First time sparring?

[Switch]

Just wondering how long everyone trained (doing mits, footwork, drills, etc) before they started sparring.

I've been going to the gym for about a month, 4-5 days a week, and ended up sparring the end of last week.

{heres what happened}
I ended up sparring someone close to my weight, (I'm 5'6" 120lbs (southpaw)... they were 5'4" 115lbs (orthodox)), but their conditioning was crazy. I had a reach and power advantage (the power advantage, which I dont think I could really use sparring), but they were way more experienced (9months and 1 amateur fight)... they were throwing non-stop punches the entire time and [me] having no experience, I ended up just covering up everytime they would come in for a flurry, rather then trying to evade and counter or do anything else defense or offense wise. I didnt even see 90% of the punches from covering up so much. I think I ended up eating about 60+ punches the first (4min) round while maybe throwing 6 the entire time.

The second round was pretty much the same thing, except I did land a pretty solid right hook to the body and a right hook to the head (southpaw) when they had my backed into the ropes. Other then that, I didnt really land anything except a few 1-2s I just threw out during the middle of one of their flurries to try and back them off.

Third round I ended up getting the wind knocked out of me with a body shot and then dropped to 1 knee after taking some more head shots while trying to block the body shots, at which point the trainers stepped in and ended it.

So... I'm definately addicted to sparring, even though it didn't go very well... wondering if I should wait off on doing more sparring and work on defense, or continue sparring if there is the oppurtunity.

Also, what do you do against someone who throws tons of punches constantly? I definately dont want to throw hooks at 100% power to back them off, since I train with them, and they werent throwing 100% (which is probably what I would do in a fight when they came in close)... whats the best way to deal that type of fighter?

[CaNcer]

i hate fighters who throw loads of punches..cause so many problems cus they dont really give u a chance to box

best thing to do is go for the body and make them miss as much as u can. u use up more energy wen u hit thin air so try and use ur feet more to stay outa the way. also look to jab the centre of their body, if u can get in a rite hand then even better..jus need to do something to slow them down to ur level

and ye sparrings really addictive, only time i dont like it is wen my nose gets hurt or bleeds, then it can be panful, otherwise its wikid.

n well dun for at least landing a couple of shots, better than nuthin

[Sharla]

The Q of how long people should train at boxing technique before being allowed to spar came up in a coaching course I did on the weekend.

One trainer only waited 3 months but most believed a longer period of time - up to a year was better.

The trainer who put his guys in after only 3 months had safety issues sparring and had actually broken one of his student's elbows throwing body shots because his student had not developed any control yet and he had to go hard to keep him at bay. The coach was only throwing body shots thinking he wouldn't do him any damage but he did.

The coaches who train their students longer in technique before sparring came from clubs who were generally more successful in competition.

I think that there are a lot of partnerwork drills you can do like moving around with jabs and single punch counters etc (at random times rather than in a set rhythm) which would be closer to sparring but not so overwhelming you can't get good technique in.

Still this seems a bit controversial and maybe if you and your partner are not taking each other's heads off in sparring its OK. What's you coach say?

[Switch]

The person I was sparring was only throwing at about 30-40% power they said; and nothing was really injured except my ego tbh. They were the person that showed me the gym btw.

When I went in today though, my trainer said that he thinks I have the tools, it's just learning to use them that I need to work on (that might just be a confidence booster though). I don't think he would have had me spar if he thought I was going to get seriously injured. Also, there are some fighters at the gym who have been going for 6-7 months and still haven't sparred yet. So I think its either, they had me spar, because they thought I could somewhat handle it and would get something out of it; or they just wanted to give the other person experience fighting a lefty (I'm only one at the club) before their next fight, or just to see if I have the dedication to stick around?

Thanks for the advice on moving around, worked on that tonight, moving in, throwing, then moving out (on mits and heavy bag). I think lack of mobility was the main issue.

Hoping to spar again this thursday.

I watched the person I sparred last time, spar today against a light-heavy. They would move into range using a 1-2 and alot of headmovement. Then they would flurry. I was thinking if I let them throw the 1-2 and move in really close, while I slipped the right straight, it would put me in the perfect position to start throwing body shots... throw out some punches, then back away unless they move back first. They dont seem to have a really good defense against close range hooks and uppercuts, especially when they are throwing like 50 punches a minute... not sure if that will work, but going to try it.

I think really close, or really far is my best bet, with alot of movement also. If I can keep them from just overwhelming me with punches, hopefully I will be able to land more.

[CaNcer]

i sparred sum1 2nite that just kept throwin punches..in the end i turned it into a fite rather than a jus a spar

motivated me to work harder so i can kick his ass next time..so annoyin lol.

but ye mobility is very important, if u cant move ur like a sitting duck, so get those feet moving gud