I'm planning on competing in a free sparring kung fu tournmenent later this fall and I'm thinking of taking up boxing to give me a bit of an edge (mostly just to get more experience sparring full tilt against fully resisting opponents). I'm just wondering what I should expect when I join a club. I've sparred a lot in the past, but never 100% contact, so I'm a little nervous about that. What do people think about getting over the initial fear of getting hit full power? How long should I expect to be at the club before they let me start sparring? Any other random things I should know before I start? Cheers-James
Good on ya man A lot of sweaty bastards Get in there and spar, the only way of getting over the fear of being punched is to get used to punches coming to your head. In time you'll be fine with it, just make sure you use your movement, hold a good guard and most importantly, punch back This can depend on the club and you. A few years back we had a Hung Gar guy in training and he picked up boxing pretty quickly and was sparring in no time but there are others who take longer. Any other things, well, just enjoy it and expect to be pushed!
