sparring

[kenpo 1]

Hello everyone, I am new to this sight and I had a question about sparring. What are some techniques you recommend? Also what do you guys recommend when a guy likes to charge at you right from the get go? Thanks.

 

[Andrew Green]

Get out of the way.

Work your footwork to let you circle off and throw hooks. Don't try to stop him, don't let yourself start stepping away. As soon as he breaks your posture and get you moving backwards you are going to get hit, so move forward, at an angle, get off to the side and take your shoot.

Or just shoot and take him down

 

[Kenpodoc]

First question. what rules are you sparring with?

In general there are 2 choices for the opponent who charges. a) meet force with force such as a hard defensive side kick to make him think twice. Or b) move off line and strike. If you do EPAK think Intercepting the Ram and Charging Ram.

As a MMA aside I watched a late night MMA fight several years ago where one guy "lost" a fight by doing Intercepting the Ram. The opponent tried to shoot low and the guy did a Knee groin, hammerfist kidney and dropped the grappler into a writhing ball on the floor. Apparently the groin shot/kidney strike was illegal and the "winner was carried out and the "loser" walked away.

Jeff

 

[Kenpojujitsu3]

First question. what rules are you sparring with?

In general there are 2 choices for the opponent who charges. a) meet force with force such as a hard defensive side kick to make him think twice. Or b) move off line and strike. If you do EPAK think Intercepting the Ram and Charging Ram.

As a MMA aside I watched a late night MMA fight several years ago where one guy "lost" a fight by doing Intercepting the Ram. The opponent tried to shoot low and the guy did a Knee groin, hammerfist kidney and dropped the grappler into a writhing ball on the floor. Apparently the groin shot/kidney strike was illegal and the "winner was carried out and the "loser" walked away.

Jeff

I'd take that loss, LOL

 

[goshawk]

The jab is a mighty tool for making people back off, distracting them from your kicks, and setting up a more powerful hit. Start sticking your jab out, also your lead-leg front snap kick (which is like the "foot" version of a jab, really). If every time he comes in to charge he runs into a fist or a foot, he's going to be deterred after a while and start backing off and treating you with more caution.

Of course, you might not want him to get cagey. Sometimes it's more fun to let him charge into the place where you were, but no longer are, thanks to using footwork to get out of his way. If you practice that, you can place him in a crap position while you're in the perfect place to fire off a couple combinations uncontested. Or hell, if you're strong enough, just take the charge and fight in close. I wouldn't recommend it myself, but then I'm pretty light.

::shrug:: It's up to you, really.

 

[MJS]

Hello everyone, I am new to this sight and I had a question about sparring. What are some techniques you recommend? Also what do you guys recommend when a guy likes to charge at you right from the get go? Thanks.

Welcome to the forum! Enjoy your stay! :supcool:

As for your question, you've received some great advice! I'd definately work on the footwork. Avoid doing too much backward movement. As for the techniques: strikes are always a good choice, as well as kicking. Goshawk made a good suggestion with the lead leg kicks. I'd avoid spinning kicks, although they can work, but if done incorrectly, such as telegraphing, you could end up putting yourself in a worse position.

Mike

 

[kenpo 1]

Thanks for all of your advice.

 

[Loki]

Welcome to Martial Talk, kenpo 1!

Here's another thread on sparring, hope you find it useful.

What do you mean when you say he charges? Tries to tackle you? Rushes in for a powerful combo?

 

[kenpo 1]

Yes, rushing in with punches, kicks, just attacking from the start.

 

[Loki]

Yes, rushing in with punches, kicks, just attacking from the start.

Then my two bits would be that you close yourself up (translating from Hebrew, not sure about the term for going fully defensive), find a hole in his attack pattern and exploit it as soon as possible. This is usually best done by moving out of his line of attack and counter-attacking.

 

[Doc]

We only practice moves sparring or otherwise that are street applicable. We do not engage in any kind of "sport based" training.

 

[lonekimono10]

We only practice moves sparring or otherwise that are street applicable. We do not engage in any kind of "sport based" training.

thanks for saying that doc, i know of some people in kenpo who do nothing but sport karate, i'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but it"s not kenpo
at lease not the kind i was rasied on.

 

[eyebeams]

I can't give you any information about point tag, because I don't do it.

1) Practice footwork. Dynamic footwork (that is, footwork based on altering position and rhythm to seize the advantage) is a rare thing among some kenpo people.

2) Techniques with your lead hand are the bridge to decisive finishing movements or can be decisive in of themselves. Work an active, strong lead with power on both sides (unlike set technical practice, real people switch up all the time). This means either a jab or a bridging arm. I would also recommend receiving techniques that attack the limb, but most kenpo people don't train them dynamically.

3) Practice blitzing against resistance. A blitz is a chain of techniques that applies forward pressure. Avoid pointlessly changing techniques or relying on how you expect the other person to react to a shot

4) Practice clinching against resistance.

5) Learn to grapple.

I don't know about this "sport" thing, since there are plenty of exercises to train techniques you can't use against friendly resistance. In fact, recognizing the effect of degrees of force makes you a superior fighter, since you aren't going to stupidly increase the intensity of the engagement.

Plus some attacks, like eye and groin shots, are often overrated. I actually allowed someone to aim for my eyes, groin and throat in an informal match about a month ago. I could easily deflect groin shots, tuck and tense against throat shots, and nod out of gouging attempts. The other guy wasn't particularl vicious, but to be frank (and many people aren't going to want to hear this), the set of people who can unhesitatingly apply a full force technique to certain spots is much, much smaller than the et of people who practice them -- nay, who reccomend them.

 

[lonekimono10]

we have a saying in kenpo " the best way to beat the atack, is to meet the atack"
and as for the footwork, good point's and then we do have other ways of taking care of the butthead who wants to run at you.

 

[Seabrook]

Hello everyone, I am new to this sight and I had a question about sparring. What are some techniques you recommend? Also what do you guys recommend when a guy likes to charge at you right from the get go? Thanks.

A lead leg side kick to the ribs will make someone think twice about charging in at you. In fact, I find that even when my lead leg side kick doesn't connect, if it is delivered with enough force, the opponent is still a lot more hesitant about charging in.

I would aim to have a quick lead hand punch and kick. The roundhouse annd side kicks are also very important, as are feints. The goal of a fake is to get your opponent to commit himself so that his timing is off.

Don't just rely on your lead hand and foot, however. Be sure to work your reverse punch frequently.

According to Bill "Superfoot" Wallace, it is better to find which sparring techniques work for you and to try to perfect them rather than spending time trying to improve techniques that don't feel natural for you. Aim to have 3 to 6 moves that you can use instantly both offensively and defensively. Wallace considers the backfist, reverse punch, side kick, and roundhouse kick as key weapons.

While most kenpoists don't fight in tournaments, it has a lot of advantages.

Hope that helps.

Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

 

[Seabrook]

In general there are 2 choices for the opponent who charges. a) meet force with force such as a hard defensive side kick to make him think twice. Or b) move off line and strike. If you do EPAK think Intercepting the Ram and Charging Ram.

Jeff

That is great advice Jeff. I agree 100% on both accounts.

I recently did some full-contact fighting and found that the Ram techniques worked fabulous against a jiu-jitsu black belt coming in on me fast. That was really the first time I had the chance to work them against a truly LIVE attacker, where nothing was choreographed. Of course, because it wasn't a street fight, I had to modify the weapons I used so as to avoid any major injuries.

Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

 

[OC Kid]

Mr Bob White has a great video on sparring techniques. You can purchase it directly from him.

 

[Doc]

Assuming a person was not stiking but "charging to grab," what if you just let him run into you, but you are so structured it would be to his detriment?

 

[BallistikMike]

Now I have never seen or experienced the Structural Integrity of SL4.


I do use what I call a "Wedge" to address a Front Bull Rush whether striking or not. Similar to Lee Aldridges "Cow Catcher" or T. Blauers "Spear" its more of an interruption, but with damage being caused to the "Rusher".

I dont have the terminology to compare to Mr. Chapels so ...well...I have no bases to compare. Remember the movie Braveheart where the calvary crashes upon the planted stakes?

Similar except without horse or stakes or angry men in dresses and big swords and cool tatoos <--- this is just funny not a serious dig!

Its a way I can counter attack against pretty much any frontal onslaught that you dont know whats coming. Of course there are much more subtle details. A small insight is I have a 120lb Women who comes down with 3 others for basic self-defense. She can wedge a 210 pound "hit man" (my fellow workout partners who dummy as...well...dummies LOL) running full blast across my 10ft. drill line and up end him.

This didnt happen until she understood the timing and "rooting" herself to the ground.

Anyway thats about all I have. I also dont like to spar for points or specific techniques geared for sparring. I always figured learning how to move against people who you will never see on the street wearing mitts and such was much more detrimental then actually going hard on resisting opponent's working your self-defense techniques.

Its all drill work and application anyway, I just felt that sparring took away more then it gave.

 

[Doc]

I just felt that sparring took away more then it gave.

Funny, Mr. Parker felt the same way.