Aggressive attitude

[Sparky]

Hi all,

 

How do you turn on an aggressive type attitude during a technique such as joint locking or sparring? The key to me would be to still be in control of myself and be able to turn it on and off as needed.

 

Rachael

[Treebranch]

Well if your an aggressive person, I'd say turning it off would be the challenge. If your a mellow person than turning it on will be the challenge. I'm pretty aggressive, but I've trained myself to control it. I think you have the right idea.

[karatekid1975]

I don't have a problem sparring. The first time someone hits me, I hehehehehe. But I turn it off as soon as the match is done. As far as joint locks, you have to be a little aggressive, but not to the point of hurting your partner. If they tap out LET GO! LOL. That's what I told my nephew yesterday. That means they are hurting. He is still at the stage that he can't turn it off. So that's what I told him. I let him practice on me first, then with other students, just so I know he understood. He did

[Shorin Ryuu]

I think Bruce Lee said it best when he said "emotional content" and not anger. Its all a matter of getting very serious, but not angry or too serious. Sometimes adrenaline may help a person overcome their natural or self-imposed barriers, but I for one try to do my best pushing those limits in the first place rather than relying on adrenaline. I must admit that I do find fighting exciting and enjoyable (this doesn't mean I go out and pick fights, it means I enjoy practicing with others as close to the real thing as it gets), but I don't lose my head. During my unarmed combat classes at my academy I would score real high for technique, innovation, and everything else, but only do so-so on aggression (yes, that was a grading criteria...) because I was calm and collected (but still very persistent) as I defeated my opponents. This didn't mean I was passive or reactive, in fact, I usually created opportunities to attack my opponent, it just meant that other than enjoyment and a little excitement, I didn't feel anything. Discipline and emotion control may be the best way to "train" yourself to turning on and off emotions, if this is the method you prefer. Scoff if you wish, but I find meditation helpful.

[pmh1nic]

For most people the opposite is true and it's keeping the aggression under control that's the problem. I try to view sparring more as a learning experience rather than a competition.

 

That said there is a certain aggressiveness required to be effective in sparring. It's better to take control, beat the opponent to the punch and dictate the pace of the sparring rather than try to be a counter puncher.

 

The only way to learn it is to do it. Force yourself to throw the first punch, if there is a lull in the action force yourself to take the initiative. Throw combinations rather than single strikes. You may want to have someone that's viewing the sparring dictate when you are to throw a punch by yelling hit or punch or strike (maybe something not so obvious so only you'll know the signal).

[Shorin Ryuu]

I'm not sure if the last post was in response to mine, but just to clear up matters, I was saying it is possible to dictate the pace of combat without being aggressive. Emotionally, I don't feel aggressive, but as I said in my previous post, that doesn't stop me from creating openings in my opponent and attacking rather than being passive and only counter-attacking.

 

This is more of an ego post...I just wanted to let people know that got the wrong impression that I am not necessarily only a counter-attack kind of fighter.

[Pacificshore]

I think it's a mindset you have to place yourself in when sparring or working technique, even kata for that matter. Of course when working with a partner, you do have to control your agression, but that dosen't mean give it up. It's knowing that if you want, you can injure a joint, strike a soft target causing damage, but you still want your partner to be able to train the next day!

[pmh1nic]

Shorin Ryuu

 

I think the misunderstanding may have to do with how you define the word aggressive or aggression. Aggressiveness does not necessarily mean anger or emotion. The M-W dictionary defines aggression as "marked by driving forceful energy or initiative." That's the type of aggressive attitude required in sparring.

[karatekid1975]

I just wanna say that I used to be very "timid" when I sparred in TSD. When I got into TKD (full contact), I had to fight back. I had to "turn on" that aggression. But I had to be able to "turn it off", too. It wasn't that easy at first. It was a learning experience. Just ask advice from your instructor, and get in there and try It worked for me

[daeinwolf]

I used to be very aggressive in fighting and life in general. But now, I follow the idea that one should try to eliminate all emotional attachment(this is in reference to most people associating agression with anger) when fighting and training.

 

Bruce Lee

To see a thing uncolored by one's own personal preferences and desires is to see it in its own pristine simplicity.

 

Now, if we are referring to aggression as being forceful and assertive, then fine. But it should never be about besting anyone(in sparring); rather, it should be about reaching a higher understanding of the innate physical and mental mechanics of the self.

 

Shorin--I find that meditation can help move one past barriers that otherwise seem insurmountable. I am happy to see that someone else sees the value in it.

 

Sastimos---Joshua