Whas up y’all?
Here’s a question to think about.
When you are fighting, (let’s keep it simple here) say, while you’re sparring, why do you get hit?
Hope to read some good posts when I get back from vacation.
Later
Kungfukid
I am not exactly sure what you asking. Are you asking why is their contact sparring, or why do you yourself get hit - - or… Let me try to explain all.
My Sifu doesn’t really have a reason for contact fighting. But to me, there are advantages between getting hit, and not. To Be hit or not to be hit - that is the question? ( heheheh ).
Anyways, the reason why I like getting hit in light to medium contact is that it persuades you to not yourself get hit. TO train yourself that your reflexes are faster, your technique more polished. That is my reason.
The other side of the argument is pretty obvious - it hurts. And you might say that your reflexes aren’t built my sparring, but practicing the movement over and over. I agree, but you must know how to adjust those movements to agree with your opponent’s.
Hope I helped you a little. 
Yuen Lo
Is this a “mind over matter” question? or is it a “why aren’t we quicker” question?
“In a fight, there is no second place.”
There are quite a few reasons why I get hit. In some instances, I’m just not as fast at that moment in time as my partner. In other instances, I “didn’t see it coming”–I lost my focus, or I was in the process of making a spin kick, and my partner’s kick came on my blind side (those are really cool).
Then, there are two other reasons I can think of off the top of my head. One, I was cocky. I was feeling really good and quick and on top of the world. Pow! I’m brought back down to earth (sometimes literally). Second, the “deer caught in headlights” syndrome. I see it coming, I know what I should do, but some part of me just doesn’t doesn’t allow me to do anything and…Pow! This usally comes about when I’ve gotten tired.
Because the other guy hit you 
Although there are many styles, they all depend on the strong beating the weak and the slow falling to the quick. These are not related to the power that must be learned – Taiji Classics
Usually it is a mistake on your(my) part. Not seeing it coming, not reacting fast enough, not doing the right block/parry/evasion, or not doing them fast/hard enough.
Other times, it is to gain something bigger. For example, sometimes I let myself get hit (a glancing blow if I can help it), to let me get in to a better position/open up an enemies defences. Also, sometimes a glancing blow causes your opponent to over extend, giving you a great time to apply various throws joint locks, grappling or strikes to vital areas that would normally be covered.
Just some thoughts. Anyone got any others?
Because somewhere, deep inside,
I like to get hit.
JWT
Its a Zen thing.
He hit me.
I hit him.
He hit I.
I hit He.
I & He hit.
He & I hit.
Hit.
You therefore both achieve direct correlative motion based on supplemental projection. Truely, becoming ‘hit’ elicits a transcendental quality of Higher Consciousness.
Hey People!
Just got back from Florida.
I appreciate all of your replies.
I believe RobinF is closer to answering the
question, especially the part about “Deer in the Headlight” syndrome. Read that post and
let’s continue this discussion.
Thanks,
Kunfukid
If that’s the case, I would think the correct question is why you don’t think your going to get hit.
Although there are many styles, they all depend on the strong beating the weak and the slow falling to the quick. These are not related to the power that must be learned – Taiji Classics
nospam,
You just made my head spin 360 degrees on its axis. Sheesh.
Kungfukid,
I have another reason, this one a little more lofty, but it’s true. I get hit sometimes because I think I’m going to get hit. I go up against a certain partner who I know is really good, and I think he’s really good, so he is really good and I get hit. Maybe, subconsiously, I think I can’t beat him to the hit, so I end up getting hit.
I was watching the Discovery channel and they were showing the brainwaves of a marksman shooter and a karate board breaker. They showed that the brain was actively thinking when they lined up their hits, but that the brain stopped thinking just before they made their hit–and they achieved 100%–the marksman shot a bullseye and the karate guy broke two bricks. Without thinking. Maybe we need to think less in sparring. And simply do.
Did anyone else see this program? I only saw the last 15 minutes and I’d like to know what it was so I can watch the rest of it.
Whas up y’all,
Allow me in my humble way to kind of guide
this discussion. If any of you have a sparring class this week, here’s what I want you to do. I want you to spar as you normaly would, but every time you get hit I want you to try to remember your state of mind at the time you got hit. Then come back to the discussion board and tell me your experiences.
I am hoping for some good posts.
Kungfukid
Just sparred last night.
Gee, I got hit a lot. One hit in particular, I was waiting for the kid to do something, baiting him–but that’s what I do as a teacher. The second time I bait, I counter.
One hit I took over my blind shoulder to my head. I was just about to scoot back because I’d gotten in too close after my kick.
Another hit I took, I didn’t care. I was lining him up in my sights to make a hit myself with a kick I know is weak for me. I took three hits and missed my hit altogether. Back to tbe bags on that one.
There was a hit I didn’t take. I didn’t have anything in my mind at all. I was firing off a good volley, side stepped to realign my attack and fired off some more. She tried a spin hook with a spin round after–that was what I side stepped for my next volley. I was focused without thinking about what I was going to throw or what I had to avoid. Maybe that’s the key.
I’ll try to think of more. I’m sure I’ll have more as I’m starting the sport sparring class this Saturday.
How about you, Kid?
Its ok to get hit. Just make sure you emidiatly hit right back. I try to follow my opponent strike back to the opening he created by striking. Its important to learn from getting hit and being able to take a hit. Thats where the whole muscle memorie/form thing comes in. You don’t have to think your body just reacts properly.
Hey Dooder,
I appreciate your reply.
I understand the whole muscle memory thing.
My first five years of MA were spent learning Kenpo. And yes it is okay to get hit, and one should learn from it. The problem is that saying you have to get hit to learn how to fight is like saying you have to get shot to learn how to shoot.
Just like when you learn to walk, you will
fall many times, but eventually you learn the principles and don’t fall anymore. So why is it in fighting people never learn how not to get hit?
Interesting point, huh? Not possible you say.
I know differently. Think about it.
Later
Kungfukid
Kungfukid,
I don’t know if you read my post just above dooder’s, but I brought up a point, and your new post seems to help me along a theory I’m developing.
Don’t think and don’t get hit.
You talked about learning to walk. When you learn to walk, you consciously think about walking and you fall. It’s when you stop thinking about it that you stop falling.
Same thing for sparring (or an interesting experiment anyway). Don’t think about sparring, and you won’t take hits.
RobinF,
Thanx for your reply. I appreciate it.
Keep digging. You are very close to understanding why you get hit during sparring. Your theory of not thinking while sparring is the tip of a massive iceberg. Once you see the entire iceberg, you will be surprised at the size of it.
What you have done, Robinf is found the answer, but do not yet know the question. If you know 4, but not that 2 + 2 = 4, then 4 is not good to you. So, I’ll give you the question to your answer. Here it is: Why do I get hit when I think while sparring? Or, what happens to me when I think while sparring? When you answer these questions fully you will have seen the entire iceberg.
To try to help you along further, I see you have an enterest in Philosophy. I suggest you read P.D. Ouspensky’s In Search of the Miraculous. On the surface it has nothing to do with MA. But if you look deeper you will see it can. Apply what you learn there to fighting.
Kungfukid
P.S. I see by the homepage you posted in your profile that you study TKD. Here’s something else for you to chew on. Not only should you not ever be hit, but no one should ever hit you with a kick either. Both of these statements are so for the same reason.
[This message has been edited by kungfukid (edited 06-21-2000).]
[This message has been edited by kungfukid (edited 06-21-2000).]
Here is my way of “light contact” sparring, which is different from the way I “full contact” spar which is different from self-defense:
- Sense my opponents flow (position/posture, mental/emotional state)
- Attempt to control my opponent by setting the pace: Strikes and counters creating a rhythm (enveloping and then expelling) – I increase and decrease my speed, setting them up.
- I tag until I score.
I do think during light contact but use sensitivity more because of the “tag”
element to light contact.
And I rarely get hit…
Kungfukid,
I found two listings for that book:
In Search of the Miraculous: Fragments of an Unknown Teaching
and simply
In Search of the Miraculous
Both by the same author. Are they the same book?
(thanks for the suggestion, I do love this stuff and I’m trying to figure out your puzzle).