A girl who looks silly while doing Martial Art

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

So me and another taller girl was sparring against this giant guy he's 6ft and im 5'0 ft, and whenever I approached him he just kinda blocked me and give me a gentle push away and I had no chance at all to even fight. Duuh! That kinda pissed me off for a night :rpo::rpo: haha!

After a point, you'll get used to the height differences and learn to spar those tall guys. Im 5'6", 115 ibs, and most of the people I spar are over 6 feet, once I learned to cut angles, get a fast approach and time things right, the difference matters much less than it used to.

So here's a question for you, would you mind if you find that your opponent is going all out on you and be a little aggressive (let's say she/he is not that good as you) or you'll be happy to take it? Thanks for your response though, take care!

I'm fine taking it. I'll just up my intensity level right back at them (keeping my skill level around their's though if I can), part of the fun is responding to your opponents attitude, and making them respond to your own. And if they are better than me, same thing! I actually prefer them to up the intensity, and they know it.

 

[Instructor]

Hello mamama,

In practice sparring it's best to use restraint. Going 100% speed and force will just lead to injuries which will slow progress. If a student gets carried away it's the instructors job to drill restraint and control. It's okay for a skilled instructor to push you a little to bring you out of your comfort zone, that is how we learn. But a low ranking student should never be encouraged to go full speed or power in class against a person.

Best of luck with your Hapkido training.

 

[oftheherd1]

First, welcome to MT! You are in a good place to share and learn from other MA.

Next, let me tell you some of my experiences. When I briefly studied TKD many years ago, at least a couple of times I felt I was just going nowhere. I had hit a plateau and wasn't moving on. Nevertheless, it wasn't easy to quit. It did fit my way of doing things, nor the way we were taught. Lo and behold, after sticking with it, one day I would realize I had progressed a long way from where I was when I was getting so discouraged. Don't quit!

In my mid 40s, I began studying Hapkido (meaning you are way too young to think of yourself as too old). I never felt so uncoodinated in my whole life. I couldn't make things work. I couldn't recall techniques I had learned just the day before. It was very embarassing. I don't know how your school works, but we had to learn three new techniques every day. There was a lot of practice outside of class, and I attended usually 5 days a week. If you are going two times a week, which seems common, you have been to 32 classes. How far do you expect to be?

Practice at home. When you get home from a class, write down the mechanics of the techniques you have learned. If you can't remember, correct it at the next class. Use those writeups to practice at home. Visualize the movements in your mind. Practice includes breakfalls, but be careful. You are more likely to be injured by yourself when you are inexperienced. That is dangerous and non-productive. But especailly the techniques, practice, practice, practice. Muscle memory is more important in grappling arts than others, imho.

Try not to get discouraged. If you do anyway, move on through it. It happens to most all of us. And when we quit focusing on that and just focus on learning and improving what we already know, it will amaze you one day to realize how much you are improved. BTW, that doesn't mean you will suddenly be perfect with all knowledge, just you will realize you have improved, a lot. A need to learn more.

 

[bluewaveschool]

Your instructors don't spar? What's up with that? I sparred every student that showed up last night, plus an instructor. I will show a student something a million times if needed. As long as they show they want to learn, I'll give them everything I can. I've even come in on nights that there is no class to work with people. People that really love their art, you'll find will be happy to help someone else along with their journey.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I hope I guess it right, so you're an instructor in your martial art class? In my class our instructor normally don't spar with students themselves (we have 2 different instructors each for a different class every week) but instead they go around and supervise us just in case we might need to be corrected here and there during sparring, grabbing or any forms of other techniques. But yeah, I totally agree with you! Sparring is super fun although it's also tiring. I just wonder how can people still smile when I am almost dying to throw punches and kicks. :rofl Thanks for sharing though and take care there

Instructors don't spar? Call me crazy, but I think demonstration is one o fthe easiest and fastest ways to teach something.
You'll start smiling when you begin to trust in your ability to execute the techniques. At that point you will relax and start to notice how much fun you're having.

 

[ks - learning to fly]

IMO - it's never too late to start martial arts - I started at almost 40 yo and am now 43 - a black belt (1st Dan) and going strong!! I think a little self doubt is common, but the most important thing is believing in your self!! My personal goal is to improve at least 1% each day...

and remember - NOTHING THAT'S WORTH ANYTHING IS EASY!!

 

[mamama]

You know, Bruce Lee also had arms a little longer like that

:ultracoolhe has strong arms! Haha. Thanks have a good day!

 

[mamama]

Mamama, two of those women I mentioned were 100lbs soaking wet Niether would I want to cross and I am 50lbs heavier and been training just as long. Physical attirbutes do make a difference, but do not think skill cannot overcome that. If you enjoy the martial arts, stick with it. Don't let how others progress influence you.

That's so cool of them Yup! you're right. I just tend to care too much not to perform worse than the others in the class and without realizing putting myself under too much pressure. But I do need some pressure to keep me going though Take Care!

 

[mamama]

After a point, you'll get used to the height differences and learn to spar those tall guys. Im 5'6", 115 ibs, and most of the people I spar are over 6 feet, once I learned to cut angles, get a fast approach and time things right, the difference matters much less than it used to.

Being short really sucks. Hahaha. You'll feel worse if you're of my height, really. But that's okay It forces me to adapt and take that shorter height an advantage to certain extend. just learning how to make lemonade out of lemon.

I'm fine taking it. I'll just up my intensity level right back at them (keeping my skill level around their's though if I can), part of the fun is responding to your opponents attitude, and making them respond to your own. And if they are better than me, same thing! I actually prefer them to up the intensity, and they know it.

I agree with that. Thanks so much for the response! Take care there.

 

[mamama]

Hello mamama,

In practice sparring it's best to use restraint. Going 100% speed and force will just lead to injuries which will slow progress. If a student gets carried away it's the instructors job to drill restraint and control. It's okay for a skilled instructor to push you a little to bring you out of your comfort zone, that is how we learn. But a low ranking student should never be encouraged to go full speed or power in class against a person.

Best of luck with your Hapkido training.

Yeaa I got your point. My instructors do actually remind us constantly about that too. We are advised to work more on technique than going on full speed and contact. But I find that beginners have more problems with controlling over their speed and how far they should go or it's just me? :uhohh: Have a great day

 

[mamama]

First, welcome to MT! You are in a good place to share and learn from other MA.

Next, let me tell you some of my experiences. When I briefly studied TKD many years ago, at least a couple of times I felt I was just going nowhere. I had hit a plateau and wasn't moving on. Nevertheless, it wasn't easy to quit. It did fit my way of doing things, nor the way we were taught. Lo and behold, after sticking with it, one day I would realize I had progressed a long way from where I was when I was getting so discouraged. Don't quit!

Thanks for letting me know that im not the only one that's feeling that way heehee:') Can I know how long did it take you to overcome all these self-doubt ***** and get really determined with whatever you were doing?

In my mid 40s, I began studying Hapkido (meaning you are way too young to think of yourself as too old). I never felt so uncoodinated in my whole life. I couldn't make things work. I couldn't recall techniques I had learned just the day before. It was very embarassing. I don't know how your school works, but we had to learn three new techniques every day. There was a lot of practice outside of class, and I attended usually 5 days a week. If you are going two times a week, which seems common, you have been to 32 classes. How far do you expect to be?

Woootss! You started hapkido during your mid 40s? how old are you now!?:bangahead: All the people around me who have involved or who're involving in martial arts all started when they were around urrhm 10 years old? kk #trying to convince myself age doesnt matter#

Practice at home. When you get home from a class, write down the mechanics of the techniques you have learned. If you can't remember, correct it at the next class. Use those writeups to practice at home. Visualize the movements in your mind. Practice includes breakfalls, but be careful. You are more likely to be injured by yourself when you are inexperienced. That is dangerous and non-productive. But especailly the techniques, practice, practice, practice. Muscle memory is more important in grappling arts than others, imho.

Try not to get discouraged. If you do anyway, move on through it. It happens to most all of us. And when we quit focusing on that and just focus on learning and improving what we already know, it will amaze you one day to realize how much you are improved. BTW, that doesn't mean you will suddenly be perfect with all knowledge, just you will realize you have improved, a lot. A need to learn more.

Thank you very much for the advice and reply though! :hug: have a good day&take care!

 

[mamama]

Your instructors don't spar? What's up with that? I sparred every student that showed up last night, plus an instructor. I will show a student something a million times if needed. As long as they show they want to learn, I'll give them everything I can. I've even come in on nights that there is no class to work with people. People that really love their art, you'll find will be happy to help someone else along with their journey.

Yeaahh, they dont usually do that. I think they would take up too much time if my instructor has to go around and spar with every students :uhohh: the bad thing is we only have 2 classes every week, and each class is like err 1 and a half hour. The first half and hour will be used for warming up, cardio, physical training etc. Time is an issue sometimes in my class. That's why we always take the chance to stay for about half an hour more after that to do self training Have a nice day!

 

[mamama]

Instructors don't spar? Call me crazy, but I think demonstration is one o fthe easiest and fastest ways to teach something.
You'll start smiling when you begin to trust in your ability to execute the techniques. At that point you will relax and start to notice how much fun you're having.

:rofl: :rofl: haha why?! They do sometimes, but seldom, only when the number of students who turn up for the night is awkward then they have to fill in the blank. And oh, idk about other martial arts, but i think in my class the instructors dont really want us to do sparring yet. So far we have only done like thrice or 4 times. Might be cause there are quite a lot of white belts in the class too.

You'll start smiling when you begin to trust in your ability to execute the techniques. At that point you will relax and start to notice how much fun you're having.

Haha! I will bear this in mind and try to put on a smile whenever i have chance to spar next time Hopefully I wont look like having facial cramp though. Have fun!

 

[mamama]

Thanks

The best way to do it is to keep it simple - Just ask them if they mind going full on, or if theyd prefer to keep it a bit more balanced. If it comes as you asking them if THEY want to go hard at it, thats more... i dont know a good word for it, friendlier? Than 'correcting' them. And if they dont go harder, just tell them to come on and hit you. Of course, then theyll probably do it, which comes back to having to be prepared for that. Either way, just try and partner yourself up with roughneck types. What could possibly go wrong.

I remembered there's this one time we were told to switch different partners while sparring, and I got to pair up to that at least 6ft tall guy. Idk but for me things were soooo awkward. he's a yellow belt in hapkido but I heard he learnt other martial arts before and apparently he's really good. So when I tried to approach him then he kept on going backwards and back and back and I was like what's wrong with this guy!? So I did the Bruce Lee hand gesture :rofl: to challenge him to at least attack back a little. but things didn't work out at the end still lol :/

 

[Tez3]

Thanks




I remembered there's this one time we were told to switch different partners while sparring, and I got to pair up to that at least 6ft tall guy. Idk but for me things were soooo awkward. he's a yellow belt in hapkido but I heard he learnt other martial arts before and apparently he's really good. So when I tried to approach him then he kept on going backwards and back and back and I was like what's wrong with this guy!? So I did the Bruce Lee hand gesture :rofl: to challenge him to at least attack back a little. but things didn't work out at the end still lol :/

I think you must have scared him!
If I spar with a tall person I go in close, makes it harder for them to hit or kick them whereas with my little arms and legs it's easier to hit them!

 

[Monkey Turned Wolf]

Thanks




I remembered there's this one time we were told to switch different partners while sparring, and I got to pair up to that at least 6ft tall guy. Idk but for me things were soooo awkward. he's a yellow belt in hapkido but I heard he learnt other martial arts before and apparently he's really good. So when I tried to approach him then he kept on going backwards and back and back and I was like what's wrong with this guy!? So I did the Bruce Lee hand gesture :rofl: to challenge him to at least attack back a little. but things didn't work out at the end still lol :/

Yeah, he was probably trying not to be too aggressive, as well as keep you at the edge of his distance so you can't reach yours. Just bum rush him when he does that, doubt he'll expect it .

 

[mamama]

I think you must have scared him!
If I spar with a tall person I go in close, makes it harder for them to hit or kick them whereas with my little arms and legs it's easier to hit them!

Hahaha! woopss! I think you're right. Nah maybe as a payback for he kept pushing me away the other time we sparred. Glad to know short arms and legs can come to use sometimes too Take care.

 

[mamama]

Yeah, he was probably trying not to be too aggressive, as well as keep you at the edge of his distance so you can't reach yours. Just bum rush him when he does that, doubt he'll expect it .

#evil laugh# sounds like a good idea! that's gonna be fun! xD Thanks for that, take care!

 

[Prostar]

Ok mamama,

Bear in mind that the biggest dropout time is for students is from newbie to six months. So hang in there, it gets better.

Many years ago I had a student named Bronstein. Poor Bronstein couldn't coordinate a simple step and punch technique.

"Now step and punch. The other hand. Remember to bring the other hand back when you punch. No, just the one hand. Remember to turn the punch palm down. No, just the one out there. Leave the one by your belt palm up. That's right, turn it up. No, not the one you are punching with. Good, now time for TWO.

The point? Everyone has a Bronstein day once in a while. New students have more of them. Also, it's a gas to watch when one of the upper belts is having such a day.

So here is the big secret...keep showing up.

 

[mamama]

Ok mamama,

Bear in mind that the biggest dropout time is for students is from newbie to six months. So hang in there, it gets better.

Many years ago I had a student named Bronstein. Poor Bronstein couldn't coordinate a simple step and punch technique.

"Now step and punch. The other hand. Remember to bring the other hand back when you punch. No, just the one hand. Remember to turn the punch palm down. No, just the one out there. Leave the one by your belt palm up. That's right, turn it up. No, not the one you are punching with. Good, now time for TWO.

The point? Everyone has a Bronstein day once in a while. New students have more of them. Also, it's a gas to watch when one of the upper belts is having such a day.

So here is the big secret...keep showing up.

I must be looking incredibly silly now can't help laughing and smiling in front of my laptop screen. Hahaha! Thank you so much for the story and support! I understand now Have a good day & take care there!