Need Sparring and Neck Strengthening Help

[ChittyChitty]

So this weekend I went back to the MT gym after a month of not going, and I had a light sparring session with one of the ammys. This was only my second sparring session and since I'm a complete noob, I would ball up instead of circling out every time he threw combos at me. He kept telling me not to ball up, but it was hard for me to do since I'm a beginner. Sometimes I noticed that I would turn my back on him, which isn't so good either. When I kept my hands down, he would land a fairly big shot on me; he told me he wasn't really going hard, but I did feel a little buzz:icon_neut. At the end of the session he told me that I needed to start strengthening my neck so I could take shots better. He told me that I should get a rope/cloth and tie it around a weight so I could bite the rope to lift the weight. I want to strengthen my neck, but I'm scared to develop some sort of neck problem in the future.

Is it safe to strengthen my neck this way, and are there other ways I can strengthen my neck? Also, are there any drills that can help me not ball up/run away?

 

[JKDEastNashvill]

I don't like your Gym.

You shouldn't be getting hit and feeling "buzzed" on your second sparring session when you haven't been trained how to defend yourself.

If you are balling up and turning your back then you should step the intensity down until you DON'T.

 

[aldenton]

I don't like your Gym.

You shouldn't be getting hit and feeling "buzzed" on your second sparring session when you haven't been trained how to defend yourself.

If you are balling up and turning your back then you should step the intensity down until you DON'T.

agree 100%. A lot of gyms are filled with knuckle heads that get way too intense during sparring. The point is for you to learn... not get beat up.

 

[ChittyChitty]

Oh crap i just realized this was in the wrong forum. Well it wasn't like he's using me as a punching bag; he gave me pointers throughout the session, and he stopped to see if I was alright after he landed a big shot. So is that still alright?? I'm only 140 lbs and he's about 20-30 lbs heavier than me, so maybe he doesn't know his own strength? But when I told one of the girls who trained there that I got buzzed she kinda flipped shit on him.

 

[aldenton]

Oh crap i just realized this was in the wrong forum. Well it wasn't like he's using me as a punching bag; he gave me pointers throughout the session, and he stopped to see if I was alright after he landed a big shot. So is that still alright?? I'm only 140 lbs and he's about 20-30 lbs heavier than me, so maybe he doesn't know his own strength? But when I told one of the girls who trained there that I got buzzed she kinda flipped shit on him.

Well it doesn't sound like the guy is all that bad.. It's a tough question to answer, since there seems to be alot of unknowns...how long you've been training, you skill level, etc. I know when I was fresh into MT and had my first few sparring sessions... they would send us into the ring with a specific agenda (I.e. if we had just worked on jabs and a cross... they would tell use to use jabs and crosses only) and eventually, when they felt that we had a grasp on how to properly execute new techniques, they would let us add it to our sparring sessions. In addition, they would always pair people up based on weight, so there weren't any major size differences (for beginners)

All gyms are different however, and peoples teaching methods are different. It doesn't sound like the guy has bad intentions, so if your getting badly rattled, I would mention this to your kru, trainer, coach or w/e, and let them know you'd like to tone it down until your a little more experienced. I'm sure they will be fine with it.

 

[JKDEastNashvill]

Chitty,

Work on MOBILITY not how to take a punch.
Don't stand in punching range.
Get in or get out. Cut Angles.

Do a Google for Boxing Wall Drills.
But your partner should only be loosely lobbing strikes when you do this drill.

 

[ECS123]

I don't like your Gym.

You shouldn't be getting hit and feeling "buzzed" on your second sparring session when you haven't been trained how to defend yourself.

If you are balling up and turning your back then you should step the intensity down until you DON'T.

Agree with this. I am not about to prematurely pass judgement on you gym, however, this guy may not have the intensity level "adjusted", so to speak. As far as the neck strengthening, he probably also watched this at one time or another:

YouTube - Buakaw training

It is really a good idea, not to catch a hard shot and get knocked out, this early.

:icon_chee

 

[ChittyChitty]

Well it doesn't sound like the guy is all that bad.. It's a tough question to answer, since there seems to be alot of unknowns...how long you've been training, you skill level, etc. I know when I was fresh into MT and had my first few sparring sessions... they would send us into the ring with a specific agenda (I.e. if we had just worked on jabs and a cross... they would tell use to use jabs and crosses only) and eventually, when they felt that we had a grasp on how to properly execute new techniques, they would let us add it to our sparring sessions. In addition, they would always pair people up based on weight, so there weren't any major size differences (for beginners)

All gyms are different however, and peoples teaching methods are different. It doesn't sound like the guy has bad intentions, so if your getting badly rattled, I would mention this to your kru, trainer, coach or w/e, and let them know you'd like to tone it down until your a little more experienced. I'm sure they will be fine with it.

Okay just to clear things up, over the summer I've trained at that gym for only over a month and stopped after that. Also, my kru told me to pair up with the guy so he could help me out. Kru told me that there was a guy my size for me to spar with, but he didn't show up that day. Anyway, during the first half of sparring we only worked on sparring drills. After that we did free sparring, and sometimes he would ask me if I wanted to go faster but I told him I didn't want to get knocked out or anything. Also he only landed 2-3 big shots on me the entire time, so I guess I'm making it sound worse than it seems?

 

[ChittyChitty]

Agree with this. I am not about to prematurely pass judgement on you gym, however, this guy may not have the intensity level "adjusted", so to speak. As far as the neck strengthening, he probably also watched this at one time or another:

YouTube - Buakaw training

It is really a good idea, not to catch a hard shot and get knocked out, this early.

:icon_chee

Thanks ECS. My other question is, though, will this be bad for my neck in the long run?

 

[ECS123]

Thanks ECS. My other question is, though, will this be bad for my neck in the long run?

No, IMHO, it would not be bad for your neck in the long run. If it was Baukaw, and other fighters would not waste time doing it. As long as it is done in moderation, and in conjunction with strengthening other muscle groups.

Although, holding it in your teeth may have the advantage of also strengthening your jaw related muscles in addition to your neck, I think most people opt for a nylon neck harness to attach weight, to avoid damaging their teeth. Start slow, and don't over do it with the weight.

:icon_chee

 

[ChittyChitty]

No, IMHO, it would not be bad for your neck in the long run. If it was Baukaw, and other fighters would not waste time doing it. As long as it is done in moderation, and in conjunction with strengthening other muscle groups.

Although, holding it in your teeth may have the advantage of also strengthening your jaw related muscles in addition to your neck, I think most people opt for a nylon neck harness to attach weight, to avoid damaging their teeth. Start slow, and don't over do it with the weight.

:icon_chee

Cool, thanks for clearing things up:icon_chee

 

[chokeingvictim]

So this weekend I went back to the MT gym after a month of not going, and I had a light sparring session with one of the ammys. This was only my second sparring session and since I'm a complete noob, I would ball up instead of circling out every time he threw combos at me. He kept telling me not to ball up, but it was hard for me to do since I'm a beginner. Sometimes I noticed that I would turn my back on him, which isn't so good either. When I kept my hands down, he would land a fairly big shot on me; he told me he wasn't really going hard, but I did feel a little buzz:icon_neut. At the end of the session he told me that I needed to start strengthening my neck so I could take shots better. He told me that I should get a rope/cloth and tie it around a weight so I could bite the rope to lift the weight. I want to strengthen my neck, but I'm scared to develop some sort of neck problem in the future.

Is it safe to strengthen my neck this way, and are there other ways I can strengthen my neck? Also, are there any drills that can help me not ball up/run away?

they sell products specifically for neck strengthing check out title boxing they sell head harnesses that you can add weight plates to alot of boxers and wrestlers use headharnesses to strengthen their neck

also spar with guys your own weight the guy you sparred with sound like he was helping and hurting you at the same time