# Feeling so awkward when sparring



## MTPowerlifting (May 16, 2016)

Hey guys!
I'm new to this forum and I always had some questions since the first time I was ever sparring.
How do people get so loose in their punches and kicks? When I'm sparring I'm always doing pretty much the same things. I always tend to do the same combos over and over again. So I'm not really switching things up. I have no idea why I do this but it's bugging the hell out of me, is there any kind of idea or drill or just anything that would get me looser with my punches and kicks?
Thanks!


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## Dirty Dog (May 16, 2016)

Simply put... by not being new. It comes with experience.
That's not to say that we all don't have our favorite combos. The problem is when you're predictable.

Also, it would be nice if you didn't post the same question in multiple sub-forums.


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## MTPowerlifting (May 16, 2016)

I have been training kickboxing for about 3 years and it hasn't gone away.
As for the multipe forums, I had no clue if one was inactive or anything, as I said it was my  first post on this forum so it's clear now


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## drop bear (May 16, 2016)

You set a goal for yourself to do whatever combination or strategy and then fearlessly apply it.


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## MTPowerlifting (May 16, 2016)

Probabaly will stick with that combo then if it feels good, I just don't know how to fix it.
Or do you mean rotating the combinations you say?


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## Dirty Dog (May 16, 2016)

MTPowerlifting said:


> Probabaly will stick with that combo then if it feels good, I just don't know how to fix it.
> Or do you mean rotating the combinations you say?



Pick a NEW combo and use it. Repeatedly. Till it gets as automatic as the combos you currently favor. Then pick another one. And another one.


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 16, 2016)

Also, accept that you're not trying to win a sparring match. That allows you to try out ridiculous things that you think might not work, until you find out that somehow one did. Also, pay attention to the successful things your opponents do. When you like a combination, ask if they remember how they did it (they might not). Then learn it and practice it in your own sparring matches.


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## dowz (May 16, 2016)

to be honest, in TKD, I mostly use round house kicks (or various variations of them), and back thrusts.

Round house - long, short, double, jumping, 2 times, switch legs round house etc.
Backthrusts - enuff said.

So maybe i'm a 2 trick pony as well.


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## Dirty Dog (May 16, 2016)

dowz said:


> to be honest, in TKD, I mostly use round house kicks (or various variations of them), and back thrusts.
> 
> Round house - long, short, double, jumping, 2 times, switch legs round house etc.
> Backthrusts - enuff said.
> ...



Sounds to me like you're sparring under the excessively restrictive WTF rules, which, sadly, encourage the use of a tiny subset of what TKD has to offer.
That may be fine, if your only intention is tourney competition, but probably less than ideal if you ever need to defend yourself.


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## dowz (May 16, 2016)

Dirty Dog said:


> Sounds to me like you're sparring under the excessively restrictive WTF rules, which, sadly, encourage the use of a tiny subset of what TKD has to offer.
> That may be fine, if your only intention is tourney competition, but probably less than ideal if you ever need to defend yourself.



You are right, so I switched to a school that teaches traditional ITF, so more punches/elbows/knee strike etc to be more well rounded, but years of WTF training is hard to shake off, and my first instinct is always a kick


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (May 16, 2016)

dowz said:


> You are right, so I switched to a school that teaches traditional ITF, so more punches/elbows/knee strike etc to be more well rounded, but years of WTF training is hard to shake off, and my first instinct is always a kick


Something that you can do is purposefully limit yourself to not kicking while sparring at your school, or switch to a squared stance over a side stance..that should help force you to break the habit (if you do this, make sure not to offend your partner by making them think you don't feel like you need to kick to beat them..explain why you are doing it and ask if they're ok with it).


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## TeriJazz (Aug 9, 2016)

Sparring should be a fun way to get your basic combat skills up. To be honest when I spar I tend to use kicks I would never use in a real match/fight simply because it's just "Training" Obviously injuries can still happen but with the right guidance and training anyone can learn the proper and safe way to spar.


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## King Kobra (Dec 2, 2016)

Some things you can't change immediately so there won't be a one magic thing you can do or mental exercise that will make you loosen up BUT personally by thinking of sparring as shadow boxing with a partner helped me loosin up greatly in the early stages.

I found if I thought of it that way I'd use footwork, combos, head movement, blocks, parries, etc like when I shadow boxed meaning my speed was increased because I wasn't tight. I'd avoid using the same combos as much, I'd mix my defensive moves up. Literally some times I'd mentally go down a punch ladder or be doing my "footwork tango" drill while sparring! Honestly it helped so much. Just shadow box with a face in front of your fists :thumbsup:


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## JR 137 (Dec 3, 2016)

An old thread, but I'll contribute what I can...

Forcing yourself to not use your typical combos and use new ones is a great way during sparring.  Another approach is trying new things on a heavy bag.  Rather than trying to get a cardio/endurance/strength workout, try doing a technical workout.  Mix up the levels of punches and kicks.  Mix up the order.  Visualize an opponent rather than a bag.  If it helps, put a t-shirt and pants on the bag somehow.

If you can't throw a jab-cross-front kick combo on a heavy bag, it'll be harder on a resisting and countering opponent.  A bag will make things a bit tricky like distance, but work around that.

I dedicated about 4 months to working with a bag 4x a week for an hour each time.  I genuinely think I learned more during that time than just about any period of my training.  The bag combined with videoing myself didn't lie.  I thought some kicks were better than they really were, and some kicks that lacked improved quickly.  Same for hand techniques.

Note to self: I've got to get everyone else's garbage out of my basement and put a bag down there!  I can't get to the Y to hit their bag consistently like I used to.


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## EMT (May 8, 2017)

MTPowerlifting said:


> Hey guys!
> I'm new to this forum and I always had some questions since the first time I was ever sparring.
> How do people get so loose in their punches and kicks? When I'm sparring I'm always doing pretty much the same things. I always tend to do the same combos over and over again. So I'm not really switching things up. I have no idea why I do this but it's bugging the hell out of me, is there any kind of idea or drill or just anything that would get me looser with my punches and kicks?
> Thanks!



The most important question here is: does it work - sticking with the same combos - for you or not? OK, I understand that sparring is about learning new techniques but it is also about perfecting techniques and combos that you've learned already. Instead of utilizing 10 lousy combos or even a 5 good combos it is still better to have a 3 perfect combos in your arsenal. Every great fighter has some trademark moves and techniques which he uses more often than any other moves. It really depends on what level of training you are.

Muay Thai sparring tips

Basic Muay Thai combos


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## Touch Of Death (May 8, 2017)

Forget the combos, and just concentrate on the combination of available targets, and you are there to hit them.


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## JP3 (May 21, 2017)

MTPowerlifting said:


> Hey guys!
> I'm new to this forum and I always had some questions since the first time I was ever sparring.
> How do people get so loose in their punches and kicks? When I'm sparring I'm always doing pretty much the same things. I always tend to do the same combos over and over again. So I'm not really switching things up. I have no idea why I do this but it's bugging the hell out of me, is there any kind of idea or drill or just anything that would get me looser with my punches and kicks?
> Thanks!


Some good ideas above.

For me, what sort of opened the door, so to speak, was doing focus mitt training, where a live partner stood in front of you, began moving around, and called out the punches they wanted you to do and moved the target/focus mitts appropriately for what they wanted you to do.

It's a heck of a workout, makes you tired, so tired you really can't think about what you're doing. It does require an experienced partner who knows what/how to call the combos out, however.


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## marques (May 21, 2017)

MTPowerlifting said:


> Hey guys!
> I'm new to this forum and I always had some questions since the first time I was ever sparring.
> How do people get so loose in their punches and kicks? When I'm sparring I'm always doing pretty much the same things. I always tend to do the same combos over and over again. So I'm not really switching things up. I have no idea why I do this but it's bugging the hell out of me, is there any kind of idea or drill or just anything that would get me looser with my punches and kicks?
> Thanks!


Exploit the opponent openings.
If there are any easy one, create them. Mix high and low, left and right, fakes and 'trues'. If it is light / controlled sparring don't worry about getting hits. It is just part of the learning process. Observe other people and try the same. Try your own combinations. Keep it simple, up to three techniques.
Hope it helps.


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