fear of sparring

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do Resources' started by Din, Mar 3, 2004.

  1. Stormwatch

    Stormwatch New Member

    Is this a dig at me?
     
  2. RunningDog

    RunningDog Valued Member

    You cry before TKD sparring?
    Maybe the martial arts aren't for you. Ever considered Tennis? Rock climbing maybe?
     
  3. UYS_Queen

    UYS_Queen New Member

    ?? You cry before sparring?! Ok, Well I agree with the comment above, Maybe Martial Arts isn't for you!!

    On the other hand, I used to train with the TAGB before the club I'm with now. I had a bad experience sparring and it put me off completely. Then after a year of training with the TAGB I moved to club/school I'm with now and I still hated it. Of course I had to overcome it....It wasn't until about a year and a half ago that I started to get back into sparring. The reason behind this....I took my sparring kit with me to a competition, reluctantly thinking I want to enter, but not having the nerve. It wasn't until I got there and saw everyone else in their suits I reconsidered. Anyways to cut a long story short - I got my sparring kit on, paid my money, and entered. I came 2nd - not bad for a novice. The adrenaline rush was AMAZING and the best thing I could of done. I entered the National Comp in Bristol last year and came 2nd. Its the National Comp again on the 26th of this month and I'm determined to get my 1st place this time. My advice to you is to stick with it, and you've overcome it!!
    - Sorry for long reply!
    Good luck!!
     
  4. ronaldk

    ronaldk Valued Member

    i have a friend who is really reluctant when sparring too. i don't get it.

    i dunno if it's a bad thing, but... i like to fight. that's part of the reason why i like martial arts. i've NEVER been in a street fight, because i am a pacifist, not to mention fighting on the street is never just fighting. it always means you've made an enemy for life who will try to run you over with his car or kill you by getting a crowd of people to beat you up. it's never a plain old match of strength and skill between two opponents.

    that's what i love about my TKD sparring. due to lack of classmates (i train in a small dojang, where there are only about 6-8 students per class), i have to either spar with my teacher, a 4th dan who was on the national team for... 13 years, or, a red belt who has been training under my teacher for 5 years. unless the off chance that my friend who trains with me (also a green belt) feels like sparring occurs, needless to say i get my ass kicked every time.

    and i love it. nothing like actually pulling of a technique successfully, and STILL getting schooled because your opponent is just so much better than you. my creativity when it comes to thinking how to penetrate a guard has greatly improved, i can now fake moves and trick a lot more effectivly, and my speed has greatly increased. after a while of this, when i sparred outside my school for the first time (back when i was yellow) against a guy who had been training for much longer, and had a belt over me, it was basically no contest.

    it's very rare to get hurt sparring at your dojang, unless your partner and you get in an accident. me and my friend don't go all out when we spar with eachother, because we are not looking to KO eachother, rather to learn from eachothers moves/mistakes. if you spar with your instructor, well, i doubt you'll get hit too hard, and your learning curve will greatly improve. no matter how hard you get hit in class, would you rather it happen out on the street?
     
  5. LatinoTKD

    LatinoTKD New Member

    I believe there is no way, even when I first started I was never afraid but I could tell some of my classmates were. My instructor and assistant instructor used to tell me to speak to them about this, and if they still didn't do it teach them a little lesson. DON'T get me wrong, they didn't want me to hurt the person, just merely hit them a bit harder than usual. If that didn't work, well I think they would just have to grow into sparring without fear. After all, thats what separates the good from the bad. Not to boast! but I see myself as one of the best in the class, as I was chosen to go to a tournament held within out clubs, where only chosen members can attend. But I guess sparing without fear has helped me develop a more positive stance on TKD and has helped me improve. Thus making me feel better about myself, because I believe I am one of the best in the class. Try to explain to them that if they lose their fear of sparring that they will LOVE this sport and will develop amazing skills. That should get them motivated, because its true, its not just something you say to get them to train. So only tell them that if you really believe they can.
     
  6. Bruce Lee II

    Bruce Lee II Banned Banned

    no if theire scare dont hit them harder. that makes pl more scared. you need to go easier to build thir confidence
     
  7. mra147

    mra147 New Member

    but if some one scare that some one kick him what he shold do?
    PLZ Help him
     
  8. Devildog2930

    Devildog2930 Teneo vestri ego.

    Doesn't anyone do conditioning exercises anymore? :eek:
    Bring back the good old days, one person stood in sitting stance with his arms behind his back and his partner tapping him in the stomach with turning kicks, building up over time until you could really take a heavy shot to the gut. In particular I especially liked the forearm conditioning exercises where blocks were practiced with a partner who would also be blocking with the opposite arm. Quite often these would turn into competitions to see who would be first to pull their arm away. :D
    All in all both good exercises for gaining the confidence to be able to both give and take a shot.
     
  9. Shantei

    Shantei Valued Member

    My problem: Fear

    I have a problem with my Taekwon-Do and it has been since I moved up to the adult class about 3 months ago. I am fairly afraid of sparring, but I know I must get in there and fight if I want to learn. This is partly because in my other class, I was the oldest one there (I'm 15) and it was easy because they were scared of me. But now I'm the youngest one in the adult class and they're all about 17+ (very very cool and nice though) so now I'm more afraid. I'm generally afraid of getting hit in the groin and yes I will be getting a groin gaurd soon enough, but in my last lesson when I was free sparring with a blue belt, I decided I'd go for it and as she came at me, I managed to kick her in the face, but she managed to kick me below the belt. :eek: So I have even more reason to be afraid.

    Also, it doesn't help when I have to spar against an advanced black belt when he tries fairly hard. I'm way too scared to go in so he just get loads of moves on me.

    Any suggestions or tips on what to do?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  10. Yatezy

    Yatezy One bad mamba jamba

    It sounds silly but just get in there! Instead of standing off just give it a shot, someone with more expierence shouldnt take advantage of you anyway and as time goes on you'll get used to attacking them. And as you get better then id imagine they would go harder against you and they you would have to learn to defend/move properly.

    Its a good way to spar just dont be afraid of getting smacked, its all good fun! :D
     
  11. Pacificshore

    Pacificshore Hit n RUN!

    Sooner or later you will have to just go for it. Just remember the things you already know about sparring. There really is no difference other than age and perhaps size, but I know plenty of 15 year olds that are quite tall for their age. Anyone who is of an advanced rank should help you to develop in your sparring versus just trying to unload or work new move on you. Go get a groin cup!! Also, expect to get hit more often, or not, that's what generally happens as you advance.
     
  12. Moosey

    Moosey invariably, a moose Supporter

    Yeah, get a groin guard! I had a sparring session with a mate of mine who does TKD. We basically spent a couple of hours kicking each other in the crackers as we both went for roundhouse kicks at the same time. I concluded that groin guards are a must if you're gonna fight TKD style.
     
  13. Shantei

    Shantei Valued Member

    Lmao!! -- Yeah, I really have to get one.
     
  14. removal

    removal Valued Member

    It sounds like you are more intimidating than you think...Kicking a poor girl in the face!!!

    You sound like you are probably getting good exposure training with advanced level blackbelts. Hopefully they exercise some restraint with their rank. If you can summon the courage, use this opportunity to learn to block and counterattack. It will come eventually.
     
  15. Artikon

    Artikon Advertise here ask me how

    One thing that I like doing with students that have issues stepping up to the challenge, for whatever reason, it to ease them into it with controlled settings. Depending on the individual simply throwing yourself into the mix can be a bad idea.

    Steps that I use at times are as follows are best done between instructor and student one on one.

    1) Start off with basic technique and targeting drills with a partner. Use a paddle or a shield and do basic static drills. Add some footwork and reaction to the drills by moving around a ring for a couple minutes and taking the target as they come. Up the ante a bit by warning them after comfort level is good that you are going to start swinging the paddle at them and they must block or evade or get smucked, either of the three options works :D

    2) Begin doing basic scenerio drills. Start with attacking. Person will attack me in a set way with contact at their level. I usually wear extra gear so that they can increase their power during this drill so I'm usually all about the "YOU CALL THAT A KICK!? C'MON HIT ME" which from time to time has left me winded on the ground :D. Following this I get to attack and lucky I'm fairly in control and I increase the intensity with attacks. Do the same ring work with the attacks and get them to attack on cue, and then attack them on cue. Again no real surprises yet.

    3) Counter drills come first and these get a little more intense as the idea is to mix it up a little bit more. I always make sure to tell the person that if I get a chance and they are slow or daydreaming I'm going to tag them so stay sharp. Again increase the intensity and then move it to the ring.

    4) After this I simply start sparring with them under modified rules. They can only attack or use certain techniques. I may tell them I'm simply going to evade or return kicks in a specific manner. Again no real surprises but the intensity is basically full on.

    5) After that, I just simply spar with them. Hopefully by this time they are used to hitting me and getting hit by me. If they have no problems with this then I throw them into the fray. Sounds like a lot of individual attention but really it isn't. I can get someone from step 1 to final step in a single workout; however it isn't always the case.

    Again just some suggestions based on my experience. Also works really well if you have a trusted work out partner on your off days, but I still always feel that the best way to learn is to get in there and do it, test your convictions.
     
  16. irimi

    irimi Valued Member

    If you're sparring people who outreach and/or outweigh you, particularly if you're used to having an advantage in these areas in the past, it's natural to experience some fear. And a lot of people do in the lead up to sparring - once the spar starts, you're usually so focussed on what's happening that fear reduces in significance.

    I find being strategic very helpful. I concentrate my thinking on what I will do, rather than on what may be done to me. If I think nerves will affect me to any great extent (e.g. so that my flexibility is going to be reduced due to tight muscles), I will practice my mid-range kicks. I also practice routines at home so that if I get nervous in sparring, I have some automatic combo's to fall back on. In particular, I like to practice foot-work with various kick and punch combinations. Once you're moving, you are so much more in control of the situation.

    On the defence side, get your sparring video-taped, or get some serious feedback. Identify at what times you get hit the most - work on strategies to close those openings; and work on defences to suit as well (e.g. if you're getting hit with head kicks, make sure you practise head high defences). And watch out for the classic mistakes, dropping your guard, looking down at your oppont's legs and feet instead of up at your opponent. (This will be more of a problem if you're now sparring more people taller than you).
     
  17. Hapuka

    Hapuka Te Aho

    I was like you about a few months ago. I didn't like sparring do much that I started crying, I was also scared that I would hurt someone (which I did most of the time) shame.......... :eek:. I joined a muay thai club, And that has helped bring the joy of sparring back and get over my fear. I learned combos and how to use techniques the right way. I still do Taekwon-do And next time I jump into the ring I'm not going to cry, I'm going to fight it out. Maybe it might help you to also join either a kick boxing club or muay thai club so you can learn how to fight without getting scared. Also before jumping into the ring with you opponent ask him/her to go easy and teach you along the way on what works and what doesn't work. Good luck and have fun :D
     
    Last edited: Dec 18, 2006
  18. Hapuka

    Hapuka Te Aho

    Hell you don't want to see my videos. I almost threw up watching them. :eek:
     
  19. irimi

    irimi Valued Member

    Yeah, I found it quite embarrassing to watch videos of my sparring. I was soooo much better in my mind that I was/am in reality.

    But I've got to the point now that when I watch a video of myself, I don't actually want to die of embarrassment. (I just sort of curl up into myself and seek to invisibly become one with the sofa). Which could mean my sparring has improved (as a result of following my own excellent advice), or that my psyche has toughened up; but most probably means I'm learning to deny reality.
     
  20. Covane

    Covane New Member

    I usually have no fear when I spar in class with anyone I spar with, but I have a little fear actually competing at a tournament with sparring. Is this normal and do any of you guys have any tips?
     

Share This Page