Sparring...another freakin' busted rib

[NYerRoman]

How many times should one spar in a week to keep up..well..sparring?
I stopped for a while. Some karate jerk asked to spar with me. The rule was no touch. He touched. Rules were off. I have a cracked rib but I got him good in the end.
It's my 6th cracked rib over the years.

So now I need to practice sparring. My new kwoon does not support agonistic competition. I feel like I'm in a goody goody phase right now and need the practice.

So, how many times? If I'm on my own for a bit, some practicing suggestions. Etc..

later

[Royal Dragon]

You need to spend some time on Iron Body or Golden Bell to toughen you up considerably so you don't break another rib.

Seriously, your very under conditioned and you need to solve THAT problem first before you even think about any kind of heavy sparring again.

[NYerRoman]

Iron Bell and Golden Bell...
ok. Where do I get info on those?

[Former castleva]

Be careful with your floating ribs,death may interrupt in worst case.

[fa_jing]

Originally posted by NYerRoman
My new kwoon does not support agonistic competition.

Yeah, who wants to walk around in agony all the time? We just stick to moderate atagonistic competition.
:) :) :) :) :)

[rogue]

Every class. Just make sure to vary the intensity keeping it mostly moderate.

[KC Elbows]

Also, drill defending attacks to the ribs once you're better. Not a good opening to leave, whether you've done golden bell or not.

[NYerRoman]

Actually someone said if you break them they get stronger.
This is my 6th (in 4 years). Whatssup?
My technique is ok. They are just hits that happen.
I don't know why I'm sensitive there and not really
anywhere else.

[KC Elbows]

If you're ribs get broken 6 times in sparring, you need to cover them better, no ifs ands or buts. Iron body/iron bell is all well and good, but it's not intended to replace a solid defense.

Do you keep your elbows dropped? This can help a bit.

And I wouldn't put much faith in breaking ribs or any bone making it stronger. It might, but it might not. I've broken my sternum twice. I can assure you it is not stronger for the experience.

Again, your ribs MUST have been open when they got hit. Therefore, regardless of technique, I would say you need to work on covering your ribs.

As for iron bell, does anyone know any practitioners who allow full force kicks to the floating ribs as a demo? Just curious.

[rogue]

Which ribs got hit and what were you doing when he got you?
Check your elbows they may be flaring up and out.

[TaoBoy]

Keep those elbows down - if they float up your ribs are exposed.

Practice scenario training - work on your technique defending rib attacks - then move on to light sparring and progress from there.

Sounds like it might be worth stripping it down and starting again (if you catch my meaning).

[Helicopter]

I've cracked a rib twice in training, neither during sparring.

(once doing an overly exuberant breakfall (It had break and fall in it :) ) and once having a technique demonstrated on me)

What's envolved in Iron and/or Golden bell training?

[NYerRoman]

THis time...the top of the ribs, under the left pec. He was low kicking which I deflected with my left hand...exposing my left side.
He then punched....I stepped back b/c the rule was no touch but he took that pause to side kick in the same spot.

I usually keep my elbows down.
I'd be more interested in learning what is this iron body/golden bell.
How do I find info on it?

Great suggestions too.

[mysteri]

if ur jus curious about iron body, www.winglamkungfu.com should have some good iron body products. but to be honest w/ u, i've sparred full-contact for years and(knock on wood) have yet to seriously injure myself. i'm 19, 160lbs, 5'11 and in pretty good shape. now if ur over 40 y.o. of course u dont heal like u used to. maybe u should check w/ ur physician about ur bone density or somethin to that effect. i would venture to say that if u keep gettin ur ribs broke, u need not to do more sparring. but practice A LOT of one-step reflex drills in which a training partner throws kicks or punches to ur ribs and u simply practice tucking ur elbows in to ur body to protect ur rib cage. its about the quickest and simplest reflex to cover the ribs that i've ever seen or used. once u've developed a better reflex for protecting ur ribs then maybe u can learn blending and counter-techniques particular to ur system. but IMHO, i dont think the problem stems from ur lack of sparring practice, but more from ur individual reflexes. once u get very used to static reflex drills, u can practice them in a dynamic environment and hopefully learn counter-techniques that are better suited for u. but that's jus my 2 cents...

[KC Elbows]

When I'm in doubt, and a kick is coming at me that I didn't see before, I pivot back as opposed to shuffling back. Of course, I have a very long stride, so this gets me out of the way of the kick(with a little hand work), provided the kicker isn't kareem, plus it moves the kicker's original target into an easily defended region.

[NYerRoman]

You know I kicked in a fire door last night (don't ask), damaged my foot badly, but today it's sore and bruised. In theory it should be broken. Resistance. It's not the bones(...nor age Mysteri).

But I will work on the technique and ribs. BUT THIS IRON BELL/GOLDEN thing??????????? Info please. thanks.

KC - I tend to shuffle back when it comes to kicks and pivot when it comes to punches. You must pivot deeply. I studied the movement of the body in absorbing the blows, which I obviously didn't apply.

Mysteri - I didn't find anything on that site. Iron body products? Didn't see any.

The blocks/reflexes in my style to the front of the ribs (the area right now) are generally sweeps with the hands/arms and a quick snap with the palms or a punch (usually snake....or panther which is my personal touch) if not the pivot to avoid the hit.

r

[Nichiren]

Actually you need to check it out with a medical doctor! 6 times in a year seems a lot to me. You may have e.g. lack of calcium in your system, are you a vegetarian etc. And the ribs are an exception to the rule that if you break a bone it gets stronger after it heals.

Good luck....
/Cheers

[NYerRoman]

Not 6 times a year. Holy pain.
Nooooo.
In the last few years.
I've been doing kf forever. It's a recent thing.

[mysteri]

NYer- here ( http://www.wle.com/store/ironskills.html ) is a direct link to the site i was talkin about (at the bottom of the page). from what i understand, this iron body method is different from the golden bell method. i was once told that the iron body here is mainly an external method, like iron palm. and that the golden bell method is mainly internal. but to be honest i've practiced neither. but here's the site anyways... there's many ways to cover the ribs. if ur not that confident in tucking ur elbows in when the blows come, then u should try lifting ur knee up to cover the ribs from certain kicks. but to do this properly u must be quick in the legs and have a developed root, or u'll get knocked over every time. to be honest w/ u i dont really think that very good kung fu can be developed if u dont AT LEAST participate in some reflex drills and some free sparring. it doesnt have to be antagonistic. it's jus in ur own kwoon to help urself and ur classmates develop. and to be honest, only u can really tell urself how confident u are in ur techniques. so if u feel u gotta spar light- or full-contact to enhance ur skills, then by all means u should. find trusted sparring partners and comfortable sparring atmospheres and go at it. that way, u'll be able to more realistically guage for urself where u think u r. but that's jus my 2 cents...