1st sparring session

Hey all

Today I had my first sparring session and boy do I suck.
(I'm posting from my mobile, and searching the forum sucks when I'm on my mobile. Will hopefully get to a pc on the weekend

I know its my first time and I can only improve. So any advice wrt to 'sparring for beginners' would be greatly appreciated.

For those who haven't sparred yet, it's totally different than hit the heavy bag, first the opponent is always moving and second you have to do defense. I was not able to land any combination. After I landed the jab the opponent was not in the same place if anything I got wacked straight back. It was very weird I was not in my comfort zone but pressed on, the only time I feel in control was when I was jabbing like a maniac, but when I stopped jabbing I was in shit street. When he attacked I clammed up and didn't worry about my body. Just gloves up and elbows in the air. Anyway that shuld be enuff for now looking forward to your replies tx ST1

Hey man, it's all good. Fighting/Sparring is not a natural act by any means. Adrenaline levels are up, heart is racing...If you can get yourself to relax the tense muscles and BREATHE.

For me my biggest issues are relaxing my shoulders and arms, but when you see punches coming it's only natural to cover with flexed muscles. The more you get in the ring and spar, the more comfortable you will be come. It's when you start reacting out of instinct, rather than having to think about what you are doing, that you know you are getting comfortable and becoming a boxer.

Work that jab, keep the head moving, footwork, breathe, try to relax and have fun. Combos won't always land. Pump the jab, put a right hand behind it, evade, step to the side, pivot, circle left, circle right, jab, jab, move out. Never be stationary.

I still get nervous every time I spar, most of the guys I ask say they do too. Just try to go with it and use that energy to find your fighting style. Eventually things will start to flow. Also, keep those elbows protecting the ribs and liver when your guard is up. Shoulder endurance from the speed bag helps.

Watch other guys that spar and see how they move in the ring. What their offense strategy is like, what their weaknesses are. Watch pro boxing and mimic a fighter similar to your build.

Good luck, and stay with it!

I bet that the next time you hit the heavy bag your approach to it will be a whole bunch different than it has been. You need to learn to involve your brain in the activity- not about how to throw a particular punch, or how to avoid getting hit. Those are the things that you need to be able to do without thinking.
What you need to think about is how to hit somebody that doesn't want to get it and is, simultaneously, trying to hit you. You have, it sounds like, a new appreciation for the importance of range and distance. That's a pretty good place to start.

1) relax... easier said than done but it comes with time. things will work better and you'll tire slower when you do

2) accept that you will 'suck' ;) you're new at this and you won't get better sparring somebody who is not a level above you

3) if you do get hit... it's because you put yourself in a position to be hit... this is a GOOD thing... you need to be willing to try things so that you can learn what you can and can't do in the ring.

4) focus on defence... I don't mean back pedalling with a guard up... going back to what I said in 3) if you don't put yourself in a realistic position you won't learn... but try and use as many slips, parrys and rolls as you can... again you will likely mess them up... but everytime you do mess it up you are a step closer to figuring out the: angle, timing, range and suitability for everything you want to do

Stick with it, enjoy it and try things! You're there to learn, not look great! Enjoy! :)

oh and another thing... the more you spar the more automatic everything will become... in a snese it becomes sub consious.

I don't think 'here comes a pucnh... I better slip it... right um keep my hands here, bent this... twist this etc etc"

I just think slip, counter, move off this way or that way or follow up.

The same way when I need to walk to the shops I don't think "right leg, left leg, right leg left leg"

I think "I want to go to the shops" and then I just walk to the shops!

Any skill that relys on the reflex is the same... your physical brain is faster than you concious brain. Eventually the blink, the flinching, the swatting at punches etc reactions that you instinctivly make turn into parrys etc

Not only does this improve your boxing... but when you learn when you can relax and when you are in or out of range... your body doesn't burn up so much energy keeping all of your muscles tense and ready to react... you subconciously know when and what to relax so you burn less energy.

A lot of people will tell you how boxing is more mental than physical etc... and on a simple level I agree... but I would argue that your mind and body are not two different things!

YOur concious mind is only there to filter things through to the rest of it... but it's not always a great talker... so stick at it and the messages will sink in and your body will do the thinking!

The best advice I ever got was "Try not to get hit with the same punch twice"....the guys that are regulars in sparring know when you land something clean and effectively you want to go back to it.....also everyone has a rhythm and eventually if you spar with 1 person long enough you can time them. I'm no defensive master but one time I was sparring and my sparring partner swung and missed 7 times in a row....sad thing is I was really tired and didn't want to move my legs so it was 100% upperbody/head movement I started to laugh when he threw punch #4 and missed I was just in the zone as far as timing goes I guess. Imagine it, I'm 6'1 240+ and I felt like damn Sweet Pea Whittaker in there! He said it was like trying to hit the dude from The Matrix.


You'll get beat up a number of times, but pick something to focus on and work on it whether it's defense, countering, head movement, stamina, combinations...just try and improve every time you go out there

Don't take it so serious, look at it as a learning experience. Try new things and dont get down on yourself if thing dont go as planned. I remember the first time I took a body shot to the breadbasket(diaphram), I couldnt get up from one knee. Heh I was soo worried about protecting the head...just try and learn from your mistakes. Thats the best thing you can do. What i learned from that? Keep a balanced guard and tighten your abs when you see shots coming.;D

2nd Sparring session

After 2 weeks of being off from the FLU. i had my 2nd sparing session. i was actually excited.

1st i looked alot more like a boxer. 2nd i was a little more confident, as i tried to sneak in some jabs and maybe one or 2 right hands. 3rdly its very tiring NOT getting your arse kicked.

4th i need to figure out how to punch my way out of a situation. at the moment its feels like a hail of bullets raining down on my and all i can do is run away. Im taller than the guys i spar with and they keep telling me to use my length but as soon as i throw a jab im getting socked in the face.

Thanks for the previous info. it really calmed me and gave me confidence to try again.

So whats next ;)

Don't jab down at shorter guys- jabbing down gets you punched with right hands. When you do get in close, get more sideways and turn your left shoulder into your opponent, pull real close into his chest. That takes his right hand and both uppercuts out of it, which cuts into the hail of punches considerably. Work on your own uppercuts- learn to throw them short and hard without dropping your hands to do so.

Think this was my 5th Sparing season. Things was allot more hardcore.

Keep your hands up. When throwing punches don't drop the other hand.
my advice is Know your range!
When you throw your first jab and you miss that is the signal to throw your second jab.
(I used used to through a double jab when my first jab landed.)
Keep your hands up. When throwing punches don't drop the other hand. When You Think your keeping your hands up and your not dropping your hands YOU PROBABLY ARE.
When You getting Beat down on don't look away cos then they get the signal to keep firing.
Be Loose Bob and Weave, Use you height. (if you don't know what that is look it up)
keep head down, don't take eye off the opponent when throwing punch protect your chip with your arms.(if that makes sense)

I really got beat down tonight. but towards the end. i started throwing FAST Jabs and the golden gloves old timer couldnt move out the way fast enough. they felt kind of good after getting my arse kicked by a old timer....( as im sitting here i got a blood nose and a busted lip) He punished me for dropping my hands after that my right was glued to my chin

BTW
Keep your hands up. When throwing punches dont drop the other hand. When You Think your keeping your hands up and your not dropping your hands YOU PROBABLY ARE.

Any Other advice guys?

tx

* change the direction of your movement frequently and throw a lot of jabs.. easy way to stifle an aggressive sparring partner.

* if you think you are throwing too many jabs, throw twice as many.

* leaning too far in any direction will make it hard to move your feet. Stay balanced even when under pressure.