OP
OP
KempoGuy06
Grandmaster
Thanks i will look into that. You think i will be able to find it at a Barnes & Noble or Borders?
B
Sparring tips if you dont mind
- Thread starter KempoGuy06
- Start date
Thanks i will look into that. You think i will be able to find it at a Barnes & Noble or Borders?
B
Danjo
Master Black Belt
Yes, or online. It's a good book as is his Fighter's Fact Book.
I bought my copy at a B&N. I know for sure Amazon has it in stock, saw that when I was looking up something else by LC. BTW, he also has some excellent tips about balance training (something I find is often neglected in books on physical conditioning for the MAs, even though it's both learnable and usually the hardest thing to develop if you don't have a natural internal `gyroscope'), and all kinds of things about adapting techs to realistic circumstancesĀa topic about which LC is well-qualified to speak, having trained early in traditional karate and then serving first as a military police officer and then as a police officer in the Portland department, in the VIP security and gang-crime units. He respects traditional arts, but is always poinnting out ways to train them, and train for them, more realistically.
OP
OP
KempoGuy06
Grandmaster
Balance now that is another area i need to work on. I will check those books out there is a Borders and a B&N right by my house. Thanks again.
B
From looking at your previous posts, it looks like you've been training 6-7 months. You may already be as good or better then you should for this amount of training time. I am a firm believer that if you want to be a good fighter, fight more. Watch good fighters, and see what it is that makes them good. Training drills are good, and will improve your skills, but sparring with live partners is the best way to go.
The best way to approach live training is to spar with people who are slightly better then you.
If you spar with people who are worst then you, or as good as you, you'll find that you will only fight to their level. Or develop a false sense of your own ability, because you can beat them.
If you fight with someone who is much better then you, you'll be frustrated and get sloppy in trying to find anything that will work against them. I see it and hear all the time about black and brown belts beating up on lower belt students. The students learn absolutely nothing from that.
Everybody has a little extra effort and ability that they haven't tapped yet. If you spar with people who are slightly better then you, they will push you to go that extra distance, and use your untapped ability. This will help you get better and improve.
But a lot of what is perceived as speed, is actually in the mind. It's simply the mental capacity to recognize threats, and formulate counter attacks in a timely manner. Even if one has the physical speed of an Olympic sprinter, it's useless if they don't recognize the threat in time, or see the openning for an attack in time. You can't cheat time. The longer you train, the better you'll be.
Here's a old magazine article I wrote on developing speed that may help you some: http://www.kajukenboinfo.com/speed.html
The best way to approach live training is to spar with people who are slightly better then you.
If you spar with people who are worst then you, or as good as you, you'll find that you will only fight to their level. Or develop a false sense of your own ability, because you can beat them.
If you fight with someone who is much better then you, you'll be frustrated and get sloppy in trying to find anything that will work against them. I see it and hear all the time about black and brown belts beating up on lower belt students. The students learn absolutely nothing from that.
Everybody has a little extra effort and ability that they haven't tapped yet. If you spar with people who are slightly better then you, they will push you to go that extra distance, and use your untapped ability. This will help you get better and improve.
But a lot of what is perceived as speed, is actually in the mind. It's simply the mental capacity to recognize threats, and formulate counter attacks in a timely manner. Even if one has the physical speed of an Olympic sprinter, it's useless if they don't recognize the threat in time, or see the openning for an attack in time. You can't cheat time. The longer you train, the better you'll be.
Here's a old magazine article I wrote on developing speed that may help you some: http://www.kajukenboinfo.com/speed.html
My pleasure, KempoGuy, and let me know what use you're able to put LC's stuff to. I agree, balance is one of the keys to the MA kingdom, and it's probably harder to train than strength (though I do think the two are related: it's hard to balance when the relevant change in your body configuration involves the weaker limb, and it's not always easy training the crucially involved muscles directly using standard free weight methods). Anything good you come across involving balance training, do let me knowĀI'm always in the market for that!
OP
OP
KempoGuy06
Grandmaster
Thanks you as always Mr. Bishop, thats article was insightful i will have to relay some of that to my instructor when we have sparring if you dont mind that is.
Exile i will let you know what i find, i plan to stop by Borders or B&N sometime this week, i may do it today in fact.
B
OP
OP
KempoGuy06
Grandmaster
Exile, i went by Borders last night and no luck. I will need to order it but before i do i plan on checking B&N and Books-a-million.
Also my instructor purchased this piece of equipment designed to improve balance. It is flat on one side and half of one of those big boucey balls you find at gyms (cant remeber what they are called. You inflate the one side and you can stand on either side to help with balance. Throw punches kicks whatever. It works. I will find out what it is called tomorrow when i got to class.
B
Also my instructor purchased this piece of equipment designed to improve balance. It is flat on one side and half of one of those big boucey balls you find at gyms (cant remeber what they are called. You inflate the one side and you can stand on either side to help with balance. Throw punches kicks whatever. It works. I will find out what it is called tomorrow when i got to class.
B
Just a side note JKD (OPPINION) is probably one of the best at teaching this type of stuff right off the bat.
Speed is actually as other people have stated a set of principals.
1) How fast it takes for you relize you need to react.
2) How fast your muscles respond to your mental stimulation.
3) The distance that you have to cover.
4) The speed in which you can cover it.
Anyone of those may seem like you are slow when in fact there are underlying causes.
So you may want to sit down and practice in each of those four catagories to determine which are the factors that you feel need to improve.
For reaction time you can use an alternating light pattern as long as it is random. See left light->left strike->right light->right strike.
For muscle reaction time there is really only one way to improve it... Repatition. The more the neurons travel the path the easier it because to travel it.
As for timing/cadence, Well sparring
Finally the problem of actual speed. Sadly I've always been very fast so I really only worked ont he other area's... I'm going to go buy Exiles book too
Speed is actually as other people have stated a set of principals.
1) How fast it takes for you relize you need to react.
2) How fast your muscles respond to your mental stimulation.
3) The distance that you have to cover.
4) The speed in which you can cover it.
Anyone of those may seem like you are slow when in fact there are underlying causes.
So you may want to sit down and practice in each of those four catagories to determine which are the factors that you feel need to improve.
For reaction time you can use an alternating light pattern as long as it is random. See left light->left strike->right light->right strike.
For muscle reaction time there is really only one way to improve it... Repatition. The more the neurons travel the path the easier it because to travel it.
As for timing/cadence, Well sparring
Finally the problem of actual speed. Sadly I've always been very fast so I really only worked ont he other area's... I'm going to go buy Exiles book too
Thanks in advance for that info, KempoGuytĀI haven't encountered that piece of equipment but it sounds like a great training tool!
As for book issuesĀyou might be able to get your library to get it on interlibrary loan if they don't have it in; if you like it enough as you read it to see that you want it as a reference book you always have at hand, Amazon might be faster than a special order at B&N or Borders...
Thanks again! :asian:
Oh and for balance seriously don't laugh... Yoga.
That stuff puts you in positions that you never knew you had.
OP
OP
KempoGuy06
Grandmaster
Exile here you go http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_3510_A_CategoryID_E_438
it is a little expensive but it does work.
they also have a smaller one http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_4747_A_CategoryID_E_438
B
it is a little expensive but it does work.
they also have a smaller one http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_4747_A_CategoryID_E_438
B
LawDog
Master Black Belt
Soft Vison vs Hard Vison.
Most non-professional fighters / trainers never work on their or their students vison - soft vs hard.
Hard vison is when you look at a point directly and you can see very little around this point.
Soft vison is when you look at a point and, still while seeing this point can see a large area around the point.
In a confrontation soft vison is extremley important. You must be able to see your opponent in his entirity and his / your surroundings with very little eye movement.
To help develop this soft vison when in training, doing presets or even training sparring you should never think about what you are going to do in words, you should picture you motion before doing it.
If you read a book you are reading words, when you first start reading you probably can see your entire book page and part of your desk top. As you contine reading these words you vison becomes very narrow until you can see a paragraph or so. This same effect happens if you think about something in words for a period of time, narrow vison. This will cause you to develop stall time in your motion. this happens because your mind usually has to anayse these words and then convert the words into motion.
Whit an image this will not happen, it converts directley into motion. Example, you are driving your can, a dog runs out infront of you, you see the image and you then will respond correctly in an instant.
With soft vision,
1) You see your opponents entire body,
2) See his motion with little or no additional eye movement,
3) See your/his surroundings so that you can use the area like a chess board,
4) See your motion prior to you attacking with little or no stall time and get an instant response from you body.
I would write more in detail on this subject but it would require to much thread space & my time.
Think about it.
Most non-professional fighters / trainers never work on their or their students vison - soft vs hard.
Hard vison is when you look at a point directly and you can see very little around this point.
Soft vison is when you look at a point and, still while seeing this point can see a large area around the point.
In a confrontation soft vison is extremley important. You must be able to see your opponent in his entirity and his / your surroundings with very little eye movement.
To help develop this soft vison when in training, doing presets or even training sparring you should never think about what you are going to do in words, you should picture you motion before doing it.
If you read a book you are reading words, when you first start reading you probably can see your entire book page and part of your desk top. As you contine reading these words you vison becomes very narrow until you can see a paragraph or so. This same effect happens if you think about something in words for a period of time, narrow vison. This will cause you to develop stall time in your motion. this happens because your mind usually has to anayse these words and then convert the words into motion.
Whit an image this will not happen, it converts directley into motion. Example, you are driving your can, a dog runs out infront of you, you see the image and you then will respond correctly in an instant.
With soft vision,
1) You see your opponents entire body,
2) See his motion with little or no additional eye movement,
3) See your/his surroundings so that you can use the area like a chess board,
4) See your motion prior to you attacking with little or no stall time and get an instant response from you body.
I would write more in detail on this subject but it would require to much thread space & my time.
Think about it.
After reading your post and some of the advice posted, I don't think your problem is speed. On the first page Blindside mentioned something about range and you admitted being over 6 feet tall. Just one question, how tall are the people you spar with? I mean are they shorter than you or just about the same height?
You see my point is tall people should fight like tall people and short people should fight like short people. But if your instructor and your peers are all short... Then you kinda learn how to fight like a short person. Meaning you rob yourself of your natural weapons which is your range. Strategy wise a tall person should pummel his opponent with from far while a shorter person would rush in to nullify this advantage. Let us put is this way, who would win in this fight - a person with a long sword or a person with a dagger who is locked up in a small closet?
I'm just saying at close range you are at a disadvantage. You can't swing your weapons properly that is why they all seem so fast. Speed is an illusion my friend, it's all about strategy and timing. Learn your distance, force your opponent there, push them off when they get close then punish them. Footwork, footwork, footwork! Goodluck with your training.
You see my point is tall people should fight like tall people and short people should fight like short people. But if your instructor and your peers are all short... Then you kinda learn how to fight like a short person. Meaning you rob yourself of your natural weapons which is your range. Strategy wise a tall person should pummel his opponent with from far while a shorter person would rush in to nullify this advantage. Let us put is this way, who would win in this fight - a person with a long sword or a person with a dagger who is locked up in a small closet?
I'm just saying at close range you are at a disadvantage. You can't swing your weapons properly that is why they all seem so fast. Speed is an illusion my friend, it's all about strategy and timing. Learn your distance, force your opponent there, push them off when they get close then punish them. Footwork, footwork, footwork!
Goodluck with your training.After reading your post and some of the advice posted, I don't think your problem is speed. On the first page Blindside mentioned something about range and you admitted being over 6 feet tall. Just one question, how tall are the people you spar with? I mean are they shorter than you or just about the same height?
You see my point is tall people should fight like tall people and short people should fight like short people. But if your instructor and your peers are all short... Then you kinda learn how to fight like a short person. Meaning you rob yourself of your natural weapons which is your range. Strategy wise a tall person should pummel his opponent with from far while a shorter person would rush in to nullify this advantage. Let us put is this way, who would win in this fight - a person with a long sword or a person with a dagger who is locked up in a small closet?
I'm just saying at close range you are at a disadvantage. You can't swing your weapons properly that is why they all seem so fast. Speed is an illusion my friend, it's all about strategy and timing. Learn your distance, force your opponent there, push them off when they get close then punish them. Footwork, footwork, footwork!
I agree. I used to spar with a buddie of mine who is 6'5" and I am 5'10". If I stayed out of range, he usually worked me. But if I got on the inside, the only thing that he could do was head shots and shots to my back while I handled him on the inside.
How is your breathing? My taller friend always had problems with "airing up" and that put both his balance and his speed down. Try breathing lower, from the diaphram.
As far as building speed, I used to sit in a horse stance and practice basics. I would then go faster and faster and eventually it seemed like my enviornment had slowed when I had actually gained speed. It made sparring a little easier =).
As far as building speed, I used to sit in a horse stance and practice basics. I would then go faster and faster and eventually it seemed like my enviornment had slowed when I had actually gained speed. It made sparring a little easier =).
Similar threads
- OrangeLeopard
- Kenpo / Kempo - General
- OrangeLeopard
- Kenpo / Kempo - General
