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What is
Sparring?
Sparring is a big part of
Training at Kreimer's Karate.
Students Sparr each other to
practice what they are learning.
Sparring is controlled and
carefully watched by the
Instructors. Students wears
headgear and mouth guard along
with hand and foot protection. .
Students Sparr another student
his or her size. Sparring is
about control, Students DO NOT
SPARR TO HURT, rather Sparr to
learn their skills
Basic Sparring Strategy
There is a strategic science to sparring. From the outside, sparring
looks like random kicks and punches thrown mercilessly with the objective
being to injure. From the inside, however, a sparring match is like a chess
game. For example, one could not win a game of chess by mindlessly moving
around the pieces anymore than one could win a sparring match by mindlessly
throwing techniques. Strategy is prerequisite to chess as well as to
sparring.
What is strategy? Strategy goes beyond "What kick should I throw
now?" and it answers the question "How can I manipulate the situation to
give me the advantage over my opponent?" This strategy comes in two main
forms: Overall strategy (macro strategy) and exchange strategy (micro
strategy).
Macro Strategy
Macro strategy encompasses overall and generalized aspects about any
sparring match that will make you spar one person one way and another person
another way. There are several things that will affect your macro strategy:
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The setting or main goal of the match. If you are sparring someone who
is taking his or her belt exam or if you are sparring in a tournament,
your main purpose and strategy for sparring will be different. So before
you spar, ask yourself, "What is my goal? What do I wish to accomplish
in this match?" -
Your own personal strengths and weaknesses. These are very important
to how you spar. For example, if you feel really comfortable with
turning back kick, and not with turning hook kick, then you should stick
with the turning back kick. You will be more likely to score if you use
a technique with which you are very comfortable.
-
You and your partner's differing physical attributes. These will
greatly define the way in which you spar your partner. Here is a table
of examples, and (in my opinion) the best strategies to use these
differences to your advantage:
The
Remedies
You're taller
Keep a far distance from your
partner and jam them with push
kick and back kick.
You're shorter
Get in close enough that
you're too far in range for
your partner to kick. Get in,
stay in, and rack up the points.
You're heavier
You've got a power advantage, so
use it wisely. Think of yourself
as a tank.
You're lighter
You've got a speed advantage, so
use it wisely.
Think of yourself as a
butterfly.
You're faster
Get in range, throw a few
techniques, and get out A.S.A.P.
You're slower
Don't get fancy, stay
simple. Make your partner come
to you instead of chasing after
him or her.
E-mail Us for more Information
Kreimer's Karate Institute,Inc
1460-C West Patrick St
Frederick, MD 21702
Phone:(301) 695-3347
(Entrance off Old Camp Rd)
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Micro Strategy
Micro strategy is the strategy that
we use for dealing with each of the
tiny exchanges that make up a
sparring match. The rest of this
page deals with micro strategy.
Open Stance and Closed Stance:
When two people spar each other, each person is in a particular sparring
stance: either left foot lead or right foot lead. When both competitors have
the same lead (i.e.: if they both have their left foot forward), this is
known as closed stance. If both competitors have different leads (i.e.: if
one has left foot forward and the other has right foot forward), this is
known as open stance.
Why does this matter? It determines which
techniques that you can use against
your partner to get a clear shot.
The whole idea of sparring is to
strike your partner where he or she
is open. For example, if you are in
open stance, then you are both open
to back leg roundhouse kick, you
can do a back leg roundhouse kick
and strike your partner clear in the
stomach. If you are in closed
stance, however, your partner is not
open to back leg roundhouse kick. If
you try back leg roundhouse anyway,
you will end up kicking your partner's elbow.
When attacking or counter-attacking, you must be aware of the stance
in which you are fighting. If you
ignore the stance, then your attack
or counter-attack will be
ineffective. For example, a turning
side kick counter-attack to your
partner's rear end does you no
good.
The Attack
If you have seen or sparred in Olympic-style Tae Kwon Do sparring lately,
you will have noticed that the competitors' average sparring distance from
each other is well out of range for any technique to successfully land on
either partner. The whole idea of attacking is to close the distance between
you and your partner so that you can become close enough to land a
technique.
The attack is a very important part of the sparring match for two
reasons: (1) It closes the distance between the competitors in order for
some actual exchanges may occur; and (2) When the score is tied at the end
of the match, the referee decides the winner on the basis of aggressiveness
and most techniques thrown. If you attacked and threw more techniques than
your partner did during the match, then you won't even though the score
was technically tied. So, attacking has its advantages.
Attacking, however, also has its disadvantages. When you attack, you
leave yourself open and off balance for your partner's counter-attack,
if you kick your partner they will kick back from a closer and more
effective range. But this can be easily overcome by simply countering the
counter-attack. Sparring is almost like an argument: Each exchange builds up
from the former exchanges, each one better than the last, and the best one
wins. There is no reason to be afraid to attack if you know how to
counter-attack.
Another way to avoid this entire issue of vulnerability is to refrain
from an actual attack and throw what your partner perceives to be
an actual attack (i.e.: In other words, to fake, or feint, an attack). He or
she will react to this threat by beginning a counter-attack, which will give
you time to close the distance and land several techniques.
Effective attacking relies heavily upon footwork and faking (feinting),
not mere kicks. Here are a few rules to follow about attacking:
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Never throw just one technique. This is a big no-no.
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Never just walk (or run, you kids) into the correct distance and kick.
Another major no-no.
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Never throw a technique when you know that you will not be able to
land it.
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Always use footwork or faking to bring your partner closer to you.
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Always plan on your partner having a counter-attack.
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Always plan on countering your partner's counter-attack.
The Counter-Attack
Most of all points scored in Tae Kwon Do competition come from
counter-attacks. The idea of the counter-attack is to overshadow your
partner's attack. In other words, you want your counter-attack to be
superior to and more devastating than your partner's attack. If your
partner lands a technique on you, it is imperative that it is immediately
counter-attacked with several more devastating techniques. In this way, you
will be awarded the point.
Of course, you are in no way limited to the chart below, you have a
multitude of different options. This is just a basic idea of how to get
started in a counter-attack. Remember that the most effective counter-attack
consists of multiple techniques. Each one of the techniques listed in the
chart is just an example of the first technique that can be solidly landed.
So, practice these techniques with a partner or on a kicking bag, and
remember to follow up with additional techniques.
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