Competitions

[scotty1]

When you're fighting a competition do you prefer it to be categorised by weight or grade? How do you prepare for it, mentally and physically?

[SevenStar]

Grade? sounds like you may be referring to point fighting. I don't believe in point tourneys, so nothing I have to say would benefit you. If you are referring to something else, then here are some basic guidelines:

1.Train HARD
Go beyond what you normally do. This can include strength and explosiveness training, striking (or grappling, depending on your event) drills, etc.

2.Run
or any other cardiovascular training, grappling and fighting will require it, and being able to outlast your opponent may be your saving grace.

I really don't do any type of mental training, as I don't care about the outcome of the fight. to quote ryu from the ending in streetfighter 2 "ceremony means nothing. The fight is everything." I don it to gain experience and to see how my skills match up to others. To get myself in the fight mood, I will watch some fighting-based anime, or MA movie or something, and listen to some type of hard rap or rock. That's about as mental as I get. What event are you training for? maybe we can help better if we have specifics.

"You ain't got enough calcium to have a bone to pick wit me,
like a Gracie, I'll choke a ***** out wit his own gi" - Rass Kass

[scotty1]

All I know about this comp is that its semi- contact continuous. Sorry to disappoint all you hardcore full contacters out there, but at least its not score point/seperate etc. I've started running, just a bit every night, but enough to knacker me out.
I have a lesson tonight where I will ask my Sifu how its categorised, so Sevenstar, keep checking back on this thread as I'd appreciate your advice.
What I meant by grade was experience, I have just moved to 5 animals style from Lau Gar, so although i have a fair amount of sparring under my belt (and have fought two comps before) for the last month or so I (we) have not sparred very much at all. The time my previous Sifu would have spent sparring is spent doing sets, which is cool, but not much good if you've got a comp on Nov.4th!! This is why if its categorised by grade I'd much rather fight someone much heavier than myself whos got the same or less experience than a 10st stone purple sash, do you see what I mean? :eek:

[Shaolin]

Competition fighting is for sissies, these guys put on their spandex, make up a whole bunch of rules so thereal fighters can't enter and these panzies don't get hurt, then they feel each other up for awhile until someone jizzes on himself and gives up. :mad:

Pain is weakness leaving the body.

[scotty1]

Anyway, Sevenstar - its semi contact, with both continuous and point/break categories. Also, there are no weight categories (don't need them I suppose) and the category I'll be in will be ungraded to green sash. So speed drills will probably be more important than strength training.
Know any good ones? What about tactics / strategies? I'm quite a small guy, but I'm quick.
Do you do anything to try and psyche out your opponent? Also, I could be up against Kung Fu, Karate or kickboxing (San Shou). Any thoughts?
I know there's not much advice about this can be given over the net, but any little gems would be appreciated.

[This message was edited by scotty1 on 10-11-01 at 05:21 AM.]

[SevenStar]

Is that the way you grapple MK? Whatever floats your boat man...

since this is only semi contact, speed is more of a concern for you then strength. I still reccomend plyometric style exercises though, as the explosiveness they build will help your speed. If you have access to focus mitts, practice punching drills. Better still, if you have thai pads, you can add kikcks to the drills. there is a thread on this board where shaolin tiger and I listed some focus mitt combos.

Shadow box with wrist weights. 5lbs. should be sufficient if you've never done this before. Of course, you want to spar. You need to develop spontaneous combinations while sparring, as you don't want your opponent to be able to time your techniques.

as far as strategy work on rhythm breaking and feigning. Proper use of those two things will leave him confused as to what you will be doing next, and your speed will be a perfect asset in that situation.

Staring your opponent down may intimidate him a little. Check out vanderlei silva's stare. there's a link to it on the kung fu forum - I'll try to find it. If I can't I know you can find it on sherdog.

"You ain't got enough calcium to have a bone to pick wit me,
like a Gracie, I'll choke a ***** out wit his own gi" - Rass Kass

[scotty1]

Thanks for the thoughts Sevenstar, much appreciated. Its probably self-explanatory, but I've never heard anyone refer to rhythm breaking before, care to go deeper? :D

[Robinf]

Scotty1,

Also, work on conditioning your legs. A lot of folks will kick you in the hip and upper thigh. This is supposedly "by accident"--I'm guessing that you're wearing chestguards and the contact is to be made in the guard. These hits really do wear you down if you're not used to them.

If you have a choice, go for continuous sparring. I always found point sparring to be jarring and would lose my rhythm.

Robin

Surrender yourself to nature and be all that you are.

[scotty1]

I've done two point sparring compos before, and did OK (came second), but they were pretty crap comps, it was only second out of like, five or something. But hey, better than fifth right? The only real good fighters there were the guys tht came first. But apparently you can enter for both categories in this one, so I've got twice as much chance of getting somewhere.
Anyone else got any handy hints? :p

[scotty1]

And there are no chestguards. So presumably I should be able to wind my opponent. Also, what abouot leg destructions? :cool:

[Robinf]

No chestguards. That makes it a bit more challenging and easier at the same time. You can still get winded with a guard on, you just get hit harder.

Are you allowed to kick to the leg? Hitting the thigh and upper region of the gluteous really does wear out the legs, but you have to hit hard and make like your trying to hit up higher. This, however, I only suggest doing if you don't see an opening in the midsection, otherwise you're wasting your strength.

More advice, score your points as quickly as possible. In continuous sparring, you're both going to get tired, so get your points and then get up your defense and counters.

Robin

Surrender yourself to nature and be all that you are.

[SevenStar]

by rhythm breaking, I'm referring to interrupting your opponent's timing and also conswitching your up so he can't predict what you are going to do. For example, (I know this will be a crappy example, but this is hard to explain in writing) think of your opponent's rhythm as a pattern. Let's say his pattern is four beats: 1-2-3-4. he stikes after the second and fourth beats, and does nothing on the first and third. You want to strike of feign on either his second or fourth beat, screwing up the rhythm of his strikes. Offensively, let's say you have the same 1-2-3-4 rhythm. You strike on the first and fourth, but you notice that he's picking up on that and timing you accordingly. you can break that rhythm by striking on a different beat. since he timed you to strike on beats 1 and 4, striking on 2 and 3 would throw off his timing and force another reaction.

"You ain't got enough calcium to have a bone to pick wit me,
like a Gracie, I'll choke a ***** out wit his own gi" - Rass Kass

[SevenStar]

Also remember to study the opposition. Is he a runner or an attacker? does he prefer infighting or attacking from kicking range? does he wildy charge or is he cautions? knowing your opponent's style (not martial arts style, but fighting style) can help you immemsely.

"You ain't got enough calcium to have a bone to pick wit me,
like a Gracie, I'll choke a ***** out wit his own gi" - Rass Kass

[scotty1]

Thanks people, ,much appreciated