Sparring smaller ppl?

[Yung Apprentice]

This is if your in a class environment, and sparring medium contact, or light contact.

In sparring, it's good to use your strong points. At the same time,it's good to show restraint especially when sparring a fellow classmate. If you hit with too much power, you may hurt someone, or get them very ticked off. If your the bigger guy, sometimes you cannot gauge how strong your hitting. And if your sparring a smaller guy, you use your strength as an advantage, just as they use their speed.

Often times, in sparring, if you do something to the person your sparring, and they don't like it, they retaliate. Such as, he thinks I hit him to hard, he returns by hitting me back even harder.

Or, sometimes if your sparring someone weaker, and your showing restraint, the opponent will strike at full force or in some cases over-compensate.

So how can one use there stength as an advantage during a sparring match, yet not tick off the smaller person?

[SevenStar]

1. Ask the student if they mind going a little harder.

2. Don't ask; just turn it up a little and see how they respond.

Typically, once you've been in a class for a while, you know who likes to go hard and who doesn't. until then, ask and/or play by ear.

[JusticeZero]

Dominate space, and play like you're a house. Get them to try to throw you, and force them to deal with your full mass - you're trying to get them to struggle with you like a terrier, so you can gently push them over. Make them have to lean down over your knee to hit you. Pick them up and carry them off of the mat. Play with your reach.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

im small and i don't get mad unless someone is obviously being an *******. i either take it or tell them to simmer down. it's rarely a big deal but im definatley framiliar with the retaliation factor you are referring to.

my best advice is to find good sparring partners. get a couple guys that like to spar at whatever level you like and work with them as often as possible

when sparring class mates just judge their level the best you can and return the same amount of respect you are given. ... including none.