Conserving effort when sparring

[Brady]

I was wondering what strategies you guys use to ensure you are saving your energy when sparring.

I tend to have the bad habit of using dumb strength and not noticing it. Today I was working with the idea of just "holding a shape" and not exerting any intention beyond that. It was a good experience because I was keenly aware of the spots my body was working against itself. Anyone do anything similar?

[nianfong]

that's why you hold a santi in xingyi... so you learn to keep your hands up with minimal effort. it's also how we trained to block.

[klonk]

I was wondering what strategies you guys use to ensure you are saving your energy when sparring.

I tend to have the bad habit of using dumb strength and not noticing it. Today I was working with the idea of just "holding a shape" and not exerting any intention beyond that. It was a good experience because I was keenly aware of the spots my body was working against itself. Anyone do anything similar?

That's great, you are on the right track. Beyond that, I would say that everything I do has the object (or intended objective, anyway) of landing a technique. The sooner the fight is over, the sooner you can rest. Defend attackingly, if that makes any sense whatever. Be a menace whatever he tries, and failing that, at least be a continual nuisance.

[qiphlow]

i try to relax like i relax during push hands. use just enough effort for what i want to achieve (which is usually to not get hit in the head so much). as far as ways to make that happen, it's forms and zhan zhuang for me.

[mixjourneyman]

I try to stay soft until either I have made contact or I'm blocking or striking.
Of course that changes when your grappling. I still have a lot of trouble staying soft while grappling.

[C.J.Wang]

If you've trained enough IMA, your body should have a resilient structure without even having to think about staying hard or soft when meeting resistance.

[somatai]

If you've trained enough IMA, your body should have a resilient structure without even having to think about staying hard or soft when meeting resistance.

qft

do not let your weight get outside your frame, do not let your effort get outside your frame, marry your weight and effort

[Brady]

do not let your weight get outside your frame, do not let your effort get outside your frame, marry your weight and effort

This is one thing, I'm getting pretty good at this in my Judo now. The type of issue I seem to have more often is that within my frame there are pieces of me that are not working with the whole but on a permanent lock down (without taking me outside my base).

edit: I attribute alot of my increased ability to stay within my structure while standing to consistently playing the push-out game.

[somatai]

let more energy or pressure come in and soften with it....allow compression to occur more deepy?

[neijia_boxer]

Stand-up:
In sparring I conserve my energy and let the other person get tired by having them throw more punches and kicks. I'll just block, counter and go. I normally not good at the kicking and punching exchanges so i tie-up and clinch and frustrate them to open them up for strikes.

submission grappling/BJJ: this art presents alot of opportunity to rest when your in various positions to try to move into a better more superior position on the ground.

[qiphlow]

I still have a lot of trouble staying soft while grappling.

don't fight it, mix.

[Darthwing Teorist]

A problem with getting tired and tense when sparring, is the adrenaline dump. I don't know you, but as you get more experience, you will be able to relax more. Of course, it depends who you're sparring with. If they are better and out to get your head, you will probably end up getting tense.

[Dmitri]

There shouldn't be ANY adrenaline dump in sparring IMHO. That's why it's sparring not fighting. It's a "game", so "play" it, don't "work" it.

You get better as you get more and more familiar/comfortable with it (as one does naturally with any other activity).

The only advice (in addition to some other good things already mentioned) I have for you Brady is "sink your qi", (the basis of) which could be approached by continually reminding yourself to breathe from the bottom of your stomach and relaxing the upper body. That will also do a couple of other very good things for you (martially and otherwise), aside from just reducing immediate effort. FWIW.

[Sprint]

I still have a lot of trouble staying soft while grappling.

don't fight it, mix.

Surely a contender for the Double Entendre Hall of Fame...
Qiphlow that was fast.

[Old Man Chi]

More sparring. And then more sparring. The more you hit and get hit, the more you will relax, everything will slow down.

Oh yeah, and breath. Completely disagree standing will do anything to relax you in sparring.