CC Grey I'm with you on the emotion thing - for me as an individual until I know where to channel it and what to do with it I don't feel it helps.

I haven't really worked out whether or not it works for me to be hit first or to hit first myself. If they hit me first then sometimes it will register and I'll know what to avoid and other times landing a punch on them has given me an idea of exactly what my range has to be and I can go from there. I haven't been taught to clinch a lot and since I'm an amateur I won't be allowed to much.

I also get what you're saying with needing to test how strong they are and what type of fight they favour. I make too many assumptions based on weight sometimes. I think I'll go with what hitmandonny said and muck around with a few different ways of starting at interclub sparring this weekend. I'm glad you replied because it's given me the notion of just how much the best way to start could vary from individual to individual.