Complete and total exhaustion day after sparring

[Kapten Klutz]

Just wondering if this is normal... we've finally started some lighter sparring and a few days ago I did my first pass where we increased the tempo some. It was fun as hell but I got hit a lot more than I hit the other guys (except when they let me do stuff). Especially after getting very tired, I must have been shambling around like a zombie half the time. But dang it was fun! We kept at it for about an hour and a quarter with only very short pauses. I drank a liter and a half of water, got a minor bloody nose, sweated like a pig and ended up on my back a few times (footswept and taken down), but wasn't knocked out or groggy.

So anyway, the next day I'm headachey, felt weak and shaky, slightly nauseous sometimes and heavy and dull in my head. Supposedly these are classic dehydration symptoms and maybe exhaustion as well. Being new to it all I wondered if I'd gotten a concussion but I don't think any of the hits were really more jarring than heading a football. Also I felt fine right after the pass, just normally tired. Another thing is that I'd done 3 very tiring sessions on alternating days just before this. I'm almost 40 and not athletically conditioned. (working on it)

Two days later I felt pretty much better, but am a little apprehensive about going to a similar session. Is this normal? Is it a warning sign, like take it easier maybe rest an extra day?

In any case I think I'm going to try to keep the tempo down for the time being to try to get better technique. It's just so easy to get caught up in a higher tempo than I'm maybe ready for (I'm talking like maybe 30% instead of 10% here guys).

Any input to this enthusiastic but inexperienced beginner would be very welcome.

[BoulderDawg]

The first thing that crossed my mind was the agressiveness of your sparring. I've been training for five months now and I'm getting better at sparring but I know that someone who's been here for five years could put me down in about a second if they wanted to. We try to make sparring a learning experience. Getting beat up every night is a way to learn I guess but I think they should try to teach you the basics before putting you on your backside several times in a sparring session.

That's my two cents...now moving on:

When was the last time you had a physical or have been checked by a doctor? If it's been years then make an appointment today and don't workout until you are cleared to do so.

What's concerned me most was the bloody nose. If your nose just started bleeding on it's own then that's a big warning sign.

It's normal to be tired after sparring but what you described goes a little beyond that.

[Kapten Klutz]

BoulderDawg, thanks for the tips. I really appreciate feedback. The nosebleed was from a hit. It wasn't especially hard, but I got really smacked there (an accident) a few weeks back, so it's probably still a bit weaker than usual there. I've never bled spontaneously but I'll still definitely book a checkup jic. I've felt okay after pretty tough (for me) workouts, but this was really tough and pushed me further than I thought I could go.

By the way, I'd like to comment about what you said about how hard they're pushing. The experienced guys who were running the lesson were gentle and were clearly teaching when it was my turn to go against them. It's some of the other pupils, and one guy in particular, who cranked up the speed, and I have to admit I went along with it willingly at points. After that it's possible somone else felt I was doing the same. I'm going to try to insist on going slower and just working on timing, distance, combinations stuff like that with very soft strikes (like we're supposed to).

[IronFist]

If your body isn't used to that, and you pushed it hard for an hour and 15 minutes, then it's to be expected that you'd be tired the next day. Of course, the doctor's checkup probably isn't a bad idea, but it sounds like you just overdid it for what your body is used to. I've had a similar thing happen after a big workout one day when I hadn't been in the gym in a few months.

Just make sure you're eating well so your body can recover and you can go do it again Chances are, however, that next time, you won't be quite so wiped out the following day because your body will have adapted a bit.

Good luck.

[Chief Fox]

When I started sparring I would get really hyped up with nervous energy. This usually lead to me maybe going out too fast for my experience level. I remember walking away after a few rounds thinking "well that was stupid, I didn't learn anything". The reason I didn't learn anything was because I wasn't exercising the amount of control that I should have been.

In the years since that time, I've learned to settle down and be more relaxed. I try to fight my own fight. I take it easy and try to block or deflect what comes at me. I try to focus on specific techniques that I want to work on. I work my angles and when I see an opening, I go for it.

Another thing to keep in mind is, if you're gassed, you can't focus on technique. So with this in mind, try to improve your cardio. You can simulate rounds by skipping rope for 3 or 5 minutes with one minute rest inbetween. Or you could run on a treadmill, shadowbox, a mixture of calistenics like jumping jacks, push ups and sits ups for time. Of course, there's always heavy bag work. Really, any kind of aerobic activity placed into a round format will better prepare you for the aerobic demands of sparring.

As to how you're feeling. I'd say it's pretty natural to feel beat up for a couple days after a long sparring session. Stay hydrated, get rest, drink gatorade.

Keep sparring, take your time, fight your own fight.

[WinterPalm]

All good advice, I'd only add a couple things from my own experience.

If you are relatively new, and sometimes veteran, you can be clumsy and awkward thus using way to much energy. It takes a long time to get good at the basics so they flow naturally without undue stress. Sparring is also very stressful mentally and physically, you are required to move suddenly in all planes of movement and to respond in a plethora of ranges and angles.
One thing I've always liked to do is make myself tired and then train the techniques either via forms, a punching bag, or with a partner. Try to get used to doing the techniques as good as you can while very tired. Don't neglect training the basics and techniques fresh but try to do this every now and then...

AND RELAX!!

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

maybe im over simplifying, but i'd say your gettig toughened up.

hang in there ... youll be fine.

[dainos]

dont get too hyped up stay relaxed and fight soft if you know what i mean. keep improving your skill and learning and overall BE CAREFUL.
had my jaw broken when i was in 6 months of my training. NOT FUN losing over 40% of your body weight is not fun. expecially when theres no fat to begin with. be humble. thats what i offer

[Kapten Klutz]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. It makes sense and I'm taking all of it on board.

[Mr Punch]

May be completely unrelated but FWIW...

when you're drinking water during your session make sure you're not swallying down a huge amount at a time... small gulps or even sips are the way to do it (look at any distance runners). The reasons for this are that you kidneys can't take more than a specific amount of water per hour, and your liver produces larger quantities of GPT when your body is tired out, esp bruised, so your liver will also be overworking and consequently with the GPT being released into your blood your kidneys will again be working harder to clean your blood.

Plus of course, make sure you're not drinking over sugary drinks after training, or booze, as they will further inhibit your liver function.

I had a medical a day after some very punishing training once, and I had abnormal levels of GPT in my blood, and I said "Is there anything I can do to avoid this in training?" and the quack said, "Get better at martial arts and don't get hit so much!"

[splinter]

when you're drinking water during your session make sure you're not swallying down a huge amount at a time... small gulps or even sips are the way to do it (look at any distance runners). The reasons for this are that you kidneys can't take more than a specific amount of water per hour, and your liver produces larger quantities of GPT when your body is tired out, esp bruised, so your liver will also be overworking and consequently with the GPT being released into your blood your kidneys will again be working harder to clean your blood.

Plus of course, make sure you're not drinking over sugary drinks after training, or booze, as they will further inhibit your liver function.

I had a medical a day after some very punishing training once, and I had abnormal levels of GPT in my blood.

I've never heard of anything like this. What's GPT?

I'm curious because I tend to down PILES of water when I'm working out, especially during heavy cardio or sparring. I try not to for fear of cramps, but if I'm really sweating, I worry about dehydration.

I also tend to experience the same kind of exhaustion the next day / a few hours later, and had always guessed it may have had something to do with dehydration.

[Mr Punch]

Liver enzymes.

There's GPT (or SGPT) and GOT (or SGOT). Check Google, there's oodles of info out there. The amounts you have are indicators for certain liver failure and blood disease like hepatitis and lots more minor things like fatigue.

I'm no expert but from what I can gather the ways around messing up your levels (apart from not getting hit!) would include all the usual things: not overeating, not eating too late, drinking water only after a workout and none of those bs sports sugary (or fake sugary) drinks or booze, not drinking too much, and plenty of fish oils.

[dougadam]

Where you wearing any protective gear?