2 v 1 Sparring

[Ozpunker]

I'm currently training for my 1st Dan in a Freestyle Karate, hoping to grade at the end of the year. A major focus of this belt is 2 on 1 Sparring. That is the subject person has to simultaneously fight 2 attackers at the same time.

There has been some conflict at the dojo about the best way to approach this. One view is that you should take a 'barrier' approach, where you keep moving around in a way where you always have one attacker between you and the other. This way you are really only fighting one opponent at a time.

The other approach is to just flat out fight both people at the same time. Sometimes from two directions at once.

What are people's thoughts on 2v1 sparring?

How would you approach this scenario? (i.e. general approaches and specific techniques)

Although locks, throws, take-downs and submissions etc. could be used, the focus is more on continuous upright sparring.

[Zaine]

Ideally you would knock on out so that you really are fighting one person. However, in a classroom setting the barrier strategy is the best. Not only does this create one person to fight but it also keeps both of them in your line of sight.

Fighting them both at the same time gives you a huge disadvantage. Especially if you're trying to fight them multi-directionally, that way one of them can get behind you and tear you up. Definitely go with the barrier strategy.

[GeoGiant]

Without the ability to take one of the two out of commission I'd say stacking your opponents is the best way to go. At my dojo, BBs test with 3 ppl so the option of stacking is, somewhat, taken away.

[DWx]

2v1 or 3v1 is part of our blackbelt testing too. I'd go with the barrier approach. Trying to fight two people at the same time puts you at a big disadvantage. You've only got two hands and feet, fighting 2 people at the same time means you gotta deal with 4 hands and feet and gotta keep an eye on what they're both doing.

[tallgeese]

I kind of agree with the consensus here, forming some sort of barrier is better than trying to fight two circling opponents. It's obviously easier said than done. For that reason, I really like to tie up with one. Preferably after a barrage of blows.

If I clinch with a stunned attacker, I can control him and move him to between me and bad guy number two. While I'm doing this, a good clinch lets me keep hitting him and lets me know where he's at at all times. This way I don't get ambushed by trying to punch and kick from a distance on both.

Let's remember, that while a useful drill, it's a drill. In reality you'll beat and run, or completely destroy the first and move to the second. Here, we're artificially developing an environment to work on skill. The one in the middle is supposed to get beat up a little. It does not mean he's ineffective, it means he is in a negative position drill and it's part of game.

As part of that drill progression, I'd also suggest giving various weapon upgrades to various individuals in the group. Espicially the one in the middle. Escalating weapons is a prime idea to get to when we look at being outnumbered. Being able to deploy a weapon under stress, whatever street-level weapons a systems trains in, is really important in situations like these.

It's a good time to practice it.

[Ozpunker]

Thanks for the responses guys.

It seems that most people I speak to prefer to stack the opponents.

I was speaking to our Head Instructor and he's not a fan of the barrier method. He said that his reason for including 2v1 sparring is to increase fighting speed and technique. When he was training for 2nd Dan? many years ago he was the highest ranking person at his dojo and the ability of the other students wasn't at the level he needed for the required intensity of training. The way to address this was to fight two of these people at the same time The story goes something like that anyways.

He says that after training all year always fighting two at once, when it came time to fight only one person, the task was so much easier.

As tallgeese said drills are different to real life and maybe this needs to be as a drill and not real fighting.

In saying that, What other tips can you think of for fighting the two people at the same time?

[MasterPain]

Thanks for the responses guys.

It seems that most people I speak to prefer to stack the opponents.

I was speaking to our Head Instructor and he's not a fan of the barrier method. He said that his reason for including 2v1 sparring is to increase fighting speed and technique. When he was training for 2nd Dan? many years ago he was the highest ranking person at his dojo and the ability of the other students wasn't at the level he needed for the required intensity of training. The way to address this was to fight two of these people at the same time The story goes something like that anyways.

He says that after training all year always fighting two at once, when it came time to fight only one person, the task was so much easier.

As tallgeese said drills are different to real life and maybe this needs to be as a drill and not real fighting.

In saying that, What other tips can you think of for fighting the two people at the same time?

I was about to say stack the two, clinch and use human shield while beating up the shield, or stack the 2, create space to deploy weapon and stab the human shield. Then I saw this post. You're apparently not training to fight 2 people, but fighting 2 to be better at fighting one. Your instructor isn't wanting you to employ a proper strategy, but simply to test you under bad conditions. In which case, the only real advice is to be stronger, faster, and better than everyone else involved.

[DWx]

Thanks for the responses guys.

It seems that most people I speak to prefer to stack the opponents.

I was speaking to our Head Instructor and he's not a fan of the barrier method. He said that his reason for including 2v1 sparring is to increase fighting speed and technique. When he was training for 2nd Dan? many years ago he was the highest ranking person at his dojo and the ability of the other students wasn't at the level he needed for the required intensity of training. The way to address this was to fight two of these people at the same time The story goes something like that anyways.

He says that after training all year always fighting two at once, when it came time to fight only one person, the task was so much easier.

As tallgeese said drills are different to real life and maybe this needs to be as a drill and not real fighting.

In saying that, What other tips can you think of for fighting the two people at the same time?

Well in our school we do use 2v1 or more v1 as a drill to improve your 1v1 fighting, but the strategy for us is still to use the stacking method. The drills about movement rather than just fighting a ton of people and is all about you anticipating where your opponents are moving to and what attacks are coming in and to adjust your own positioning accordingly. We even use it when competition training as the person in the middle has to deal with attack after a attack with no let up whilst allowing the attackers to alternate and take a breather before diving in and putting the person under pressure again. So yeah what I'm trying to say is, the stacking method still works as a method of making you fight better as it tests your fitness, endurance etc. as you're getting attacked with no let up.

[bushido_man96]

Let's remember, that while a useful drill, it's a drill. In reality you'll beat and run, or completely destroy the first and move to the second. Here, we're artificially developing an environment to work on skill. The one in the middle is supposed to get beat up a little. It does not mean he's ineffective, it means he is in a negative position drill and it's part of game.

This is why I really never liked the drill. I know it can be useful, but not being terribly athletic, and now that I'm getting to be the older guy in the class, the running around and all doesn't really work well for me. Like the others have mentioned, I think stacking is the best way to go, and that is what I try to do. However, we spar 2v1 with TKD rules only, which makes it tougher, in my opinion, because there is no clinching allowed. Nor am I allowed to knock anyone out. So I try not to get too caught up in whether I "win" or "lose," instead, I just try to use good tactics, expect to get hit once in a while, and evaluate myself as realistically as possible afterwards.

[sensei8]

Training for this is difficult across the board. It'll be missing the reality of what happens on the street. This means this...when everyone "knows" what's taking place during these drills before they even happen...effectiveness takes the back seat quite quickly.

False securities are birthed, and take the place of sensibilities.