Simple pointers - Sparring

[proteusuk]

hi guys,

I've searched about for some answers and although there's reems of info I wondered if people here could be kind enough to throw some pointers my way.

I'm been training a long time, sparring however I've only recently began doing on a more regular basis.

I'm finding it hard to land punches cleanly on opponents, I'm one of the shorter fighters in the gym I find I have to punch up a lot, problem is I tend to hit arms or hands that are in the way. When I try to be the aggressor I seem to have the most issues, I try and throw my punches straight but I struggle to get them to land on the chin nicely, I end up trying to loop them around their guard but that just opens me up to be countered with straights from them (is going roung the guard a no no?)

I know I can feint, which does work for a bit then stops working, just wondered if people had tips on opening up the guard while being the aggressor, or any attacks that seem to work nicely for them so I can try and throw that in next time to have a more productive session.

I try to bait them to chuck a right so I can try and pull back and counter back, but then the right don't come lol, then I think I'll party the jab and try and comeback with a quick jap or straight right but then he jab don't come lol.

I guess I'm not great at reading what's coming, any tips on reading what's coming when under fire or baiting what them to throw at you so you can get a nice baited counter off?

I train Muay Thai, which kinda makes a lots of thing diffcult, I get close on a taller guy I get clinched and kneed.

Do more more experienced just throw punches in the hope one will land during the combo, or do they try to land each on target regardless of the Defense of path not being clear to land.

I've watched sinisters fighters sparring if I could replicate even a quarter of that and at least have a fun session of good exchanges I'd be a happy bloke.

It seems hard to translate the technical striking on pads to actual sparring, i just look a mess when sparring no where where I want to be.

Is it just a question of practise practise practise?

Thanks guys

 

[j123]

hi guys,

I've searched about for some answers and although there's reems of info I wondered if people here could be kind enough to chuck some pointers my way.

I'm been training a long time, sparring however I've only recently began doing on a more regular basis.

I'm finding it hard to land punches cleanly on opponents, I'm one of the shorter fighters in the gym I find I have to punch up a lot, problem is I tend to hit arms or hands that are in the way. When I try to be the aggressor I seem to have the most issues, I try and chuck my punches straight but I struggle to get them to land on the chin nicely, I end up trying to loop them around their guard but that just opens me up to be countered with straights from them (is going roung the guard a no no?)

I know I can feint, which does work for a bit then stops working, just wondered if people had tips on opening up the guard while being the aggressor, or any attacks that seem to work nicely for them so I can try and chuck that in next time to have a more productive session.

I try to bait them to chuck a right so I can try and pull back and counter back, but then the right don't come lol, then I think I'll party the jab and try and comeback with a quick jap or straight right but then he jab don't come lol.

I guess I'm not great at reading what's coming, any tips on reading what's coming when under fire or baiting what them to throw at you so you can get a nice baited counter off?

I train Muay Thai, which kinda makes a lots of thing diffcult, I get close on a taller guy I get clinched and kneed.

Do more more experienced just chuck punches in the hope one will land during the combo, or do they try to land each on target regardless of the Defense of path not being clear to land.

I've watched sinisters fighters sparring if I could replicate even a quarter of that and at least have a fun session of good exchanges I'd be a happy bloke.

It seems hard to translate the technical striking on pads to actual sparring, i just look a mess when sparring no where where I want to be.

Is it just a question of practise practise practise?

Thanks guys

It takes time

Throw combinations, and you'll learn to mask real strikes behind bs strikes. Parry to counters are nice at your stage. A simple one is (if both of you are orthodox) parry their jab with your rear, and fire back a jab. Try to throw a combination from there, so parry -> 1,2,1,kick or whatever.

Interrupt their flurry with combinations as well, kick, 3,2 is a good one.

If they're not throwing when you're expecting, its probably because you're too anxious about it like a dude ready to jizz in his pants after a chick says hi to ya, it will take time, and you'll get over the stiffness (no pun intended) while becoming more fluid. Try to "ghost" strikes before your main combo, so bullshit feint a few jabs so you won't be giving off a tell. A common tell newer guys make is moving around normally, then before striking, you dead stop your tracks for a fraction of a second before throwing, though a fraction of a second is small, it is a HUGE tell.

For telling, you usually look at the chest, and from there you'd guage when they step in, because you'd stand right outside of each other's range and either party has to step in to initiate.

Since you're a shorter fighter, work alot on ring cutting to get the taller fighters where you want. you can look at some stuff with Daniel Ghita and the way he fights, although he's a big guy himself, he uses the high guard with ring cutting very well.

Cheers

 

[proteusuk]

Thanks J123, haha that's funny I wait for the one punch in the mean time I eat a kick or two.

And thank you some great points in there, just wan to have fun with it, I do feel to stiff and tense, I do try and move laterally around the person and cut angles on them, I think your spo on with freezing things, I think I do do that I think rights let's try that, pause for a sec, start trying to throw the combo get caught halfway through and reset.

I did find that kicks do land a lot cleaner with a nice few punches before possibly with a jab left out stretched in their face seems to make the body/leg kick land nice.

Quick shove followed by leg kick seems to work good to.

Yet to land lead kicks though, even when I try to disguise them behind punches there spotted to easy.

But I'm lucky because I've found someone's from class that wants to meet for a couple of hours each week to technically spar to work on all this stuff.

Like the suggestion about ghost strike before launching into something

 

[j123]

Thanks J123, haha that's funny I wait for the one punch in the mean time I eat a kick or two.

And thank you some great points in there, just wan to have fun with it, I do feel to stiff and tense, I do try and move laterally around the person and cut angles on them, I think your spo on with freezing things, I think I do do that I think rights let's try that, pause for a sec, start trying to throw the combo get caught halfway through and reset.

I did find that kicks do land a lot cleaner with a nice few punches before possibly with a jab left out stretched in their face seems to make the body/leg kick lamb nice.

Quick shove followed by leg kick seems to work good to.

As simple and "un-technical" as it sounds, it works well, they're shoved and moving back, it becomes near impossible to check, and is pretty much a freebie for you.

If you aren't doing so already, fire back ASAP. Try not to let them get more than 3 strikes off you. Think the longer you wait, the more confidence they build, and the worse the latter strike will be. It could end up being a liver shot or long knee.
So even if it doesn't look good technically, you need to build the habit of shooting back right away. A common mistake is planning for something like countering off a punch, then they kick you instead, and you think "arghh shit, okay, I'll do it next time", and it ends up with next time never happening.

But I'm lucky because I've found someone's from class that wants to meet for a couple of hours each week to technically spar to work on all this stuff.

Like the suggestion about ghost strike before launching into something

Flow sparring helps alot on learning to throw stuff and building up some confidence. Its basically shadow box sparring

Forgot to mention in the earlier post, the transition from padwork -> sparring -> fight, ends up being like that. Its normal. Before I started sparring I looked like a killer on pads, then when I got hit I looked pretty bad. Before I did my first exibition, I was doing stuff well in sparring. Fast forward to fight night, I ended up looking like a dirty brawler throwing nothing but overhands and looping hooks.

 

[proteusuk]

excatly that was what I was doing waiting for stuff that didn't come, I give rga a goal and just try and interrupt and throw straight back.

Yeah I think that's where I'm up, regardedas pretty good on pads, plenty of power etc, but it's dawned on me it don't mean nothing when your sparring it all goes out the window some what.

Club wants me to do an interclub, don't wanna brawl though would rather a good fight will some good technique, don't care if they want to brawl just want to be able to handle that.

Yeah guys cool, can control his power much like me so seemed good idea, we do harder sparing in class to each week as well.

Cheers for your input J123, you came back with responses in the past when I've asked something, thank you.

 

[ARIZE]

First of all, since you do MT, i don't understand why you bother so much with punches. Leave them to those kickboxer wannabees.

Secondly, (imo) don't try to copy boxers. Obviously you can take some pointers, but its a whole different sport. Not only because they solely use punches, but the foot work, the balance, feints, strategies are all build around a different style. I really believe that cross training boxing can be beneficial for an experienced MT fighter, but not so much for a beginner.

If you are a shorter fighter, you must learn to fight like one. Don't try to beat tall opponents in their own games. You will need to develop some other attributes, and the 2 basic ones are either speed or power (both ideally). With experience you will also develop proper reflexes, but those usually come later.

Don't wait for a specific technique to come so that you counter it. That technique may never come, or even worse, if your opponent can read you, it can be a feint. With time, you will see openings, you will be able to recognize a strike and be able to counter. But you need time. Lots of practice, lots of training.

Train and use basic combos. 1-2-round is as basic as can be, but it's one of the most used combo for a reason.

Don't head hunt with kicks from the beginning. Blast the body, make him used to that strike, make him tired, hurt his arms, then feint for the body then go upstairs.

Spend a lot of time practicing clinching, and specially off-balancing opponents. Tall guys love to clinch shorter ones, that means you will get in that situation a lot. Beat them there by having developed a nasty control clinch.

Angles.

A blocked strike is not a useless strike. While he is blocking, he cannot strike. You make him think defense, instead of him been relaxed as the only aggressor. If you use MT techniques (shin, elbow, knee), even if blocked, your strike will do damage that will accumulate in later rounds. (now if you only want to use pillow-fighting techniques aka punches, that's on you)

Study videos of shorter fighters.

+ what j123 said
- what most people will say about punching in MT

Is it just a question of practise practise practise?

Mostly

 

[Chuck LiCheese]

I also train Muay Thai. As a taller fighter I can't really help. When I first started I had trouble with people who had good head movement and constantly rushed me to fight on the inside. However this is for the most part preventable with experience and constant straight feints + attacks which the shorter opponent runs into without good head movement and foot work. And like you said, in Muay Thai taller opponents can just clinch, knee and elbow when their opponent gets close. I will say that your attempts at the pull counter is relatable as this is something I use to do in boxing but in Muay Thai your opponent can just kick you. I guess my one recommendation would be to practice moving and taking your taller opponents down from the clinch (easier in mma when you have much options allowed), they'll want to lean on you (use that against them), knee you (opportunity to catch the knee and sweep) and wrap their hands behind your head (try not to let them) but your center of gravity is lower than there's so they should be easier to throw off balance.

 

[DrinkWater]

I also train Muay Thai. As a taller fighter I can't really help. When I first started I had trouble with people who had good head movement and constantly rushed me to fight on the inside. However this is for the most part preventable with experience and constant straight feints + attacks which the shorter opponent runs into without good head movement and foot work. And like you said, in Muay Thai taller opponents can just clinch, knee and elbow when their opponent gets close. I will say that your attempts at the pull counter is relatable as this is something I use to do in boxing but in Muay Thai your opponent can just kick you. I guess my one recommendation would be to practice moving and taking your taller opponents down from the clinch (easier in mma when you have much options allowed), they'll want to lean on you (use that against them), knee you (opportunity to catch the knee and sweep) and wrap their hands behind your head (try not to let them) but your center of gravity is lower than there's so they should be easier to throw off balance.

you really reply to a post from 4 years ago

 

[Chuck LiCheese]

you really reply to a post from 4 years ago

Oops. Yeah I'm new but I guess so are you. Anyways it is what it is.

 

[shincheckin]

hi guys,

I've searched about for some answers and although there's reems of info I wondered if people here could be kind enough to throw some pointers my way.

I'm been training a long time, sparring however I've only recently began doing on a more regular basis.

I'm finding it hard to land punches cleanly on opponents, I'm one of the shorter fighters in the gym I find I have to punch up a lot, problem is I tend to hit arms or hands that are in the way. When I try to be the aggressor I seem to have the most issues, I try and throw my punches straight but I struggle to get them to land on the chin nicely, I end up trying to loop them around their guard but that just opens me up to be countered with straights from them (is going roung the guard a no no?)

I know I can feint, which does work for a bit then stops working, just wondered if people had tips on opening up the guard while being the aggressor, or any attacks that seem to work nicely for them so I can try and throw that in next time to have a more productive session.

I try to bait them to chuck a right so I can try and pull back and counter back, but then the right don't come lol, then I think I'll party the jab and try and comeback with a quick jap or straight right but then he jab don't come lol.

I guess I'm not great at reading what's coming, any tips on reading what's coming when under fire or baiting what them to throw at you so you can get a nice baited counter off?

I train Muay Thai, which kinda makes a lots of thing diffcult, I get close on a taller guy I get clinched and kneed.

Do more more experienced just throw punches in the hope one will land during the combo, or do they try to land each on target regardless of the Defense of path not being clear to land.

I've watched sinisters fighters sparring if I could replicate even a quarter of that and at least have a fun session of good exchanges I'd be a happy bloke.

It seems hard to translate the technical striking on pads to actual sparring, i just look a mess when sparring no where where I want to be.

Is it just a question of practise practise practise?

Thanks guys

You need to work the body first then go up top. You'll still have to setup the body shot. Im short, fought MT, and did a lot of sparring with much taller guys. Study mike zambidis.

Pull counter isn't the best for someone with reach disadvantage. Slip or block counter. Block counter will get you "in".

Feints work. If they aren't biting. Make them respect it. Then go back to feinting.

Something you have noticed which many dont. Is carrying the padwork over to sparring. It happens again when you try to carry sparring over to fighting. Something again most fail to realize.

Reading Whats coming is essentially a form of body language.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

@shincheckin
Look at the date you replied to lol

 

[shincheckin]

@shincheckin
Look at the date you replied to lol

random old threads always get dug up lol

 

[4daLuLZ]

TS has taken @j123 advice to heart and is practicing under a mountain, like all true martial artists.

Soon he shall emerge to seek challenges and test his skills.

 

[Snolla]

I'll try and keep this simple. I have a TON of sparring experience and the only way to get better at it is to do it a lot.
I don't want to give you a million things to think about so I'll give you one shot that always lands for me. Jab to the face/gloves and blast a straight to the body.

Body straights are SEVERELY underutilized and are very effective, especially if the opponent is using an annoying high guard.

 

[4daLuLZ]

I'll try and keep this simple. I have a TON of sparring experience and the only way to get better at it is to do it a lot.
I don't want to give you a million things to think about so I'll give you one shot that always lands for me. Jab to the face/gloves and blast a straight to the body.

Body straights are SEVERELY underutilized and are very effective, especially if the opponent is using an annoying high guard.

I’d add to that and say that a proper right to the body is aimed outside the left elbow.
Unless you’re anticipating a right from the guy after your left.

A lancing stiff jab to the body is a better n safer bet. To the waist, to the pit, to the elbows ......anywhere.
You can build more off that than the other way around.