Sparring Strategies

[Rob Broad]

I was reading through some old magazines last night and re-read a great article called Joe Lewis' Break Through Strategies, in the Spring 1987 The Fighter magazine. This one article is almost a Bible of Sparring. What are some fo yrou favorite sparring strategies? As this thread progresses i will share key points from the article.


For more views of opinions on this topic it is also posted on http://KenpoTalk.com

 

[Kembudo-Kai Kempoka]

Kick 'em in da nutz! After they recover, DO IT AGAIN!

Regards,

D.

But seriously, I'm a counter-tactician. I like to snipe at things people leave open when they take a shot at me. If you do it hard enough, they recoil, leaving your next target open, until you're in the middle of a full-tilt charge. I'll often bait, adopting a stance ripe with liabilities they assume I don't know about. Kinda like casting a fishing line, hoping they nibble, and you can sink the hook.

 

[DeLamar.J]

Act like your going to do one thing, and then do another. Simple, to the point.

 

[bobster_ice]

Do fakes, basically what D lamar said. I have read an article about doing fakes when sparring, Ill try and look it up for you,

Bobby.

 

[patroldawg27]

Best advice I can give is to not be a "programmed fighter" which means doing the same combinations in the same order every time. I also like to fight my own fight and exploit the other guys weakness.

 

[MJS]

I was reading through some old magazines last night and re-read a great article called Joe Lewis' Break Through Strategies, in the Spring 1987 The Fighter magazine. This one article is almost a Bible of Sparring. What are some fo yrou favorite sparring strategies? As this thread progresses i will share key points from the article.


For more views of opinions on this topic it is also posted on http://KenpoTalk.com

A few things to look at would be your strengths and weaknesses as well as your opponents. I tend to size up my opponent to see what kind of fighter they are. Are they aggressive? If so, working angles using good footwork and launching a counterstrike from a more advantageous position may be a good idea. Are they very good punchers? Keeping distance and working kicks might be a good strategy. The same if they're good kickers. Working in close where you can dominate with strikes, while at the same time not giving them the chance to set up with kicks.

Pretty much I feel a good game plan would be to take them out of the element that they're most confortable in.

Mike

 

[Rob Broad]

As promised here is an excerp from the article.

The 10 Advantages of Strategies
1. The can help bring about an advantageous condition to your situation, which provides you with optimal fire-power and an impenetrable defense

2. The make it easier for you to adjust to your next move.

3. They provide a sense of direction: how to approach an opponent, execute your techniques, adapt to his/her response, and subsequently follow through.

4. They give you a method of integrating all of your techniques into a style which best compliments the techniques you favor, in conjunction with your physical type and your psychological nature.

5. They give you a sense of order; which techniques to fire first, why, how to set up your opponent, and so on.

6. They make it easier for you to focus by showing you how to aim your attention. In effect, what to look for when you observe your opponent helps you maintain concentration.

7. They facilitate opponent identification; the help you quickly detect what type of opponent is confronting you in a given situation.

8. They improve effectiveness of execution through the knowledge of when to move and when to fire in proper sequence. thie establishess your timing, speed and rhythm. It improves commitment of execution by helping you to put meaning into your movements.

9. They make it easier to establish the dominant position.

10. They help you condition the mind by teaching you how to execute mentally.

 

[mantis]

1. listen to what they have to say to take advantage of their mistakes
2. attack different areas together to distract them like attack the face and the shin, attack left, right and some low kick..

 

[Ross]

There are hundreds of different strategies, and I'm sure you'll get a few good ones from everyone here.

My advice would be to quickly assess what works against one person (as we are all different) and exploit it. Everyone has a comfort zone when sparring (could be high kicks, trying to grapple/close quarter fighting, countering), work this against them and they will soon struggle for ideas.

Ie high kicks = sweeps

Also, if you are in a serious fight (not sparring) target injuries and compound them.

 

[beau_safken]

Depends...

Sparring fellow students:
1) Look for leading punchs and take the core as they over extended their center of gravity.

2) Counter punch and put them on the defensive to see how they react.

3) Get in close and stay there

Sparring against those outside the school, AKA: Tournament
1) Attack one part over and over and over. Attacking the knee is usually the best method to limit a person that likes the jumping or kicking too much. Not to mention it screws up their center of gravity and puts them off.

2) Attach the connecting limb. EX: Puncher = attack the bicep a lot or under arm, Kick = thigh and inner thigh are wonderful ways to limit those attacks.

3) Do not recommend as a primary strategy.... Depending on the rules....Sacrifice a couple points to gain the advantage. I only use this strategy as soon as the other person uses it. Go in for the finish but leave a little gift, knee to the chest, elbow on the way down, those kinds of gifts. -2 points but will allow many openings for getting those back really fast. Usually in combination with the above #1 strategy.


Those are just kinda some of the ones I used over the years.

 

[Cruentus]

If you want some really good advice, PM Dan Anderson and see if he'll answer questions for you guys here on sparring. He has an account here, is a prolific writer and is highly skilled in point sparring and training. He is really good at explaining things in the written word as well, which would be helpful here...

Paul