Sparring

[cheesefrysamurai]

is there anyway to improve sparring without actually sparing. I ask because class is 2 times a week and I feel there is not enough time spent on it in class.

Everytime i go up against one particular guy whose much much younger then me and less experienced, he damn near takes my head off, Hes taller then me, so thats a disadvantage too. Sensei tells me I am doing fine, that he is "full of urine and vinegar" and blames himself for not properly explaining to him that sparing isn't a fight.

I have sparred him before and it doesn't end up well. I feel I can't get inside and any move I make i seem to do makes me a target.

thanks

[ps1]

No.

Shadow boxing and technique drills can only do so much. If you want to get better, you need to spar.

All the other stuff can improve technique and footwork, which is important. But the timing required to spar well can only be learned on a resisting opponent.

[mal103]

Not everyone is a natural born fighter so you will have to develop sparring over time with various partners. If this particular guy is not pulling his punches then it turns from being an addictive hobby into a nightmare so speak with your Sensei and request that you are not partnered with them anymore.

Some may think this is the chicken way out but you need to bring on your sparring gradually, it's no good putting beginners with hardened Black belts who beat the crap out of them as they will soon find another hobby. Even students of similar grade and size can be miles apart in sparring skills.

We have one in our club that is very damaging, in time you learn how to deal with it though so you will eventually get there.

[Harkon72]

My strategy for sparring is to make my opponent block until I get through. If he's blocking or being hit he is less likely to be throwing techniques at you. It takes stamina and good foot work, but keep throwing those combinations.

[sensei8]

The wide variety of sparring drills do enhance the mechanics of it, but, nothing can or will ever replace the actuality of sparring. No sparring in ones training, imho, is akin to learning how to fly without actually ever flying; the void that will remain.

There's nothing like being attacked!!

[DWx]

Spar as much as you can to get better. But if you're lacking in partners to practice with or can't get to the dojo regularly enough there are other things you can do to supplement your sparring.

One of the easiest things you can improve on your own is your fitness. Sparring is a sprint not a marathon so mainly focus on high intensity short duration things. So skipping, sprints, HIIT bag training or exercise pyramids. Anything to get your heart rate going faster. Then you can mix this with a bit more endurance too: longer distance running, biking, swimming.

Also under the fitness umbrella would be strength and flexibility and I'm sure you don't need anyone to tell you how to go about that.

All this will make your current skill set faster and give that ability to do everything for longer without fatiguing so quickly.

Then drill work. You need to be able to do things without thinking about how your going to do them. Make everything instinctual. Footwork drills and combination drills. Look at what you're already taught in class, work that then build upon it by using tools such as YouTube to see what successful fighters are doing themselves. Both shadow box and do work on the pads and bag.

As a caveat I would say that there's not a whole lot you can do with guys like you described. You can try to give them a taste of their own medicine so to speak but IMHO that doesn't really resolve anything.

[brickshooter]

is there anyway to improve sparring without actually sparing. I ask because class is 2 times a week and I feel there is not enough time spent on it in class.

Everytime i go up against one particular guy whose much much younger then me and less experienced, he damn near takes my head off, Hes taller then me, so thats a disadvantage too. Sensei tells me I am doing fine, that he is "full of urine and vinegar" and blames himself for not properly explaining to him that sparing isn't a fight.

I have sparred him before and it doesn't end up well. I feel I can't get inside and any move I make i seem to do makes me a target.

thanks

Yes. Get your phone.

Film the guy. You and him. Then him with others.

Then break the film down to a scouting report. List his weakness and habbits. Then drill how you would exploit those weaknesses.

[cheesefrysamurai]

ive been youtubing and it seems its a common problem.

One guy actually described my situation exactly. I need to keep moving, cut corners, move on angles.

Going straight in is never going to work for me. I'm an east target. I have a lot of work to do.

My problem is this is almost like another art in itself. I don't have the money to pay a boxing gym on top of the dojo fees, and there simply isn't enough dojo time.

[ShoriKid]

ive been youtubing and it seems its a common problem.

One guy actually described my situation exactly. I need to keep moving, cut corners, move on angles.

Going straight in is never going to work for me. I'm an east target. I have a lot of work to do.

My problem is this is almost like another art in itself. I don't have the money to pay a boxing gym on top of the dojo fees, and there simply isn't enough dojo time.

It's not another art though, it's all there, you just aren't getting enough time to practice that aspect of what you need to be doing. You can drill working angles and off setting without a partner. Learning to implement them takes time. Try getting together with some others wanting more time sparring and working outside of the dojo. Just keep it light and drill/goal oriented so no one gets mad and tries to turn it into a real fight.

[bushido_man96]

No.

Shadow boxing and technique drills can only do so much. If you want to get better, you need to spar.

All the other stuff can improve technique and footwork, which is important. But the timing required to spar well can only be learned on a resisting opponent.

I agree here. However, you can do some training on your own to help improve speed and timing to some extent. Working on improving your explosive movement will help when putting things together.

If you can get a partner to work with outside of class, you can work on some drills to help improve as well. Working some counter drills, and then working some of what I would call "mission sparring," where the goal would be to score using what you just worked on drilling, as opposed to winning.