How can I help this student?

[Do-gi]

Hi everyone,

There's a student at one of my dojo's, (I'm a student too, we train together) who has a problem with kumite. She's an orange belt, so a beginner but not bad at it, but she keeps flinching and closing her eyes when someone spars her. She's asked me for help getting over it, but I don't know how to help. I've got a terrible feeling that I instilled this fear - I accidentally hit her in the face while we were sparring.

So, any suggestions I can pass on?

Thanks!

Do-gi.

[kensei]

Hey Do-Gi,

I have a three prong approach, first off you need to talk to her and remind her that she got hit, but she is not dead! She did not get so hurt that she could not train and that she is fine now. Getting hit is not the end of the world, its just proof that she needs to train so she does not get hit.

Second, hit her again...alot...with a boxing glove on...a thick boxing glove....and not that hard! This is the old school part of my training idea by the way and not for everyone but read on. I got hit alot as a yellow belt, I was seven mind you and it was the early 80's (well mid seventies okay...but I dont want to age myself that much...maybe I should have said 90's.....) anyways, the point being I got hit in class and was really upset so my father took me out side with his old boxing gloves and made a point of jabbing me in the face a bunch of times....he did this for a week every day. He then said " are you dead?" My answer was no and I actually got used to being "zapped" a few times and it helped with my Karate because I was not mentally scared of it anymore...I knew it stung and I knew I did not like it, but it was not as big a shock to my system. Now keep in mind this was a long time ago and we dont recommend doing this with a seven year old again....especially with CFS rules being the way they are.

The third way....More Kumite with LOTS of different partners. She needs to get used to different timing, speed, power, sizes, and people. Make it a challenge for her to get past the fear.

None of this is to be cruel. The truth is the first time I got hit on the job when I used to be a door man at the bar I did not flinch, I took the guy down and choked him out. My fellow workers were shocked I did not react by freezing as I told them I had never been hit doing any kind of work. The sense of security that she will get knowning that if she is attacked she wont freeze will be worth the minor discomfort of a few odd punches to the face.

Now all this is in moderation and built up over time. Dont get some light boxing gloves or mma gloves and try to KO her. I am saying light taps with a soft glove and build up to a nice jab feeling that wont KO her but keep the baggy glove. Then throw her in with lots of people for Kumite.

Karate should be fun but it has a practical side as well.

[jaypo]

I remember when someone was interviewing Uriah Faber, an MMA fighter, about Brock Lesnar who had a habit of turtling up when he got hit hard. Uriah said that he thought Brock needed to spar more and take a lot of hits to the face to get used to it. Much like Kensei's response above.

The only way to get used to being hit is to get hit! I also think that she needs to take a different approach to sparring. She needs to mentally approach it as a learning tool. Getting hit is a byproduct of it!

I know this sounds kind of psycho, but I actually like when I get hit while training. It makes me feel good to know that I can take it!!

[Zaine]

This is one of those things that passes in time. We're not built to be okay with strikes coming at us, so our reflex is to shrink away. I would suggest one-step drills. This way we can work on blocking instead of flinching. She'll get there, just keep encouraging her!

[Nidan Melbourne]

she just has to get used to being hit. It is something every martial artist has to get used to. But it honestly does take time to get used to.

So she will eventually get used to it.

[Safroot]

Hey Do-Gi,

I have a three prong approach, first off you need to talk to her and remind her that she got hit, but she is not dead! She did not get so hurt that she could not train and that she is fine now. Getting hit is not the end of the world, its just proof that she needs to train so she does not get hit.

Second, hit her again...alot...with a boxing glove on...a thick boxing glove....and not that hard! This is the old school part of my training idea by the way and not for everyone but read on. I got hit alot as a yellow belt, I was seven mind you and it was the early 80's (well mid seventies okay...but I dont want to age myself that much...maybe I should have said 90's.....) anyways, the point being I got hit in class and was really upset so my father took me out side with his old boxing gloves and made a point of jabbing me in the face a bunch of times....he did this for a week every day. He then said " are you dead?" My answer was no and I actually got used to being "zapped" a few times and it helped with my Karate because I was not mentally scared of it anymore...I knew it stung and I knew I did not like it, but it was not as big a shock to my system. Now keep in mind this was a long time ago and we dont recommend doing this with a seven year old again....especially with CFS rules being the way they are.

The third way....More Kumite with LOTS of different partners. She needs to get used to different timing, speed, power, sizes, and people. Make it a challenge for her to get past the fear.

None of this is to be cruel. The truth is the first time I got hit on the job when I used to be a door man at the bar I did not flinch, I took the guy down and choked him out. My fellow workers were shocked I did not react by freezing as I told them I had never been hit doing any kind of work. The sense of security that she will get knowning that if she is attacked she wont freeze will be worth the minor discomfort of a few odd punches to the face.

Now all this is in moderation and built up over time. Dont get some light boxing gloves or mma gloves and try to KO her. I am saying light taps with a soft glove and build up to a nice jab feeling that wont KO her but keep the baggy glove. Then throw her in with lots of people for Kumite.

Karate should be fun but it has a practical side as well.

Solid post

[mal103]

Go back to basics and do lots on one step drills where she knows where the attack is going and when. If you have to spar then hint where you will attack until she is used to responding and blocking/reacting.

In time it will be fine but just take it one step at a time.

[bushido_man96]

Lots of sparring will help. She needs to get used to seeing techniques coming in to the head. Flinching is a natural reaction, so don't be concerned that its something you caused to happen. Just spar more, and throw lots of stuff to the head so she gets used to it.

It will come with time.

[XPoint0]

I thought all forms of Karate starts with white belt.

[Do-gi]

I thought all forms of Karate starts with white belt.

I'm not sure what you mean; at my dojo(s) students don't start sparring until they're at least yellow belt.