by DeusTrismegistus on Mon Sep 03, 2018 6:56 am
The most important thing about sparring is that it is practicing fighting, not actually fighting. With a good partner you can vary the speed, contact, and allowable techniques so you can develop your skill. Distance, timing, and perception are basic skills which need to be developed. You need to be able to always know what your distance is and what can reach the opponent, then learn how to tell what the opponent can use against you. Timing is knowing when to execute a technique. You will try and fail many times so you can feel proper timing. Perception is being able to sense the opponents position. This includes not just where their center is but also their feet, knees, elbows, hands, head, and torso. Eventually you can feel what your opponent will do as soon as they decide to do it.
Sparring should be done in a way where you can practice your skills without being overwhelmed. This allows you to learn to relax and feel what is happening. You can also learn what it feels like to hit and be hit without getting tense or having an emotional reaction.
Hard sparring is for testing your skill. As pressure, speed, and contact increase it will show where your actual level of skill is. Just because you can do something slowly or with light contact does not mean you can do it with full contact.
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