So last night I had my first sparring session since I've actually focused on learning Muay Thai. I've sparred before with friends that had just as little experience as I did, but last night was my first time sparring with someone who knew what was going on. Granted it was light sparring, but hey I'm a grappler trying to learn some Muay THai so I think I deserve a little leeway here. Usually when I practice I am very relaxed and I feel pretty good about my combinations and really focus on technique. However, we start sparring and I feel like I've wasted all the time hitting pads and bags because as I punch I feel like my technique looks like a third grade girl trying to slap someone. I was nervous the entire time trying to think about what I should throw and just kept getting counter-punched. My kicks, what I feel is the weakest part of my game, actually felt how they usually do, but since I'm not used to a live opponent they either were grabbed after landing, when I missed I was bullrushed, or when I missed I took a kick to the leg.
Being a southpaw one of the combinations I feel really comfortable with is a front leg roundhouse followed by a straight left, and a right hook, I tried this twice...both times after landing the leg kick I dropped my lead hand and took a 1-2 square to the face. Towards the end my sparring partner went up against a wall and wanted me to work him against there...but I was out boxed by a person with their back to a wall. We switched positions and I was able to defend fairly well and even landed a left hook circling off the wall, but other then that the only other non-low point (b/c there were no high points) was my clinch work, but really for me that is just grappling with being able to throw some strikes, so I don't think that's anything to be that proud of.
So after my first sparring session I learned that
A. I think way too much when trying to decide when to punch
B. My combinations suck when someone is going to hit me back
C. If I get someone in a corner they can kick my butt
D. I can cover up and wait for a ref to stop a fight pretty well
E. I need to relax (I'm sure this will come the more I spar)
F. Shin to shin contact hurts the next day even if it was light
G. I am amazing at blocking counter-punches with my face
There is probably more to be learned here, but this is mainly what I remember (besides the color black hitting me repeatedly). I will do my best to just update this thread as my sparring continues so that you can all reminisce and remember "shit I was never that bad". Also you can laugh to your friends about another grappler trying to learn the stand-up game and feeling completely awkward while doing so.
Being a southpaw one of the combinations I feel really comfortable with is a front leg roundhouse followed by a straight left, and a right hook, I tried this twice...both times after landing the leg kick I dropped my lead hand and took a 1-2 square to the face. Towards the end my sparring partner went up against a wall and wanted me to work him against there...but I was out boxed by a person with their back to a wall. We switched positions and I was able to defend fairly well and even landed a left hook circling off the wall, but other then that the only other non-low point (b/c there were no high points) was my clinch work, but really for me that is just grappling with being able to throw some strikes, so I don't think that's anything to be that proud of.
So after my first sparring session I learned that
A. I think way too much when trying to decide when to punch
B. My combinations suck when someone is going to hit me back
C. If I get someone in a corner they can kick my butt
D. I can cover up and wait for a ref to stop a fight pretty well
E. I need to relax (I'm sure this will come the more I spar)
F. Shin to shin contact hurts the next day even if it was light
G. I am amazing at blocking counter-punches with my face
There is probably more to be learned here, but this is mainly what I remember (besides the color black hitting me repeatedly). I will do my best to just update this thread as my sparring continues so that you can all reminisce and remember "shit I was never that bad". Also you can laugh to your friends about another grappler trying to learn the stand-up game and feeling completely awkward while doing so.
