# I fail



## Manny (Dec 9, 2009)

Past monday we did a round robin in dojo, it was point fighting, I have to admit never in my life I have done point fighting, I have doing only TKD full sparring and fighting but WTF Style.

My firts bout was against some shy guy, I have never see him sparr so des he about me, anyhow I won 3 points to 1. However in the final match against a guy who trained in kick boxing he won me for 5 to 1. I try to use my kicks to score but he caught me 3 times in the same spot with side kicks and he was so pretty fast that I could not do anything.

My kicks and punches were good but he was fast, I think I did several mistakes one of these were to try to chase the guy instead of just caught him (like he did). This was my second time on point fighting and I am not used to fight for points so I will have to adjust my sparring to thi new way of competition.

Manny


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## Ken Morgan (Dec 9, 2009)

I've never done any of that before!! 
But you went out and did it! That alone is a great accomplishment. Now you need to learn from what happened, and I think you already have banked some lessons for next time. 
I would assume everytime you go in and fight you'll get better and better. So to me you're off to a good start.


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## Stac3y (Dec 9, 2009)

Good job, Manny! Just because you didn't win doesn't mean you failed. As long as you learned something, you succeeded.


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## Steve (Dec 9, 2009)

Stac3y said:


> Good job, Manny! Just because you didn't win doesn't mean you failed. As long as you learned something, you succeeded.


QFT!  At least, I hope so!  If losing a competition means you've failed, I'm in deep trouble.  I lose all the time!


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## still learning (Dec 9, 2009)

Hello,  You didn't fail...you just found another way that does NOT work for you....

Failures makes us realize our weakest spots...and the more failures one can make...and learn from....will results less failures in the futures..

Best to fail in class/competions...than the real world!

We learn more from our failures...and others that fail...them any other way..

Once you find fire burns...one learns to stay away...

Catch?  ....we have learn these reflexes from past failures...

Aloha,  ...hope we didn't "fail" getting our point across...!


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## Manny (Dec 9, 2009)

Stac3y said:


> Good job, Manny! Just because you didn't win doesn't mean you failed. As long as you learned something, you succeeded.


 
Hi Stac3y yes I left dojo that monday with my pride a little dented, I mean jesus I just wonderer what went wrong and then realiced that my kicks were good and my few punches were ok however my foe was quicker than I so he conected first, in fact those side kicks didn't hurt me (they were in the same spot my left rib cage).

I know I will lose many point fights cause my way of fighthing is so much diferent from the stile is used in Kenpo but know over the time I will develop explosiveness and quick feflex to do the job.

Manny


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## Danjo (Dec 9, 2009)

Loser.


Just kidding.  Point-tag/sparring is just a game. Dont' sweat it. It only counts what you can do in a real fight. The rest is just having fun.


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## terryl965 (Dec 9, 2009)

Stac3y said:


> Good job, Manny! Just because you didn't win doesn't mean you failed. As long as you learned something, you succeeded.


 
Stac3y has said it the best hang in there my friend.


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## theletch1 (Dec 9, 2009)

There's tons of folks that never take the chance because they fear failure.  You've had the courage to try and in the trying learn.  You also need to remember that you won the first time around so it was a 1 and 1 ending.  Goood job.


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## Manny (Dec 9, 2009)

Danjo said:


> Loser.
> 
> 
> Just kidding.  Point-tag/sparring is just a game. Dont' sweat it. It only counts what you can do in a real fight. The rest is just having fun.


 
Loser??? Who?? I???? no way Danjo jajajajajajaja I'm just a winner in life jajajajajaja.

Yes point sparring is a game a pretty fast game but I like to win games sometimes.  I need to switch my way of sparring I Know, it's difficult because of so many years in TKD but it's possible, everything is possible.

Thanx for your reply Danjo y realli apreciate it.

Manny


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## MJS (Dec 9, 2009)

Manny said:


> Past monday we did a round robin in dojo, it was point fighting, I have to admit never in my life I have done point fighting, I have doing only TKD full sparring and fighting but WTF Style.
> 
> My firts bout was against some shy guy, I have never see him sparr so des he about me, anyhow I won 3 points to 1. However in the final match against a guy who trained in kick boxing he won me for 5 to 1. I try to use my kicks to score but he caught me 3 times in the same spot with side kicks and he was so pretty fast that I could not do anything.
> 
> ...


 
There are a few different sparring methods, ie: point, continous, full contact, etc.  I wouldn't look at this as a failure, but instead, as a learning experience.  I think that pretty much everyone could say that they've had some rough times during sparring.  

I spar weekly with my instructor.  Our sparring is more boxing oriented, so we're focusing more on hands, than on kicking.  I find myself frustrated at times, because after years of point sparring, trying to transition from that way to this way, is rough at times.  I dont necessarily look at the point sparring as bad habits, although some bad habits have been developed, and I'm working on fixing those.  Instead, I look at it simply as 2 different ways of fighting...such as I mentioned above.  

Each week, we work on something specific.  Some days are better than others, meaning some days I can pull more things off, and others, I end up eating more of his punches. LOL.  

Again, it is frustrating, but each week, you get better.  There have been times when we've video taped our fights, and watched them after.  its really amazing what the camera will catch.  You may want to try that. 

Good luck and keep training hard. 

Mike


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## Milt G. (Dec 9, 2009)

Manny said:


> Past monday we did a round robin in dojo, it was point fighting, I have to admit never in my life I have done point fighting, I have doing only TKD full sparring and fighting but WTF Style.
> 
> My firts bout was against some shy guy, I have never see him sparr so des he about me, anyhow I won 3 points to 1. However in the final match against a guy who trained in kick boxing he won me for 5 to 1. I try to use my kicks to score but he caught me 3 times in the same spot with side kicks and he was so pretty fast that I could not do anything.
> 
> ...


 
Hello, Manny...

You cannot win them all.  Just keep at it and you will succeed.  Keep working through the plateaus, and you will come out on top!

Thanks and Happy Holidays!
Milt G.


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## Stac3y (Dec 10, 2009)

Manny said:


> Hi Stac3y yes I left dojo that monday with my pride a little dented, I mean jesus I just wonderer what went wrong and then realiced that my kicks were good and my few punches were ok however my foe was quicker than I so he conected first, in fact those side kicks didn't hurt me (they were in the same spot my left rib cage).
> 
> I know I will lose many point fights cause my way of fighthing is so much diferent from the stile is used in Kenpo but know over the time I will develop explosiveness and quick feflex to do the job.


 
I point spar, and I get my pride (and various body parts) dented on a regular basis. Quick reflexes and explosiveness are great assets in point sparring, but fighters who aren't especially fast can succeed if they are able to wait for an attack and kick defensively, or wait for the right opening and catch their opponents off guard. As my instructors often say, when you're not a teenager, your best bet in sparring is to spar smarter, not faster. 

Since you say the kicks were in the same spot on your left rib cage, I suspect you were advancing on your opponent when they occurred, and that you fight with your left side somewhat forward. He was probably using a counter/defensive side kick, which serves the purpose not just of scoring points, but of keeping you far enough away from him that you can't hit him with your hands. If my assumptions are correct, you were probably advancing straight. Try stepping off-line instead; if that creates an opening, kick or strike; if not, keep moving that way until he comes at you, then use the defensive side kick or front leg back kick (don't worry if he blocks it; it will still back him off and keep him from scoring), followed up by a hand technique or two, then back away fast (hopefully the judge will call break before you even start to back up, but you still need to be prepared to back off in case nothing landed.)


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## Manny (Dec 10, 2009)

Stac3y said:


> Since you say the kicks were in the same spot on your left rib cage, I suspect you were advancing on your opponent when they occurred, and that you fight with your left side somewhat forward. He was probably using a counter/defensive side kick, which serves the purpose not just of scoring points, but of keeping you far enough away from him that you can't hit him with your hands. If my assumptions are correct, you were probably advancing straight. Try stepping off-line instead; if that creates an opening, kick or strike; if not, keep moving that way until he comes at you, then use the defensive side kick or front leg back kick (don't worry if he blocks it; it will still back him off and keep him from scoring), followed up by a hand technique or two, then back away fast (hopefully the judge will call break before you even start to back up, but you still need to be prepared to back off in case nothing landed.)


 
You are absolutely right!!!! that is what it happens!!! I lauched first my left jab or left back fist to his head, he just raised his front leg and sidekicked me with not su much force but just to win the point and take off balance a bit, when I realize that three points were awarded to him so I swich my way of fighting moving to the sides and trying to see an opening, sadly I had 3 points against me already.

I have to admit it if I try to fight TKD style in a Kenpo point fight there is great chance I lose, as long as I see in point fighting the kick more used is the side sick with the leading (front) leg and the punches more used are the leading back fist or jab, in TKD we don't use hands that way and we used the rear leg to kick, is not as fast but more powerful.

Anyhow I need to learn and this is only acomplish doing more point fighting.

Manny


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## KENPOJOE (Dec 12, 2009)

Manny said:


> Past monday we did a round robin in dojo, it was point fighting, I have to admit never in my life I have done point fighting, I have doing only TKD full sparring and fighting but WTF Style.
> 
> My firts bout was against some shy guy, I have never see him sparr so des he about me, anyhow I won 3 points to 1. However in the final match against a guy who trained in kick boxing he won me for 5 to 1. I try to use my kicks to score but he caught me 3 times in the same spot with side kicks and he was so pretty fast that I could not do anything.
> 
> ...


Hi folks!
Long time no post...
Dear Manny,
You didn't fail.
You simply lost a match in a format you are not accostomed to as of yet. Didn't see the matches so I can't comment except based on your statements. 
as you stated, you fought a person who normally didn't spar so you easily won. You then fought a more skilled opponent who saw an opening that you didn't notice before and he took advantage of that. If you have an opportunity, film yourself sparring so you can have a third person perspective so as to  have a more clearcut idea of any openings you are leaving open. Remember: there are 2 types of openings in defenses-one we leave open by body and arm positions or positions that are created by ourselves moving our arms or body by attacks or feints done by our opponent.
I hope that I was of some service,
KENPOJOE
BTW: You might want to see if you can  find John Earl Mayberry's series of articles on various types of sparring.


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## KENPOJOE (Dec 12, 2009)

MJS said:


> There are a few different sparring methods, ie: point, continous, full contact, etc. I wouldn't look at this as a failure, but instead, as a learning experience. I think that pretty much everyone could say that they've had some rough times during sparring.
> 
> I spar weekly with my instructor. Our sparring is more boxing oriented, so we're focusing more on hands, than on kicking. I find myself frustrated at times, because after years of point sparring, trying to transition from that way to this way, is rough at times. I dont necessarily look at the point sparring as bad habits, although some bad habits have been developed, and I'm working on fixing those. Instead, I look at it simply as 2 different ways of fighting...such as I mentioned above.
> 
> ...


Hi folks, 
As in my earlier post, I concour with MJS regarding videotaping matches! It give valuble insight into your sparring ability.
 BEGOOD,
KENPOJOE


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## shaolinmonkmark (Dec 16, 2009)

KENPOJOE said:


> Hi folks!
> Long time no post...
> Dear Manny,
> You didn't fail.
> ...


 


i concur, and let me tell you this humbly, the first person i sparred, i was an orange belt, against a blue with green stripe, and she blanked me 3 zip, why?
i kept going for her head, and thus, leaving my stomach opened for a point shot.(yes, it was a woman I)
Anyhoo, keep up the sparring, ask for tips from EVERYONE, and as time goes on, you will add to your style of kempo martial arts techniques.


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## MattJ (Dec 16, 2009)

Yes, totally agree with the others about video recording sparring matches. That is a great idea, and something I did for years. It will make a huge difference in your sparring. 

Once you get over the 'I can't believe I actually did that!'   LOL


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## Stac3y (Dec 16, 2009)

MattJ said:


> Yes, totally agree with the others about video recording sparring matches. That is a great idea, and something I did for years. It will make a huge difference in your sparring.
> 
> Once you get over the 'I can't believe I actually did that!'  LOL


 
I videotape mine whenever possible. Sometimes it can compound the frustration at not winning a match, though; either from the "how could I have been so stupid?" standpoint or from the "how can the judges have been so stupid?" standpoint. But no matter the outcome, analyzing matches is very helpful.


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## seninoniwashi (Dec 18, 2009)

Manny said:


> Past monday we did a round robin in dojo, it was point fighting, I have to admit never in my life I have done point fighting, I have doing only TKD full sparring and fighting but WTF Style.
> 
> My firts bout was against some shy guy, I have never see him sparr so des he about me, anyhow I won 3 points to 1. However in the final match against a guy who trained in kick boxing he won me for 5 to 1. I try to use my kicks to score but he caught me 3 times in the same spot with side kicks and he was so pretty fast that I could not do anything.
> 
> ...


 
Point fighting is a completely different game - it can be hard to adapt. I went from doing point fighting where they break you up after a few blows for quite some time to more full contact and it was a HARD adjustment. You keep waiting to hear that whistle after you land a good shot so you can break and focus but it doesn't happen - the strikes/kicks just keep coming. Even harder was coming back to the point fighting after being use to the full contact. :xtrmshock


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