I think I’ve reached a new height in my sparring, and I wanted to get everyone’s take on it.
I’ve been free sparring quite a bit for the last month at class. My plan is, once I feel I can free fight using my kung fu(meaning not reverting to boxing/kickboxing), I will start doing so with other stylists for the experience. Anyway, back to the topic…
Friday, I was going at it with a classmate, and every once in a while he was open for a foot trap/elbow move that is central to the kung fu I practice. Unfortunately, I kept flubbing the move, so I backed off on it for a while. Eventually, he started leaving himself open to the foot trap again, and so I went in to perform the move. However, this time, I did not try to force the move, I simply performed it exactly the way I do it in the forms-no rush, no worrying about the opponent’s space, just doing the move as technical as possible. It worked, again and again. Then, I decided to try the same with one of my favorite chin na techniques. Instead of forcing it on him, I just kept to the form, and it worked better than normal.
At the moments that I can do this, it feels like my fighting is very “kung fu”. Although I follow the form, I of course make adjustments for distance and the difference in our sizes, but I am still following the technique as laid forth in the form. This all made me very happy.
cool. My problem is I always end up boxing or kickboxing,and also trying to use my size and muscle instead of tecnique.Thats a problem I’ve been trying to fix lately.Every one I talk to just says “practice and jog”
Good job. You’re doing exactly what any good traditional MA does which is incorporating movements and techniques from your forms into your sparring. One caveat though: Don’t depend too heavily upon this one technique because before too long you’ll find yourself limited by it.
Budokan,
I’m aware of that problem. I’ve actually sparred quite a bit, but very little of it had the true flavor of kung fu. Realizing that these two moves are something I can execute in a proper way is great, but I know that if I stick to these two moves, my opponents will be able to counter all day. Now I know what I must do for the other techniques I would use to fight with. The big problem now is picking which techniques are right for me.
Night,
Yeah, I’m a big guy too, and so there was a period where I tended to use force-I even occassionally do so to break down an opponent’s structure, but only if that opponent is at an early level of training. After that, they can really take the opportunity to break you using your own size.
I’d have to say that this took three years to acheive for me, but I think others could learn it faster, I just hadn’t found the right teacher when I first started.
Universal,
So, the NHB/MMA guys are into tongue lashings, eh? Kinky bastards!
Despite my user name, I won’t be dispensing any criticism. In fact, I offer my congratulations and vent my jealousy that my techniques don’t come out that naturally yet.
Peace,
MMA
Well, you just can’t count on a good tongue lashing these days. Anyway, thanks everyone. I’ll make sure to let y’all know my further adventures in sparring. Hopefully, very few of those further adventures will involve serious testicular damage. :eek:
Anyway, don’t be jealous mixed martial-I still take a beating against the right people. Its just cool to have this calm centered move kind of explode from you without that whole adrenaline thing coming into play.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=“-1”>quote:</font><HR>once I feel I can free fight using my kung fu(meaning not reverting to boxing/kickboxing)[/quote]
What’s wrong with kickboxing/boxing? You “revert” to it because it works, you know. I think instead of “trying” to make your kung fu “work”, why don’t you just concentrate on kickboxing/boxing? You’ll be able to whoop all your kung fu brothers/sisters then .
It’s fine that you made some kung fu moves work in a controlled sparring environment(probably with lots of pads, too), but if you think it’s gonna work in a “live” training session against a resisting opponent that is coming at you 100%, then you’re in for a big surprise (and disappointment). :eek:
Seriously Now:
Congratulations! I have always had trouble sparring (I think too much), so I am jealous, but happy, to hear when someone is able to hit “the zone”. Keep it up, man!
Tigerstyle,
The comment was not meant to be an aspursion against boxing and kickboxing. However, I am a kung fu man, so I’m working on those techniques. I like both boxing and kickboxing, and my teacher even teaches some boxing techniques periodically, but again, I’m a kung fu man. So there.
On your second point, no, no pads. Lots of bruises, aching bodies for days afterwords, but no pads, and opponents that are resisting probably about sixty percent(I’m still working toward 100%). And I know I can pull the second technique(a chin na) off against a resisting opponent as its worked on a friend I train with who is much more experienced than I, and pretty much always goes at it 100%. Its my giant hands that do the trick.
Granted, I’ve been guilty before of assuming that knowing a technique under an extremely controlled environment made me a good fighter, but I am 31 now, and I have a narrow window to work with if I am to be a good fighter, so I have pulled all the stops.
Sorry, don’t know how to do the thumbs up. And if its any consolation, pulling off some technique in a better way than before doesn’t mean I didn’t take my licks too that day. Ah well, better beef up my offensive defense.
.