Sparring classes vs Group Technique/Cardio class

[platfox]

Hi Guys, just wanted some opinions.

I kickboxed for about a year a couple years back. The structure of the class was large groups with mostly technique drills and situational sparring (only jabs or only certain combos). The class was a mix of beginners and intermediate kickboxers. I felt like I learned soem good fundamentals but didn't spar much.

I have sinced switched my training and do only brazilian jiu jitsu at a different school. I'm about to start working my standup and mma training so i can get back in the cage for another amateur fight. However at the new school, we don't have formal standup classes. Its just a fighters' class where aspiring pros and amateurs spar under the instruction of our coaches (both are ex pro mma fighters and muay thai kickboxers).

My question is this, I feel comfortable with all the basic strikes and defenses, so is only sparring enough? Not having formal classes where we are practicing technique on bags and mits, practicing new combos, and conditioning drills for muscle memory. Do you experienced strikers still attend the group classes or do you just spar and get private lessons?

What do you guys think? Should I also take classes at another school that has a formal classes. It would be rather inconvenient and I'd prefer not to, to be honest.

Thanks in advance for any opinions.

 

[oasfc]

you cannot be a sucessfull fighter without either, technique & drills are just as important as sparring. you should try and spread your time to both classes.

 

[platfox]

Thats what I kind of figured but hopefully i can get away with just sparring for a little while until I can find time (and an a good excuse for my new instructor) as to why I'm attending both schools.

 

[FyouKantCme]

if you haven't had much success with mma striking classes, you might just want to find a boxing gym, a REAL boxing gym, and train your striking there.

 

[Gontran]

You don't need group classes to train technique...
Sparring under the guidance of a coach is a good thing, but obviously not sufficient.
But you can also work your technique alone (bag work, shadow boxing, etc.), with a partner (drills, sparring, etc.) or with a coach (mitts, etc.)

group classes are good to get in basic shape and get the fundamental techniques but usually if you want to compete you're better off training with coaches or partners (or a team) who are also competing than training with beginners in a group class.

 

[thirteen]

I'm training boxing so there's no classes.
Turn up to the gym - work the bags, get in the ring
with the coach and work the mitts and various techniques.
And spar every training session.

Classes work for some people but I can't stand them lol.
I think the learning curve is much steeper when training
with a coach and active fighters. Just be prepared for a
whooping.

Good luck.

 

[lucid]

I'm training boxing so there's no classes.
Turn up to the gym - work the bags, get in the ring
with the coach and work the mitts and various techniques.
And spar every training session.

Classes work for some people but I can't stand them lol.
I think the learning curve is much steeper when training
with a coach and active fighters. Just be prepared for a
whooping.

Good luck.

Im the same, i think after awhile you know the building blocks. Then i focus on putting it together. If theres weakness's then i would want to drill it to get some practice before application. But i always prefer sparring. given its light and i dont end up getting injured which happens far to often in frequent sparring.

My biggest issue getting in, is that my cardio is amazing for drills but i cant breathe properly when i fight. its just different. sparring is different for the real thing, but you want to be as close the real deal as often as you can.

 

[platfox]

You don't need group classes to train technique...
Sparring under the guidance of a coach is a good thing, but obviously not sufficient.
But you can also work your technique alone (bag work, shadow boxing, etc.), with a partner (drills, sparring, etc.) or with a coach (mitts, etc.)

group classes are good to get in basic shape and get the fundamental techniques but usually if you want to compete you're better off training with coaches or partners (or a team) who are also competing than training with beginners in a group class.

I'm training boxing so there's no classes.
Turn up to the gym - work the bags, get in the ring
with the coach and work the mitts and various techniques.
And spar every training session.

Classes work for some people but I can't stand them lol.
I think the learning curve is much steeper when training
with a coach and active fighters. Just be prepared for a
whooping.

Good luck.

Good point guys. Hope it rings true for me as well. Thanks.

 

[shouldercharge]

i'm in a very similar situation to you did muay thai for a year stopped 18months ago to focus on judo.have recently joined an mma gym we train bjj twice a week and mma three times a week we do striking technique/drilling in mma but not alot and after each mma session the fighters do rounds of stand-up sparring.
i didnt feel like i was really ready to spar with the fighters,or that my striking would improve fasy enough just doing the mma classes.
i have a friend who does judo recreationally but is a serious amature boxer-has had over 50fights,2nd in national golden gloves,spent 6 months training in cuba.
i'm now doing an hour a week with him on the mitts,light sparring etc to improve technique.
even in just four weeks ive improved alot especially in my defense.

approach the best/most experienced/and technically sound strikers at the gym and see if any of them are prepared to help you even if you just went in half an hour before class and worked pads.

 

[thirteen]

With lots of sparring and being surrounded by fighters you'll be shocked
at how fast you will progress.

 

[Murtles Turtle]

My gym only has one sparring day, being Friday.
However during the week we might do a round or two at the end of a sesson and usually do some kind of focus sparring(eg one throws, one defends, Jabs only etc)

I think its good to o both however it depends on how your class is, my gym is full of pro's so our class's are normally focosed with partners doing pads, clinching etc rather than basics.
You need that interactive training outside of sparring for your techique and development.

And then when sparring comes you can try it( and quickly find out that even though you might be killing the pads, it aint as easy in the ring)