Wow, what a difference

[FearlessFreep]

This week I sparred someone new. I sparred a 15 yo female green belt. Quite a difference from the two taller, older men I'd been sparring mostly recently.

She didn't initiate attacks much, so a lot of the evasion/counter strikes I'd been working on weren't much use. I think, or fear, though that it was partially because I was a new partner and she might've been intimidated because I'm larger than her.

The cool part, from a learning experience, was she was much better at evading my attacks. This meant I had to work a lot more on step-ins, hop-tos,etc... Footwork designed to bring me in closer so that my actual attack landed where she had evaded to, not where she was when I started. It was pretty challenging and educational to work on a new set of attack moves then I'd had much chance to practice. A couple of times I even got her off-gaurd by playing off her tendancy to evade back and counter strike forward; I'd fake an attack forward, back up to get her to come forward, but then strike as she had herself coming forward.

All in all, much different to spar someone smaller/younger with quicker foot work than I was used to. Very instructional

 

[nekoTKD]

Yep there definetly a difference in sparring tactics between the age groups. Around here my age group (18) is ruthless. I've got my share of excessive force calls too. When sparring older people, I noticed that they do not move around as much. Black belts are a different story altogether though.
Hmmm the girls around here aren't close to being intimidated by the men, but rather the opposite. The guys have a hard time hitting the girls.

-Brandon

 

[Digger70chall]

well theres a scratch on my nose now, that's why i'm scared of the females....didn't even see it coming
i mean who scratches anyways, that's not sparring that's a bar fight

 

[bignick]

Some people just spar differently. She was most likely a defensive fighter, like a counter puncher in boxing. I'm a defensive fighter, we like to wait to counter attack. The benefit is that attacking always leaves you open for a counter attack, but it also means we have to wait for an attack to start before we usually go.

Diff'rent strokes...

 

[psi_radar]

My favorite sparring partner a few years back was a girl in her late teens. We were total opposites in technique, so we taught each other a lot. I relied mostly on my hands and footwork, she was pretty enamored with kicks. There is something to be said for age and craftiness, though. Females at that age are really flexible and quick, especially with their legs--their hips are just more open than mens'. At twice her age, it was hard to corner her and make her play my fight. Ah, youth.

 

[Zepp]

See Jay, I told you it would keep ya honest.

One of the more interesting sparring partners I've had was a small young woman with a lot of dance experience. I was about eight inches taller than her, and she was still able to lift her leg over my head and wave it around back and forth to show off. She was one of those people who was good at picking up my little tricks and tactics that I used against her, and use them against me in return. It was always fun sparring her.

 

[FearlessFreep]

See Jay, I told you it would keep ya honest

It did indeed.

A lot of it was just being aware of distance. As she retreated and counter-advanced. As I attacked and came up short or moved in closer to attack as she retreated. This week I've been practicing a lot more closing attacks based on the opponents range, especially as the range changes (as well as working on my footwork speed when evading and counter-striking)

More importantly, I don't have enough experience sparring, or know enough about it, to feel like I've really found 'my style', the set of techniques or moves I do well and favor. Working off a different kind of opponent with different strengths and tendancies keeps me from falling too much into a set of techniques that only works against style of opponent (particulary a style of opponent best characterized as 'tall, slow, and old'). So have a big difference was really cool in working a differet set of moves; kept me 'honest', as you said