Sparring is probably the most difficult part of your Martial Arts training. The reason being is that it’s a much more emotional experience than people think. Realistically, sparring is 80% mental and only 20% physical. To improve your sparring you must feel comfortable about the process of hitting someone and someone hitting you back..
In order to get to the stage where you feel comfortable you need to spar on a regular basis. The following things will help you reach that level of not being overwhelmed every time you are about to spar:
1. Have a plan of what you want to accomplish in your sparring session, for example breathing while you spar, or adding more kicks to your combos.
2. Have combos that you are good at ready to use and fully complete them.
3. Think out every step of your sparring session beforehand. For example what are you going to do the first 30 seconds.
4. Use the first 30 seconds of the match to find out what kind of opponent you have, for example is he/she a kicker, boxer, counter attacker, or attacker. This will determine how you will spar.
5. Be a thinker not a fighter – plan you attacks depending on who you are sparring – don’t think you can win a fight with power, use your head. The analytical fighter will always beat the more powerful fighter.
6. Be in good aerobic shape. Sparring deals with nerves and this alone will drain your energy. Being in good physical shape makes you able to perform even when you get exhausted.
7. Never underestimate or overestimate your opponents size or look. This is very misleading; just remember your confidence will come with how much time and effort you have put into your training.
8. When you are sparring, you are playing a mind game. The person who shows no fear, no pain, no emotion is the one that is in control of the sparring session. Remember you must fake it until you make it.
Sensei Malcolm Bale
www.jiu-jitsu-calgary.com
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on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 11:59 am and is filed under Martial Arts.
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