Need Help to Shake Off This Bad Habit while Sparring

[Stockfreak1]

Hey Fellas,

I've picked up this Bad Habit and I can't seem to shake it off...As soon as my partner comes in/at me, I tuck in my Head and Protect my Head but i'm looking straight down to the ground ( real weird i know, and he's killing me...open shots all over the place at me). I think i'm just afraid and sort of looking away, but down... he's clinching me, kneeing me, pushing me all over the place while i get into that position. I need out of it ASAP.
Thanks for your Help Guys!

Ray

[Maxx]

It sounds like a "Flight Time" issue, meaning the more experience that you get in the ring and sparring the less nervous you will be and the less likely you will be to panic.

There are a couple of things that you can do to increase you functional sparring. The first is simple isolation. Isolate the tools you and your partner use when sparring. work with a partner and just throw jabs and crosses at each other to polish your defenses. Don' try to hit each other too hard. Keep in mind that what you are doing is "feeding" your partner the techniques and he is doing the same to you. You will more quickly develop the proper reactions. This goes the same for all techniques: Punches, Knees, Kicks, Elbows. First just work basic defenses, then move on to defend and counter and finally move on to interception.

Secondly, don't spar with heavy contact... yet. The thais do not spar hard. They do a kind of sparring call Len Chun. It's more of a flow sparring... think medium contact at half speed. It helps them develop their timing, distancing and a sense of flow. Also remember they generally fight over there once every week or two. They can't afford to spar with heavy contact with a competition schedule that intense. They'd never be able to recover from their injuries.

[Tom Yum]

Hey Fellas,

I've picked up this Bad Habit and I can't seem to shake it off...As soon as my partner comes in/at me, I tuck in my Head and Protect my Head but i'm looking straight down to the ground ( real weird i know, and he's killing me...open shots all over the place at me). I think i'm just afraid and sort of looking away, but down... he's clinching me, kneeing me, pushing me all over the place while i get into that position. I need out of it ASAP.
Thanks for your Help Guys!

Ray

Stand your ground. Look into his eyes or if that's too hard, focus on his chin. Sounds like your sparring a little too early?? You might need more sparring drills to get an idea of some ways to counter your opponent.

When you square off, don't hesitate to attack first. Fire off a double jab then a low thai kick into his thigh to put him on defense. If he's teeing off on you and you don't know how to counter, throw a hard push kick at his solar plexus to create distance, then switch into some cut kicks at his leg and his body.

Sounds like your boxing skills might not be where they need to be because your flinching and shelling up in the infight and clinch?

Some guys are really comfortable slamming hard thai kicks but once you put a little boxing pressure on them they try hard to keep you in kicking range or immediately go for clinch, knee and head control or like what you do, they shell up.

Boxing will improve your muaythai fight game. It'll improve your heart, fight spirit and ability to attack and defend on the inside.

[Abe]

Take a few shots and you'll be right. Everyone i know has this problem in the start, just goes away a lil while after. Don't think any help is needed, because sooner or later you'll realise they just dont hurt that much, esp when your adredeline is pumping.

[Stockfreak1]

Awesome Advice Guys!! thanks a LOT!!

I'll be reading your responses/advice a few times tonight!!

Ray

[Pla Chalarm]

teep or leg kick as soon as he moves his hands to swing

[bustr]

Drop your hands and let him hit you a few times to get over the fear. You can also put your head into his chest and push while working his body.

[Pla Chalarm]

I would just quit if I were you. just hang up the gloves for good imo

[Stockfreak1]

I think you're joking...well I hope you are

[gltnk71]

i dont know what you guys call it but we call it the thinking man block,where both gloves are together on your head and both forearms are vertical just less than a gloves width apart,chin tucked on chest and elbows pressed into ribs, this allows you to protect the face and the majority of ribs from boxing techniques whilst still being able to see between the wrists.Work with focus pads and randomly between punching combinations get your pad man to put a pad in your face, practice your reflex actions from guard to block,this block soon becomes instinctive and offers the same protection as curling up, you need to be able to see to defend

[garam masala]

it's not about you being scared. you just need to practise your defences. remember to keep your opposite punching hand protecting your chin. easy stuff like that. and yes, i think whoever here said sparring at half speed is good to get the right defence techniques which is impt.