Timing Sparring

[JAB]

Can someone post some solid video(s) of "Timing Sparring" in MT please? I like the approach MT practitioners take and would like to integrate more of it into my own practice, but would like to see some solid examples of it.

Thanks guys,
Jake

[the tick]

Whats 'timing sparring'?

[JAB]

I have heard many a MT guy talk about timing sparring. Not going full steam, working your timing. Perhaps there is a "more official" term that I am unaware of. Greg Nelson, Chai, Toddy have all made this reference before.

Cheers
Jake

[george stando]

Sounds like they are applying more endless terminology to things. My guess being its the slow sparring we do in the camp to just work with our partners. You know something like counter for counter, sometimes just moving with all techs in a light easy manner. Its another component of training. There is no term for it at least to my knowledge, its part of the process.

[JAB]

George
Exactly! So since there is no official term for it, we shall call it timing sparring. I am surprised this is a new term for some. My boxing coach uses it all the time!
Any vids of whatever you call it?
Thanks
Jake

[Tee Sok]

I've heard of that but only in JKD, where some specifically isolate and train the timing aspect. I think there are some videos around I will try to find them.
I think boxing has all the tools to train timing, by the way. sparring aside you have speedballs and the like.

[Tee Sok]

Just found these videos:

YouTube - Vancouver Kickboxing coach teaches Boxing Drill- CC, jab only, timing #1 and #2

YouTube - Vancouver Kickboxing coach teaches Boxing Drills- jabs in 3's, random counter timing

[fire cobra]

Jab i think you are talking about what the Thai person would call Len Muay or Cherng Muay,play sparring basically,theres no big deal to it,just drop the pace,power and pressure down,let your partner attack and you defend and vica versa, work with each other not against each other,dont use the bone of the knee and elbow,dont aim to miss the target aim to hit the target but stop the power somewhat when and if you hit the target,the speed can be built up to full speed but not the power.

Thats basically it,sparring isnt a fight its just a exercise to learn timing,opportunity and accuracy in both defence and attack,Thais use the pad sparring for power development before a fight.

Hope this helps.

[JAB]

Fire
Indeed! Thank you.
Okay... so perhaps "timing sparring" is not the right term... so how do any of you coaches teach timing / train timing then?
Thanks guys,
Jake

[ErikT]

How does your boxing coach do it?

[JAB]

We spend time on drills, and footwork. Some similar type things found in the video above. Lots of positional work, and footwork.
JAB

[black crown]

yah, It's called Len Cherng. or "Technical play" or "Techniques using"

Just speed but not power. just touch but not hit.

Use forehand instead of knuckle. Stop at a touch.

Try to use every techniques you have without aggressive force.

It's the way to check that ur movements are right or wrong and memorize every movements to ur body. It's good for both defender and attacker. Slow but accurate.

[JAB]

Thanks BC!

[george stando]

I think that term refers more to the old ancient ways of training and dont know if a current ring muay thai ajarn or trainer would recognize it or use it. I havent heard it in the camp ever.

[Guest]

JAB

I know exactly what you are talking about, I have been exposed to “Timing Sparring”. I won’t say where it originated because I don’t want to get into art bashing, but its not from Muay Thai.

Its one of the many classic contradictions in martial arts, in that they call it the exact opposite of what they are trying to achieve. If you want to work your genuine timing, and by genuine timing I mean an unprescribed response to your opponents movements, and you own spontaneous ability to exploit gaps and opportunities, then the only way to get that is to just......spar. Like Fire Cobra and others have said, it doesn’t have to be hard or fast, you can just play - but play with intent and spontaneity.

“Timing Sparring” is the exact opposite, its just pre-rehearsed and choreographed counter for counter drills. Your partner does A so you do B, now you do A and he does B, now lets add in C and D. Its nothing more than one or two step routines, like from Karate or Tae Kwon Do, but because they do it in a ring and put gloves on they call it sparring. Its a classic example of martial arts taking a combat sport that already works, taking all the aliveness out of it, and breaking it down into a bunch of dead drills that achieve nothing.