Sparring is the fifth training method and an important part of any fighter’s or martial artist’s routine. This is as close to a real fight as it gets. Although every martial artist needs to experience full-contact sparring once in a while, you can get close to the same benefits from sparring lightly.

Sparring lightly requires more skill and control and allows you to spar every time you train without getting hurt. If you get hurt during sparring then you are not able to train for days or weeks and this obviously sets you back. It’s helpful to work sparring drills as well as free sparring.

 

During sparring drills you can isolate a certain tool or tools and or certain defenses to hone that particular skill set. For example, you can spar the jab only or just boxing, just kicks, kickboxing, clinching or all Muay Thai. Or both individuals can work different aspects of the game like southpaw vs. orthodox or boxing vs. kicking.

You can also isolate certain defenses like slipping and bobbing and weaving, covering and riding, parrying and scooping, evading, counter punching or counter kicking. There’s a tendency for beginners to throw all there training out the window when free sparring and to start to throw wild swings with little or no technique. This is something to try to avoid. Even if you’re getting hit a little more than you’d like in the beginning, try to maintain the fundamentals like keeping the hands up, chin down, elbows in, head moving and footwork going.

Contact us with any questions

RSS 2.0