sparring

[Manny]

In my mid rank examination last month did sparring (full contact sparring) and as I told you I was too slow, well last friday I did sparring again against a youngster, I really didn'd want to kick the kid so I just let him to try to catch me, so I moved backwards and side to side trying to avoid his kicks, however this kid gained confidence and sudenly I was blocking his kicks harder and harder, so I have to kick back.

I trew some good kicks and some landed well so the interchange of kicks was good, I felt I did well, I used a side kick to stop my foe and sent him to the ground. Afther the sparring I asked my fellow studenst how I made it and told me I did well, I was spent believe me, without air but finished the sparring one piece and standing jejejejeje!!

Afther the class I sat with samboknim and asked his aprovation and told me, that I did a few good kicks but my timing is wrong and the manage of distance was not good but that I can improve these.

Satuday I bought shin/instep protectors cause one of my kicks hit an elbow and in the heat of the sparring didin't feeel it but that night at home the instep hurt me and sore like a bull frong.

Manny

 

[Twin Fist]

Manny,
sparring may very well be THE most important part of your martial art training.

Keep at it. Spar as much as you can, fast or slow, hard of soft, it doesnt matter

Spar

then spar some more

 

[Fiendlover]

Manny,
sparring may very well be THE most important part of your martial art training.

Keep at it. Spar as much as you can, fast or slow, hard of soft, it doesnt matter

Spar

then spar some more

Nicely said! I agree completely with Twin Fist here. Sparring is one of the most important if not the most important thing that can be taught to you. Keep practicing it until it comes completely natural to you and good luck!

 

[Kacey]

Sparring is a skill, like anything else you will learn in TKD. I disagree, however, that it is the most important; like anything else, it can be a strength or weakness, depending on how much you work to improve it. Without the other pieces, however, you will lack the tools to improve your sparring. Line drills teach techniques in isolation and combination, patterns teach balance and timing and organize your toolbox of techniques, step sparring teaches focus and distance, sparring teaches how to apply those techniques against a moving opponent who is attempting to win - not kill you. All the pieces are needed, or you will be missing something (or some things) that will limit your ability to improve as a balanced and complete martial artist.

 

[terryl965]

Manny glad you are gaining confidence in your abilitys and keep up the fine work.

 

[jks9199]

Manny,
sparring may very well be THE most important part of your martial art training.

Keep at it. Spar as much as you can, fast or slow, hard of soft, it doesnt matter

Spar

then spar some more

Nicely said! I agree completely with Twin Fist here. Sparring is one of the most important if not the most important thing that can be taught to you. Keep practicing it until it comes completely natural to you and good luck!

Sparring is a skill, like anything else you will learn in TKD. I disagree, however, that it is the most important; like anything else, it can be a strength or weakness, depending on how much you work to improve it. Without the other pieces, however, you will lack the tools to improve your sparring.

Sparring is only one method of practice; too many people put too much emphasis on "rockin' and rollin'" and "swapping leather." Sparring is a method of practicing the learned techniques under a particular pressure. Accordingly, you must first have LEARNED TECHNIQUES. If you lack discipline and skill in your technique, then you won't gain anything by sparring. And sparring is most definitely NOT the same as a fight. Not even a competition match... In sparring, you should be working to develop skills, not win. You should be trying to understand how to make your techniques work in that situation. It's easy to "win" when sparring; it's much harder to work on your techniques and lessons because that means you won't always win, and you won't always succeed.

I'm glad the OP is finding some improvement. But that's no justification for putting too much emphasis on sparring!

 

[Twin Fist]

I dont think that you CAN put too much emphasis on sparring. That is as long as that isnt all you are doing.

Lets put it this way.

Why Sparring is so important:
Nothing else erases your fear of getting hit. Until you realize that getting hit wont kill you, you will always hold back, and that can get you killed.

Nothing else teaches you how long your arms and legs are. Yes it sounds silly, but it is true. I have SEEN people in a street fight wailing away, not hitting anything. Cuz they didnt know how long thier arms were.

Nothing else builds up your tolerance for pain. Lets face it, you WILL get hit, and it WILL hurt. That causes people to freeze, and that can get you killed. If you are used to getting hit, you wont freeze.

yes, technique is first. My students wont spar for AT LEAST 6-8 weeks, but once they start, they will be sparring every week. Sparring is the application of those techniques.

 

[Tryak]

Pads are definitely a good idea. Sparring is meant to sharpen skill not cause accidental injury. At my dojang full pads are required for orange belt and above and below orange only does no or light contact step sparring.

 

[mango.man]

In sparring, you should be working to develop skills, not win. You should be trying to understand how to make your techniques work in that situation. It's easy to "win" when sparring; it's much harder to work on your techniques and lessons because that means you won't always win, and you won't always succeed.

I take issue with this statement and would like to offer a different perspective, if I may. I understand that I am in the minority on this forum with regards to my views on Taekwondo. My daughter has chosen to follow the path of TKD as a sport, not as a martial art.

While your comments might ring true with regard to sparring in a martial arts class, they are not consistent with the way that sparring should be dealt with in a sport TKD class.

I am not sure where the focus lies in the OP's classes but in my daughter's class when you are kicking pads or paddles, that is the time to refine your technique and develop your skills. When it is time to spar, it is time to win. Hitting your opponent hard and fast in class is what we refer to as being a good teammate.

And therefore, it is not "easy to win when sparring". In fact if both people are doing what they are supposed to be doing (trying to win) it is quite difficult. Perhaps if 1 person is trying to win and the other is trying to refine their skills, well in that case it might be "easy" to win.

At any rate, I know that my views are in the minority here, but I feel that I should present them so that those of us who have chosen the path of sport over martial art can be heard as well.

 

[jks9199]

Originally Posted by jks9199
In sparring, you should be working to develop skills, not win. You should be trying to understand how to make your techniques work in that situation. It's easy to "win" when sparring; it's much harder to work on your techniques and lessons because that means you won't always win, and you won't always succeed.

I take issue with this statement and would like to offer a different perspective, if I may. I understand that I am in the minority on this forum with regards to my views on Taekwondo. My daughter has chosen to follow the path of TKD as a sport, not as a martial art.

While your comments might ring true with regard to sparring in a martial arts class, they are not consistent with the way that sparring should be dealt with in a sport TKD class.

I am not sure where the focus lies in the OP's classes but in my daughter's class when you are kicking pads or paddles, that is the time to refine your technique and develop your skills. When it is time to spar, it is time to win. Hitting your opponent hard and fast in class is what we refer to as being a good teammate.

And therefore, it is not "easy to win when sparring". In fact if both people are doing what they are supposed to be doing (trying to win) it is quite difficult. Perhaps if 1 person is trying to win and the other is trying to refine their skills, well in that case it might be "easy" to win.

At any rate, I know that my views are in the minority here, but I feel that I should present them so that those of us who have chosen the path of sport over martial art can be heard as well.

Maybe I wasn't clear. While I'm not in total agreement with his emphasis on it, Twin Fist and I aren't actually that far apart on the purposes of sparring. Sparring, in a training setting, is not and should not be about winning. It should be about developing your skills and confidence in those skills; it should be about doing the lesson. This isn't the same lesson as pad work; it's how to apply the "perfect form" developed on those pads and in more controlled sparring exercises (like one-steps, defined role exercises, etc.) in a free environment, so that when it's time to compete -- or apply the skills in the real deal -- you have the confidence that you can adjust and adapt to what an opponent is doing, and confidence in your techniques.

Let me make a couple of rough analogies to other sports. When a runner does wind sprints, he's not trying to "win a race"; he's developing the skills and physical capacity to win a race. Even if he's doing them with teammates, the "win" in wind sprints is just for fun and motivation -- not an actual win in a race. Or a football team runs its plays again and again on the field, even against the defensive squad. They're not trying to win a game; they're practicing executing that play against a defense. In the same way, sparring in a martial arts training session isn't about "winning" over your classmates; it's about developing the skills to win at tournament time (if you're sport oriented) or on the street.

But working to develop skills means you won't always succeed in practice; after all, what would you gain if you only worked against people you can easily defeat? You have to accept that, in trying to apply the lessons and skills you've developed in other aspects of your training, you will occasionally fail. You may miss; your feint may not work, or your block may be too slow or too late. That's what makes it hard to spar rather than trying to "win."

 

[Deaf Smith]

Manny,
sparring may very well be THE most important part of your martial art training.

Keep at it. Spar as much as you can, fast or slow, hard of soft, it doesnt matter

Spar

then spar some more

Absolutely! I mean, it's the "M" in Martial Arts, right? Otherwise you are dancing.

Manny,

Each time you spar, do not think of any exact tactic or trick to do on your opponent. Just let it come natural and spontanious. Pre-planning is bad cause, well, nothing goes according to plan (as bother Murphy keeps telling us!)

After the sparring, review what you did. If they will let you, get a cam-corder and videotape the sparring (use a tripod and just let it roll for all the sparring sessions.)

This will help you hugely! Your memory will only go so far, but tapes don't lie!

Oh, and enjoy the sparring. You will get your lumps (as I got'em by the ton) but it gets funner and funner as time goes on. Especially sparring people who are better than you are.

Deaf

 

[Manny]

Well lets face it, afther a long retirement from TKD now that I return I feel fear, yes I have to admit it, I feel fear evreytime I have to spar cause my timing is bad, I don't react quickly, and if you don't react fast you will kick and this can hurt. I know with the time,practice and improving of my timing I will be more acurated on my kicks and on my moves to avoid the kick coming to me.

Yes in sparring you won't die, you will be hurt cause it's full contact and as long as you can kick you will have kick or kicks in return.

Something I feel it helps is before to start sparring is yelling very loud, this charged the body on adrenaline and takes the worries away, and with every kick try to yell cause this can hep you to take not so badly the counterkicks of your oponent.

Next saturday will be a torunament, I will not compete, cause I have no cardio resistence and won't survive against a black belt that competes in a regulary basis but, I will go to see and to learn, let's see how's TKD has evolved since my golden days.

Manny

 

[matt.m]

Manny,

Don't worry too much. Timing is like learning a full chambered, release, and return side kick. It just takes patience and reps. NO ONE IS PERFECT. Least of all me. however, just strive to do better everytime and don't rush. Slow and steady wins the race.

Take good care my friend and good luck.

 

[Twin Fist]

Manny,

Don't worry too much. Timing is like learning a full chambered, release, and return side kick. It just takes patience and reps. NO ONE IS PERFECT. Least of all me. however, just strive to do better everytime and don't rush. Slow and steady wins the race.

Take good care my friend and good luck.

absolutely right

 

[terryl965]

Manny,

Don't worry too much. Timing is like learning a full chambered, release, and return side kick. It just takes patience and reps. NO ONE IS PERFECT. Least of all me. however, just strive to do better everytime and don't rush. Slow and steady wins the race.

Take good care my friend and good luck.

Graet post Matt

 

[britcanbulldogtkd]

I used to love the competitive sparring. I never fought in the big nationals, but i really loved the buzz/rush it gave. Win loose or draw it just didnt matter. I got to know other fighters and the decision to retire after a technical knockout by a superior and younger fighter was not taken lightly. The skills I learned on the mat honed the skills taught in the dojang and showed me what worked for me and what didnt.
Now I look at at students coming through the ranks and fighting and to be honest I am quite envious and sometimes regret going into retirement hahaha
So much to say after regaining my health (coronary artery disease and angioplasty to correct it) I sucessfully gained my 2nd dan after not trainning for 5 years. I am now looking for a small local competition Where if a fighter can be found about my age and weight I would love nothing more than to hear the words "Chong and Hong" as I am called into the centre for an exhibition fight. That is how much I miss the sparring
I feel that sparing at club level is an essential part to our trainning whether its high speed one for one, counter attacks or "padded up" and should be enjoyed as much as basics, forms cardiac or stretching
Stick with the sparring Manny and anyother student afterall "We can only get better by practicing more"

Have fun train hard

 

[newGuy12]

I dont think that you CAN put too much emphasis on sparring. That is as long as that isnt all you are doing.

Lets put it this way.

Why Sparring is so important:
Nothing else erases your fear of getting hit. Until you realize that getting hit wont kill you, you will always hold back, and that can get you killed.

Nothing else teaches you how long your arms and legs are. Yes it sounds silly, but it is true. I have SEEN people in a street fight wailing away, not hitting anything. Cuz they didnt know how long thier arms were.

Nothing else builds up your tolerance for pain. Lets face it, you WILL get hit, and it WILL hurt. That causes people to freeze, and that can get you killed. If you are used to getting hit, you wont freeze.

yes, technique is first. My students wont spar for AT LEAST 6-8 weeks, but once they start, they will be sparring every week. Sparring is the application of those techniques.

Outstanding post! Yes, this is it right here!

Also, freesparring is very enjoyable. You begin the class, you do the warming up exercises and kicking, then everyone does some forms. Then onesteps perhaps, or some self-defense motions.

When does the class "creshendo" though? At the freesparring! Yessir! Then, you do some final motions as a group. Freesparring is very good. It makes all of the students feel good.

And, yes, Manny, those shin protectors are nice! It makes things a lot better! I've had quite enough of those bruises every now and then!

 

[newGuy12]

Yes in sparring you won't die, you will be hurt cause it's full contact and as long as you can kick you will have kick or kicks in return.

Yeah, these are all students in the same school. That is one thing. But if some bad person wants to beat us up, then what happens? They get good full contact! That's right! They wish to go, then here... we got the good kicks for them. That's part of it!

As user Twin-Fist said above there, the TKD student has been hit before, HARD. It will not so easily disturb her brain! No. This is not some new thing -- so they can give it back when it counts too! No one has to go about looking for trouble, but if it comes, then, okay, here it goes!

 

[StuartA]

Manny,
sparring may very well be THE most important part of your martial art training.

Sorry, gotta disagree there.. sparring is sparring.. if sportTKD is you thing, then yes its important.. if the Martial part of TKD is your thing, then sport sparring can play a role it that, but its still not the most important thing.

Absolutely! I mean, it's the "M" in Martial Arts, right? Otherwise you are dancing.

No.. the M in martial arts relates to Mars.. the god of war, not the god of competition which 99% of sparring in TKD relates to. Besides, much competition sparring still looks like dancing to me! :burp:

Many confuse sparring with fighting... they are not the same, sparring is sparring, a way of scoring points to win a competition... unless you do Traditional Sparring that is!!

That said, what ever forms of sparring are part of your school, then they should be practiced and polished as best as possible.. just dont fall into the trap of thinking its fighting!

Stuart

 

[Empty Hands]

sparring is sparring, a way of scoring points to win a competition... unless you do Traditional Sparring that is!!

False dichotomy. This is only really true if you go to a sport competition school. We only do point sparring once a year for 2 weeks, the rest is defense and fighting oriented. Hardly traditional either, which seems to me relies a lot on one step and similar older sparring drills.