Outline for Karate Style Sparring Seminar

[Thesemindz]

This is an outline I wrote for a sparring seminar a few years ago. In this post I will present the general outline. In further posts I can put more specific outlines for each aspect of the seminar.






Sparring Seminar General Discussion Points

• How to Practice Basics
• Basic Foot Maneuvers
• Basic Defensive Maneuvers
• Basic Offensive Maneuvers
• What's A Combination?
• Practicing Combinations
• Freestyle Combat

Sparring Seminar General Outline

• Phase 1: Warm Up
• Phase 2: Drills
• Phase 3: Competitive Drills
• Phase 4: Sparring

Sparring Seminar Phase Specific Outline

• Phase 1: Warm Up

a. Foot maneuvers, forward and back
b. Basic blocks, checks, and defensive maneuvers in motion. Blocks from a fighting stance.
c. Basic single strikes in motion. Jab, cross, front kick, backnuckle, Inverted Horizontal Punch, Side Kick, Wheel Kick
d. Wheel Kick-Backnuckle strike-Inverted Horizontal Punch Combo
​

• Phase 2: Drills

a. Discuss the importance and practice of basics. Drills include techniques on body, basics in the air, on pads, and on partners.
b. Discuss the importance of combinations. Discuss the purpose and logical development of combinations.
c. Exchanging combinations of strikes with a compliant opponent from a fighting stance. Drills include 1 for 1, 2 for 2, and 3 for 3 striking.
d. Line Drills of basic combinations and advanced combinations advancing and retreating.
​

• Phase 3: Competitive Drills

a. Freestyle Interactive. Drills include push hands, basic dodging and slipping of simple strikes, and goal oriented striking against a defending opponent, eg. targeted strikes to points on chest, head, arms, abdomen, etc.
b. Verbally Disected Sparring. Students will spar at an extremely slow pace, and are required to discuss out loud their observations with their partners. For instance, describing how they are attacking, what combinations they are using, and how their opponent is defending their attack.
c. Sparring Games. Drills include Attacker vs. Defender sparring, Super Slow Motion Sparring, Slow Speed Heavy Contact sparring, etc.
d. Sparring Challenges. Drills include one handed sparring, hand or foot only sparring, limited target sparring, etc.
​

• Phase 4: Sparring

a. Continuous Sparring. Low intensity. Increases in speed coupled with decreases in the degree of contact.
b. Point Sparring. What is the purpose? What are the rules?
c. Multiple Point and Continuous Sparring Rings. Students rotate opponents regularly, alternating between both types of sparring.
d. Continuous Sparring Blitz. Students engage in continuous sparring with their opponents, but are called to rotate to new opponents after no more than thirty seconds with each opponent, emphasizing immediate decision making and action.


​

-Rob

 

[Grenadier]

Looks like excellent material, indeed.

However, I am curious, as to whether this is all presented in a single seminar, or broken up into multiple seminars? It seems like a large amount of information, and to put that much into a single seminar might be overwhelming for the majority of your attendees.

 

[Thesemindz]

Looks like excellent material, indeed.

However, I am curious, as to whether this is all presented in a single seminar, or broken up into multiple seminars? It seems like a large amount of information, and to put that much into a single seminar might be overwhelming for the majority of your attendees.

It is intended to be taught in a single three hour seminar. Ultimately however, it isn't intended to create sparring experts, but to make sure that afterwords the students can jump into sparring in any class.

It is a lot, but it is intended to give them a thorough introduction, not in depth instruction.


-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

Phase 1: Warm Up

A. Teaching Foot Maneuvers 1-6

Students practice foot maneuvers 1 - 6 forward and back singly and with a partner.

1. In Place Pivot
2. Push Drag
3. Drag Step
4. Front Crossover
5. Step Through
6. Rear Crossover

B. Teaching Blocks from a Fighting Stance

Students practice blocks from a fighting stance in a static environment.
Students practice blocks from a fighting stance while moving and executing foot maneuvers.
​

C. Teaching Single Strikes from a Fighting Stance

Students practice single strikes from a fighting stance in a static environment.
Students practice single strikes from a fighting stance while moving and executing foot maneuvers.
​

D. Teaching Wheel Kick-Backnuckle Strike-Inverted Horizontal Punch Combo

Students practice prescribed combo in a static environment.
Students practice prescribed combo while moving and executing foot maneuvers.

​

Notes on Phase 1:

a. Foot maneuvers 1-6 taught and drilled in and out with increasing intensity of warm up.
b. Blocks include Upward, Inward, Outward, Downward Elbow Block, Downward, and Crane stance for sweep avoidance.
c. Strikes include Backnuckle Strike, Inverted Horizontal Punch, Side Kick, and Wheel Kick (optional strikes for advanced students include Vertical Punches with lead and rear hands, Front Kick, Roundhouse Kick, Rear Kick, and Heel Hook Kick)
d. Briefly discuss importance of Wheel Kick-Backnuckle Strike-Inverted Horizontal Punch Combo. This combo includes upper and lower body strikes, from inside and outside, along linear and circular paths.

​

-Rob

 

[jks9199]

It is intended to be taught in a single three hour seminar. Ultimately however, it isn't intended to create sparring experts, but to make sure that afterwords the students can jump into sparring in any class.

It is a lot, but it is intended to give them a thorough introduction, not in depth instruction.


-Rob

Did you actually try to teach that?

That's a HUGE amount of material for a full day seminar. It seems unmanageable for a 3 hour seminar. (Unless, of course, you're teaching on the good ship Minnow. )

If you put too much info out, too fast, students don't retain it. It's much more successful to put a smaller amount of data out there, and have students actually remember the material.

 

[Thesemindz]

Phase 2: Drills

A. Discuss Importance of Practicing Basics

Students practice basics in a static environment.
Students practice punches and handsword techniques on pads to develop proper weapon structure.
Students practice specific basics on shields, and heavy bags, to develop proper structure against increased resistance.
​

B. Discuss the Importance of Combinations

Students learn about logical development of combinations, including the use of and reasoning behind feints, guard sweeps, and success percentages of successive strikes.
​

C. Practicing Basic Combinations as Line Drills

Students will practice combinations advancing and retreating


Drills advancing include

1. Push Drag Wheel Kick - Backnuckle Strike
2. Drag Step Pulling Guard Sweep Vertical Punch - Wheel Kick
3. Drag Step Backnuckle Strike - Inverted Horizontal Punch

Drills retreating include

1. Push Drag Rear Kick - Backnuckle Strike
2. Step Drag Side Kick - Inward Revers Handsword Strike
3. Drag Step Vertical Punch - Front Kick

D. Students exchange basic combinations with a compliant partner.

Students exchange two strike combinations with a compliant opponent.
Students exchange three strike combinations with a compliant opponent.


​

Notes on Phase 2:

a. Students practice "flash" drills on pads, where one student briefly reveals a pad at varying angles and heights and another student attempts to identify and strike the pad with a logical response.
b. Students should be taught that while singular strikes are most likely to be successfully defended, multiple strikes thrown in combination have a much greater degree of success.
c. Advanced students can be encouraged to develop their own advancing and retreating combinations.
d. At this time contact between students is introduced and students must display an understanding of contact levels.


​

-Rob

 

[Thesemindz]

Phase 3: Competitive Drills

A. Freestyle Interactive

Students will practice mobile, interactive drills with partners to begin to develop sparring attributes. Drills include

1. Push Hands - To develop balance, sensitivity, and stance awareness of themselves and their opponent.
2. Target Specific "Tag" - To desensitize the student to the visual stimulation of strikes incoming towards their body
3. Slipping and Dodging Strikes - To develop evasive maneuvers and an understanding of the effectiveness of small movements.
4. Evasive Defense - To develop ring awareness and defensive mobility.

B. Verbally Dissected Sparring

Students spar at an extremely slow pace while discussing their observations with their partner. Discussion should include observations on offensive technique, foot maneuvers, defensive techinques, combinations, and ring control.
​

C. Sparring Games

Students will practice drills with a partner which more closely resemble sparring. Drills include

1. Super Slow Motion
2. Attacker versus Defender Sparring
3. Slow Speed - Heavy Contact Sparring
4. Circle Walking in which one partner leads while the other mirrors their movement.

D. Sparring Challenges

Students begin to practice sparring with a limited and well defined context. Drills include

1. One Handed Sparring, left then right
2. Hands Only
3. Feet Only
4. Limited Offensive Techniques, only punches, only open hand strikes, only circular kicks
5. Limited Targets including only head, only body, only groin

Notes on Phase 3:

a. At this point the students should be using strong stances as an important part of their approach.
b. Discussing their observations out loud helps the students to approach sparring from a conscious cerebral point of view.
c. Here the students are beginning to go through the motions of sparring.
d. In "Limited Targets" it is important to emphasize control to avoid injuring someone when focused on striking them specifically to the head or groin.


​

-Rob

 

[terryl965]

So you are basically spending only about 5-8 minutes and each part? That seem to be a brief touch up on things, how will that really help someone to start sparring? Sorry I could see this if it was a two day seminar with about 6 hours the first day and another four on the second. I like the concept just not the timeframe.:asian:

 

[Thesemindz]

Phase 4: Sparring

A. Low Intensity Continuous Sparring

The students are now practicing continuous sparring, but at a low level of intensity for safety. As the speed increases, the degree of contact should be controlled.
​

B. Point Sparring Introduction

Students are instructed on the purpose and boundaries of point sparring. What is sparring? What are the rules? What are the roles of the judges? How are points awarded?
​

C. Multiple Sparring Rings

Students will alternate between continuous and point sparring, giving each student multiple opportunities with each, and forcing them to understand and adjust to the differences between them.
​

D. Continuous Sparring Blitz

Students engage in continuous sparring with their opponents, but are called to rotate to new opponents after no more than thirty seconds with each opponent, emphasizing immediate decision making and action. With each new opponent the student has only seconds to analyze the fighting style of his opponent, devise a strategem, and commit to his technique.
​

Notes on Phase 4:

a. This is where the student is finally and gently eased into real sparring. Students must be aware that they can always lower the intensity of their matches with regards to both speed and degree of contact, but at this time are not allowed to increase intensity.
b. A brief description and demonstration of the mechanics of a point sparring match should include demonstrations of the judges calls and what situations could necessitate each type of call.
c. Non-combatants will play the role of judges in order to practice both judging and technique recognition.
d. Seminar ends with high energy sparring.

​

So that's it. That's the entire seminar. It is intended to last three hours, but could be either compressed or expanded to fit a different time frame. At the end, the students should have enough of an introduction to sparring to be able to participate in it and learn from any further sparring experiences. A short stretch and cool down could follow, as well as a question and answer period.

If anybody has any other questions let me know.


-Rob