Sparring Question

[Papi93]

I've never been one just to mindlessly follow what someone says. If I don't feel something is effective, for me, I want to know why the other technique is superior. In TKD class, yesterday, my instructor told me not to keep such distance from my opponent. My leg length is one of my best assests. It keeps opponents at a distance and frustrates them at times. He told me to fake and close the gap. With my arm and leg length advantage, I like to first pepper my opponents with jabs and jab kicks. This way, I get a feel for my opponent's style (defensive or offensive fighter). When they get frustrated and try to close the distance, then I use a more powerful technique. My instructor wants me to throw a jab or fake then move in and come with a power move. To me this seems like it wouldn't play to my strengths. I'm I wrong on this?

[sonar1234]

There are good coaches and there are bad ones, has there are good teachers and bad ones too.

I add a great teacher and coach with me in competition for the 7 years i was invloved in tkd, he tought me very good, got me vhs tapes of the fighters in my weight division and studied them with me.

I invested lot of time in tkd, but to tell you the thuth today i think its worthless, i mean your teacher is right if you are tall someone will try getting in your guard, and start punching the liver and stomach.

Its hard to change style, and if you what you are doing works for you then continue doing it.

BTW i changed tkd school twice before ending up where i was for all that time, there where teacher that where really annying, some got pertty angy has well when i did not want to compete either i was out of shape or didnt have the 20$ fee for the competition.

When i sparred i usually kept a distance has well, since hand techics where so limited, and has you do i tested my opponants to see what he add.

In tkd you always have to be careful cause there is always a counter back kick waiting for you.

[Papi93]

Our instructor really pushes using the spin kick (or back kick in traditional TKD) as a counter kick. Definitely not one of my favorite kicks. I rarely see someone land this kick solidly. Most of the time, the opponents moves in and to the side to negate the kick. I have landed a jumping spin kick with some success. I'll use the jumping version to persuade them to back off if they keep trying to jam me. Sent a black belt flying backwards when he tried to jam me once too often .

[sonar1234]

Sticker93 one very important thing that i learned the hard way is that you never turn your back on your opponant.

I got kicked in the lower back and add pain for 3 months, not the pain i got now which accured while lifting weights but still a pain that lasted that long.

Has i said now that i am doing tae bo and punching like never before i can see how worthless tkd is, i used to fight for fun not street fight when i was younger, one of my friends was in college and was boxing, another one was a kickboxer and i always got banged when they came into my guard.

[Papi93]

Sticker93 one very important thing that i learned the hard way is that you never turn your back on your opponant.

I got kicked in the lower back and add pain for 3 months, not the pain i got now which accured while lifting weights but still a pain that lasted that long.

Has i said now that i am doing tae bo and punching like never before i can see how worthless tkd is, i used to fight for fun not street fight when i was younger, one of my friends was in college and was boxing, another one was a kickboxer and i always got banged when they came into my guard.

The only reason that I am taking TKD is because it's a mile from my apartment. I was looking into going to Duke Rufus's (K1 competitor) gym in downtown Milwaukee but the drive was too far. Not to mention the brutal gas prices. The best thing I will take away from TKD is the athletism I will develop with the demanding kicks. When I finally get to train at a Muay Thai gym, it'll be that much easier to master. Man, I wish my woman and I lived downtown .

[ManOnSwole]

Doing TKD will vastly help you pick up Muay Thai. While getting power is different for every style being comfortable with your body not to mention the flexability is gonna help big time. I did traditional karate for 8 years till I started wrestling in high school, now i'm branching into different styles. Currently doing BJJ/Muay Thai 3 days a week and boxing 3 days a week. If you want an awesome breakdown of each style's kicks check this link out


http://www.kyokushinmail.com/koya/KickInstruction.htm

[Papi93]

Doing TKD will vastly help you pick up Muay Thai. While getting power is different for every style being comfortable with your body not to mention the flexability is gonna help big time. I did traditional karate for 8 years till I started wrestling in high school, now i'm branching into different styles. Currently doing BJJ/Muay Thai 3 days a week and boxing 3 days a week. If you want an awesome breakdown of each style's kicks check this link out


http://www.kyokushinmail.com/koya/KickInstruction.htm

Thanks for the kick ass link! If you don't mind me asking, how much do you pay for your muay thai classes?

[ManOnSwole]

I pay $100/month for 3 BJJ classes and 1 Muay Thai per week at my school. Boxing is on the cheap end, $20 for all the boxing I want

[sonar1234]

I know i will have a wake up call when i start Muay Thai cause you hit with the chin, i am so used to hit with the foot, TKD and Karate kicking.

TKD is fast real fast.

Yeah the muay thai school has MMA has well and JKD, you can register to all the classes for 100$ per month has well.THere is also boxing but its only 1 class a week.

MMA has 3 and muay Thai has around 5 if you count the Saturday course.

Fun thing is that MMA and Muay THai class are back to back.

[Papi93]

I pay $100/month for 3 BJJ classes and 1 Muay Thai per week at my school. Boxing is on the cheap end, $20 for all the boxing I want

When that is a really good price. Wisconsin really overcharges for their martial arts. I suppose that isn't as a high a demand for them, maybe. Thanks for the prices!

[gymnutt]

How tall are you and whats your reach? If you have a good reach and a snappy jab and quick push/front kick providing you close off your opponent you will probably do okay if you are in an open space. However, if he's tough he'll eat your jabs and kicks and take your ass down or work your lower body and torso. It sounds like your strength is striking at angles from the outside. But, IMO I think it's prudent to train in close; or any weak point for that matter; hopefully the training will buy you enuf time to regain a better position.

[Papi93]

How tall are you and whats your reach? If you have a good reach and a snappy jab and quick push/front kick providing you close off your opponent you will probably do okay if you are in an open space. However, if he's tough he'll eat your jabs and kicks and take your ass down or work your lower body and torso. It sounds like your strength is striking at angles from the outside. But, IMO I think it's prudent to train in close; or any weak point for that matter; hopefully the training will buy you enuf time to regain a better position.

I'm only six feet tall but I have relatively long legs in comparison to my torso. I have a pretty good reach on jabs as well. There is only one student taller than me in class. He's slow as a turtle so I have no problems with him. I really have no problems sparring at close range because I strength train and no one has been able to take me off my feet yet. I basically sustain no damage when fighting at long range. More injuries seem to occur at short range. Do you think I should spend the majority of my time working on my weakness or strengthening my strength?

[gymnutt]

I'm only six feet tall but I have relatively long legs in comparison to my torso. I have a pretty good reach on jabs as well. There is only one student taller than me in class. He's slow as a turtle so I have no problems with him. I really have no problems sparring at close range because I strength train and no one has been able to take me off my feet yet. I basically sustain no damage when fighting at long range. More injuries seem to occur at short range. Do you think I should spend the majority of my time working on my weakness or strengthening my strength?

IMO it's not about doing both seperately, its about integrating them together. Being your heighth and having fast and accurate striking skills is great, it sounds like you might want to work footwork and changing distance from square to obliques to close to far and piecing together good combos that work for you while closing or retracting. Work in close, but more importantly work getting in and out of this position while staying on the offensive and dominating your opponent. I like to work a small number of specific combos with thai pads or focus mits until I can do them drunk or in my sleep without thinking then I change the angles and distance, than I have a partner try to close/clinch/ take me down while I try the same drills. What kind of injuries are you incurring at short range? I don't know how your instructor is but, I think one of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to train with other schools and other people. Your tall friend is probably holding back your striking abilities. He's used to losing to you, used to your habits and vice versa. Find others to play with..and not just people your heighth, you really have to change your game with a shorter fighter. I'm really gonna go out on a limb saying this, but for the MOST part, in my experience shorter, lighter athletes try harder and have more to prove, thus making your time in the gym a little more interesting. With this said.. I am not a ninja turtle, I lose fights in the gym, and get my azz schooled often, with that said good luck, train hard and train smart.

[ManOnSwole]

heh you guys are lucky, i'm 5ft 6in my reach is absolute shite. For boxing my tactics involving getting inside and throwing body hooks, my legs are very flexible and what I lack in reach on top I try to compensate for with groundwork. How big you are, your reach, etc really doesn't matter that much. You gotta learn to work with the cards you are dealt. I know for a fact trying to spend all day going toe to toe with someone with longer reach is generally bad for us short guys

[ManOnSwole]

my competition weight is 152lbs (boxing) even at that weight class the fighters have at least 2in of height on me most times. Kind of works much better for wrestling, us shorter guys have lower centers of gravity. Two points for us