The Fear of sparing

**andysutils** · 11-05-2006 12:35 AM

This has been a very weird experience for me.
I have been doing muay Thai boxing and boxing for 12 months now, but recently, I get real bad anxiety and extremely nervous when its time to spar and it makes me even dread going to the gym now.

A few months ago, I was fearless at sparing and use to rush to the gym as much as i could just to fight someone.

This is really doing my head in now and unless I get back to how i was a few month back, this feels like its all coming to an end.

**Tito BHB** · 11-05-2006 12:54 AM

when it comes to sparring i will tell you what i like to tell every one....
the thing to do if you're finding it hard is...
make sure youre thinking about what you're doing ....
and keep it simple...
the main thing about boxing is.. to hit and not get hit...
so take it easy... if you get rushed do not panic... just keep focused have your gaurd up stay calm and stay gaurded move your head so your harder to hit... and throw back, always remembering to bring you hands strait back to gaurd your head....
when your not bieng attacked... and when the pace is normal... make sure you keep it that way... make them fight at your pace... keep it simple.. throw your punches well... commit properly to them.. ( make sure your going to hit the guy, dont just fling your arms)
so always protect yourself... throw nice shots good combo's..when you cant think of what to throw keep the jab going.. mostly throw the jab more then once.. double it tripple it.. until you think of a punch or see and opening for a punch.. keep it simple calm.. and if you dont feel confident... make sure to let a guy know.. they may already suspect to take it easy/easyish? but sometimes you have to just tell them.. sorry buddy can we take it down a tone i need to take it easy build confidence ... or what ever you feel comfortable saying...
if you dont want to say take it down a tone... then make sure to keep it simple guard and throw good jabs and other shots...
hope you can find this of some help

peace

**gyrokai** · 11-06-2006 12:02 AM

Sounds like it's a mental issue. What do you think guys? Take a month off of sparring at least?
And stick to running, shadowboxing, etc, learn knew techniques in the meantime?
(There is always something knew to learn outside of the ring.)
So that he'll be WANTING to get back in the ring by the end of the month?

Unless your embarrased to stop sparring for only a month or you have a trainer/ bastard
that will get mad at you?

**The Promoter** · 11-06-2006 01:47 AM

Originally Posted by Gyrokai

Sounds like it's a mental issue. What do you think guys? Take a month off of sparring at least?
And stick to running, shadowboxing, etc, learn knew techniques in the meantime?
(There is always something knew to learn outside of the ring.)
So that he'll be WANTING to get back in the ring by the end of the month?

Unless your embarrased to stop sparring for only a month or you have a trainer/ B******
that will get mad at you?

It's definitely in his head...I say he need sto force himself back in the ring ASAP (falling off the horse thing) because the longer he waits the anxiety will grow...as soon as he mixes it up for a couple of rounds instincts will return and he'll feel comfortable again...I've seen this happen when fighters start worrying about what people think and who's looking at them with "expectations", screw it...Do your thing for yourself, get in the ring mix it up and have fun with no expectations...

**fightinfireman** · 11-06-2006 05:26 PM

aright, my two cents...

find that one dude in there you really respect and are friends with and tell him "Im having some trouble, I need to build up some confidence, can I trust you to spar with and not knock my dome off?"

nobody is going to diss you for asking for help to get better. if they do, then F them because you have a better attitude and probably work harder than they do anyway. people WILL diss you if you give up and wash out.

the error here lies not in asking for help, the error lies in giving up. really, think about it, those are your options here. ask for help, work hard and get better or give it up. that's an easy decision, my brother!

**AdamGB** · 11-06-2006 05:51 PM

CC fireman.

Most new boxers give up because see the more experienced kids in the gym and get jealous or what ever... they want to be like that but they don't realise that everyone has to start (close to...

) square one and that they are at the start of a very long learning process... during which you won't look like Ali and won't be the best in the gym.

**Von Milash** · 11-06-2006 06:33 PM

all good advice.

IMO, and like someone else said, just don't spar. You can go to the gym, work mitts, work the bag, but take some time away from sparring. Then when you're ready to come back, go slow. Spar with guys who are only interested in sparring lightly. You don't have to kill each other to learn form each other.

X · 11-06-2006 06:38 PM

Originally Posted by The Promoter

...I say he need sto force himself back in the ring ASAP (falling off the horse thing)

I said that to Christopher Reeve, but he didn't think it was super advice.

**diamonddavestafford** · 11-06-2006 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by andysutils

This has been a very weird experience for me.
I have been doing muay Thai boxing and boxing for 12 months now, but recently, I get real bad anxiety and extremely nervous when its time to spar and it makes me even dread going to the gym now.

A few months ago, I was fearless at sparing and use to rush to the gym as much as i could just to fight someone.

This is really doing my head in now and unless I get back to how i was a few month back, this feels like its all coming to an end.

Did this happen because someone got a little too rough and hit you too hard? Make sure you are sparring with coaches present to supervise and that you arent giving up too much weight...i would spar against heavyweights and got my bell rung more than a few times before i realized that it wasnt the brightest idea...(im a welterweight). Some things I would recommend; get in the 'zone' before goin in to the gym...listen to your favorite music and visualize your defensive and offensive moves beforehand...relax and breathe deeply while u are doing this. Also remember why you do it. You do it for fun. A lot of times i would be feeling tired or just outboxed in the ring and would find myself becoming frustrated, what i would do is step back and force myself to smile even if i didnt feel like it. doing that helped me sort of realize that this was for fun, i should be enjoying myself; it gave me energy back. Like some of the other guys said, maybe a break is in order. I find that after a break from training and/or sparring, I train much more enthusiastically and harder when i come back. Good luck and remember, dont stress on it. Putting your body through the wire week after week and exchanging punches with other skilled fighters week after week takes its toll mentally and physically on a person. It takes much dedication and focus to deal with that kind of training all the time. Sometimes even the greatest fighters need a break and a rest...

**andysutils** · 11-07-2006 01:17 PM

thanks guys, this sounds like some really good info.

I did brilliant last night in the ring, I was really focused and thinking straight, I got the anxiety again at the start but after the first few minutes, I forgot about all the fear and anxiety.

Your right promoter, I think forcing myself back into the ring is the best thing to do, I went through a season of nothing but sparing a few months back and i think thats why i didn't have this issue then, also a lot of good friends who were always my sparing partners then never turn up anymore.

I smashed my knee in a few months ago, even had to go to hospital with it and still came back fully confident after.

I have no intensions of giving up at any time, Ive come way to far for that and I would regret it badly if i did.

**The Promoter** · 11-10-2006 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by andysutils

thanks guys, this sounds like some really good info.

I did brilliant last night in the ring, I was really focused and thinking straight, I got the anxiety again at the start but after the first few minutes, I forgot about all the fear and anxiety.

Your right promoter, I think forcing myself back into the ring is the best thing to do, I went through a season of nothing but sparing a few months back and i think thats why i didn't have this issue then, also a lot of good friends who were always my sparing partners then never turn up anymore.

I smashed my knee in a few months ago, even had to go to hospital with it and still came back fully confident after.

I have no intensions of giving up at any time, Ive come way to far for that and I would regret it badly if i did.

Great to hear! I am glad I could help in any way. Whenever you question yourself here are a few thoughts from a guy far wiser than me;

"If a man does his best, what else is there?"

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory."

"You're never beaten until you admit it."

"All men are timid on entering any fight. Whether it is the first or the last fight, all of us are timid. Cowards are those who let their timidity get the better of their manhood."

"May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't."

- General George Patton Jr.