Noob at sparring

[Mani]

Hi

Been training Muay Thai for about 10 months and in the last few weeks I've took the next step and started sparring.

Only done about 6-7 rounds and obviously I'm not very good at it. I'm not nervous or scared of being punched I just don't have the skills yet.

How long did it take you all to become quite competent in the ring at sparring where you could put into practice the techniques you'd learnt?

At the moment all I seem to be doing is getting hit and pushed about everywhere and even had my nose busted last night. The problem I have is at my gym I'm the only one out of the group of beginners that has decided to start sparring so I'm always up against people that have a few amateur bouts under their belts so straight away I'm at a disadvantage.

Thanks for reading. Any tips for me or is it just a case of getting beat up for a while and something clicking into place?

 

[ARIZE]

It's not probably something that will "click", unless you make the same big mistake every time... It's just something you will get better at... You may not realize it if you always spar against better, more experienced guys, but the day you will spar against a beginner you will understand how much you progressed.

So my opinion is, that as long as the other guys don't treat you just as a punching bag, full blasting at you during every sec of the session, hang in there, it will worth it.

Don't try to win when sparring, just try to do good. Protect your self according to basics, attack according to basics, and every now and then, you may try something different to see how it goes...
Sparring is for learning, matches are for winning...

 

[98bird]

Train to pull your punches and not hit higher level people and fighters hard...that way, they won't bust you up. They'll pull their power also. You'll last a lot longer in order to get better. There's no formula really, other than to just keep sparring.

A good way to train this is to throw full power and speed at the bag and pull it at the last moment to just tap it.

Noobs in general, can't control their power and land full, hard shots. High level fighters can just easily dodge and not need to KO you, but it's the intermediates (who are still better than you, but not by a lot), that will go into kill or be killed mode....until someone says to cool it. You don't want this kind of slugfest every time you spar. You'll get good fast, but are also heading for a concussion = end of training for a long time.

 

[Ilk]

We do a very good drill to get rid of the fear and train counter punching. One partner steps forward with a high guard to close the distance, the other one punches his guard with a straight or an uppercut. Basically you dance around, jump in with a high guard and the other one punches straight. After awhile, the countering partner does not aim for the guard while the one getting inside strenghten his guard well enough. Works fine to loosen up and get used to hits and fixing your guard, while the other partners practices finding his distance for counter punches. Try it with a friend

 

[Paradigm]

Wow...10 months. Happy for you to take the next step. My old gym had me sparring (lightly) the first day...probably not advisible but the dude was Thai and what did I know?

I'd stick to sparring with a slightly open hand at first so you limit your power and not piss anyone off. Just don't make a habit of it down the road once you control your power better and need to hit someone harder.

 

[esum80]

i started sparring after about a year. most of the guys i sparred with had at least 20lbs on me and i had to learn how to be comfortable taking punches and how to utilise my full guard while also being able to see so that i can return.

as others have already mentioned, try to relax and keep it light. nothing irks people more than spaz sparrers or newer guys coming to sparring trying to win by throwing haymakers.

just remember that there will also be days where you are the hammer and others where you are the nail. but don't give up.

 

[freaky]

It's not probably something that will "click", unless you make the same big mistake every time... It's just something you will get better at... You may not realize it if you always spar against better, more experienced guys, but the day you will spar against a beginner you will understand how much you progressed.

So my opinion is, that as long as the other guys don't treat you just as a punching bag, full blasting at you during every sec of the session, hang in there, it will worth it.

Don't try to win when sparring, just try to do good. Protect your self according to basics, attack according to basics, and every now and then, you may try something different to see how it goes...
Sparring is for learning, matches are for winning...

The first part is so true and important. Just keep doing it. I cannot tell you how demoralizing it was to fight against people better than you everyday. After awhile, it's feels like you're not improving cuz you still get beat up on. But then the day comes when you fight a beginner and you dominates them. That's when you know how long you've come. And that's when you realize you're no longer the beginner.

so the moral of the story is: Keep doing it, keep getting your ass kicked, you're improving with every ass kick without knowing it. But trust us, you're improving. With every shot you eat, your brain is recognizing it. You will only eat the same shot so much. Eventually your brain will recognize it and automatically move your head out of the way. Keep training, maybe one day your fellow beginners will join sparring and you will dominate them.

 

[AminoAcid]

Just breathe, relax and focus on your footwork.

The first time I sparred I focused mainly on my defense, distance and timing. The offense came later.

Your reaction time has to be on point, so more than anything, make sure you are always aware of what your opponent is doing, and what he is about to do next.

Get comfortable moving with respect to another individual body (right now you're probably only used to moving with respect to a stationary target, ala a punching bag).

Don't worry, you will get better. Give it time. Remember the first time you ever used the heavy bag? You were such a rookie - we all were! Same thing about sparring - the concept is similar.

Once you get comfortable with sparring, you will notice that your heavy-bag work has taken the next step as well.

 

[spacetime]

Important thing is consistency. If you stay out of it and then spar Someone who does ir regular and is talented, it's like being a beginner. More so than the technical part of throwing kicks ir punches, these will be in your system eventually even if you lay off it for a while

 

[j123]

Its hard, but don't look at sparring like a fight. For me when I started out it was tough thinking like that, but eventually I got in the mindset of "hitting a checklist"

So, for me it was if I could land a strike on the guys I was sparring (high level ammys / pros) then to me it was a successful session. I had something like:

-5 combos
-2 clinch engagements
-3 leg kicks

I'd make it a job to land those within a round, if I couldn't, well that sucked, and I fucked up for the day.

When the rounds are shorter (2-3min), it makes you push the pace.

At this point for you, something as basic and instinctual as it is, don't back down, and press forward will do wonders for you

Keep at it, it is frustrating, I get it, but you;ll thank yourself that you stuck with it in the long term.