How do you eliminate old habits in martial arts training?

[Hitman]

Dear all,

I got a sparring partner who keeps on dropping one of hands to his waist during sparring. He also has a tendency of placing his front leg next to his rear leg when stepping backward. I have told him repeatedly about them. I have punched his head and swept his legs gently to remind him of his bad habits. However, his old habits just would not disappear.

My question is if some one has some bad habits in their martial arts training. Why do you eliminate them?



Thank you very much

[MasterKiller]

By replacing them with proper technique through repetition in training.

[SnowDog]

Well if he keeps doing it anfter to explain it to him and you are "gently" showing him his bad Habits while sparring, maybe it's time to show him a little harder.

Nothing gets the point across better then when you are swept clean off your feet or have your bell rung.

That's how I got over some of my bad sparring habits.

[Drake]

I'm still trying to go from rigid style to CLF's loosy goosy methodology... is difficult.

[David Jamieson]

Well if he keeps doing it anfter to explain it to him and you are "gently" showing him his bad Habits while sparring, maybe it's time to show him a little harder.

Nothing gets the point across better then when you are swept clean off your feet or have your bell rung.

That's how I got over some of my bad sparring habits.

teach him the four strikes and the four defenses.

or, just keep hitting him in the face until he keep his hands up.

[Lucas]

for keeping his hands up could try what ive always called wall defense.

put his back to a wall, give him headgear if you guys want, oh and a mouthpiece i suppose, put on some gloves, leave his hands bear. he can only defend at first, strikes from all angles, combinations, try to trick him into lowering his guard, then pop him, toss some kicks in for fun. eventually he can start countering. ive seen this help numerous people just from the repetition of having to constantly defend upper body/head.

of course you can basically do what ever you want, but its a pretty decent drill, habit forming

[xcakid]

By replacing them with proper technique through repetition in training.

Well if he keeps doing it anfter to explain it to him and you are "gently" showing him his bad Habits while sparring, maybe it's time to show him a little harder.

I agree with both of these. We get a lot of people from Tae Kwon Do joining our school. First thing they do when they spar is to bounce up and down with both or one hand down and facing you sideways so all they can do is kick with one leg and punch with one hand. First thing I do is just that punch them in the head and sweep them. Then I show them proper stance and keeping their hands up. Work on drills to ingrain this. The next time sparring, give them pointers as we go. After 4 or 5 instances and they still continue to do this, I don't point out mistakes anymore during the session, I just continue to exploit their openings. Once were done I give them feedback. Rinse, lather and repeat till they learn.

[KC Elbows]

You can only replace your own habits.

You showed him what he needs to replace. He needs to replace it. This means choosing to do it instead of the original habit, which will be stuttering for a time, then it will seem to take, then the old habit will return, then he will keep replacing it, until the old one is gone and the new one takes. This seems to be how humans work, but the problem is, he has to do it, and it takes a good amount of time.

Give him time and VERBAL reminders. Hitting him harder when he's already getting hit and you know how deeply some things take is a bit over the top. Assuming he's making effort, you should give him time, since they are the two important factors. Make a drill just for this, every time in sparring he slips up on this, go to the drill until he gets the feel back, then continue the sparring.

If you determine, after a while, that he's not trying to replace it, well, determine whether he's serious right now or if he's enjoying this, but is not intending to be great. No shame in either, but at least then you know you tried, and later, if he is more serious about it, you've done some groundwork.