Quote Originally Posted by Gocougars3 View Post
...His reach is about 72".
...our coach is 6'2" and has a bit of trouble seeing patterns
...but we have a new coach that is ... anxious to work with Jake

...rebuilding the jab, the feints and slips, particularly getting away from the linear fighting.

The sparring drill with light sparring without moving in, working feints and parries, jabs, lateral movement is a great suggestion. The problem with a pressure fighter sparring is he brings out the competitive fire in more experienced fighters, nobody likes getting pressured and pounded to the body, they start throwing with bad intention and you usually end up with a lot of intensity and sticking to your bread and butter rather than trying things you are working on. That being said, if you can trade when the heat is on, that's a problem lots of fighters would like to have.
Reach is fine - at least it isn't a DEFICIT (normal to a good for his height) so he isn't trying to overcome an extra limitation.

Sounds like the coaching situation will be improving (taking advantage of the strengths of both coaches is good if that is possible.)

It is really ESSENTIAL that Jake get some GOOD light sparring (or shadow sparring) partners -- going light enough that NO ONE is getting ego driven and no one is getting "hit" much (no more than just keeping each other honest at most). This isn't really even "sparring" as such, but practice with a LITTLE bit of contact fo realism and to avoid training unrealistic stuff.

The idea is that he will force himself to GIVE UP what works for him a bit to improve in areas where he is not as strong.

One 'rule' coach gave me that worked wonders: I was NOT allowed to move forward -- for a pressure fighter like me it felt so weird at first. Also, I was only allowing myself to take ONE (at most 2) steps to the red and to HOLD the center of the ring WITHOUT the ability to move forward.

Of course this meant that I was of necessity moving laterally and diagonally all of the time and improving every time I did this.

It is very important for Jake to understand a couple of key points about training:

Train your weaknesses and fight your strengths.

Pretty obvious to so many fighters (or other sport participants) only keep doing what they are already good at doing. It's more fun. It 'feels' better.

And when I say "Fight" here, I mostly mean in ACTUAL competition. Even heavier sparring should always have elements of this idea, except perhaps as fight time gets near and your trying to integrate the new skills with the already successful skills.

Remember that sparring SHOULD be LEARNING (not fighting) and a time for BUILDING new skills.
Most of the drills we are "good" at doing are NOT the ones we need, and most of the drills we don't enjoy are the ones we really need to do even more.

Perfecting Practice makes perfect....

Read the books, The Talent Code and/or Bounce:... -- have Jake read them as well if he wants to be great. These books will really explain the KIND of DEEP PRACTICE that will BUILD TALENT.

We now know that talent is not born, but rather is CREATED by proper training and practice.

This is true of Mike Tyson and Michael Jordan; its true of Tiger Woods and Mozart. It was true of the great chess players and most everybody else who was ever considered to be 'exceptionally talented', a 'gift genius', or a 'child prodigy' in any sport or activity.

Do NOT praise an athlete or other performer (or even a child) for being gifted, talented, or smart -- instead give praise that relates their skills and successes to the WORK they are putting into the activity and the efforts they make to expand their capabilities.

This one simple change may be the MOST IMPORTANT coaching or parenting tip for making a small -- even trivial -- change and getting amazing results and return for the effort.

'Sales Pitch': If you were offered explicit methods that allow you to build talent and create master level performance in anyone willing to practice, would you be interested in learning to do that?
"The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How"
by Daniel Coyle, (Probably the best book to read first)
Amazon.com: The Talent Code: Greatness Isn't Born. It's Grown. Here's How. (9780553806847): Daniel Coyle: Books

"Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success"
by Matthew Syed, (...BUT this one is a good read too, and they both have things the other book lacks -- and Syed himself is a product of such training)
Amazon.com: Bounce: Mozart, Federer, Picasso, Beckham, and the Science of Success (9780061723759): Matthew Syed: Books

"Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else"
by Geoffrey Colvin (The FIRST popularization that publicized this scientific research about 2007 -- and it has good stuff too)
Amazon.com: Talent Is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else: Geoff Colvin: Books

"The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong"
by David Schenk (More focused on things like intelligence but it's the MOST RECENT book although with the least "how to" material)
Amazon.com: The Genius in All of Us: Why Everything You've Been Told About Genetics, Talent, and IQ Is Wrong (9780385523653): David Shenk: Books

"Mindset: The New Psychology of Success" by Carol Dweck (more focused on the proper attitude and coaching methods to achieve those attitudes -- very important stuff)

Also: "The Art of Learning" by Josh Waitzkin. Amazon.com: The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance (9780743277464): Josh Waitzkin: Books