Sparring

Discussion in 'Tae Kwon Do' started by Birdman, Jul 30, 2003.

  1. Birdman

    Birdman New Member

    What am I doing wrong?
    I’m a green belt and this week I’ve been kicked in the head three times during sparring.
    Last night my fellow green belt busted my lip, blood all over my uniform.
    You know at 42 year of age I really too old for this!
    Maybe I should switch to taich
     
  2. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    I'm older than you Birdman and I don't agree with that!

    But aside from that.... as I cannot determine what it is you are doing wrong , I could only do that if I were to spar you .... then all I can offer you is some suggestions like,

    Keep your hands up (guard your face man!!) .... stagger that fighting stance a bit more so that you don't leave your middle and front too open.
    MOVE (hard to hit a moving target!!) and side step to avoid those head shots, .... where are your high block techniques???
     
  3. craigwarren

    craigwarren Valued Member

    I've been sparing for about a year now. Only last week a 14 year old in my class burst my nose. I still get beat by people who have been training longer than me, but i find that i am getting better, my guard is better but still nowhere near perfect and i am trying to spot targets in my oponent, as well as keeping an eye on their ranges.

    All i can say, is that everyone will get better (i hope) and that the only way to learn is to make mistakes.

    Its definetly not your age anyway.
     
  4. Birdman

    Birdman New Member

    Thanks for the tips, when you say stager the fighting stance more what do you mean? Like spreading my legs apart futher?

    I diden't even see this kick coming but I must have dropped my hands, I was dizzy after he hit my head so I just sat down, diden't get a chance to ask him what kick he used.
     
  5. Adam

    Adam New Member

    I will also tell you that you're DEFINITELY not too old to do martial arts. Some time ago I got my ass handed to me bigtime by a 52-year old guy, and that was in full contact. Keep on training if you enjoy it. :D
     
  6. Birdman

    Birdman New Member

    Thanks for the Encouragement everyone I will continue as my whole family is in Taekwondo. Just get a little discouraged when I get kicked in the head.

    BTW, should I wear a mouth guard like boxers do when sparring?
     
  7. pgm316

    pgm316 lifting metal

    You need to be more aware of your oppononent, when looking at them don't concentrate on any one part of the body. Remember its a long way for the feet to travel from the floor to your head. Use range to keep safe, moving in and out to strike, and keep your guard up!

    Spar more lightly to get practice and confidence, theres no use in sparring at a level you can't do.

    Good luck :)
     
  8. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    Considering you are at the beginning of advancement , yes, I would most certainly wear a mouth piece. We are all required at our school to wear one.

    By staggering I mean ... stagger your stance as you would when you perform a step-behind side kick (ex. facing to left with feet apart, right foot more forward and left in back as if straddling the back corner of the room to you left.) Now of course, you don't retain this stance all the time you spar .... but its good to try several different stances. I personally find this stance far more difficult for opponents to get a kick to my head and middle.
     
  9. xplasma

    xplasma Banned Banned

    What type of kick was it?
    This is what I do.

    Front or Side Kick: I tai sabaki (or side step) to the outide of the kick and at the same time strike the outside the knee with your fist. Make sure you keep you hand up incase the kick turns into a hook kick.

    Roundhouse: Thats easy, when you see it come up simply step into them to the inside of the leg very close to there body. You can strike them as you are doing it.

    Personally I hate being kicked at. So when I spar I immediate step in as close as possible and use fist, elbows, and knees.
     
  10. MATT_LIQUID

    MATT_LIQUID New Member

    I find jabs, strong guard and most importantly confidence are the key. I'd also ask them to lighten up a bit. Tai chi is good for relaxation though :)
     
  11. craigwarren

    craigwarren Valued Member

    You might wanna ask your partner who burst your lip to practise some more control, especially when targeting the head for a kick.

    Self control is a tenant after all.

    :)
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2003
  12. johndoch

    johndoch upurs

    Hey there Birdman

    Listen to these guys, there's no way you're too old for TKD (after all its one of the softer arts :-D joke) *Doc waits to get kicked in the n**s*.

    Seriously though watch the shoulders they usually give a kickers intentions away. If you were countered try being patient and draw your opponent get you own counter in.
     
  13. stump

    stump Supersub

    <<<should I wear a mouth guard like boxers do when sparring?>>>

    Is the pope a catholic? Does a one legged duck swim in circles???

    YES definitely!!! imo you should never spar without one....ever.


    Try adopting a boxers guard. use your hands to cover the side of your head an your elbows/forearms to cover your ribs. Bring them together to cover your front. Also a good way is to use your shoulders to guard your jawline. Lift them and they'll reduce the size of the target - your head!!!!!

    Some people duck everything in response to an attack...even when ducking is not appropriate, thats possibly how you end up being kicked in the head

    <<<You might wanna ask your partner who burst your lip to practise some more control, especially when targeting the head for a kick.>>>

    Have to disagree with this. It's up to you to guarentee your own safely. Keep this in mind and your guard should improve because if it doesn't you get hit!!! What Bruce Lee called emotional content :)

    You're never too old so happy hunting!
     
  14. Tosh

    Tosh Renegade of Funk

    <Gives johndoc an overly elaborate spinning kick in the nuts :D>

    Whack!

    My advice would be to ask your partner (ohhh so close Craig!) why he found it easy to kick you in the head.

    Or alternatively how he would defend against it. Most people who can score with a technique can also defend against it!!

    Good Luck!!!
     
  15. johndoch

    johndoch upurs

    ouch:(

    I had a feeling it would be Tosh who got in there
     
  16. Tosh

    Tosh Renegade of Funk

    It's always nice to be wanted! :D

    I'm a giver, never a reciever!!! :D :D
     
  17. Thomas

    Thomas Combat Hapkido/Taekwondo

    You're definately not too old to learn. Also, don't get wrapped up on being annoyed that you were hit by a "junior" ranked person. No matter what color belt you have on, you will get tagged by people with a "higher color or a lower color" on... it's the nature of the game. A few suggestions:

    (1) Check where you are watching your opponent. Some people recommend watching their eyes... I personally don't like this because sometimes I miss a fast kick floating in. Others (myself included) recommend watching somewhere around the midsection so that you can use peripheral vision to see movement by hands or legs. Did the kick get through because you didn't see it in time?

    (2) Watch your hands... sometimes we fall into a habit of dropping our hands when we throw a kick (especially when first learning how to add torque and speed to a kick). If head kicks are getting through, try to keep your hands a bit higher and your head a bit lower behind them... (but don't jut your head forward!).

    (3) Check your footwork... are you moving straight forward and back all the time? Do you have a rhythm that's easy to pick up on? Maybe your opponent is picking that rhythm up and popping you at the weak points. Try working in some circling movements, side steps, and sliding techniques.

    (4) Make sure your opponent isn't catching you each time with the same feint. Ask your "buddy" what s/he hit you with and how... learn from them so they can't catch you again.

    (5) Practice some counter kicks with a partner... e.g. practice the back kick counter off the roundhouse kick, work a short choppy side kick as a pre-emptive strike, etc. Practice some good hand strikes that you can use... if your opponent is kicking, you can step in, jam their attack and hit them with hand techniques. Practice some of these with a partner.

    Good luck and happy training!
     
  18. KickChick

    KickChick Valued Member

    ... will have to keep that in mind :D !

    But a good point there tosh ... work with your partner (basically what I mean't in my post when I said it would be better for me to spar you to find out what it is you need to work on).

    I am also surprised that you guys are drawing blood... aren't you advised to show a certain amount of control whilst sparring??

    We on occassion spar without gear with contact and without... let me tell you without contact is far more difficult!
     
  19. Helm

    Helm New Member

    Getting hit in the head is all part of the learning experience man.

    I can offer you some advice based on how i get headshots.

    Move randomly. This includes taking at least 1 step to the side every while. I can see people building up for an attack, it takes them about 5 secs to get ready and i can see it.
    I take a step sideways and its throws them off and they start all over.

    Habit. Easily the most common way i get headshots is by taking advantage of habits people have. For instance coming in with an attack, missing and pausing for a second.
    They then take this queue that "its their turn to attack" and drop their hands/head and take a step forwards. So many people get caught out this way.

    At my last competition i faught against someone who loved using a step-in reverse turning kick, he was good at it too.
    But i got to learn his habits and as soon as i saw his back hand come up a bit and him step in i immediately rushed in and punched the crap out of any body protector i could see and threw a double-roundhouse when he backed off.
    Every single time he did this and i rushed in it suprised him as his thigh hit my body, and he wasnt used to it. From there i was able to throw anything i wanted. Including a shot to the face that neither scorer saw.

    Time. Practise. Patience.
     
  20. Birdman

    Birdman New Member

    Several of you say I should be using a mouth guard and I went to the store to buy one and they have a two piece and a one piece guard.

    The two piece seems to be the one to use since it covers both your top and bottom teeth.

    Am I correct?
     

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