How to spar?

[phillyman]

Ok all does it matter what type of sparring you do. For instance if i can train in jkd/kali/silat class once a week and spar at a tang so doo place once a week will that suffice. They do a lot of kicks and punching but no real boxing type moves. Do you all think this is enough to teach me how to defend myself. What is the right way to spar?

[HungryWolf21]

You might get some of the timing needed to pull the techniques off, but you still need to do some form of full contact sparring from time to time. You need to know how to handle being hit hard and know how to hit someone else hard as well. If you have never done full contact sparring, it will be a big adjustment for you to begin doing it. I know that it was for me. I was into Taekwondo for three years and we never did much "full contact" sparring. One day I walked into a kickboxing gym and sparred 10 rounds straight. I pretty much got the crap beaten out of me, but it really helped to open my eyes. I have since changed my training methods so I can handle myself better in full contact situations.

Don't leave things up to theory. Go out and experience things for your own. That is the only true way to grow.

[thekuntawman]

philly man your jkd class doesnt spar? maybe you need to find a new place. i cant imagine a martial arts with no sparring.

instead of going to the same school for sparring i recommend you to go to competitions. there you will see all kinds of sparring and styles out there. going to the same one place will give you habits, and we should not have habits when you are a fighter.

the competition will always give you a person in front of you that you never met, you dont know how fast or strong he is, it keeps you nervous, and teaches you to "read" your opponent. if you want to go to schools, then go to as many schools you can, but i dont think theres going to be many school that will let you in.

[phillyman]

kuntawman

Hey kuntawman the jkd school has a sparring class but i cant make it to the class because of work conflict. im just confused as to what i should do. I dont want to do any more form schools. i want the jkd for the realistic drills the kali for the weapons defense and the silat for joint lock but i cant make it to sparring class. I know i need gracie jujitsu for grappling but its the standup im trying to get. I need help lol i found a savate class and they spar with boxing.

[Dion]

Heh again trying to conform to something.. stop it hehehe

Sparring is merely a way to practise or hone your own "reactive movement" so that you stop thinking about whats going to happen and what you should do... I do realise that the body can memorise its reactions over time from sparring but thats all itll do is remember things, it is still up to you to 'control' what is happening at certain times otherwise as it is said "the beast takes control" and the animal in you comes out which is not what we are after in the 'arts' but instead we want a balance between the animal and man so to keep order and harmony, for example you may be sparring and practising some disabling move but not applying to much force then you are out somewhere and some drunk not knowing what he is doing with himself swings out at you and you suddenly move on him with "memory reaction" and apply "preservation of life" force to it because you were unaware of it and suddenly this poor guy is smashed up and broken because you didnt control the force... not needed.

Now I am also not saying that you should not spar, it is a great way to keep honed on your movements and flow etc..

I would recommend just going to any place that spars and just practise what you feel you need to, just speak to the instructor and explain your motives and I would say that given they are good ones then you will be given a little more freedom over what you can do, remember they to want to produce good students the same as you want to get good.. the 'artist' never stops learning, even the instructors have their own lessons every day

Also remember to practise your control, what better way to find control than to overcome the self-boredom from working out solo and trying moves or techniques you feel clumsy with etc yes yes but it is easier to have an opponent to pratise on so you can see what happens and get input from the opponents angle etc but what if your opponent is just a shadow in your vision... no sparring is going to prep you for this, awareness of surroundings is the only way to avoid eminent damage (struck from behind), overload one of the senses and the others begin to forget what they are meant to do and hence you lose some awareness of yourself and surroundings... the best way most times is the hard way not the easy way...

Freedom Ultimate... !

*and the tiger turned back into the sparrow and flew away...*

[Chad W. Getz]

Buy 2 macho headgear pieces, grappling gloves/or boxing bag gloves, and maybe shin guards if you wnat to work in kicks, also then have a go at it with as many people as possible.

Top Dog once said..."The secret to fighting is...you fight, there is no secret." I think he has a good idea.

Macho headgear will be the most expensive equipment. They cost about a hundred each. Bag gloves can get as low as 10 dollars at Champs, shin guards can be bought at thrift shops for 2 dollars.

Training partners can come in all shapes and sizes. The other day, I gave a homeless man with a sign "will work for food", $20 to put the headgear on and throw punches at me for an hour.

[Dion]

Great way to put it Chad !

*there is no right or wrong way to blame your own submission on for not getting in and trying, there is only yourself to blame...*

Freedom Ultimate... !

*...you will see I can give you [everything] you need, said the 'student' to the 'master' and the 'body' to the 'mind'... Just [believe] and [anything] *is* possible added the 'spirit'...*

[gungfuhero]

The homeless guy idea was brilliant. How did it go? How did you fare against an unconditioned opponent? How is he doing?

[Chad W. Getz]

Well I had to promise to only work evasions, but I snuck in a few really light stop kicks. I saw him at the corner and I was going to give him a dollar, but then I thought about buying him something to eat, and then I started thinking about his will work for food sign. It was an experience, he didn't really understand the concept of "isolated sparring" and had very big misconceptions about martial arts in general. He told me that if I ever wanted to hire him again for the same pay, I should go and look for him. I gave him my card if he ever wanted to just work out...for free. Would be interesting though...

[James Walker]

LMAO That is so funny Chad. I never thought you had it in you. Poor homeless fellow is on TDI now that you over worked him. Maybe you and I should do more drive-bys for sparring partners. I have to say that it is a good idea though.

Its also a good point that you invest in a good or fairly decent sparring equipment first. And if the price is cheap, you should if your buget allows it, buy two. Because you'll never know when, where, or who your going to spar with, like in Chads case. Having two sets of sparrng equipment gives you the opportunity to ask any one person if they would like to go a couple of rounds of some light or full contact sparring. Now take your gear where ever you go and I'm sure that you'll bump into a handful of Happy-Go-Lucky type of guys who will also be willing to test themselves as well. Try it, it works!!! Chad did, and he was very successful to.

[Dion]

*...many new adventures of awe and surprise can be found in ones own self, on any day; at any time; where ever you are; just by stopping and asking... Why? 'and' Why not?...*

*...The true warrior slowly awakens himself and begins to grow in strength each and every moment of his being..."

Freedom Ultimate... !

PS: Just for 'thoughts' sake, Who did your experience help ?
Did you spar to train yourself with the unknown ? or Did you help the guy help himself against the unknown ?

[Chad W. Getz]

Hopefully both.

[Dion]

Yeh that is the common answer when 'thought' about literally

Sorry... But again to throw my surprise in hehehe

It is kind of a 'trick question' then again all of them are in their own way...

Try... You helped 'Yourself', 'Him' *AND* the one that was not included .... 'Everyone you expressed it to'

Freedom Ultimate... !

*...and the [tiger] 'sheds' its 'old' [skin] to 'begin' the [new] 'dawn'...*

[MikeJKD]

philly,
I have to agree with most of what's been said here. I think that the important thing with your sparring is simply that you do it, and do it with an experimental mind. Don't be afraid to take chances, spar with different styles, different people, or even homeless guys. Just make sure that you treat it like an exercise. No matter what, regardless of the rules, sparring is sparring, and it's designed to help you ask the right questions. What works and why? What doesn't work and why not? I'd say the bulk of my training in my earlier years was done with lots of different schools all at once. When I was younger, it was really common for gyms and dojos to have an "open sparring night" when anyone could come in and play. I must have trained at twenty different places, and none of them were JKD oriented. But, whether I was sparring Tae Kwon Do guys, Karate guys, Kung Fu guys,boxers, or Judo guys, I always did it with Bruce's ideas in mind, and I learned a lot from every session. So, while I'd highly recommend finding a JKD instructor who believed in contact training, I'd also use every other resource you can find, no matter what style they are. Hope that helps,
Mike