Han Moo Kwan is only to be used to protect yourself
when no other means to end a conflict exists.
If you have to protect yourself, it will be very dynamic in nature. Sparring is a means of practicing in a
dynamic situation and therefore, being better prepared for such a conflict.
In the beginning, sparring may feel awkward and you
may not feel very effective. So, how can
you improve your sparring skills?
1.
Improve
your basics
Sparring is using
combinations of your basics effectively.
So, if want to improve sparring, continue to work on your basics, such
that you can move from technique to technique from any stance comfortably.
2.
Improve
your speed
Improving speed includes
not just performing techniques faster, but improving your reaction time. Also, to improve speed practice so that all
your techniques are linear. Linear
techniques by nature are faster to get from point A to point B. And it also includes eliminating any extra,
unnecessary movements.
3.
Improve
your timing/perception
You may think that
if you improve your speed, it will improve your timing. Yes, and no. If you’re faster than your opponent, you may
be able to get a strike in more easily, but timing is also seeing the opening
and then executing. Effective sparring
is not blasting rapid firing and hoping a strike lands. Effectively sparring is throwing and landing
each strike which means seeing an opening and hitting your target each time.
4.
Spar
different partners
Ever person spars
differently and has different strengths.
By sparring against different people, you will learn how to defend yourself
in a variety of situations and will learn to adapt.
5.
Perform
techniques to do damage / be disruptive
This is a bit
trickier since we want folks to be able to practice and return to class. I used to work with a gentleman who used to
tell me that in his Karate Club if someone did not end up with a broken nose
that night it was not a good spar night.
While I can appreciate that this intensity is valuable, not being able
to train 3 out of 4 weeks a month if injured does not help as well. So, you need to practice to do damage just
shy of the point of injury, and at least be disruptive or having the intention
to be disruptive. If you are blocking
and it does not change the trajectory of the opponent’s technique, then it is
not disruptive. Review the blog, Training
The Mind Through Attitude/Intent from October 2017 for more details on
ways to train for intent.
6.
Control
your emotions
If you are
fearful, you will fight defensively and be overpowered more easily. If you are overly aggressive, you can easily
be taken advantage of because your energy or force will take you
off-balance. If you are angry, you will
overextend yourself and again, that can lead to be taken advantage of
easily. If you are thinking negatively,
you will also be ineffective. To be
effective, you should have no emotion and want to practice in a state of
mushin, See Free
the Mind – Be Like Water blog from November 2010.
7.
Improve
your breathing
As mentioned in a
couple previous blogs, the latest being Deep
Breathing…Could Be A Life Saver from December 2016), deeper breathing
in high pressure situations will help kick in the parasympathetic nervous
system to slow down your heart rate and breathing, allowing yourself to provide
more oxygen to your body resulting in clear thoughts and actions, muscles
having the oxygen they need to perform, more endurance to last during the
altercation, and the energy flow that accompanies breathing to make your
techniques more effective.
8.
Stay
focused
When you are
focused and not distracted you will be more effective at sparring. Stay present to the task at hand – nothing
else should matter when sparring. We
live in a society where staying focused is harder and harder, but your life may
depend on it. Review the blog Training
The Mind by Staying Focused from September 2017 for more details on
ways to train to stay focused.
It is easy to think you are effective when practicing
by yourself or against air. The real
test is when you practice with an opponent.
The more you can practice in a dynamic situation with partners, the more
effective you will be.
Regards,
Kelly
“One whose spirit and mental strength have been strengthened by sparring with a never-say-die attitude should find no challenge too great to handle. One who has undergone long years of physical pain and mental agony to learn one punch, one kick, should be able to face any task, no matter how difficult, and carry it through to the end. A person like this can truly be said to have learned karate.” ~ Gichin Funakoshi (1868-1957), founder of Shotokan Karate
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