Do you "bounce" when you spar?

[dsp921]

I don't like bouncing, it tends to create a rhythm, rhythm is predictable, predictable is vulnerable.
I try to avoid getting into a rhythm when doing any type of training.

 

[rutherford]

If I'm taking the fight seriously, no I don't.

If I'm just having fun, I'll do something more like the Bruce Lee shuffle than an actual bounce.

 

[7starmantis]

Its interesting to see differences in style. I never bounce at all, in fact one of our principles is to stay rooted, which is opposite to keeping weight on your toes. Thats wrong for us.

7sm

 

[karatekid1975]

We are supposed to (The TKD thing to do LOL). But I don't most of the time. I stay light on my feet, use footwork, ect to confuse my partner.

 

[Kamaria Annina]

I always bounce when I spar. It helps me be ready to prepare for an attack, and to counterattack. Whenever I don't bounce, I find myself being very sluggish out in the ring.

 

[richiehess]

i would definately not recommend 'bouncing' when your in a proper match, when you fighting for up to and ove five minutes at a time, 'bouncing' wastes energy that you'll really need

 

[mj_lover]

I use a little bounce, don't leave the ground, just on the ball of the foot, found that i can launch faster atacks, and move out of the line of attack faster then when i don't.

 

[dubljay]

I use a little bounce, don't leave the ground, just on the ball of the foot,

This would be my definition of bounce as well, I dont leave the ground... I learned that lesson the hard way

 

[Danjo]

Sometimes I bounce, but not for long. Depends on the guy I'm sparring.

 

[Bod]

7* I agree. Bouncing is seriously wrong in any systems that have even the smallest grappling component or an eye on grappling. If the opponent is going for a single leg then you want to stay rooted, even if you do not tend to grapple yourself.

I prefer to shuffle on the balls of my feet, but that comes from doing ring arts for a while. Otherwise I'd be practising heel-toe stepping a bit like the non-urban kung fu styles (e.g. pa-kua as against pak-mei which keeps the feet close to the ground).

However in competition style kicking systems bouncing makes a lot of sense as it hides high kicks quite well, and amateur boxers sometimes use it. the better boxers tend not to bounce except when goading their opponents, when they'll use all sorts of bad footwork because they are secure in their timing and distance strategy - check out the Hopkins / Eastman fight when Hopkins used some very bad footwork when he was out of range of Eastman. Cheeky. But when he was in range he was using what looked like bare knuckle boxing footwork where a lot of weight goes into the jab.

Which goes to show that you can break all of the rules when you know what you are doing.

 

[masherdong]

7* I agree. Bouncing is seriously wrong in any systems that have even the smallest grappling component or an eye on grappling. If the opponent is going for a single leg then you want to stay rooted, even if you do not tend to grapple yourself.

I guess that is why I do not like to bounce. In Kajukenbo, we have Judo incorporated into the system. So when I spar, I am always ready to get an Ippon with a nice Uchimata!

 

[Bod]

Time to change your avatar then Masherdong!



On a more serious note that must give you an insight into some of the more traditional parts of the striking arts, as well as some of the more traditional parts of the grappling arts.

 

[masherdong]

Time to change your avatar then Masherdong!

Yeah, I know right! Talk about being a hypocrite.

 

[kid]

i'm bouncing the whole time. My feet spend more time in the ari than touching the ground. it also makes it harder to distinguish where a kick is coming from right away.

 

[Chronuss]

I don't like bouncing, it tends to create a rhythm, rhythm is predictable, predictable is vulnerable.
I try to avoid getting into a rhythm when doing any type of training.

very true, very true.

I love sparring people that bounce, because they do get into a rhythm. you time the rhythm correctly with a nice side kick or front kick and they end up on the ground due to being airborne with an external force acting on the center of gravity. with the college class we help instruct, we always get a few that just want to bounce or hop or whatever in the hell they do, and they're always the ones that end up on their **** on the nice, hard concrete floor.

i would definately not recommend 'bouncing' when your in a proper match, when you fighting for up to and ove five minutes at a time, 'bouncing' wastes energy that you'll really need

this is also extremely true. people in much better physical condition than I am are always huffing and puffing when we stop sparring, and I, unfortunately, still smoke (trying to quit!!).

 

[An Eternal Student]

I prefer not to bounce.If im defending I move into a relaxed, passive ready stance.Then I flow around whatever they throw at me and hit them wherever they're most vunerable.When Im attacking, I gon on pretty much a continous onslaught.I just keep going and going to till I find or create a hole in their guard and then take them down.So I dont have time to bounce, and I dont give them enough time to much of anything.

 

[Karate Dad]

We've been taught to stay light on our feet, and as a mechanism to remember that, bouncing can work. As many have said it can't be too exagerated since you don't want to be in the air when your partner is coming in on you. I tend to stay on the ball of my foot and bring my heel up and down without having my entire foot leave the mat. I find that when I don't bounce it's harder for me to change direction or blitz when I see an opening. Jumping rope does help build up the right muscles for this...

 

[47MartialMan]

We spar using street tactics...very aggressive, so it is not tournament style. We do not have time to use bouncing for point tapping.