Sparring versus Self-Defense

[Tez3]

What's always worried me is that if you do a lot of punching into the air and pulling your punches when you spar you learn to do that all the time. When doing uppercuts/rising punches people more often than not stop too short rather than practising following it through.
The trigger thing came from my instructor and I think works especially well for women who can't summon up the aggression in the same way men can. Another little trick is when talking to someone you feel could kick off bring your 'punching' hand up to your face, put your hand on your chin/side of the face/ stroke your nose etc anything so that you have your hand immediately there to either strike or block. It's a non-threatening movement and if they don't attack all you do is end up looking thoughtful.

 

[morph4me]

What's always worried me is that if you do a lot of punching into the air and pulling your punches when you spar you learn to do that all the time. When doing uppercuts/rising punches people more often than not stop too short rather than practising following it through.
The trigger thing came from my instructor and I think works especially well for women who can't summon up the aggression in the same way men can. Another little trick is when talking to someone you feel could kick off bring your 'punching' hand up to your face, put your hand on your chin/side of the face/ stroke your nose etc anything so that you have your hand immediately there to either strike or block. It's a non-threatening movement and if they don't attack all you do is end up looking thoughtful.

I was about to respond to your comment about aggression in men when it occurred to me, I actually do have a trigger, but I use it to remind myself that I'm training and not defending myself. Intersting, since I never really considered myself to be aggressive. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Tez3]

It can actually be very hard to get women to spar realistically (though there are exceptions lol) let alone defend themselves in a SD situation. Boys grow up scuffling with each other, batting each other around the head, punching each other and that's just among mates! They carry on doing it when they are grown up, "Hi Doug" he says giving him a friendly punch on the arm. Friendly tussles on the floor, play fights which are actually quite hard hitting are the norm for boys so sparring and defending themselves comes a whole lot easier. Women and some men need "permission" to be able to hit out. We have a training drill to help turn on "aggression" ( I'm not actually sure if that is the right word, adrenaline rush perhaps?). The class is paired up with one partner given pads, the other partner lies face down on the floor eyes closed. The people with pads move round the room. When the instructor gives the word the people on the floor jump up, find their partners and start punching, kicking,knees whatever. Then at the word go back to the floor. It's repeated several times then the partners change over.
It's actually a lot harder than it it sounds. When the instructor tells you to that you are sparring in class you have time usually to get your head together for it, this drill means you have to go from static to movement in seconds which is what would happen in a SD situation.