique without developing the distance and timing.

You don't see a tennis player practicing in front of a mirror for hours.

You can teach the technique for 2 mins and have people training the skills from the get go - like hitting a tennis ball.

The issue is the partner - do they have control of force and speed required to develop a skill.

They practive live and thats what you need motion, resistance (slowly built up) and timing.

[yamesu]

I agree with Kuma, in Kyokushin there are a number of different approaches to sparring that lead up to full-contact without gloves. Its really up to the individuals.

I dont mind going hand with other guys at the same level or above me, granted it usually ends in wlaking away in a little apin that requires a few days for recovery time!

Conversely, I have never been a fan of sparring with women, I mostly just drill out my sabakai and blocking (i find it really hard to throw a punch, however light/soft, at a female).

We also play games for sparring to develop different skills.

More recently I have been attending the head dojo here under my Shihan, and we have done several little "games" to develop sparring.

A couple of examples:

1) Boxing for head punches ONLY with 16oz boxing gloves.

2) Slaps to the head and face, no gloves, aiming for speed and accuracy.

3) Pinned up with back facing the wall, two opponents and they (one at a time) can each take two full-contact punches of any kind to the body. You are not allowed to counter but only block.

4) Free-sparring where the front hand can attack and counter, but the back hand is only allowed to block/parry.

5) Free-sparring where one person allowed to block and punch only with hand arm techniques, the other allowed to kick and block only with leg techniques.

Each have there pros and cons, but are fun and a little different to continuous full-contact. Mixes it up a bit.

OSU.

[Lee M]

Some good examples of isolating skills their yamesu.

Another good one is fighting open stance v close stance.

and mixing it up.

This type of drill shows a few tweaks to your strategy can completely take away someones strengths.

[NINE TAIL FOX]

I give my comments with great trepidation as it is so easy to misunderstand or misinterpret intentions. Please do not shoot me down in flames. This is an honest expression of what happens in my dojo. I do not have all the wisdom and I hope some of the material could be useful.

Maybe my response is slightly off-topic as I will advise how I like to develop randori skills. In our Dojo there are no gloves and only light contact. Contact to the body could be firm (to show that your block was ineffective) and only the lightest touch is allowed to the head. Being said it does not mean that honest accidents because of poor distance judgement cannot happen. If it happens – live with it.

I hope that they would also realize that randori is a dance and there is no room for “getting even” or “taking liberties” or worse “settling a score.” Any of these actions are dealt with by calming the student and explaining there is no place for this in the interaction.

Randori forms only a component of the day’s training and will generally last about 10 minutes per day.

LESSON AND SESSION 1 - VERY SLOW AND LIGHT RANDORI

To start I like to look at very light and slow randori that incorporates a specific bunkai. (For example punch to the chest, block and counter.)

LESSON AND SESSION 2 – TIED TOGETHER STATIONARY

Now that you have spent time understanding what is required we need to work on distance. Students are tied together with their belts (or spare belts) at arms length. From shiko dachi position they continue the attack, block and counter regime. First one attacks only, then the other attacks, then both attach randomly. Still all is done at a very slow and light pace.

Here I like to change the shiko dachi from left stance to right stance. The student then learns to lead with either foot.

LESSON AND SESSION 3 – TIED TOGETHER MOVING

Students may now move around freely, still doing the same attack, block and counter.

LESSON AND SESSION 4 – REMOVE TIES AND MOVE

Students are encouraged to keep it light but now movement and distance is controlled by the students. Hopefully, by now, they would have learned to keep and fight at the correct distance for them. Also they should be comfortable with being close to an opponent. They are encouraged to lead with either foot and at this stage I introduce more freedom by bringing in more bunkai applications. All still soft. Speed can pick up but as soon as I notice distance is compromised I ask them to slow down again.

LESSON AND SESSION 6 – LIGHT PADS

Hand pads are used. The attacker must attack a pad (strapped to the receiver’s hand). The receiver moves the pad from one position to another. Sometimes simulating a chest strike, an uraken strike to the head, a low kick, a high kick or whatever. (Learning to follow and focus on a target while the distance changes.)

LESSON AND SESSION 7 – INTRODUCE BAGS

Now we still use the same techniques but the receiver now has a heavy pad and the attacker is given freedom to strike the pad with enthusiasm. I allow more freedom here such as allowing kicks as part of the regime.

This is also the stage when I like to give student the opportunity to punch flat out with any technique for 1 minute, rest for 2 minutes and then re-attack for 1 minute. Obviously rotating the pad between students and give the student time to recover.

LESSON AND SESSION 8 – FREEDOM

Now students can dance together – firm touch to the body a light touch to the head. Any technique including kicks, is allowed. Lots of rotation between students to give an opportunity to deal with different opponents. I keep a watchful eye on distance and I like to ensure that there is attacking and receiving techniques between students. For example I do not like it if a student only attacks and does no defensive work. Give and take.

Very importantly I also watch for flinching. A student should be able to take an attack to the face without blinking his eyes. (If your eyes are closed, how can you see the incoming attacks?)

I encourage difference stances while interacting. For Example: Shiko dachi to allow for an attack at a low level, Cat stance for a front foot groin kick, feigning a tetsui uchi to the head while the real attack is a fura zuki to the rib cage. Let your personality come to the fore.

LESSON AND SESSION 9 – MULTI PARTNERS

Two students attack and one receives. Lots of bag work – one minute all out 2 minute rest. As always encouraging students to use the bunkai of katas in their attacks and defense. And lastly make sure you enjoy the interaction. Drills are bloodless battles and battles are bloody drills.

LESSON AND SESSION 10 – REVERT TO LESSON 1

Go back to lesson 1 and introduce more variations and bunkai. By now, if the students have followed the sessions they should have a better understanding of randori.

[xo-karate]

Very good post "Nine tail fox"

There is a progression in the system.

In our current "dojo" most frequently used "system" is:

a) First teach a new technique - an drill it.

b) Then a counter or two - and drill it.

c) Techinical sparr/roll - just the new technique and different counters

d) Free roll - starting from situation where the new technique can be implied, but "dance" continues

(This is for BJJ.)