I am afraid to spar!?

Question

Hey guys, I recently joined martial arts, still working on testing for my first belt. I avoid classes when we spar like the plaque! It's not so much that I am afraid of being hit (we use protective padding and everything), but I just feel like I don't know enough in technique and actually sparring to be effective. Not only that but usually the sparring partners are much higher in rank! Any thoughts would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

How do I tell my sensei that I "don't wanna yet"? Especially if sparring is part of class time?

To the older and wiser of martial arts who have answered, what if there is a higher belt, that i have been selected to spar with who is very aggressive. She does not touch, and move away so that i get the point. She hits and kicks much quicker and with more knowlege and skill than i have. It frustrates me that i have to spar with her. She spars with me as though she were sparring with another of her rank at tournament.

Answer 1

If you only recently began studying the Martial Arts, it is probably too soon for you to spar anyway. When you learn more and feel comfortable with what you have learned, then I would encourage you to spar. Sparring is important, because without it what you learn is useless when it comes to a situation where you need to actually defend yourself. How could you possibly have confidence in the effectiveness of what you know if you never put your knowledge to the test?

You'll know when the time is right.


If you are going to be forced to spar before you feel prepared, maybe you need to look for a different school. I don't know any other way to handle it if the instructor is insisting that you spar.


Maybe you are short changing yourself. Maybe you are better than you give yourself credit for. One thing I can assure you of is that it is always better to spar with someone who has the skills necessary to control what they are doing. There is a better chance that you will not be injured by someone who has experience and knows what they are doing. She is actually taking the greater risk, because there is no way she can know what you are liable to do when you don't even know what you are going to do yourself. I think you need to think about this. Are you being reasonable? Are others of the same skill level as you sparring? If so, then maybe you need to give it a try. You will be a better Martial Artist if you do. Isn't that really what you want? Life's about taking risks. If you don't take any risks, you're not really living. Take a risk!

Answer 2

ok, how "recent" are we talking about, if you are just testing for your first belt it can't be that recent.

If by recent you mean a month, then that isn't an unreasonable fear. As you may not have had the time to learn and apply against a fully resisting opponent.

In which case a more experienced, passive opponent who is "sparring" with you more to train you than themselves is a good benefit.

If you mean a month, you have bigger problems as you school is handing out belts like candy.

If you are talking about 3 mo, 4 mo etc. Maybe its daunting the first time you do, but there are also different levels of sparring and the point of it within your own school is not to win, but to learn and become a better fighter.

Sparring is not a competition, its training. sure, when you go outside your school, there is going to be some level of "one-upmanship" but it depends on the circumstances.

Right now you don't even need to worry about that as you are in your own school and the goal is for you to learn.

The more experienced student should not, and will not try to just pummel you. If they do then talk to your sensei about it and ask if you can be paired with someone who will either teach you to fight properly so you get something out of it, or someone your own level. If you have the option to spar in your school at your level, then others at your level do also.

Answer 3

try chess.

Or, you may be pleased to learn that newcomers most often do spare with much higher ranks, one, because they are new, two, it is safer. An experienced sparring partner should know how to help you advance your technique while avoiding injury.

Often your sensei, or instructor will advise the new person to strike with full force and to try to hit the sparring partner.

If you plan to stick with your art, you will have to spar at some point to progress, tell your instructor your concerns - that is what they are there for.

Hai

Answer 4

Hey, if your instructor is a good one, he will only pair you with people of your same experience, or with advanced belts that will not try to hurt you. You should really have some basic, no contact sparring before you get into contact sparring. I don't allow any of my students contact sparring until they learn no contact sparring drills( one step, two step, and advanced two step ). As far as your techniques, concentrate on the quality of your techniques, not the quantity. Like the old saying, " I do not fear the man who knows 1000 techniques, but the man who practiced one technique 1000 times. Hope this helps.

Answer 5

In a GOOD school, higher belt level people will be very gentle and humble. Also, If the person you spar with is aggressive he will get in trouble and subject to disciplinary action- especailly when spar with lower belts.

I would worry more about sparring with people within the lower three belt levels. They are the ones who think they have more to prove and will try to hurt you a lot more than a higher belt level will.

My sister was badgered by some ****** yellow belt on her first day of class, when all the other belt levels were really nice and gentle with her.

The higher belt levels usually know enough to easily kill, but they are VERY afraid to do it. I guarantee they will be nicer to you than lower level belts. (i meself have been furiously attacked by yellow belts and the like instead of higher blet levels)

Ask the higher belt levels or your teacher who attacks the most ferociously in sparring. I bet 400 bucks they'll say the the lower belt levels are the most vicous. (that's why they put the higher belt levels on them)

Answer 6

you spar with higher ranked opponents to protect you, they have more control of their punches and kicks, so they are less likely to hurt you, they will just touch you and get the point and then get away from you. If you sparred with white belts you would most likely both be wild and uncontrolled and more likely to hurt each other. IT would be more of a street fight then a sparring match.

Sparring is about learning how to block and avoid strikes and also to deliver strikes at high speed to a moving target. Just have fun with it. If you want then request to spar with other female martial artists if you like. Your teachers will not hurt you, if you get hurt then you might want to consider switching to another dojo where the master teacher protects his students.

Good luck, sparring in tournaments and in class was always one of my favorite things to do. It is scary at first, but really it is just a fast moving game of tag. And if you tag them first then you win.

Answer 7

the more you spar the better your technique will get. forms or katas and pre designed combinations with responses are well and good, but sparring gives you a more realistic approach to how people handle an attack. as far as sparring with higher belts, you always will. let them teach you! they're not in it just to whoop your a$$. keep in mind that sparring with a new fighter is harder than an experienced one. plus it's a class or school. have fun, get a great workout and fight grrl!!!

Answer 8

I understand your fears, I don't agree with them but I do understand them. Sparing is nothing. To get good at anything you need to do it. No matter how good your tech. gets unless you spar your sparring will not be any good.

Answer 9

thats how you learn to use your techniques. because you are so new to the sport, whoever is your partner esp. the higher ranks will help you LEARN. good luck

Answer 10

just go along with it,beside,ur paying for it anyway.just take ur time,plan out ur moves,it's kinda like chess,if u'll move here,then what would happen.beside,ur not gonna get hurt.good luck