Sparring Basics

[jakmak52]

A basic rule of sparring is to always respect your opponent, whether you know them or not, whether they are black belt or no belt, tall or short, thin or fat. Adapt to your opponent, use their weaknesses against them and keep them off their strengths. For example, larger people are slower but more powerful, perhaps less flexible, so use your speed to spar, maybe your fitness, you flexibility and your dynamics. Don't stand still and slug it out with
them. The opposite for thinner people. Short people have less reach, keep out of range, start combinations with long range attacks only moving inside when their guard has been opened. They'll want you to come inside and get close because that's how they fight. Opposite for taller opponents.

The main thing is to control the fight. Get a rhythm in your head to spar to, and always make your opponent react to you. If you are chasing them, you are going to be one step behind all the time. Back off, let them come to you, dictate where they are in the ring, and know how they are going to come at you, and what you are going to do when they attack. Control how they attack, where they attack, for how long they attack, how they defend, and
how to open their guard for landing strikes.

Know your opponent as soon and as well as possible. To do this, you need to know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to use these against your opponent. You need to test them without thinking about your moves, but about how they react to you. When you drive a car, you don't think about how much to turn the wheel, the clutch action, and changing gears. Instead, you look around, in front, behind, always aware of what's
around you at all times, where other people are, and what they are doing. It is the same in sparring. You should not be thinking about the mechanisms of a turning kick or how to block their attack, it should come without thinking. This leaves the mind free to analyze your opponent. You must watch how they react to your different moves, see how they react to your positioning, find their strengths and weaknesses, and then keep them off their strengths and exploit their weaknesses.

Never be predictable. This will come with experience. Think what moves have caught you out in the past, and more importantly, why. Try combinations of hands and feet, left and right, high and low, circular and straight, and all of the above. Generally, single attacks do not succeed, e.g., one kick, one punch. These can be used to control your opponent, but are not effective as a complete attack.

Distancing is the best form of defense. If they can't reach you, they cannot strike you, and whereas a block can be faked out, or kicked through, they cannot strike beyond their reach. Similarly, if you cannot reach them, it is useless to kick your legs around to show off. When you are attacking, you are also most vulnerable to a counter, so make sure you are always forcing defense when you attack. Showboating will also tire you out more quickly
than letting your opponent work around you. In defense, never retreat in a straight line. If you go back in a straight line, they can see where you are going and plan their attack. They will also have trained combinations on straight line retreats. Instead, sidestep to open their guard and counter them during their attack. AAlwaysTo the side will allow a spin or jump counter attack, and even if the hit doesn't land, it will put the opponent off such
combinations.

Always have a good base and balance. If you just threw out a kick and are off balance, do not attempt another strike. Your strike will open you to an attack, and being off balance may open your guard. If the attack comes and you are off balance, you will be floored. Better to regain your base, and attack again. Do not showboat with your leg flicking about like a crazy frog. This is largely ineffectual, and even if you have balance, you are on one leg, in constant but limited attack, and susceptible to a counter. Better to take your leg down each time, or do a maximum of three consecutive different kicks of the same leg before you take it down, regain your base, and attack again. If you are quick, taking your leg down after each move is more difficult to fight, as once in your base, all attacks are again open to you,
and if you are quick, can be launched in almost the same time as the multiple kick from the same leg. However, that's not to say never do the same move several times consecutively - as long as you know that it's going to open your opponent up for another attack.

Never get angry or frustrated. There are several reasons you may want to be angry, maybe it is to psyche yourself up into smacking your opponent to the floor, maybe you have an illusive opponent and you cannot seem to land a hit, or maybe they've just cracked you in the nuts. Whatever, never let your emotions rule during sparring, as your opponent will pick up on it, and have an advantage over you. Better to always be relaxed yet focused, be able
to sit back in defense or come forwards in an attack of what can seem aggression, but always under control. You must be able to turn it on and off in an instant and always be control of your aggression. The moment you start lashing out, and actually trying to hurt your opponent, it turns into a fight, which is what neither side want. Your opponent will pick up on your anger and turn it against you, maybe realizing the only way you'll be stopped is
by being floored. If you are pissed, it is even easier for them to floor you, and besides, sparring is meant to be fun. Not about hurting each other.

During the fight, don't be sorry for hurting your opponent. If you are scared of hurting them, you'll never do any moves at all. That's not to say go flat out and try to break their face, but fight sensibly, and go for your moves. It is their fault if they get caught, and even if you hurt them, they will tend to feel it was a good hit, and something for them to improve on, rather
than ouch. This may seem a little off, like you don't give a crap if you hurt someone, but it's not like that at all. If I get smacked about in sparring, full respect to my opponent, they outclassed me, and gave me some things to think about. I never think I wish they never hit me', and so there is no reason for the opponent to be sorry. The thing with being sorry is that if you are truly sorry, you wouldn't do it again. If I kick someone in the head, I'll check
they are OK, but I won't say sorry, cause if I can, I'll do it again. However, if I crack someone in the nuts, I'll be sorry, as I did not wish to injure my opponent, and especially not in this most painful of ways. I would make a conscious effort not to do it again. Therefore, if I land a good hit, I am not sorry it landed, I am glad it landed as my attack was successful. That's
what sparring is about - the refinement and improvement of fighting skills. You can be sorry for any injuries after the fight.

And always congratulate your opponent, win or lose on the fight, check they are OK, offer tips on their weaknesses, explain their strengths, and they will do the same to you. Always try to help your opponent afterwards. You will gain nothing by not helping them. Remember, sparring is not to beat everyone, it is to improve yourself. If they use what you tell them to
beat you next time, so be it. They improved, you didn't. Respect to them. You should always end up friends with those you spar against. :bow:

[gwmma]

i love the post

except for the last paragraph

i would not suggest giving your opponent tips

awesome post tho

[Andrew Green]

i love the post

except for the last paragraph

i would not suggest giving your opponent tips

awesome post tho


That last one is one of the most important. We're there to learn, not to prove who's best. Always help your training partners, and hopefully they will help you in return.

[jakmak52]

You don't share, you don't keep it!!!

[Musubi Dojo]

That last one is one of the most important. We're there to learn, not to prove who's best. Always help your training partners, and hopefully they will help you in return.

Ditto on that.

Good post Jack.
c

[gwmma]

i totally agree, help your training partners but not the people from different clubs

[Andrew Green]

i totally agree, help your training partners but not the people from different clubs


Them most of all, people from different clubs have had different instruction, different training partners and that is where the most interesting exchanges come from.

[TonyU]

Them most of all, people from different clubs have had different instruction, different training partners and that is where the most interesting exchanges come from.
I agree. Very much like this forum, the sharing of techniques and ideas.
You'd be surprised what you can learn from others. Sometime they can give you an insight into your own training and you theirs.

[Gene Williams]

A basic rule of sparring is to always respect your opponent, whether you know them or not, whether they are black belt or no belt, tall or short, thin or fat. Adapt to your opponent, use their weaknesses against them and keep them off their strengths. For example, larger people are slower but more powerful, perhaps less flexible, so use your speed to spar, maybe your fitness, you flexibility and your dynamics. Don't stand still and slug it out with
them. The opposite for thinner people. Short people have less reach, keep out of range, start combinations with long range attacks only moving inside when their guard has been opened. They'll want you to come inside and get close because that's how they fight. Opposite for taller opponents.

The main thing is to control the fight. Get a rhythm in your head to spar to, and always make your opponent react to you. If you are chasing them, you are going to be one step behind all the time. Back off, let them come to you, dictate where they are in the ring, and know how they are going to come at you, and what you are going to do when they attack. Control how they attack, where they attack, for how long they attack, how they defend, and
how to open their guard for landing strikes.

Know your opponent as soon and as well as possible. To do this, you need to know yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and how to use these against your opponent. You need to test them without thinking about your moves, but about how they react to you. When you drive a car, you don't think about how much to turn the wheel, the clutch action, and changing gears. Instead, you look around, in front, behind, always aware of what's
around you at all times, where other people are, and what they are doing. It is the same in sparring. You should not be thinking about the mechanisms of a turning kick or how to block their attack, it should come without thinking. This leaves the mind free to analyze your opponent. You must watch how they react to your different moves, see how they react to your positioning, find their strengths and weaknesses, and then keep them off their strengths and exploit their weaknesses.

Never be predictable. This will come with experience. Think what moves have caught you out in the past, and more importantly, why. Try combinations of hands and feet, left and right, high and low, circular and straight, and all of the above. Generally, single attacks do not succeed, e.g., one kick, one punch. These can be used to control your opponent, but are not effective as a complete attack.

Distancing is the best form of defense. If they can't reach you, they cannot strike you, and whereas a block can be faked out, or kicked through, they cannot strike beyond their reach. Similarly, if you cannot reach them, it is useless to kick your legs around to show off. When you are attacking, you are also most vulnerable to a counter, so make sure you are always forcing defense when you attack. Showboating will also tire you out more quickly
than letting your opponent work around you. In defense, never retreat in a straight line. If you go back in a straight line, they can see where you are going and plan their attack. They will also have trained combinations on straight line retreats. Instead, sidestep to open their guard and counter them during their attack. AAlwaysTo the side will allow a spin or jump counter attack, and even if the hit doesn't land, it will put the opponent off such
combinations.

Always have a good base and balance. If you just threw out a kick and are off balance, do not attempt another strike. Your strike will open you to an attack, and being off balance may open your guard. If the attack comes and you are off balance, you will be floored. Better to regain your base, and attack again. Do not showboat with your leg flicking about like a crazy frog. This is largely ineffectual, and even if you have balance, you are on one leg, in constant but limited attack, and susceptible to a counter. Better to take your leg down each time, or do a maximum of three consecutive different kicks of the same leg before you take it down, regain your base, and attack again. If you are quick, taking your leg down after each move is more difficult to fight, as once in your base, all attacks are again open to you,
and if you are quick, can be launched in almost the same time as the multiple kick from the same leg. However, that's not to say never do the same move several times consecutively - as long as you know that it's going to open your opponent up for another attack.

Never get angry or frustrated. There are several reasons you may want to be angry, maybe it is to psyche yourself up into smacking your opponent to the floor, maybe you have an illusive opponent and you cannot seem to land a hit, or maybe they've just cracked you in the nuts. Whatever, never let your emotions rule during sparring, as your opponent will pick up on it, and have an advantage over you. Better to always be relaxed yet focused, be able
to sit back in defense or come forwards in an attack of what can seem aggression, but always under control. You must be able to turn it on and off in an instant and always be control of your aggression. The moment you start lashing out, and actually trying to hurt your opponent, it turns into a fight, which is what neither side want. Your opponent will pick up on your anger and turn it against you, maybe realizing the only way you'll be stopped is
by being floored. If you are pissed, it is even easier for them to floor you, and besides, sparring is meant to be fun. Not about hurting each other.

During the fight, don't be sorry for hurting your opponent. If you are scared of hurting them, you'll never do any moves at all. That's not to say go flat out and try to break their face, but fight sensibly, and go for your moves. It is their fault if they get caught, and even if you hurt them, they will tend to feel it was a good hit, and something for them to improve on, rather
than ouch. This may seem a little off, like you don't give a crap if you hurt someone, but it's not like that at all. If I get smacked about in sparring, full respect to my opponent, they outclassed me, and gave me some things to think about. I never think I wish they never hit me', and so there is no reason for the opponent to be sorry. The thing with being sorry is that if you are truly sorry, you wouldn't do it again. If I kick someone in the head, I'll check
they are OK, but I won't say sorry, cause if I can, I'll do it again. However, if I crack someone in the nuts, I'll be sorry, as I did not wish to injure my opponent, and especially not in this most painful of ways. I would make a conscious effort not to do it again. Therefore, if I land a good hit, I am not sorry it landed, I am glad it landed as my attack was successful. That's
what sparring is about - the refinement and improvement of fighting skills. You can be sorry for any injuries after the fight.

And always congratulate your opponent, win or lose on the fight, check they are OK, offer tips on their weaknesses, explain their strengths, and they will do the same to you. Always try to help your opponent afterwards. You will gain nothing by not helping them. Remember, sparring is not to beat everyone, it is to improve yourself. If they use what you tell them to
beat you next time, so be it. They improved, you didn't. Respect to them. You should always end up friends with those you spar against. :bow:

And, from whose writings was this lifted? You do know what plagiarism is, don't you?

[Tony Dismukes]

This entire essay can be found on the site of one John Gamston HERE (http://www.geocities.com/jwyg/sparring.html). It doesn't say who the auther is, though.

[Gene Williams]

The majority of educated people who use other people's material either footnote, use quotes, or give some type of credit to the original author OR source. This is just common courtesy and it is honest. When someone lifts large segments of material verbatim from one site and posts it on another with no comment while posing as a knowledgeable "professional" it just doesn't have a good feel. I believe it was deliberately disingenuous....However, I'm sure I will be made the villain here for not being "nice."

[moogong]

Gene, let it go. Jack has been asked to cite his sources in another thread and I am sure he will comply going foward. There is no need to beat the same dead horse in multiple threads.

[Gene Williams]

Done. :bow:

[CEB]

Yeah Gene you big meanie. :laugh:

Hey Gene I been doing some writing myself lately. I was inspired by a History Channel documentary on the French Revolution and also inspired by some of our past discussions regarding modern day political and social impacts stemming from the events of that time. This is just a novel, not any sort of serious historical study. I haven't got that far with it yet. Here is my opening paragraph, what do you think of it so far?

IT WAS the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way- in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

Thanks

[Gene Williams]

Man, Ed, that's great! Put some sex and nudity in it and call it, "A Tale of Two Titties." I've been working on a poem. It isn't very long, but here it is:

Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village, though
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farm house near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake
The only other sound
The sweep of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.


What do you think? :)

[G Hendrix]

This entire essay can be found on the site of one John Gamston HERE (http://www.geocities.com/jwyg/sparring.html). It doesn't say who the auther is, though.

Then you can reproduce it without violating copyright.

If you present it as yours, then you are plagiarising.

[G Hendrix]

Man, Ed, that's great! Put some sex and nudity in it and call it, "A Tale of Two Titties." I've been working on a poem. It isn't very long, but here it is:............................

What do you think? :)

I think you two have too much time on hand. :D

[CEB]

Damn Gene that is a real fine poem! I think that one maybe be better than the last one of yours I read. Let me see if I can remember it.

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Speaking of fire the dojo was really warm tonight. I worked out at my boy's dojo. Nice and warm. Spent the whole class on Pinan ShoDan and Tomari Seisan. I haven't worked that one since probably the mid 90's. No air conditioning. Good for the mojo.

PS: Thanks for the book title suggestion. I like it. :D

[Gene Williams]

The dojo we were in since 1990 has neither heat nor air. In winter, we use those big kerosene blower heaters. In summer, huge fans. Just an old cement block building with a truss roof and no ceiling. Carpet over a slab. But, what a great dojo! What is a Goju guy doing running Pinan Shodan? I hope you aren't doing that Shotokany looking one :( Yesterday, I spent most of my workout on Rohai and Gojushiho. I love those two kata. I finished the workout with Sochin because there is a friend of mine who is a senior in Shorin ryu who called and asked me if I knew it would I teach it to him. So I agreed to trade it for Ryubi no Kun. Rohai (Itosu version) may be one of the most elegant kata there is. I'm not as crazy about the Matsumora version. I don't like those shiko dachi after the crane stances.

[CEB]

I can do most of the Shorin Ryu kata. The only problem is I move like a goju man. Also if I do too much of it it honks up my Goju and I start to hikite at the hip instead of where it belong and my kihon gets funny. There are different principles in the 2 systems. I've wondered what exactly Mabuni had to do to combine the two systems. What do Shito Ryu people look like when do yaksoku kumite for instance? Do they fight Naha or do they fight Shuri? I always figured they looked more like Itosu's style when they fight. But it is all good karate. Shugyo and kokoro.

All the Kobudo I teach comes from the Shorin Ryu folks. I been taught Matayoshi Kobudo kata by some goju people over the years but I like the Bojutsu I learned from the Shorin guys better. I do not mix systems when I teach. I only teach the villiage kobudo. And I only teach Goju Ryu. I don't do do things like teach Choun no Kun from Matayoshi kobudo then follow that up with Shirotaru or the the Tokumine no Kun from the other system. Kihon is different the principles are different. It screws up the learning process of the deshi. Plus to do it would be a kin to creating a system and I am not qualified to do that. I am not that old yet. But judging from the bunch that hangs out at this website....hell it is anything goes these days. The old traditions are dying. What we see now is impotent NASKA weapons crap. We are going the way of the T-Rex Gene. Just look at the fine folks that hangs out here. Very few of these people have enough of a common frame of reference to understand where it is people like us are coming from. There are some who think they do but I seriously doubt many of them do.

Well anyway....one of my best freinds, my college roomate that I lived with for 3 years was a student of a Shorin Ryu teacher. That is how I got running with them in the 80's.

My boy wanted to learn karate. I could teach him Judo but for some reason I could not teach him karate. I expected good kihon from him. I was stickler on the basics and I rode him too hard. He still wanted to learn karate but got enough of the old man at home. I sent him him to learn Shorin Ryu from guys I used to hang with. Too bad in a way, he grew in to a big boy. He would have made a good Goju Man. He really likes what he does now. It is a good dojo. Shugyo & kokoro.

This style is very unlike Shotokan. It is an Okinawian villiage system. The stances are very short. The foot work is well rooted and they bend their knees and work the hell out sabaki. They work hardly no zenkutsu dachi. The lunge punch at the end of Chinto is one of the few zenkutsu I can think of off the top of my head. The main stance reminds me of something that looks like a sanchin dachi with the rear foot pointing out at a 45 degree angle.

No Shiko Dachi or Kiba Dachi either, they uses a Jigotai Dachi in its place. The knees bend and press out over the toes but the feet don't go much past shoulder width a part if that far. Lots of Naihanchi Dachi which again is a lot narrower than what most of the main Okinawian Shorin Ryu systems run.

That is probably more than you wanted to read. Sumimasen. Catch you later. Take care.

Gambatte Kudasai

[Gene Williams]

THanks, Ed. Wow, you covered a lot. Let's see...how does a Shito ryu guy do Naha kata. Well, I've been to several of Higaonna's seminars, which are heavy on kata. He recognizes me now, and when I do Seipai or Kururunpha, he always comes over, smiles and says something like, "Very nice Shito ryu Seipai." Then he shows me the differences by changing me all around into the Goju angles and stances. Generally, Shito ryu don't use as deep breathing as Goju, but we do forcibly and audibly exhale. We do use a deep shiko dachi, and lots of sanchin. Angles are a bit different in Kuniba's versions of Goju kata...in Seipai, we do 90 degrees where Higaonna does 45. Kururunpha is pretty much identical in pattern, ditto Shisochin. There isn't as much rootedness overall in Shito ryu. Lots of avoidance, quick, light movement. When I watch the senior Goju guys, they look like, "Well, we are just gonna' wait here, poured in concrete, until you come on in so we can pound you."
Thing is, I have a bad habit of sometimes letting the Naha bleed into the Shuri/Tomari. For instance, I'll do a light but audible exhale and push my hips forward at some points in kata like Gojushiho or the Kyan Chinto. There really isn't anything wrong with it, it just isn't what most Shuri types do. I've been whacked for it before. We carry hikite at the floating ribs, BTW. Our yakusoku
is more like Shorin. We don't do kakie, which I wish we did. Higioshi, Kuniba and Ruiz liked strong stances, so we use a little deeper zenkutsu than Shorin, and a Goju looking shiko and sanchin. Neko ashi everywhere. Now, there is a lot of Shito ryu that his slipped toward Shotokan. We are NOT in that group. Our stuff looks more like Nagamine, under whom Kuniba trained for a while. As for kobudo, mine is a mix. Tokumine no Kun, Shushi no Kun, Urasaoe Bo, Chatan Yara no sai, all the Hama Higa Stuff, a couple of Mabuni kobudo kata, Taira nunchaku. Overall, we are very Shuri.
As to old ways dying, yes. I visit dojo everywhere and rejoice when I find one that maintains the tradition and really has a spartan atmosphere and traditional kata and fundamentals. They are out there, just not that many.

[CEB]

THanks, Ed. Wow, you covered a lot. Let's see...how does a Shito ryu guy do Naha kata. Well, I've been to several of Higaonna's seminars, which are heavy on kata. He recognizes me now, and when I do Seipai or Kururunpha, he always comes over, smiles and says something like, "Very nice Shito ryu Seipai." Then he shows me the differences by changing me all around into the Goju angles and stances. Generally, Shito ryu don't use as deep breathing as Goju, but we do forcibly and audibly exhale. We do use a deep shiko dachi, and lots of sanchin. Angles are a bit different in Kuniba's versions of Goju kata...in Seipai, we do 90 degrees where Higaonna does 45. Kururunpha is pretty much identical in pattern, ditto Shisochin. There isn't as much rootedness overall in Shito ryu. Lots of avoidance, quick, light movement. When I watch the senior Goju guys, they look like, "Well, we are just gonna' wait here, poured in concrete, until you come on in so we can pound you."
Thing is, I have a bad habit of sometimes letting the Naha bleed into the Shuri/Tomari. For instance, I'll do a light but audible exhale and push my hips forward at some points in kata like Gojushiho or the Kyan Chinto. There really isn't anything wrong with it, it just isn't what most Shuri types do. I've been whacked for it before. We carry hikite at the floating ribs, BTW. Our yakusoku is more like Shorin. We don't do kakie, which I wish we did. Higioshi, Kuniba and Ruiz liked strong stances, so we use a little deeper zenkutsu than Shorin, and a Goju looking shiko and sanchin. Neko ashi everywhere. Now, there is a lot of Shito ryu that his slipped toward Shotokan. We are NOT in that group. Our stuff looks more like Nagamine, under whom Kuniba trained for a while. As for kobudo, mine is a mix. Tokumine no Kun, Shushi no Kun, Urasaoe Bo, Chatan Yara no sai, all the Hama Higa Stuff, a couple of Mabuni kobudo kata, Taira nunchaku. Overall, we are very Shuri.
As to old ways dying, yes. I visit dojo everywhere and rejoice when I find one that maintains the tradition and really has a spartan atmosphere and traditional kata and fundamentals. They are out there, just not that many.

Thanks Gene. I didn’t know bleeding over would even be an issue in Shito Ryu. I didn’t know if the kihon had been codified between the two sides of the house. You answered that one. Thanks.

FWIW You can see angle differences in different Goju Ryuha also. For instance we work some 45 degree angles in Suparunpei where you will see Higaonna and Chinen Sensei working 90 degree.

We carry hikite to the floating ribs, sometimes higher especially in the early going. It serves developmental training purposes.

I am pretty tied down for the next 18 months. But I would like to get down your way. We can do some kakie. We can take this offline.

I guess we should turn this thread back over to its intended use, which seem to be a discussion of basic tenets of training behavior for training halls that have no core philosophical beliefs. An article of this nature is should be useless. It is a shame that it is not I guess.

Have a good holiday after today I am on vacation until next Wednesday. If you need to contact me use the PMs here. The address you normally use is my office e-mail.

[Jeff C.]

Guys, I just want to say that I get a lot out of quietly reading your conversations about karate. Thanks.

Jeff Cook
Wabujitsu

[TonyU]

I guess we should turn this thread back over to its intended use, which seem to be a discussion of basic tenets of training behavior for training halls that have no core philosophical beliefs. An article of this nature is should be useless. It is a shame that it is not I guess.

I also enjoy the discussions as well.
If you want to discuss karate, our training methods, and/or interpretations on kata and techniques. bring it over the karate section.
Maybe one day we'll have the pleasure of meeting and comparing bunkai, kakie, and tai sabaki. and amybe we'll thow in some kotekitai as well

[Gene Williams]

I'm glad you guys enjoy talking about this stuff.