MT:Sparring tips if you dont mind

[Knowledge Bot]

Sparring tips if you dont mind By KempoGuy06 - Mon, 15 Jan 2007 15:14:58 GMT

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Ok. Ive been having trouble with my sparring. My problem is my speed. I cant seem to move fast enough. Even some of the lower ranks (we start sparring at white belt) can get around me a lot quicker than i can around them. The only thing i have been able to do is move in when some one throws a kick (squash them up and attack) but this becomes less and less effective as i continue and i dont want to rely on this. When i face higher ranks (brown & black) i just get man handled, i know they obviously have more skill and experience but at a set pace i feel that i should be able to at make land a couple hits but this is not the case. Im having some problems with my knee right now but this should not affect my movement that much in my opnion. Plus it is not a problem of the speed of my strikes it is my speed when moving. At 6'4" 260lbs i now that im not going to be the fastest person in the world but I should see improvements and im not.

My question: Is there anything i can do to improve my speed? Any tips from any one who had the same problem?

B


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[KenshiRyan]

From what I can tell your talking about move in for an attack/ moving around as you fight?? if this is the case I find skipping etc helps alot, Its made me alot quicker on my feet and helped alot when trying to get a strike in and then getting outve the way.

[Wai Yeung]

I think you should stop sparring for awhile and focus a bit more on training . When you are sparring with an opponent, you become tense up and your speed and your technique would not improve.

I found a good JKD drill that helped improve my speed tremedosly. You should do more shadow boxing (imagine your opponent). The other method is to punch a stack of papers. Punching bag is effective too but if you think yourself of punching something hard your muscle would tense up and this would not give you the best speed. So try to relax while punching the stack of papers. Only when you are relax you can achieve the ultimate speed, reflex and power.

[Hardball]

Hit the speed bag with your hands and feet (if it is adjustable), run up and down the stadium bleachers at your local college, skip rope, relax, relax relax--you are a big guy and your are probably tensing up.

[Tom Yum]

[B]Sparring tips if you dont mind By

i know they obviously have more skill and experience but at a set pace i feel that i should be able to at make land a couple hits but this is not the case. Im having some problems with my knee right now but this should not affect my movement that much in my opnion. Plus it is not a problem of the speed of my strikes it is my speed when moving. At 6'4" 260lbs i now that im not going to be the fastest person in the world but I should see improvements and im not.

My question: Is there anything i can do to improve my speed? Any tips from any one who had the same problem?

B

1. Get a wrap for your knee or some kind of support for your workouts. Take your time to warm up.

2. Cut weight. The more weight you cut, the faster you will move. Visit your doctor to get a physical, for advice on diet and healthy weight loss. Hit the excercise bike and swim at first but do it for atleast 30 minutes. When your legs feel stronger, start running too. If you can slim down to 220, you'll be lightning quick.

3. Practice your strikes and kicks 200 times each until they become fluid and as natural as walking.

4. Work on timing. Get someone to hold focus mitts for you. Ask them to give you half a second per target. Chances are, you will miss alot of strikes but as you work this for weeks, you will start nailing them and making them pop!

Good luck, bro!

[Hardball]

3. Practice your strikes and kicks 200 times each until they become fluid and as natural as walking.

My favorite. Be sure to work every kick that you know; your favorite kicks and the ones you don't like. Both left and right leg.