This is what I get for being the fight instructor

[Lameman]

I remember one time I got one up on my teacher. Broke his rib. When he got up, he said "Kudos, I didn't know you could hit that hard." I'd say we both learned something new that day. And that move never worked again. Not on him anyway.

 

[drop bear]

If I understood...
It is not just let do, is to give the opportunity to learn. First primary school. Then, eventually, college. Or do you start from the college until eventually succeed?

In other words, start easy, and increase the level, step by step. What is the point in being competitive when the level between 'opponents' is too different? It is the opportunity for the weaker to see how to do, and for the stronger to try absolutely new things (as examples). What is the point in being always competitive, repeating what we know and never trying alternatives because is risky? Or because, under pressure (and tired), people just don't think (properly)?

Being able to perform under pressure and tired is probably as important a fighting skill as technical ability.

Otherwise shying away from loss makes it very difficult to progress.

Looking for easy sparring partners,soft training and no risk victory does not progress people as fast.

 

[drop bear]

I got punched in the throat in sparring today.

 

[JowGaWolf]

In my last Shuai Chiao tournament, during the final championship fight, my opponent tried to use "foot sweep" on me 3 times. He succeeded once and was countered by my "single leg" twice. I still won that match.

When you teach "foot sweep" to your students, do you also teach them how to counter it?

Definitely. After two people become good with the sweeps, it's almost mandatory to know how to counter it. It used to be that I could get away with one sweep, but the other instructor has gotten better so now I'm looking at countering his counter. The other students aren't at that level yet but maybe in two months. They'll be good to detect a counter. Right now they just think to much.

 

[JowGaWolf]

I got punched in the throat in sparring today.

yikes.

 

[drop bear]

yikes.

And i am finding it hard to chew. So i must have eaten at least one on the jaw.

 

[marques]

Being able to perform under pressure and tired is probably as important a fighting skill as technical ability.

I perform under pressure to check feasibility or progress, as I have been repeating several times. But not as the main way to learn. Beyond that, we agree.

Otherwise shying away from loss makes it very difficult to progress.

Shying away from loss? I expose myself to vulnerable situations in training, just to learn how to manage these situations. (Example: in the ground I let my partners be close to clear advantage. too early defence may be too easy and without interest in training.)

Looking for easy sparring partners,soft training and no risk victory does not progress people as fast.

Easy partners? I teach them how to defend my attacks. So both progress. And it is never easy when I force myself to be slower than my partners. I need to to be much more puzzling, and at the same time economise movements...

PS: I like our discussion.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

Looking for easy sparring partners,soft training and no risk victory does not progress people as fast.

I have always believed that if you can beat up all

- elementary school kids,
- junior high school young boys,
- senior high school young guys,
- college adults,
- ...
- retirement home old folks.

you will develop some good MA skill. You should always start from easy and end with difficulty.

 

[drop bear]

I have always believed that if you can beat up all

- elementary school kids,
- junior high school young boys,
- senior high school young guys,
- college adults,
- ...
- retirement home old folks.

you will develop some good MA skill. You should always start from easy and end with difficulty.

For us. Everybody spars everybody. So you will get some difficult guys and some easier guys.

The guy who punched me in the throat who we call the danimal. Has never given me an easy fight. It took years to not be a little terrified sparring him.

He still bashes me. But because i am comfortable with the concept i can relax and try new things.

And i know if i catch him my stuff really worked.

Competitive sparring is harder on the ego because you put more on the line and you loose more often.

But training should be hard on your ego or it becomes too fragile.

 

[drop bear]

Shying away from loss? I expose myself to vulnerable situations in training, just to learn how to manage these situations. (Example: in the ground I let my partners be close to clear advantage. too early defence may be too easy and without interest in training.)

This became a bit of an issue when we were helping to fight train our coach. He is at a much better level than us and needed to train at a reasonable intensity. He couldn't afford to play tippy tap leading into a fight. And we were the only sparring partners he had.

The way we resolved it was to shorten our rounds. (even to 30 seconds) but increase his sparring partners. So he fought fatigued and we fought fresh.

Or he would fight from a bad position (on his back,us in mount)

The sparring was serious business at that stage.

 

[drop bear]

Easy partners? I teach them how to defend my attacks. So both progress. And it is never easy when I force myself to be slower than my partners. I need to to be much more puzzling, and at the same time economise movements...

You are an easy partner because you are going easy. They are an easy partner because they are not very good.

Sparring like that is very rewarding. Everybody has fun. But at some stage it has to stop or you create a separation between sparring and fighting.

We are about to put a bunch of absolute beginners in the ring. If i spar them and give them a whole bunch of free gifts. It does not set them up well for someone who may fight them with bad intentions.

Now all of this still has an element of professionalism and a mind towards safety.

 

[marques]

Sparring like that is very rewarding. Everybody has fun. But at some stage it has to stop or you create a separation between sparring and fighting.

That is one of very few weakness of this method. Great point! Others are loss of aggressivity and power.
But if we are aware of it, we can manage it in some way. And go harder from time to time to recuperate it.

The main issue is if your partners are not good enough, there is no point in 'kill' them all, all the time. Sometimes it is already quite humiliating, even going easy... So I go slow, they go faster and faster when they feel 'offended', and it becomes challenging to me. Or I use only one technique/leg... If they are better, I just look what they do (or ask to repeat). Think. Recreate the same situation and try a solution.

How many injuries did you already had training hard? Any special reason for training so hard?

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

But at some stage it has to stop or you create a separation between sparring and fighting.

The sparring doesn't have to be "what skill that you can apply on your opponent". It can also be "what skill that your opponent can't apply on you." For example, I will consider if I can use "single leg" to take my opponent down, I'm doing OK that day. I will also consider if my opponent's punches can't land on my head, I'm also doing OK that day too.

 

[drop bear]

That is one of very few weakness of this method. Great point! Others are loss of aggressivity and power.
But if we are aware of it, we can manage it in some way. And go harder from time to time to recuperate it.

The main issue is if your partners are not good enough, there is no point in 'kill' them all, all the time. Sometimes it is already quite humiliating, even going easy... So I go slow, they go faster and faster when they feel 'offended', and it becomes challenging to me. Or I use only one technique/leg... If they are better, I just look what they do (or ask to repeat). Think. Recreate the same situation and try a solution.

How many injuries did you already had training hard? Any special reason for training so hard?

I dont get many injuries (touch wood)

We have had guys break ribs do knees and one guy from another gym who got hit so hard he cant taste anything anymore. (but that is a sparring class i just wouldn't do. )

It is hard because i train with fighters and they have to go hard. Having said that there is a taper to it. It is not for sheep stations every time.

 

[Buka]

Easy sparring partners? Now there's a novel idea.

 

[drop bear]

Easy sparring partners? Now there's a novel idea.

I have done it. And it is legitimately lovely. But it is like cake. You can't have too much of it.