Azmyth Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I am a senior rank green belt, and I have just come back to TKD only a few months ago.. after a long hiatus. Today was my first attempt at sparring again.. and I had to spar a 2nd degree black. He was about my size, only younger.. I am 22 he was prolly 17. I think I got kind of discouraged when he got a direct head shot with a round house kick on me... and my new mouth guard made my mouth bleed. Of course everyone looking thought I got the crap knocked out of me.. which he did get me good.. but not enough to bust my mouth.. the new mouth guard had a few sharp egdes and was stiff and it cut my gum from me biting it. As far as the contest went.. he pretty much got the best of me.. for the first half.. because i have the bad habit of looking down. Once he got me in the head that first time... I kinda had a lil come back. But I feel a bit discouraged.. thinking I'd be better than I actually was.. what can I do to improve my sparring outside of class.. "Fear does not exist in this dojo does it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karatekid1975 Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 Don't get discouraged. He is a 2nd dan. I got my butt kicked many times by black belts. Eventhough I was getting whooped, I DON'T back down. I keep coming at them. The fact that you got in there and tried is a big plus You will get better the more you practice Laurie F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufrthanu Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 First off are you boiling your mouthpiece and form fitting it to your mouth? If so there shouldnt be any rough edges. ALso if there do happene to be some rough edges you can always reboil it and do it again. As to the sparring practice is going to help you the most, however, you should probably come up with several techniques that you can do very well and then do them over and over again. Remember to combo so that he doesnt know where your final hit is going. Long Live the Fighters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akima Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 How long were you off? What rank were you when you stopped? I know a guy, 1st gup, who studied until he was 15, then took a 15 year "break". He's been working hard for over a year now and is just getting back in form. He's dealing with menatlly being 15 and realizing his body is 30. Can't throw things like he used to. But it's taken him a year to leanr that, get back into form, and most importan, find ways to adapt now that he is older. You are only 22, Just go to class and work. do kicking drills both fast and slow to build up you legs and endurance. If you work as hard as this guy, I am sure you will be back in form very soon. O and keep fighting this guy, or someone better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azmyth Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 well.. I was senior rank green when I stopped.. the instructor let me keep rank and just worked me back to where I was. I hadn't gotten to boil my mouthpiece because he only just gave it to me right before we sparred. The reason I know it wasn't the kick.. was because it never touched my mouth.. so it had to do something with my gums and the mouthguard. I'm not sure how u explain this.. but at my school.. you have good high ranks.. and some high ranks that aren't as good. Like theres this one red belt kid who shouldn't even be yellow.. but the whole.. low curriculum thing comes into place, where if the instructor doesn't push them on through the parents complain as to why their kid isn't getting belts. Just sucks when u line up at class, to have a higher rank than u.. that can't even do a side kick as well as a white belt could thats properly trained. Anyway, the black belt I sparred is pretty much the best one I have seen so far at this school. You can tell he really takes his training serious.. and although he is young.. he has alot of respect. He probably told me he was sorry 100 times.. and we shook hands.. and it just showed alot of good sportsmanship. I wanna work on some things and give it another go at him. I came from another school where I was used to being the only "BIG person" in class.. and so most of the time I was pretty much the best at sparring in the school despite my low rank. anyway, thanks for all the positive input. I think now.. that this guys is a rapid kicker.. who throws kick after kick.. he also does alot of jumping kicks. "Fear does not exist in this dojo does it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommarker Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 An E Dan soundly beats a green belt in sparring? In other news, fire is still hot Don't worry about it man, learn your lessons from the match, and move on. I'm no longer posting here. Adios. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karatekid1975 Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 You answered your own question there. He is pretty much the best there, and you had a "lay-off." So don't be so hard on yourself. Just get in there, and train to get better I personally spar black belts on purpose That way I get better than if I spar just color belts. I personally rather spar black belts. They help you as well as you learning "right and wrong." Just my humble opinion, though Laurie F Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tufrthanu Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 As to people getting rank that dont do a side kick as well as you or others of their rank...it happens. Alot of instructors need to pay bills so they sometimes advance people who shouldnt have been. Also sometimes a person who tries very hard and puts in time and effort will often be given rank based on perserverance rather than skill. Also there are things that I do that I'm sure could be better and some yellow belts might do it better, however, there are also things that I do better than anyone else in the dojang, except for maybe the head instructor. Long Live the Fighters! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azmyth Posted October 2, 2003 Author Share Posted October 2, 2003 I can understand that point... because I respect those who try hard and give it their all.. even though they still may not be able to do it correct. they are at least doing it to the best of their ability. The ones I'm talking about are the ones who could care less about getting any better, and the ones who do not even try in class.. they are just kind of their. Anyway, I will work on my stuff... Why was I getting so worked up anyway.. he was a black belt.. it just shows me that rank does mean something in my school.. because a black belt should be able to beat a green belt. "Fear does not exist in this dojo does it?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Hall Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 From what I read it sounds like that second degree has poor control. Higher-ranking people shouldn’t need blood contact to confirm their skill. If you ask me, the answers you get from this forum should be printed and given to that second degree. If the second-degree felt pressured enough to use hard contact, you must have been doing something right! You are learning. The learning process isn’t always a smooth road. If you feel you are doing something wrong, next time ask a senior ranking person in your class to critique your sparring. "And it is this lack of fear that makes for the dance" - Anne Morrow Lindbergh (https://www.loudounmartialarts.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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