Picking yourself back up

[Dinkydoo]

I got rocked pretty hard in sparring last night, backside handed to me in several bouts of sparring by people who have been training for a shorter length of time than me because they have really good fundamental boxing skills, and I started reverting back to some of the bad habits I've picked up through practicing styles with no sparring for years.

I need to tighten my guard - black eye is indicative of that - keep my head facing my opponent whilst the punches are raining down, sharpen my fundamental boxing arsenal as a priority, throw better combinations and not stop/reset after throwing three or four strikes. I dont usually train on a Saturday morning but I'm putting in an hour on the bag after breakfast.

What do you say to yourself to help pick yourself back up after a particularly poor session where you A know you should have done better and B felt like you'd went backwards a bit in terms of progress?

I usually go with "I learned a lot tonight, there's much i need to improve on" - and the next day I get right back on it but I'm finding it pretty hard to find the motivation this morning.

As martial artists we must deal with this sort of demotivation at times throughout our training, I'm interested to know how everyone deals with it.

 

[Dirty Dog]

I tell myself "suck it up, princess".

Seriously, we all have bad days, and there will always be those who just have better reflexes, better instincts, or just plain got lucky. It happens.

 

[Dinkydoo]

I think I've gotten over my morning blues already. Face iced, blisters wrapped and ready to put an hour into my punch bag

 

[ks - learning to fly]

As Dirty Dog said, 'it happens' - to everyone!!

..what I do is remind myself of one of the worst moments of my life when I got jumped
in Detroit when it would have been the easiest thing in the world 'not to pick myself
back up'..But, sitting there with 4 fractured ribs, 2 black eyes and a broken nose..
I KNEW that I had to stand up and after trying for 10 minutes, I did..that moment was
very pivotal for me and one of the reasons I started TKD..So, now when I got knocked
down I just know that: 1 - could have been worse, 2 - happens to everyone, and
3 - tomorrow is another day

 

[Transk53]

As Dirty Dog said, 'it happens' - to everyone!!

..what I do is remind myself of one of the worst moments of my life when I got jumped
in Detroit when it would have been the easiest thing in the world 'not to pick myself
back up'..But, sitting there with 4 fractured ribs, 2 black eyes and a broken nose..
I KNEW that I had to stand up and after trying for 10 minutes, I did..that moment was
very pivotal for me and one of the reasons I started TKD..So, now when I got knocked
down I just know that: 1 - could have been worse, 2 - happens to everyone, and
3 - tomorrow is another day

Pretty lame as an answer, but good for you for finding a positive!

 

[drop bear]

Don't go straight backwards when you reset after your punches. Finish your combination with a straight right. And they wont come after you.

Martial arts can be emotional you see people at their best and their worst.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

I need to tighten my guard ... I'm interested to know how everyone deals with it.

Can you just try to wrap your opponent's arms so he won't be able to punch you any more?

 

[drop bear]

Can you just try to wrap your opponent's arms so he won't be able to punch you any more?

Not against a boxer that can grapple. You just cant clinch and not do anything because you will get bashed.

 

[Touch Of Death]

I got rocked pretty hard in sparring last night, backside handed to me in several bouts of sparring by people who have been training for a shorter length of time than me because they have really good fundamental boxing skills, and I started reverting back to some of the bad habits I've picked up through practicing styles with no sparring for years.

I need to tighten my guard - black eye is indicative of that - keep my head facing my opponent whilst the punches are raining down, sharpen my fundamental boxing arsenal as a priority, throw better combinations and not stop/reset after throwing three or four strikes. I dont usually train on a Saturday morning but I'm putting in an hour on the bag after breakfast.

What do you say to yourself to help pick yourself back up after a particularly poor session where you A know you should have done better and B felt like you'd went backwards a bit in terms of progress?

I usually go with "I learned a lot tonight, there's much i need to improve on" - and the next day I get right back on it but I'm finding it pretty hard to find the motivation this morning.

As martial artists we must deal with this sort of demotivation at times throughout our training, I'm interested to know how everyone deals with it.

Stopping and resetting is exactly what you want to do, but I don't know how you stop and reset.

 

[drop bear]

Stopping and resetting is exactly what you want to do, but I don't know how you stop and reset.

i bet you fifty pushups he is going straight backwards after his combination and the other guy is feeling that break in pressue and firing shots into the centerline. Which op is still occupying.

it is a common mistake.

Now if op is just finishing his combination and standing there i will still do the pushups but i will also be technically right.

 

[tshadowchaser]

what do I say after a session like that? Ouch that hurt.

What do I do about it I go back and keep trying to get better. I ask those watching what I'm doing wrong. Then I try to change my attacks and defensive movements and again ask "what did I do wrong this time"

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Not against a boxer that can grapple. You just cant clinch and not do anything because you will get bashed.

You can punch after clinch too.

 

[drop bear]

You can punch after clinch too.

bangada bangada bang.

Yes you can but it is a bit of an art form. And clinging to punch is different to clinching so you don't get punched.

 

[Dinkydoo]

Can you just try to wrap your opponent's arms so he won't be able to punch you any more?

I can, if my opponents punches are sloppy. Trying to lock up your sparring partner's arms when he has really crisp punches is another thing entirely though. I haven't seen anyone do that before - in video or 'real life'.

 

[Dinkydoo]

Now if op is just finishing his combination and standing there i will still do the pushups but i will also be technically right.

10 points!

Its a habit I'm really focussing on getting out of, now.

 

[drop bear]

10 points!

Its a habit I'm really focussing on getting out of, now.

Thanks. But now i gotta do pushups.

 

[drop bear]

Done.

I will see if i can look up some good easy angle off options.

 

[drop bear]

ok on the bag or shadow whatever. Get your angles going.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Consider that covering up, and re-setting are the same thing, you just have to be in a mind set that you choose targets open to you from that position.

 

[EklectikButterfly]

Ya know, I recently had a talk with my Grandmaster and I think his answer applies here. I'm a high blue belt in Tang Soo Do and there are people in much lower ranks better than me. Especially in sparring! BUT.... I recently asked Kwan Ja Nim if my daughter and I could try out for the tournament team. I said I know we have a lot to improve on. But he said "Don't ever compare yourself to someone else. Do your personal best, but above all else have fun. Comparing yourself to others makes you dismiss the personal growth you've made, so do the best you can at that time and forget everyone else that's there. Pretend it's only you and me!" So pick yourself up by doing YOUR personal best and only compare yourself to yourself, ya know?