Sparring question...

[SevenStar]

I'm short - 5'9, but I'm big - around 230

http://www.geocities.com/kalistawarrior/sevenstar.jpg

Don't fall into the misconception that big guys are sluggish. And even if they are, they can make up for it in other ways, like power and pain tolerance. In my longfist days, I was one of the most flexible kickers, and was doing things such as tornado kicks with ease.

Yes, Men at Work was a decent band.

bigger opponent = bigger target... true. Let's not forget:

bigger opponent = more weight to deal with if you go to the ground

bigger opponent = more mass to pound on you with

bigger opponent = more size to crowd you with

[SevenStar]

And, I wouldn't get caught up in the six thing. Yes, combinations are the rule, but you may use 2, 3 or 10... depends on the situation, your opportunities and what you are trying to accomplish.

[Serpent]

Yeah, but don't you get a Super Combo Bonus Point if you more than five at a time?

Or am I thinking of Mortal Kombat?

[Ikken Hisatsu]

Originally posted by Taijiquan ninja

next one no i havent spared against most people its just the ones i have its worked most of the time so i figured it would apply the average person as well.

assumption is the mother of all f*ck ups. Do not EVER assume that because someone is big they are also slow. in a fight you should never assume anything about the other person unless you are looking for a hiding. as for combinations, I think six is excessive, especially when you've only been doing it a little while. I have one 4 hit combo that I train regularly and all my others are either 2 or 3 hit. fights dont happen like they do in tekken, if you go into a flurry of blows then they are just gonna step out of the way until you finish and wear yourself out. keep it short and sweet. try to concentrate on countering as well- sometimes in sparring I wont attack at all, I wait for them to commit then jam it and counter.

[Shadowboxer]

I assume that if you are 6'2" you have long limbs. Use them to keep your opponents away from you. Put a foot in their stomach as they come in. Try a controlled side kick to the knee as they come in. Try to control the distance this way. Maybe they won't be so eager to advance, then you can use your reach advantage to attack. Front kick (either leg) to the chest and a 1-2 combo. And, sidestepping is always a good option--changing the angle of attack, make them adjust to your counterattack.

[No_Know]

Punch over/under their even numbered strikes(arms). They'll pull their first attack to bait you into blocking weak attempts~.

You might punch their attacks. It keeps them from hitting you as often (at first) and might wear-out their arms some.

[sakko]

guys this is some great advice thanks... I'm having trouble with following up attacks with more attacks much less learning combos, though I plan to concentrate on that alot while sparring and try to get a system down.

I'm gonna try alot of sidestepping too, a guy in class gave me some good examples of that, some kinda advanced but some simple.

Also I read alot in this thread about fast guys and slow guys... the last thing I want to be is a big slow guy... how do I train speed? How do I insure I can move quickly?

[Becca]

I'm having trouble with following up attacks with more attacks much less learning combos, though I plan to concentrate on that alot while sparring and try to get a system down.

'Course you are, you just started. Don't "practice" your combos while sparring, practice them on your own or slow speed with a partner or training dummy. You should already be comortable with them before trying to utilize them in a match or fight. Sparring is when you experinemt with the technique to get the timming down.

[omarthefish]

Originally posted by Taijiquan ninja
example being if you had no idea who Jackie Chan or Shaquille O'Neil where you just saw them in the middle of the street preparing to throw down one day on your way to the store who you put your money on? [/B]

I'm puttin my money on Shaq! That dude is huge AND an athelete. What makes you think he can't fight. He looks meanier than Sapp to me and Jackie Chan is an acrobat first and a fighter second. Get real.

Back on topic...

DEFENSE! Defense DEFENSE!

What kind of nutty defense have you got going on? Defense should take a lot less energy than offense. My experience AND my coaching (isn't it great when the two line up together?) is that the best way to deal with an over aggressive opponent is to let him just tire himeself out. .. . unless your defense sucks.

Not that you can't get off line and use your footwork and all that but really now...part of your complaint was that your partners are tiring you out. It should be the reverse. I tend to expend much more energy against larger guys. It's just more weight to throw around. OTOH, if you are patient, that doesn't have to be true. You don't have to force openings. You are probably overblocking and more than enything else....STOP HOLDING YOUR BREATH!!!

If you get winded easily sparring 99% of the time it is a breathing problem. Most schools basic drills are way more aerobically demanding than sparring. The thing is, when you spar there is a big tendency to tense up, hold your breath and generally overextend. Take your time. Play a defensive game and smile! The best thing I ever learned to increase my endurance sparring was to grin. It's super important to keep your teeth together though or you cna get hurt from a shot to the jaw WAY to easy. Make it more playful.

[Daredevil]

I don't know which universe the guys who are saying size doesn't matter live in. Who the hell is saying that, though? I am myself constantly reminded by how hard things can be against a larger and more powerful opponent, since most folks are larger than me.

I think the key thing to keep right is ATTITUDE. A smaller guy has to be 100% there and if the bigger guy happens to let down his concentration, then the fight can be taken. Also, being smaller, you don't have the luxury of allowing the other guy to play his game on you. Get in with convinction, break his attempts before they get realized and smack him down, then stomp on his remains. That'd ought to do the trick.

[Toby]

Originally posted by sakko
Also I read alot in this thread about fast guys and slow guys... the last thing I want to be is a big slow guy... how do I train speed? How do I insure I can move quickly?

I'd rather be big and slow than small and slow

Anyway, I'm big and slow, 6'3", 215lbs. I'm a slow twitch muscle guy. Nothing I can do about it. However, I can maximise the potential of what fast twitch fibers I have. So I do powerlifting and sprinting. Other good things? Plyometrics, olympic lifting, skipping. I'm sure there are others, but that's enough for me.