Training out fear of (jiyu) kumite

[markr]

Hi,

My son is training for his 1st Dan at the moment which he hopes to take in February, he is working hard and has good technique in his basics and kata.

However, for his black belt, he will be required to take part in kumite, this is the first time he has had to do it in a grading and it's not something that is focussed on in the dojo.

His technique is okay, but he is very scared of getting hit/injured (he is 10), whenever we do either kumite or Jiyu in the dojo, as soon as he is attacked he pretty much backs off rapidly (not quite running, but he does tend to turn his back and move very quickly); this is the same when he is attacking, he will issue the attack and then retreat quickly to avoid getting hit.

He is a good karate-ka, loves kata competitions (which is great for his confidence) and has brought home a number of medals, his fear of fighting though will prevent him getting his black belt which he has been working hard for all year.

I'm a 2nd Dan myself and have had some 'war wounds' so I can understand his trepidation, I was just wondering if this had happened in your dojos (I can't believe he is alone in this as a young child) and how you managed to build their confidence enough to hold his own - training techniques, psychology? All suggestions welcome!

Thanks

Mark.

[Hawkmoon]

Sorry as Kyokushin student my opinion on this maybe considered a little ...um ...heavy handed...even barbaric!

Prearranged fighting.

By this I mean one student (living target)is stood up and told they can only punch where as your boy may attack with arms and legs.

Then change that up to the 'living target' is only to kick and still you boy attacks as before.

'Body Armour'

As in your boy wears it and the living target is just that a living target, moves around punches back all to let your boy experience the 'attack' BUT with the confidence (the body armor gives) it will not hurt, he then starts to 'focus his mind' on the next attack etc...take his mind of the attack! (the pain)

You !

You use soft(loose) hands clearly padded legs and he is allowed to attack you as light or heavy as he wishes. You however are only allowed to touch...

(He starts at low power first build up)

As above he is allowed to explore the attack (your attack) and as you don't hurt (soft hands) starts to focus on his attack, not the pain!

His confidence needs to build up the pain memory real or false needs to be broken!

(That s a hard job no matter who you are, pain memory is hugely compelling!...respect it 100% so you can deal with it correctly!)

No rush...and no pressure!

Make one mistake and you find you have to start the process again but from a starting position much further back than last time!

To him things hurt (this is true can't make that go away) but, things don't hurt that much...or rather as much as he thinks they do, let him explore ..... that pain that memory!

Stub your toe it hurts doesn't it? After that a while later it does hurt any more...exactly when was that?

Break the pain memory

[brickshooter]

He's still a 10 year old boy. So I'd really ease him into Kumite. If it were up to me, I'd have him do a lot more 1-step sparing until he's 100 percent comfortable with someone charging him. Last thing we want is to leave a mental scar on him as a result of pushing him into it too soon.

Funny but I didn't enjoy Kumite until I hit puberty and got all the aggression from the extra testosterone boost.

[sensei8]

It saddens me whenever I read that Kumite isn't done much, and even more sadden when I read that the karate dojo isn't engaging in the three K's [Kihon, Kata, Kumite] because one without the other is fruitless for a karateka betterment.

Learning one or two of the three K's is akin to a three legged stool trying to stand on its own with only 2 legs; unproductive!!

Now, nobody should get hurt when training and that includes Kumite. However, things do happen when two are engaging in these type of training activities. Accidents while kumite aren't intentional, however, contact will happen in a no-contact school. But I don't know how one can engage without some type of resolved contact, at least some type of patty-caking from time to time.

Can't learn transitioning without transitioning!! Can't learn timing without caused timing!! Can't learn engaging without engaging!! Can't learn how to respond without being attacked!! These things, and then some, must be a karateka's baptismal in fire if ones going to protect oneself. Can't learn how to move if one doesn't move!!

Address said fear of kumite by engaging. Future Events Appearing Real, and if your fear appears real to you, then the learing curve has stopped dead in its track, and your said fear has won!!

Let the challenge of Kumite envelope said karateka so that they can experience Kumite's totality!! When an opponent attacks, one better know what options and opportunities might be available for them, and if not, one better be a track-star.

Kihon by itself isn't enough!! Kata by itself isn't enough!! Kumite by itself isn't enough!! However, of the three, without knowing any better, I'd wrap Kumite around my mindset so at least I have some type of fighting chance. Still, a karateka must believe in the three K's before one can absorb its benefits.

Imho!!

[Nidan Melbourne]

Its sad to hear that he is afraid of being hit or injured. But it is weird that he hasn't been introduced to kumite prior to this.

At my dojo they commence sparring as a yellow belt. But we often will match them up according to their height. That way they can building up that confidence then when they are ready we will introduce taller or harder opponents.

This has been effective for our dojo and that our students have that confidence and skill to fight tougher opponents

[Wastelander]

Well, I'm a little hesitant to comment on this topic because I think my view may seem a little severe, but I feel this should be said; he isn't ready to test for Shodan. If he hasn't been sparring very much, and when he does spar he is too afraid of being hit to use what he knows, then he isn't ready for training with other black belts. There is no shame in this, but it must be recognized.

I know that it seems like he has put in a lot of work over the past year to reach his Shodan test, but that training was not wasted because it has still made him a better karateka. It won't hurt him to wait a few more years to test--he's only 10 years old, so he has PLENTY of time. You say he is a good karateka, which means that by the time he is really ready, he will be a GREAT karateka! Take your time and introduce him to sparring situations where he can't run away (trap him in a corner, or tie your belts together) and where he is going to get hit. This will need to be a very gradual process to acclimatize him to the stress and pain he will experience. Maybe in a few years, he will have overcome his fear and hesitance in kumite, and by then he will be an even more knowledgeable and skilled karateka for the experience.

[Harkon72]

In our Dojo, Juniors don't do Jui Kumite until they go for their Dan grade. Before then Ippon Kumite and Sanbon Kumite is what they do. They are competitive, they practice Kata in competition, but there is no free sparring until they realize some martial art maturity and have a responsible mind towards it.

[andym]

I have to ask the question, should 10 year old's be doing Jiyu Kumite ? Then again, I old fashioned and think 10 year old's shouldn't be allowed to be Dan grades either...so. Sorry I can't be positive about it.

[AdamKralic]

You don't learn swimming without jumping in the pool. Put me in line with my fellow "harsh" commentators. The adversion to contact will make everything worse. He will lose every time with such a "tactic."

He simply has to fight a lot more. Going over anything is a waste until he loses the fear. I was afraid to drive a car once upon a time...I got over that the same way your child must get over his fear.

[Rateh]

As someone who was afraid of sparring, who took years of regular sparring (i mean a 1 hour sparring class once a week) to get over that fear, I think that easing into sparring is the best. For me it wasn't so much the getting hit (although if you asked me at the time, I probably would have told you otherwise), as the not knowing what to do. I was just overwhelmed with the arms and legs coming at me. I think sparring in slow motion, as well as going over how to defend/counter the most common attacks, would help.