Need just a LITTLE help!

[cnada]

How do I get more aggressive in my TKD class?
I have a huge problem with being aggressive in class; namely, not being aggressive. My instructor REALLY wants me to be aggressive, but I'm so used to being quiet & shy in my normal life that it kind of leaks over into class. So, I need help!

Any suggestions?

[moogong]

Here is my typical male advice. Take it for what it's worth. Being aggressive starts in the mind. Imagine you have a switch labled "Normal" and "Aggressive". When you walk into class, imagine yourself flipping that switch to aggressive.
Also, work all your techniques into you are confident you perform the well on somebody of your own rank or slightly higher. It's been my experience that confidence and aggression go hand in hand. If you are confident in your ability and techniques, the aggression might follow.

[Musubi Dojo]

You could try working some defense/offense only drills so you can learn to attack without fear of getting hit, but I don't know if that's going to help with an under lying issue.

My question is why don't you want to be aggresive?
What prevents you?
Can you gefine "aggresive" for me as you want it and then tell what you do now that's different....

Cheers
c

[Eliz]

Here is my typical male advice. Take it for what it's worth. Being aggressive starts in the mind. Imagine you have a switch labled "Normal" and "Aggressive". When you walk into class, imagine yourself flipping that switch to aggressive.
Also, work all your techniques into you are confident you perform the well on somebody of your own rank or slightly higher. It's been my experience that confidence and aggression go hand in hand. If you are confident in your ability and techniques, the aggression might follow.

My advice would very much follow Charles' advice.

Further, how long have you been active? If you are relatively new to sparring, much of what you may be experiencing is quite normal. Your instructor may be saying, "Don't stand around and wait to get hit - hit FIRST.

Chris also makes a good point in working drills. Many of the drills we do in TKD are geared toward automatic responses. Don't think - just do. By working these drills over and over, they become automatic responses. That will also help in sparring.

[FunSPE]

At the risk of repeating what everyone else has suggested, be pro-active when you spar. When you spar, always advance towards your opponent and fire off your punch/kick before they do. My first boxing coach once told me that a great defense is a great offense. Just remember to let your hands and feet go (with good technique of course)!. I myself and a very quiet and shy person but on the mat its another story. Your aggressivness will mostly come with within. Let us know how the advice works for you.

[andyjeffries]

I'll post a different answer, hopefully it may give you a different perspective that may work for you.

I'm a big bloke (way overweight, but trying to lose it) and have always been a counter-kicker. Maybe it's the fact that it lent itself to my long legs (wait until they get in to range and I can hit them before they hit me) or maybe it was due to the fact I was bullied as a child (I'm sure I'm carrying repressed emotional baggage from those years).

Anyway, after a number of years layoff I recently returned to Taekwondo. The first few weeks was just stretching, basics and patterns. Then two weeks ago my instructor started me back in to sparring. The first session was like old times (counter kicking 95% of the time) but worse due to me being knackered/out of shape in that I'd be overly defensive.

He had a chat to me and said that he didn't want me falling in to old/bad habits and that I should attack more next time.

During the week (only back once per week at the moment) I thought on two things:

1) It's really not a fight. There's no life or death situation, there's no anger, it's just a game. It's all about getting points.

2) If I chase the other person they probably have the same thoughts I do (holy crap he's coming!!!) so lets put the pressure to respond on to them.

Anyway, my second sparring session went a million times better, more attacking, virtually no counter attacking needed (a few times, but nowhere near 95%) and I felt great.

So, my advice/POV would be just treat it as a game/sport - it's not a FIGHT!! in the normal sense of the word. It's a game, just try a different strategy within the game. You wouldn't be afraid of giving a different strategy a go in chess or badminton - and I'd hope your club also has a friendly, non-punishing attitude.

As a 3rd Dan that all sounds a bit like I'm a wimp, I'm really not, I hit hard but was just never an aggressive person. That weeks' thoughts really helped shape my performance and the sort of Taekwondoin I want to become.

[SheWolf]

Treat it as a game/sport? I think that may not be a good idea if you want to be a serious Martial Artist. TKD may be more of a sport than anythign else, but that's not necessarily to its advantage.

I'm a shy girl too - AND i train in an all-men's class. I'm still scared to kihap loudly, but when I'm in the dojo I feel like I'm the "real me", unhindered and encouraged to be "primal".

If you take MA for what it is - not just a sport, but personal growth and much more, if you just step into the dojo with an attitude of "here I'm free to be that which I'm not outside and no one will care, they'll respect me for it" you should eventually start being 'agressive'. It's not as simple as changing habits and pressing buttons, it's a state of mind.

[Prince Loeffler]

My only rules about getting into sparring:

1) You have to love and enjoy getting hit ! Otherwise your mind will be too occupied about getting hit and getting hurt.

2) Accept the fact that you're going to get nailed and nailed bad. With this absolute acceptance, you may now have more room in your mind to strategized and possible enjoy being in sparring.

3) When in doubt, study rule #1 and #2

[Darrell]

My only contribution to this thread is to tell you that it's not just a 'girl problem'.

I was very aggressive as a child and decided some time in my early teens that I didn't want to be tempermental and violent anymore. I worked on controlling my emotions to the point that it's now difficult for me to be aggressive even when I want to be.

I have the same problem in my MA training.

[andyjeffries]

Treat it as a game/sport? I think that may not be a good idea if you want to be a serious Martial Artist. TKD may be more of a sport than anythign else, but that's not necessarily to its advantage.

My point of view is that there is something mentally resticting a person from being aggressive (it's nothing physical so it must be a mental block) and one of the ways of overcoming that is to not put so much pressure on yourself. What I mean is: don't think "it's life or death, me or him" as you'll make it worse, just relax and think "it's just a game/sport/training session" and you'll ease the pressure.

At the end of the day, I'm guessing the lack of aggression only really shows itself during sparring, which - regardless of how many times you practice the exploding monkey claw death strike during the first part of class - is a game/sport. I'm assuming you don't spar full contact, so it's a game/sport not life/death.

Don't be so quick to dismiss my opinion as "another silly Taekwondo sport player not a serious martial artist" - there was a logic flow behind my opinion :-)

[wab25]

When I find myself less agressive, the main reason is that I am afraid of getting countered. Every move, has many counter moves, so if I make a move, its just setting up what can be done to me. What I have found, is that this is very true. This can have a paralizing effect. And while I sit there, trying not to give an opening, the other guy is busy pounding me. See, even a defensive move, is a move, which can be countered.

My first sensei taught me the way out of this. "Its not the bestest that wins, its the firstest with the mostest, that wins." The best way to not get countered, is to throw it like you mean it. The more committed you are to a correctly done technique, the harder it will be to counter.

The worst thing you can do, is throw an unsure technique. First, its very easy to counter. Second, it reinforces your fear of getting countered. Your best bet, to not get countered, is to land that first technique, well. So, if you go for it, go for it.

Now, remember what I said about every move having lots of counters. His counter to your move, is a move, thus it has its own counters. The best way to set up your counter to his counter, is to really go for your first move. In order to counter you, he will have to really sell his counter move, which sets up your counter. See the circle? Who ever gets there first wins. The firstest with the mostest.

[Kwon Pup Maze]

Practice, practice, practice.

Practice in front of the mirror in your room. Practice to focus on the center of your reflections chest. Eventually you'll get to the point of not thinking and just action. Good luck.

[Eliz]

My point of view is that there is something mentally resticting a person from being aggressive (it's nothing physical so it must be a mental block)

Yes and no. I hear what you are saying, but I think Layla hit the preverbial nail on the head. It is a state of mind. Understand for many of us, we spent the first umpteen years of our life hearing, "Young ladies don't hit." Then we signed up for MA's and were told to aggressively go hit/kick someone. :laugh:


Don't be so quick to dismiss my opinion as "another silly Taekwondo sport player not a serious martial artist"

:eek: :laugh: Although I am no fan of Oly Sparring, sport TKD will most definitely get someone in shape to spar. That is some serious fast/hard sparring.