Developing kumite techniques

[advfhorn]

This thread is very helpful. I was searching on PTSD and kumite and found this. Though my situation might be different bc I feel my sparring skills are being held back bc I first need to learn how control the PTSD (disassociation and flashbacks while sparring) ... reading this thread has reminded me the solutions are pretty much the same

- "spar more and relax"

- drill, especially offensive versus defensive

I find once my adrenaline kicks in my focus to control the PTSD and to stay "offensive' is out the window .... but if offensive moves were muscle memory less focus would be needed and perhaps the it would be easier to keep myself "grounded in the present". I don't know .... its a theory anyway.

[Alan Armstrong]

When teaching sparring, being defensive is a losing strategy, therefore learning to attack the attack, gives the fighter a fighting spirit and mentality to hit back, as opposed to backing up and eventually getting hit or beaten up.

There are three actions to take, fight, flight or freeze.

As you are in the dojo to learn how to fight, then this is the option you should adopt.

Everyone started off as a beginner and over time with practice became proficient at sparring.

There is alot of information for a beginner martial artists to take in towards becoming proficient at sparring.

Not much different than a naive playful wolf puppy that eventually becomes experienced as an adult, that when hungry, becomes a hunting predator that is focused and poised, ready for the kill.

There is a gap between playing and reality, in martial arts, a transformation from one to the other, where for some when the martial arts is not fun any more and it becomes too serious or difficult they quit.

Actually (personally) having many fights and losing many taught me more than the ones I won easily.

"As what doesn't kill you will make you stronger!"

There are many fighting strategies that work, some will work for you and others might not, try out as many as possible separately, from them confidently use the ones that are useful for yourself.

Always simplify yourself to become more efficient and effective with your movements, use your nearest weapon against the nearest target for instance.

Attack and defend simultaneously also defend and attack simultaneously also, while defending simultaneously use it as a way to set up a new shot towards the opponent.

Also have all of your weapons feet, hands, knees, elbows aimed at your opponent, then use the appropriate one instinctively without thought, hesitation or telegraphed.

Confuse your opponent by not giving away your intent, use broken rhythm, feints, misdirection, think high hit low...

Position yourself for better striking as in flanking your opponent, also as when nothing is stopping you to go straight in, go in fast and hard.

Attack the opponent's balance, as this makes it difficult for the opponent to strike back and easier to hit.

Take away or occupy the opponent's space, as where ever the opponent is standing that is where to be.

Learn about circles, squares and triangles, these are geometric structured shapes, that make for excellent foundations for all combat arts, as we can recognise them very easily and use them quickly and confidently, in footwork hand and locking techniques.

My personal favourite is called "three hands" the way it works is for every one hand movement from my opponent, I will use three of my own, this makes it difficult for the most part to catch up to stopping my intentions.

Also if possible, inserting or thrusting the lead leg forward between the opponent's legs, can instantly disrupt any attempt at being attacked by kicks and punches.

I'll stop it here as it will instead turn in to a novel but if interested in more of the same, I will gladly oblige.

Here is the karate nerd that might have a point with which style of fighting is best for you:

[Age-Uke]

Not a lot of advice one can give on kumite through words.

But there are a few.

Invest in loss: Sparring and tournaments are two different animals and should be treated as such. It's best to practice one thing till you get it, not caring what the sparring outcome is. Getting dominated sparring all night is worth it if it leads to you mastering a specific technique or strategy. This way you don't get discouraged but take away a positive from every experience.

When you see karate-ka who spar over and over... get to a certain level, and never progress beyond that point.. its because they are not doing the above!

[Alan Armstrong]

Not a lot of advice one can give on kumite through words.

But there are a few.

Invest in loss: Sparring and tournaments are two different animals and should be treated as such. It's best to practice one thing till you get it, not caring what the sparring outcome is. Getting dominated sparring all night is worth it if it leads to you mastering a specific technique or strategy. This way you don't get discouraged but take away a positive from every experience.

When you see karate-ka who spar over and over... get to a certain level, and never progress beyond that point.. its because they are not doing the above!

If I ever thought that not alot of advice can be given on kumite through words, then I would quit this forum in an instant.

If Miyamoto Musashi thought that his words were nothing more than words, then he would have never written "The Book Of Fiive Rings" this would have been a great lose to the martial art world for many people over centuries past, present and future.

[sensei8]

Not a lot of advice one can give on kumite through words.

This is true, but only in the context of who can teach and who can't teach; there's no middle ground whatsoever. The mark of an outstanding instructor is one who can teach both verbally and physically effectively seamlessly to that students AHA moments.

No matter the subject, the instructor should be able to convey the subjects material in such a way that it touches the very soul of the students understanding, and then apply that which the instructor is teaching, whether or not the mode was verbal and/or physical.

Imho!!

[Age-Uke]

I'm going to disagree

This is so much you have to internalize. You have to be shown, then discussed

I specialize in teaching Kumite I could talk about it, but unless I'm in front of you teaching and showing (physically) you are not going to grasp a lot from my words alone.

Kumite is doing, not talking (especially on the internet)

Case in point if you haven't mastered MaaI and Hyoshi (timing and distancing to the point you can control both against an opponent... You can talk and talk and not gain a whole lot.

[sensei8]

I'm going to disagree

This is so much you have to internalize. You have to be shown, then discussed

I specialize in teaching Kumite I could talk about it, but unless I'm in front of you teaching and showing (physically) you are not going to grasp a lot from my words alone.

Kumite is doing, not talking (especially on the internet)

Case in point if you haven't mastered MaaI and Hyoshi (timing and distancing to the point you can control both against an opponent... You can talk and talk and not gain a whole lot.

Only if one can't get their meanings/words understood because the instructor can't articulate him/herself adequately enough to do so. If one can't articulate then, yes, one had better rely on the physical properties, and even the physical more so, as well as the verbal.

One had better be able to articulate properly in any MA subject in the venue as to which we are subjected here in the internet, and even more so if ones's an Instructor of the MA.

Yes, the physical properties must be present when teaching the MA, when necessary, and it's not always necessary to do so!!

Imho!!

[Alan Armstrong]

I'm going to disagree

This is so much you have to internalize. You have to be shown, then discussed

I specialize in teaching Kumite I could talk about it, but unless I'm in front of you teaching and showing (physically) you are not going to grasp a lot from my words alone.

Kumite is doing, not talking (especially on the internet)

Case in point if you haven't mastered MaaI and Hyoshi (timing and distancing to the point you can control both against an opponent... You can talk and talk and not gain a whole lot.

Timing and distancing itself is not limited to MA as it is a part of every day living from walking in the street to driving any type of vehicle, therefore it is an easy concept to grasp for most people.

If a person cannot grasp the concept of timing then they will be either late or too soon in everything they do, missing optimal opportunities whenever they are available and also avoiding costly mistakes.

Also if a person cannot grasp the concept of distancing, then they will not know when to be close or when to be far away to take proper advantage or use of spacial awareness and not likely be able to strike or defend themselves effectively.

Thefore coordinate your movements, timing and distance with your opponent, so as to strike at an advantage and not to be hit, this usually takes place at the borders (reach) of combatants by baiting them to hit and counterattacking on their withdrawals.

As the expert can strike the opponent at will and not be hit, this would be considered to be controlling the fight with good timing and distance.

SDA, single direct attack, is a prime example of using timing and distance as a ...