Help! I've lost my bottle....

[Su Lin]

Good thinking! I like to think that I'm quite controlled myself , and will certainly learn more from the "better" guys. A couple are really good at giving advice. I think I was more worried about saying to those that I dont want to go against that I didnt want to spar with them! Could always try disappearing to the toilet if it ends up that Im against them! Luckily now my teacher knows, he will understand why I'm not going against them and won't put me against them. I'm just too polite !

[lunghushan]

Good thinking! I like to think that I'm quite controlled myself , and will certainly learn more from the "better" guys. A couple are really good at giving advice. I think I was more worried about saying to those that I dont want to go against that I didnt want to spar with them! Could always try disappearing to the toilet if it ends up that Im against them! Luckily now my teacher knows, he will understand why I'm not going against them and won't put me against them. I'm just too polite !

Yeah I don't know strategy. In Judo, I used to regularly have to train with this brown belt who just loved to take me up as high as possible before bringing me crashing down as hard as possible. Several times he took me up over his head.

Walked away from that one quite a few times with bruises. I just tried staying away from him and played with the black belts instead. They did the exact same thing but the angle was a little different so I didn't get bruises when I did my breakfalls.

[Su Lin]

Was just about to write - "Ouch and I dont even know what a ....... is " then you edited your post! Was about to have a !"I dont get it cause Im English moment! Don't fancy much falling at the moment as just returned from a training break as a result of a back injury! Probably why Im a bit nervous, as one of the less controlled guys is capable of injuring it again.

[lunghushan]

Was just about to write - "Ouch and I dont even know what a ....... is " then you edited your post! Was about to have a !"I dont get it cause Im English moment! Don't fancy much falling at the moment as just returned from a training break as a result of a back injury! Probably why Im a bit nervous, as one of the less controlled guys is capable of injuring it again.

Oh, I put charlie horse, which is wrong, I guess.

That's what we used to call a very deep bruise in the thigh muscle, but I looked it up to make sure the usage, and evidently that's actually a cramp, not a bruise.

(Actually I looked it up again, and I guess that is a bruise ... who knows).

[5Animals1Path]

I hate to say this, but don't be so polite!


Don't be mean or anything, but you telling the guys who have less control might actually be good for them too. Make sure they know why you're worried, and tell them to maybe try a different technique. I've learned more then half of my control from just being the big lumoux and having to take it a bit easier on people who can't deal with my (admitedlly small amount of) skill or strength (which I'm told I still don't quite realize). If they're not willing to work with you, they're not worth training with, plain and simple. If they are, then you get to help them learn control, whilst also slowly hacking away at your own fear.


Two birds, one shuriken.

[Mr Punch]

A lot of people here have already given you some good suggestions.

5A1P has a good suggestion too, which is to speak to people. In my schools, my teachers have always stressed to mention if you still have injuries or fears of injuries, so tell the less skilled and more dangerous to go easy until you get your confidence back.

And it all comes back to practice practice practice. I've never had fear of sparring or grading or new people, but I did noticed teaching a bunch of kids English at a summer camp this year: they started off terrified but as the practice went on they grew and grew until they could do it naturally and by themselves! Obvious really, but needs to be reiterated.

Fuxn: It means losing your courage/nerve. We also say 'bottle it'... in English...! Not 'Britspeak' whatever that is!
Dunno what you say in American. 'Lose your sh!t'?

[lunghushan]

Dunno what you say in American. 'Lose your sh!t'?

What, who says Americans ever lose their nerve?

[Mr Punch]

What, who says Americans ever lose their nerve?

Yo mamma!

[lunghushan]

Seriously, does American English even have slang for this?

Maybe 'off your game'? 'Gun shy'?

Other descriptions are more temporary ... wussed out ... wimped out ...

Or maybe just 'lost it'? Could mean, lost nerve, lost temper, lost skill ...

[Su Lin]

Well, I agree with all of you! I should speak to them as it should help them in the long run. My teacher tells him quite regularly about control - he's an ex Wado Ryu student (not that that has anything to do with it!)
ONce I was sparring and a guy had just split up with his girlfriend, and more or less admitted that he was particularly agressive with me that night because I was a woman! I was really quite shocked ! What am I, the class punch bag!
He has since learned his lesson though!
Off to train soon, was inspired by watching Masterkiller (1&2) yesterday!

[MasterKiller]

Off to train soon, was inspired by watching Masterkiller (1&2) yesterday!

That was you outside my window?!

[Su Lin]

Yes. I keep checking your posts just to see the picture of Gordon Liu.
Perhaps there should be a confession thread somewhere on here!

[wuzuquan]

Two points to cover

1st

Losing your bottle originates from London ****ney slang. It refers to 'Shi****' yourself. Your backside was originally known as your 'Arris' coming from the name Aristotle. Aristotle refers to 'bottle' coming from the slang of 'bottle of glass' meaning 'Arse' so losing your bottle actually means losing your bottles of glass - arse and well making a mess.

2nd point

Sparring is a tool, an exercise in order to help you develop your techniques into applicable and useable techniques. Remeber this and use it as such. Unfortunalty a big part of any fighting is getting hit. This helps build up some resistance and familiarity. The more youget hit the less it will affect you ( to a degree anyway).

I remeber the first time i got proper 'clocked' really hurt and was something i wouldnot want to repeat, however, now figthing full contact , whether in the gym on the street or on a door doesnt really matter. A few bruises result, nothing more.

There are other tools available in chinese martial arts to help you get the best from sparring such as pushing hands, sticky hands, one step sparring ( if done correctly) and if your forms have catching sets.

Above all enjoy it cos its an experience in a controlled environment that is there to benefit you....

regards

[Su Lin]

I seem to be much better at things such as sticking hands, or just light sparring without pads. I think once I pad up, the kung fu becomes something completely different, more kickboxing. Its a though it doesnt feel like kung fu, and thats probably because I havent been doing it long enough for it to have become "natural" yet. Our teacher ,when padded up still uses amazing technique and you can tell he is doing kung fu. So I'm thinking that its the psychological thing of putting pads on maybe? I used to be goalkeeper in hockey, and as soon as the pads went on, that was it, the nerves kicked in !
I did a bit of pad sparring last night, working on my kicks, as at the moment its pretty obvious when Im going to do one.
Sorry, its turning into more of a training blog! Thanks for all the advice so far though , its made me realise that what Im feeling is more normal!

[wuzuquan]

its a common problem and most people tend not to fix it. If your saprring os different from the technques that you practice in your class then you need to ask yourself why?

If the answer is that what you do in class doesnt work when sparring then you need to ask why you practice it.

If your sparring requires something different from your froms / techniques then it is generally down to not being able to apply your techniques. Use pushing hands , etc to experiment and try to apply them.

Sparring isnt about winning or losing or defending yourself, its about using the opportunity to try stuff and find how techniques work. Its a safe environment so use it as such.

I do alot of training with MMA guys who take the **** out of traditional Martial arts and by applying my techniques it's possible to control and defeat them. BUtthis can only come about by being able to properly apply your techniques. That means many hours of frustration and hard work in order to get them to work.