Sparring question

[Faye]

I'm a beginner in sparring, and I'm very stuck. When facing a much taller opponent, how can I avoid those head punches? I'm not fast enough, by the time i concentrating to guard my head, he lands a mid section kick.
Also, what do i do when people grab my leg after a kick? Am i too slow?

 

[Marginal]

Keep your hands up, and try to hold your elbows so that they don't flare outwards. Keep them inside so that you're covering your middle somewhat as well. Best way to avoid the head punches is to keep moving so they can't set themselves and fire. Along those lines, try to move to the side rather than backwards as that's an invitation for a kick of a flurry.

Also when they punch at your head, kick 'em. A front kick, a side kick etc can work wonders here. Odds are, they won't have their hands in position to grab your leg or block if they're busy punching, and the countercan potentially disrupt whatever followup they had planned.

Speed's probably a factor too, but if all else fails, try to replay the sparring session in your mind and look for patterns and/or openings that you might have missed. Your sparring partners are probably trying to make a point when they tag you with specific things.

 

[The Kai]

Work the reach difference to your favor. My teacher was shorter than me- when i git close enough to punch he used his kicks to offset me. At his hand range i was to close to punch!

 

[Tony]

I remember when I sparred with thi guy much taller than me I kept slappin him in the face. Do keep moving, learn to duck, bob and weave in and out of his punches. Learn to read him by looking at his eyes as this usually gives away your intentions.
We were doing this drill in my class where you have had your leg trapped, you can use the other leg to roundhouse, front kick or whatever to get out of it, but do it quickly and yes there is a chance you'll fall on the floor.
If i was you I would use your hands to a strike, use feints and then use kicks but no higher than the waist. Use crescent kicks, front kicks, thrust kicks.
Try combinations , 1 2 with left and right hands then a kick, work the angles,and combine this with footwork. Another combo: left upper cut, right upper cut, left hook and then right hook. But remember keep your guard high and keep moving.
Theres lots more i could show you but its hard to explain in words. I hope this has helped for now. I would be happy to share any more information you may need

 

[Faye]

These are all great tips! I realized that instead of moving away from the opponent (not backing, but moving to the side as mentioned), I tend to block, and I'm still learning, therefore, I'm kind of slow and I get tired fairly easily, eg. he trieds to kick me 2-3 times in mid section, i lowered my guard, and then he slams me with a face punch, not one, but like 3 consecutively!
I'm afraid to move in because he is so much taller than me, and he'll just keep doing those hook punches to me! I guess keeping my guards up while moving in will help??what about moving in, keeping my hands up, and then duck when he tries to punch me and just do a reverse punch to his chest, will that work?
I'm a kicker but he blocks ALL of them....

 

[DoxN4cer]

Kick the sucker in the ribs when he punches. Your leg is probably longer then his arm.

 

[Martial Tucker]

I'm a beginner in sparring, and I'm very stuck. When facing a much taller opponent, how can I avoid those head punches? I'm not fast enough, by the time i concentrating to guard my head, he lands a mid section kick.
Also, what do i do when people grab my leg after a kick? Am i too slow?

If a taller guy keep punching you in the head, tuck your chin and assume more of a crouch-stance so all he can hit is the top of your head. It'll hurt him more than it hurts you. If he persists, get inside and pummel his mid-section with your fists. He'll soon drop his hands, and then he's yours for "dinner".

 

[Faye]

Martial Tucker, that sounds like great advise, I'll try him out! I am hoping that he'll drop his hand so i can back fist him, just for once!! Thanks1

 

[mj-hi-yah]

Speed's probably a factor too, but if all else fails, try to replay the sparring session in your mind and look for patterns and/or openings that you might have missed. Your sparring partners are probably trying to make a point when they tag you with specific things.

Along these lines if your instructor allows it ask if you can video tape your sparring session/sessions you learn a lot about how you move in conjunction with your different opponents by watching later on. Since he's blocking all of your kicks, and he's bigger than you - you need to work on your speed, and it's hard at first (a little scary maybe) but you have to learn to go in on him. You'll remove his kicks as a threat and then go for the ribs. You can also try getting around him by side stepping and get a shot off on your way around. See if you can find someone at your school that is willing to work sparring drills with you as well so that when you have to get in the ring with him you'll be more comfortable and have some proven technique to work with. Also try to get in the habit of not dropping both hands when he kicks. I used to get hit in the head with a right hook from one of the guys all the time until I finally learned to raise my left blocking hand. Now it magically comes up on its own. Practice when one goes down to block the other hands comes up to protect and visa versa.

 

[oldnewbie]

My nemisis was a tall guy with more experience than me.
I used to get SOOOO frustrated with myself, and the situation.
My Sensi worked with me on a drill.. he held a stick out in front of him at chest high, pointed at me. I could not get to him directly. I had to either step to either side, then rush him, or rush and dip under the stick, then tag from the new side????

Did that make sense?

Anyway, as my speed increased, and my bobbing got better, I would front kick my nemisis, dip under his punch and backfist him (.. hard..)

Soon after he left. I don;t know where he went??

 

[mj-hi-yah]

My nemisis was a tall guy with more experience than me.
I used to get SOOOO frustrated with myself, and the situation.
My Sensi worked with me on a drill.. he held a stick out in front of him at chest high, pointed at me. I could not get to him directly. I had to either step to either side, then rush him, or rush and dip under the stick, then tag from the new side????

Did that make sense?

Anyway, as my speed increased, and my bobbing got better, I would front kick my nemisis, dip under his punch and backfist him (.. hard..)

Soon after he left. I don;t know where he went??

Oldnewbie,

Cool agility, evasion strike drill! I would definitely work this one. Just one question...did he stay in place as you moved around him or did he come in on you? Sounds like it really worked for you!
MJ :asian:

 

[oldnewbie]

Cool agility, evasion strike drill! I would definitely work this one. Just one question...did he stay in place as you moved around him or did he come in on you? Sounds like it really worked for you!

He would stay in place, never worked on it with him moving. Sensi says I sparr with my head...I hit my partners fists with my head

 

[mj-hi-yah]

He would stay in place, never worked on it with him moving. Sensi says I sparr with my head...I hit my partners fists with my head

Thanks and you must be hard headed :uhyeah: !

 

[MichiganTKD]

Ah yes, leg grabbing. The favorite technique of students who can't do footwork and don't understand power.
I've found there are three good responses to someone who grabs a leg or foot:
1. Kick their hands. Hard.
2. Kick through their hands into their stomach.
3. Let them do it a few times, then kick their head. When they grab your foot, they bring their hands down to their midsection exposing their head. Let them get away with it a few times, ensuring their hands are down away from their head, then kick high.

 

[DeLamar.J]

I'm a beginner in sparring, and I'm very stuck. When facing a much taller opponent, how can I avoid those head punches? I'm not fast enough, by the time i concentrating to guard my head, he lands a mid section kick.
Also, what do i do when people grab my leg after a kick? Am i too slow?

Its hard to tell you what to when sparring because its so unpredictable. I could tell you one thing then your partner counter that and then you would be stuck again. You just need more time sparring so you get used to it and react without thinking so much about what to do, then you will be much better. Here, Im gonna try to give you the best advice possible over the net. read carefully and remember this.

Keep your hands up gaurding you face and your elbows close gaurding your body, if someone is faster than you its easy for them to pop you in the face if its wide open, with your hands already there, you only have to adjust to block a very short distance, like nose to eye, jaw to temple, thats alot better than waist to jaw wouldnt you say? If they go for the body just lean so your elbows are there. move the elbow and forearm in front of the blow and absorb it. Your elbows are already there, you just barely have to adjust to block. But make sure to lean so your hands stay in front of your face!

Use hands to block hands, and feet to block feet. If someones sees you are gaurding your face good they will try to kick you low so you drop your hands , then pop you in the face, keep your hands up! dont fall for it! Lift up your knee to block and absorb the kick. This way you never get faked out to drop your hands. If they kick high, keep your hands up and kick at there knee.

Please, let me know how this helps you.

 

[Faye]

I really like your idea of using my leg to block the kicks. Since I'm not fast enough, when he kicks me, i tend to drop my guard down to block the kicks, and boom, he hook punches me....

I'll try that!! Thanks alot!

 

[Zepp]

Faye,

It sounds to me like your problems sparring are with some upper belts. Ideally, they should be helping you to get better in the course of sparring with you. If they're not doing their job and teaching you, maybe you should try asking them how they're defending against you and how they recommend you defend against them.

 

[DeLamar.J]

I really like your idea of using my leg to block the kicks. Since I'm not fast enough, when he kicks me, i tend to drop my guard down to block the kicks, and boom, he hook punches me....

I'll try that!! Thanks alot!

Cool. Im glad to have helped you out. I can tell the use legs to block legs, and hands to block hands will stick with you. But be sure to read all of it though. make sure to lean to block body shots too so you dont drop your hands to block and get popped in the face. the exeption to the rule of hands to hands to block and feet to block feet is when they throw high kicks. Still keep your hands up, and kick at the knee. high kicks are very risky and you are asking to get your other leg knocked out from under you if you abuse them. As a general rule, anytime somone throws a high kick at me,I kick the leg they are standing on with everything I got, most good martial artists realize the disadvantages of throwing high kicks and will not do it against a good opponent. I teach this same strategy to my students. it takes alittle time to get it down, the funniest thing is when I tell a new guy, when I kick at your balls,or stomach, dont drop your hands or Im gonna pop your face, then we spar a little, and I kick low, and instict makes them drop there hand to stop the kick, and bam! right in the face lololol. Right after I got done telling them not to drop there guard. You will do it to most likely. Just get used to fighting that way and it will become second nature. Then I will talk to you about offence.

 

[Faye]

But be sure to read all of it though. make sure to lean to block body shots too so you dont drop your hands to block and get popped in the face. the exeption to the rule of hands to hands to block and feet to block feet is when they throw high kicks. .

I also like that idea!! I'm very flexible and can execute high kicks, but hestiate to do it while sparring, too risky. but we are not allow to kick below the belt... I can aim at the wasit though..

 

[Marginal]

I really like your idea of using my leg to block the kicks. Since I'm not fast enough, when he kicks me, i tend to drop my guard down to block the kicks, and boom, he hook punches me....

I'll try that!! Thanks alot!

Even if you block a kick with your ahnds, start thinking about economy of motion too. If you block a low kick with your arm, block only enough to deflect the kick and get your hands back in place ASAP. Also think about whether or not you need both arms to execute the block successfully and plan ahead with your placement of your free arm to minimize followups etc.