# Striking Sparing - Part 2 - Taking a hit



## crazydiamond (Mar 22, 2015)

From a response in another thread..."get used to taking hits"

I  will find out soon enough in my own sparing...but curious to hear from more experience members here

Did your ability to take a hit  and keep going - particularly a hit to head - improve with sparing experience?


----------



## Dirty Dog (Mar 22, 2015)

My experience is that most people have never been hit. 
The first time they do, in what is generally a controlled contact match, they are absolutely certain that they're going to die.
Over time, they learn that being hit is really not the world ending disaster that it first seemed. 
Eventually, they learn to move with the impact, alter their body position slightly to shift the impact away from the most vulnerable targets, block or parry more effectively, how to breath through the impact, etc
It's more a matter of learning to minimize the affect of the blow than of learning to ignore it. 
If you just stand there and take a full force shot, it's going to have pretty much the same affect on you on day 10,000 as it would on day 1 of your training.


----------



## Danny T (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> From a response in another thread..."get used to taking hits"
> 
> I  will find out soon enough in my own sparing...but curious to hear from more experience members here
> 
> Did your ability to take a hit  and keep going - particularly a hit to head - improve with sparing experience?






Dirty Dog said:


> My experience is that most people have never been hit.
> The first time they do, in what is generally a controlled contact match, they are absolutely certain that they're going to die.
> Over time, they learn that being hit is really not the world ending disaster that it first seemed.
> Eventually, they learn to move with the impact, alter their body position slightly to shift the impact away from the most vulnerable targets, block or parry more effectively, how to breath through the impact, etc
> ...


Don't know anyone who 'likes' to get hit. I know of several who talk big and some here may also. That is bravado. There is a respect that manifests between those who spar hard or fight when one is hit but I have huge reservation as to anyone enjoys getting hit unless they are masochistic or a sado-masochist in which case I don't want them training with me.

It comes down to tempering, learning to yield away from the strike, and in time truly accepting the hit.
We do tempering exercises and stand your ground drills where one simply gets hit lightly at first and over time the strikes become faster and harder. This is done prior to beginning sparring and continues throughout the training.


----------



## Buka (Mar 22, 2015)

We all know those pictures of people getting hit.







That's what they look like from the camera's view. They look completely different from the view of the person being punched. Being punched in the face ain't no fun. I don't think anyone gets used to it, you learn to deal with it, to go with it, if you train or fight. But it sometimes comes with a price.

I don't think, though, that the first place you should ever experience it is in a real fight. (for those who train) A real fight is tough enough to deal with as it is, it's scary. I can't imagine how much scarier it would be if you were to take a good shot to the face for the first time in your life.


----------



## crazydiamond (Mar 22, 2015)

Dirty Dog said:


> My experience is that most people have never been hit.
> The first time they do, in what is generally a controlled contact match, they are absolutely certain that they're going to die.
> Over time, they learn that being hit is really not the world ending disaster that it first seemed.
> Eventually, they learn to move with the impact, alter their body position slightly to shift the impact away from the most vulnerable targets, block or parry more effectively, how to breath through the impact, etc
> ...



Thanks good advise. I understand blocking, but the idea of moving with the impact, breathing though makes sense.  Yes I am sure the first time in sparing I take a medium shot to the head/face I am going to remember it.


----------



## crazydiamond (Mar 22, 2015)

Danny T said:


> We do tempering exercises and stand your ground drills where one simply gets hit lightly at first and over time the strikes become faster and harder. This is done prior to beginning sparring and continues throughout the training.




Thanks - This is kind of what I was wondering with my post - tempering. It is interesting that your place does this exercise to help get "used" to hits.


----------



## Andrew Green (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> From a response in another thread..."get used to taking hits"
> 
> I  will find out soon enough in my own sparing...but curious to hear from more experience members here
> 
> Did your ability to take a hit  and keep going - particularly a hit to head - improve with sparing experience?




More like your ability to keep your composure improves, along with your ability to not do dumb things like look away that make the hits hurt far more.  People that have never been hit in the head tend to think it will be far worse then it is though, once you get past that and accept that you are going to get hit in the head things get better.


----------



## tshadowchaser (Mar 22, 2015)

reaction to getting hit in the head has more than one response.  Some people will "fold" and turtle after getting hit, some will stand dazed not knowing what happened or what to do next, some become in raged and charged with adrenalin. These reactions can take place in the gym, on the street or anywhere but learning to  deal with whatever reaction you have and to move with control not flailing wildly like a mad man takes time and practice.

Do you ever get used to being hit in the face , maybe, can your reaction to it  change over time, hopefully, but there is only one way to find out.   I would ask that in 6 months or so  after you start getting hit that you reopen this thread  and tell us how it is going for you


----------



## Danny T (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> Thanks - This is kind of what I was wondering with my post - tempering. It is interesting that your place does this exercise to help get "used" to hits.


Interesting?
There are numerous training programs and facilities that use tempering drills.


----------



## crazydiamond (Mar 22, 2015)

Danny T said:


> Interesting?
> There are numerous training programs and facilities that use tempering drills.



To a new person in martial arts this is interesting to learn. Never been to any place but mine. I will ask about this with my instructors.


----------



## K-man (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> Thanks - This is kind of what I was wondering with my post - tempering. It is interesting that your place does this exercise to help get "used" to hits.


We call it 'conditioning' although we don't do it to the head. I think the the odd accidental smack to the head is sufficient to give you the understanding that the head needs to be protected.


----------



## Danny T (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> To a new person in martial arts this is interesting to learn. Never been to any place but mine. I will ask about this with my instructors.


Ahh.
Yes, speak with your instructors. If you are training in a system that spars I'm thinking there is a tempering component within it.


----------



## Touch Of Death (Mar 22, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> From a response in another thread..."get used to taking hits"
> 
> I  will find out soon enough in my own sparing...but curious to hear from more experience members here
> 
> Did your ability to take a hit  and keep going - particularly a hit to head - improve with sparing experience?


Find a partner, and take turns standing in a horse stance while the other guy hits you lightly, like he is sparring a BoB. This is a trust game, however, you will find it isn't that hard, and you were just being a sissy before,


----------



## Shai Hulud (Mar 22, 2015)

In Systema training we started with light taps and worked our way upward from there. To be honest, taking hits isn't that bad as long as you approach it gradually - much like strength training. Just know that at some point you will have to take hits, and that there are certain techniques and principles to be observed like bracing and reverse breathing to shore up your body for impact. The Russians have the "Wave" motion that they use for such a purpose. Through supple and wave-like movements, they're able to nullify an incoming strike (at least most of it). Of course at full speed they're snappy deflections, but it works just as well.

I've taken a roundhouse punch to the jaw once and still kept going. I find that as soon as you do away with your fear of getting hit, and accept that you're going to get hit, the sparring experience becomes a lot more "real" than the usual practice the lot of people view it as at times. It's as just a big a part of the MA's as all the techniques or the philosophy. If there's anything the Russians have taught me, it's that pain is inevitable, but pain also builds strength and character.


----------



## drop bear (Mar 22, 2015)

Depends what your head is doing when you get hit. If it is up, exposed and where you neck isn't supporting it properly being hit is going to suck.

So imagine you are sparring and as you are trying to punch forwards your head is trying to escape out the back. In what is a very common position for new guys.

When you get hit you will get flattened.

Also strengthen your neck.


----------



## RTKDCMB (Mar 23, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> I understand blocking,


With blocking you still have to get used to getting hit on the blocking surface, forearm conditioning is highly recommended.


----------



## Shai Hulud (Mar 23, 2015)

RTKDCMB said:


> With blocking you still have to get used to getting hit on the blocking surface, forearm conditioning is highly recommended.


The time-honored/tested tradition of repeatedly whacking anything from a post to a tree or heavy bags never fails to deliver.


----------



## RTKDCMB (Mar 23, 2015)

Shai Hulud said:


> The time-honored/tested tradition of repeatedly whacking anything from a post to a tree or heavy bags never fails to deliver.


I especially like the arm toughening exercise where you repeatedly bash your forearms against your partners.


----------



## Shai Hulud (Mar 23, 2015)

RTKDCMB said:


> I especially like the arm toughening exercise where you repeatedly bash your forearms against your partners.


We do that in Systema class. It's fun seeing who retches from the pain first.


----------



## RTKDCMB (Mar 23, 2015)

Shai Hulud said:


> We do that in Systema class. It's fun seeing who retches from the pain first.


Or who hides it better.


----------



## crazydiamond (Mar 23, 2015)

RTKDCMB said:


> With blocking you still have to get used to getting hit on the blocking surface, forearm conditioning is highly recommended.


 

Honestly don't have a concern about getting used to being hit on arms, or forearms - my sparing partners can go to town on those and kind have already in some sparing without gloves.  I need to condition the noggin - its my weak spot. 

I like the idea of light taps and working on it that way, but when I start sparing in a week, I imagine taps to the head will be part of the overall sparing experience - but head shots conditioning will not  be a specific method. But maybe - my instructor did compete professionally in M.T.


----------



## K-man (Mar 23, 2015)

Hmm! You might learn to live with the occasional smack in the face but you won't 'condition your noggin'. Worse still, if you try that sort of thing there is a fair chance you'll end up with ABI.


----------



## drop bear (Mar 23, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> Honestly don't have a concern about getting used to being hit on arms, or forearms - my sparing partners can go to town on those and kind have already in some sparing without gloves.  I need to condition the noggin - its my weak spot.
> 
> I like the idea of light taps and working on it that way, but when I start sparing in a week, I imagine taps to the head will be part of the overall sparing experience - but head shots conditioning will not  be a specific method. But maybe - my instructor did compete professionally in M.T.



A lot of what we do is just volume of sparring. Eventually you just get used to it.


----------



## ShotoNoob (Mar 28, 2015)

K-man said:


> We call it 'conditioning' although we don't do it to the head. I think the the odd accidental smack to the head is sufficient to give you the understanding that the head needs to be protected.


|
This is made plain in the structure of the traditional karate curriculum.  Most everyone I've met in traditional martial art schools latches onto this right away....

EDIT: Picture above is _ten_ thousand words.....


----------



## Kung Fu Wang (Mar 28, 2015)

crazydiamond said:


> Did your ability to take a hit  and keep going - particularly a hit to head - improve with sparing experience?


I had gone through 8 months of serious full contact sparring training with 4 times a week and 2 hours each (2 x 4 x 34 = 272 hours). My opponent and I did try to knock down/out on each other. In those 8 months, I had body pain every day. After those 8 months training, my body pain was gone and I felt very "uncomfortable" as if something was missing in my life. I competed my 1st "golden gloves boxing" in Liberty Hill, Texas soon after that.

It's funny that in those period of time (I was young), if I didn't get hit on my head for 3 days, my self-confidence actually went down as if I didn't know that my opponent's next punch could knock me down/out or not. The way that I look at this is, if my opponent's 1,000 punches could not knock me down/out, the probability that his 1,001 punch might knock me down should be low. That's how I built my self-confidence when I faced an aggressive opponent.

IMO, if your opponent doesn't try to knock your head off your body, you may not be able to build up the right amount of "alert" in your training. It's like to deal with a blade that a fight should be like as if "your shirt is catching on fire". Of course there is always some risk involved there.

To avoid the head from being punched, the "rhino guard" can be useful. IMO, it's worthwhile to spend some extra effort to protect your head as much as possible.


----------



## ShotoNoob (Mar 28, 2015)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> ...It's funny that in those period of time (I was young), if I didn't get hit on my head for 3 days, my self-confidence actually went down as if I didn't know that my opponent's next punch could knock me down/out or not. The way that I look at this is, if my opponent's 1,000 punches could not knock me down/out, the probability that his 1,001 punch might knock me down should be low. That's how I built my self-confidence when I faced an aggressive opponent.
> 
> IMO, if your opponent doesn't try to knock your head off your body, you may not be able to build up the right amount of "alert" in your training. It's like to deal with a blade that a fight should be like as if "your shirt is catching on fire". Of course there is always some risk involved there.....


|
This is sport training psychology, IMO.  I'm sure across all forms of fighting arts, you have much company, especially & particularly  boxing.  This is also very much the philosophy with modern Kyokushin karate practice.
|
The mental training of traditional karate approaches the same issue from the perspective in the 1st thread I posted in.  The philosophy of calm & peaceful as represented by the Heian kate in Shotokan karate, from the pinan kata, the Okinawan versions....
|
There's also a middle ground in traditional karate where form, kata, is not to be practiced in isolation from the practice & reality of kumite....


----------



## Shai Hulud (Mar 29, 2015)

K-man said:


> Hmm! You might learn to live with the occasional smack in the face but you won't 'condition your noggin'. Worse still, if you try that sort of thing there is a fair chance you'll end up with ABI.


As a rule of thumb, it's always wise to assume that as a MA practitioner you're going to get socked in the head, but it's not a very good idea to make a habit of getting hit there. Those are two entirely different things.


----------



## crazydiamond (Apr 25, 2015)

tshadowchaser said:


> reaction to getting hit in the head has more than one response.  Some people will "fold" and turtle after getting hit, some will stand dazed not knowing what happened or what to do next, some become in raged and charged with adrenalin. These reactions can take place in the gym, on the street or anywhere but learning to  deal with whatever reaction you have and to move with control not flailing wildly like a mad man takes time and practice.
> 
> Do you ever get used to being hit in the face , maybe, can your reaction to it  change over time, hopefully, but there is only one way to find out.   I would ask that in 6 months or so  after you start getting hit that you reopen this thread  and tell us how it is going for you




Well I started sparing. Various types. Today we did boxing sparing, 16 oz gloves, mouth guards, no headgear. One of our exercises was to simply put out hands behind our back and let our partner (tap us) in the head face. Chin tucked down looking up - at chest area of partner - just let him jab/cross taps to the head. Get used to feeling of light contact. Later we did light (20% power) sparing with hits to body and head. When sparing with my instructor he caught a few times in the face and head. Again not hard, but perhaps harder then my fellow students were hitting me. I would say at worst I felt like I had a glass of wine after I was done. No pain or headaches at this power level. Well my back hurt a little - but that's just me and middle age - after an hour of sparing.

However up until this sparing class we had not connected to head/body. We usually stopped short or punched past our partners. I apologized to one of my partners when I felt I had gone up a bit in punch power and connected with a hook - and he said "no problem, the 16 oz gloves are nice and soft".

So ok... i can deal with this....getting used to taps in the head and body. Maybe sometime in future when I move up the power levels - I might change my tune,  but this was not too bad. I see the necessity of light sparing to develop my skills, nothing says keep your hands up like a tap tap to the head or body.


----------



## Tez3 (Apr 25, 2015)

Kung Fu Wang said:


> my body pain was gone and I felt very "uncomfortable" as if something was missing in my life



There is name for that and this is probably the wrong forum to expand further on it!


----------



## namadesk (May 22, 2015)

What about the recent developments in the MMA community where there is being more emphasis put on not getting hit when sparring?  There seems to be a trend pushing for little to no full contact sparring while training, and instead saving it for the fight itself.  Kind of indirectly ties to this topic in the sense of "Should we condition to take a punch?"

Frank
North Augusta Martial Arts


----------



## paitingman (May 23, 2015)

I second the idea of _accepting_ a hit.

You just have to plain accept that you will get hit, and it can (probably will) hurt.

You will be hurt to some extent when in a combat situation.

That being said, I have done some conditioning and developed a good sense for how I can take a hit. Plus I've figured it out again and again in sparring.
I dont think it gets less painful, but you'll learn how to deal with/not dwell on the shock and panic. However, at the same time I've also learned plenty of times that like magic sometimes it just does little to no damage and you'll be surprised that you took a punch to the head somewhere and for some reason it just didn't hurt you like you feared due to so many different variables. There'll also be times it rocks you good.

You gotta learn to respect, but not fear the punch. Eating a few punches over the course of training will teach you both of those things.


----------



## ShotoNoob (May 23, 2015)

namadesk said:


> What about the recent developments in the MMA community where there is being more emphasis put on not getting hit when sparring?  There seems to be a trend pushing for little to no full contact sparring while training, and instead saving it for the fight itself.  Kind of indirectly ties to this topic in the sense of "Should we condition to take a punch?"
> 
> Frank
> North Augusta Martial Arts


|
And the commercial MMA we know today got started in the early 1990's.  And they are just getting the message now?  Moreover, we should say SOME are just getting the message now....


----------



## paitingman (May 25, 2015)

I think the trend toward light sparring or not getting hit in mma serves two purposes. 

It's a great idea to have not getting hit a big priority in combat and also a good idea to train that. (pretty obvious)

It also serves to prevent injuries in training. When constantly training for competition and trying to reach top shape, what slows you down the most are injuries. Conditioning rather than sparring heavy training is the way to go for many gyms and professional fighters.


----------

