| Chances are your instructor will not let you spar | | | | belt, can ever attain perfection, many students |
| until you've attained a certain level of physical | | | | become intent on coming as close to perfection |
| fitness and have mastered some basic techniques. | | | | as possible. But basic moves and forms are not |
| That means being able to withstand a hit should | | | | just for show; they serve a practical purpose. As |
| you be unfortunate enough to take one. It also | | | | you learn basic blocks and strikes, think about |
| means you understand not only how to perform | | | | how they might be applied to an opponent and |
| basic punches, kicks, and strikes, but why they | | | | why they are thrown the way they are. If you're |
| are performed the way they are. Once you've | | | | not sure, ask the instructor. |
| progressed that far, you will be slowly introduced | | | | Indeed, use your role as new student to begin |
| to sparring. | | | | preparing yourself for sparring. All too often, new |
| One of the best ways for new students to start | | | | students don't give sparring a second thought, |
| learning about sparring is by observing it in action. | | | | then are terrified when they realize their |
| Take every opportunity to carefully watch your | | | | instructors want them to start participating in |
| classmates spar. It's too easy and common for | | | | class sparring. By observing students sparring |
| new students to let their minds wander during a | | | | now, you will be that much less intimidated when |
| sparring session because they don't understand | | | | it comes your turn to stand facing an opponent in |
| what's happening. Indeed, to a novice, sparring can | | | | the center of the training floor. |
| look fairly unstructured and disorderly. | | | | Certainly, you'll have time to observe lots of |
| Start by comparing sparring to other sports. | | | | sparring matches since it will probably be a while |
| Sparring is probably most similar to boxing in that | | | | before you're expected to spar. New students will |
| the fist is used to strike an opponent. Because of | | | | focus solely on rolls, grabs, throws, blocks, |
| the similarity, you will probably routinely observe | | | | punches, strikes, and kicks. During this part of |
| some beginning male martial artists boxing with | | | | your training, what will quickly become apparent is |
| their opponents rather than sparring-something | | | | that basic moves are anything but basic. For |
| the instructor should be quick to correct. In this | | | | example, learning to throw a punch is not as |
| instance, a student will come into his opponent | | | | simple as clenching your fist and throwing it out in |
| with his arms held close to himself, hands | | | | front of you. You have to understand how to |
| protecting his face, then he'll lash out with a series | | | | make a fist, what part of the fist strikes the |
| of short jabs to the opponent's face or gut. | | | | target, how both arms come into play, and what |
| Unlike boxing, sparring involves more numerous | | | | role the hips play. |
| and complex techniques. The emphasis here is on | | | | Later, students are taught to combine basic |
| executing clean, effective techniques. Only | | | | moves. Again, it's not as simple as it appears, so |
| techniques that are thrown correctly count; a | | | | keep this in mind when frustration sets in. |
| sloppy technique, even if it successfully strikes | | | | Consider this: If you have ten instructions to think |
| your opponent, would not count. In most cases, | | | | about when throwing a punch, you now have |
| you won't actually be hitting your opponent. Light- | | | | perhaps as many as twenty going on at once as |
| or no-contact sparring is the norm in most | | | | you learn to execute a punch followed by a block. |
| classes; full-contact sparring is usually limited to | | | | After successfully coordinating two basic moves, |
| certain tournaments. | | | | you'll learn to perform three, then four, and so on |
| To understand sparring, you need to understand | | | | until combining as many as ten moves becomes |
| the concept of offensive and defensive. When a | | | | second nature. |
| student goes on the offensive, she is playing the | | | | Eventually, students are teamed up with |
| role of attacker or aggressor. Perhaps part of the | | | | high-ranking partners who help them learn |
| reason so many women are turned off by | | | | throwing, choking, and holding techniques designed |
| sparring is because the word "offensive" is | | | | to immobilize an opponent, as well as advanced |
| synonymous with displeasing, rude behavior-a trait | | | | escape techniques. As new students become |
| most women were taught from an early age not | | | | more accustomed to working with partners on |
| to display. A defensive person, on the other hand, | | | | these self-defense drills, the students develop |
| resists aggression. Here, the student would be | | | | distance, timing, speed, power, and eye-hand |
| likely to execute blocks against her opponent's | | | | coordination. At each level, from learning the |
| kicks and strikes. Most women I've observed | | | | basics to working on self-defense moves with a |
| sparring behave defensively during a match. But | | | | partner, you should be comparing what you've |
| as we'll see, this strategy can at times be | | | | learned to the students you observe sparring. |
| extremely effective. | | | | When students are comfortable and fairly adept |
| If accepting that offensive behavior is a | | | | at these training techniques, they are ready to |
| necessary part of martial arts fighting is difficult | | | | begin sparring on a limited basis. If they are |
| for some women, learning to forfeit control is | | | | studying karate, tae kwon do, or kung fu, it will |
| even tougher. Between the time a student begins | | | | be referred to as sparring. If they are studying |
| training and the time she starts to spar, she has | | | | aikido or judo, it will be referred to as randori. |
| basically been in control. Forms and basic-moves | | | | Though they go by different names, the premise |
| drills certainly give students a great deal of | | | | is basically the same-to put all the moves learned |
| control. In most instances, students performing | | | | into practical application in order to conquer an |
| forms and drills are working by themselves, and | | | | opponent. |
| any mistakes they make will not cause them to | | | | You'll often hear aikido referred to as a |
| incur a hit from another student. Even | | | | non-combative martial art because it emphasizes |
| self-defense drills enable students to retain control. | | | | throws and joint techniques over striking and |
| Though performed with a partner, self-defense | | | | kicking. Here, students learn to move with a push, |
| drills are usually well-choreographed, with the | | | | and if pulled, move with that motion, in effect |
| instructor talking students through every step; | | | | blending with an opponent's movement and |
| hence, these drills also allow students to maintain | | | | direction of power. However, aikido incorporates |
| a high degree of control. On the other hand, | | | | randori training just as judo does in which one |
| sparring introduces into training risk and the | | | | student is attacked or set upon by one or more |
| unexpected. | | | | students. |
| Sparring is also a strong reminder to students | | | | Still, aikido is one of the least aggressive martial |
| that they are studying a fighting art. It's important | | | | arts. At the opposite end of the spectrum are |
| for beginning students to occasionally remind | | | | styles such as Shukokai karate, where students |
| themselves of this. Though obvious, this fact | | | | are taught to move straight into an opponent |
| often gets lost on new students who become | | | | while throwing a series of rapid-fire punches, |
| all-consumed with perfecting basic moves and | | | | strikes, and kicks. These students waste no time |
| practicing them in forms. Since the martial arts | | | | in getting to their opponents, and for this reason |
| teaches that no student, even an advanced black | | | | often excel at point sparring. |