The Roles of Step Sparring

[bushido_man96]

I was thumbing through Hee Il Cho's The Complete One and Three Step Sparring, and came across some of his ideas as to the uses of each:

Three Step: for building sparring skills. Cho says,

If sparring is the building block of confidence, and confidence is the crucial factor in being able to defend oneself, then three-step sparring, with its control and forethought, becomes an excellent means by which to get the beginning student into sparring without developing the fear of being hurt.

One Step: for self-defense. Cho says,

Ask any instructor and they will tell you that the thing which separates the winners from the losers in a self-defense situaion is usually one single techniuqe done well. ... One-step sparring give you the opportunity to develop powerful, single techniques.

Cho mentions that typically, three-step sparring was taught first to beginning students, as he felt it took longer to acquire the ability to defend oneself, and it was best acquired through sparring.

I can see the points he is making, and I understand why he makes them (although I don't agree with them all...more on that in another thread).

In my experience in two styles of TKD, I have done one-steps as a component of curriculum. In the ATA, we had one-steps up to green belt level, and in the TTA, we have them through all colored belt levels. They do advance in difficulty, and some I even see some good self-defense applications in. Others, not so much. In the TTA, we also have a set of three-step sparring, but they are a bonus component, and not a requirement for any testing yet. I do like what some of the sets offer, and some not so much.

I would like to hear from others that do one and/or three step sparring, and hear how you use it for your students. Do you have pre-set one-steps, or do you have random step-sparring practice? Do you advance the concepts of step-sparring, and if so, how do you change it up? What are your feelings towards how Grandmaster Cho views the use of step-sparring, and how is your view similar or different?

And most important of all, how do you think we can make the use of step-sparring better?

[sensei8]

Excellent topic, Brian! Thanks for it! Solid OP!!

Do you have pre-set one-steps, or do you have random step-sparring practice?

We have both. We've our share of pre-set one, two, and three steps per the individual ranks. From that, we've our share of random ones as well. Like Bunkai, we've also Oyo. The first, is pre-set, while the second, isn't.

Do you advance the concepts of step-sparring, and if so, how do you change it up?

By increasing the tempo and transferring that to live free-style kumite. What's seen in step-sparring, should translate to free-style kumite. After all, step-sparring is the infant of free-style kumite, and it must be properly nourished all of the time.

Then turn it ALIVE!! Fight back, no matter your role in the step-sparring. Find out what might or might not have a chance to work effectively if I do this instead of that, as it's prescribed to do so.

What are your feelings towards how Grandmaster Cho views the use of step-sparring, and how is your view similar or different?

Imho, GM Cho's views are accurate. Step-sparring lessens the fear of the unforeseen contact, but only so much. Fear will evaporate in time. The more one engages, the less one has to worry about a many things associated with Kumite.

GM Cho's views on one-step is akin, imho, to hikken hisatsu (To Kill With One Blow). The goal isn't to kill but the goal is to make your one attack or your one counter-attack be meaningful. I'd rather end an attacker with just one technique, and not with a barrage of attacks.

Therefore, I'd say that my views to GM Cho's are similar in an overall aspect.

And most important of all, how do you think we can make the use of step-sparring better?

By training them ONE AT A TIME...OVER AND OVER!! Even when new things are discovered, and they are, unless one's not seeking/searching.

Effective applied knowledge begets effective training, and in that, effectiveness is an overall consensus. Discard the ineffective!

[bushido_man96]

Great responses, Bob. Thanks for the reply!

[DWx]

Funnily enough we were doing this tonight. I do like his descriptions, especially the 3 step one.

In our school, although we practice one step, two step and three step, we've never had one steps as such to learn. It is very much a free practice to translate what you learn in patterns to the map of the human body. For us its part of the curriculum in that at testing and just generally in training, students have to think about which blocks and strikes they have been taught and which ones are now appropriate to the situation they now find themselves in.

At very low grades the attack is a simple straight punch and as I'm sure you can appreciate, there is a myriad of responses that a student can choose to perform. At advanced colour the instructor stipulates that it is now a knifehand or a downward strike or something else. At Blackbelt and above the attack is not designated and you have to react on the fly. We loosely categories response into the following:

- block counter

- evade counter

- simultaneously intercepting and countering

The 3 step description seems to mirror what I think in that it is a controlled practice which allows a beginner to think about it a little. Whilst I agree that every blow should have the potential to finish the fight, I would not restrict one step to one attack, more like as many attacks as appropriate but each one strong.

[bushido_man96]

Great points, Danielle, and great descriptions of how your step-sparring training changes as rank goes up. I also like the different styles, as in block counter, evade counter, and intercepting. Very nice, and a very good program that builds.

That's how I'd like to do it. I also like how you use it to break apart the material learned in the forms. It would make it fun to pick apart and apply the moves, as is, in the patterns.

[Harkon72]

My Sensei mentioned a principal for one step sparring in our dojo tonight; he calls it ABC; Avoid, Block, Counter. He had to make it simple for the juniors; but I will keep it in mind.

[sensei8]

Even as a high rank, the one-steps, for me, must remain simple because simplicity rules the day. Confounding movements are just that; the long and winding road.

Even our one-steps are treated in a separation by us high ranks. Take this, twist it here, change it there, experiment with it because a simple downward block to a front kick, then followed by a reverse punch to the solar plexus turns into something different by adding a slide step to the side, then switched into an angled transition.

Great posts by both Brian and Danielle...RIGHT ON!!

[DWx]

Great points, Danielle, and great descriptions of how your step-sparring training changes as rank goes up. I also like the different styles, as in block counter, evade counter, and intercepting. Very nice, and a very good program that builds.

That's how I'd like to do it. I also like how you use it to break apart the material learned in the forms. It would make it fun to pick apart and apply the moves, as is, in the patterns.

What I do like about it is, at Blackbelt level, because you don't know what your partner is going to do, you have to learn to get really good at reading the signs. Broadly I tell students to classify attacks into:

- straight, such as front punches, front strikes etc.

- outward, anything coming across the body like a knifehand side strike, back fist

- inward, such as ridge hands, swinging haymaker type punches

- downward, downward strikes, getting hit with a beer bottle or something

- miscellaneous

Roughly speaking you can usually tell which class the attack will fall into based on how they shift their weight and start to move their hips/body. This gives you a split second heads up to start your block or evasion or whatever and then react further enroute. But if in doubt, always dodge.

[DWx]

My Sensei mentioned a principal for one step sparring in our dojo tonight; he calls it ABC; Avoid, Block, Counter. He had to make it simple for the juniors; but I will keep it in mind.

I'm borrowing that! Great simple mantra to teaching this stuff

[sensei8]

My Sensei mentioned a principal for one step sparring in our dojo tonight; he calls it ABC; Avoid, Block, Counter. He had to make it simple for the juniors; but I will keep it in mind.

I'm borrowing that! Great simple mantra to teaching this stuff

I'm surprised that TKD doesn't teach that. Hhhhmmmmm?