Your sparring style

[guarded]

I guess I am good at anticipating trouble.  I wouldn't say the punches were technically perfect, but they were thrown with the intent to end the fight immediately. 

[KajuJKDFighter]

Does that mean they weren't looking?  Just kidding, glad you finished and went home early, that's the idea.  That's what I want to hear from a Kaju guy...

[guarded]

They were looking, just not thinking.

[KajuJKDFighter]

I bet they didn't make that mistake again...

[kfarny]

I guess we (I) will find out on Saturday. I am entering the Pacific Jewel Nationals across the river in Portland. I am a 39 year old, 5' 10", 230lb. yellow sash.  My sparring skills are limited. I have found that I am not fast, light on my feet, or mobile like I used to be. What happened to 20 anyway?
I have never competed in anything. Ever. Never played any organized sports.
I figure that just showing up and stepping onto the floor to compete is a win for me. I'm just going to do my best, smile and have a good time. I may not win the whole thing, I may not win a single match. (Heck, I may not score a single point.) but I'm going to give it my best shot.
 I was told by my Sifu, "Don't get tunnel vision, breathe, and if you wait long enough, they will get impatient and make a mistake."

Perhaps style is a bit much to ask. I'll let you know how I do.

Uh, any tips would be most helpful.

[KajuJKDFighter]

Awesome Attitude...I hope you win your division....good luck

[C Drake]

I guess we (I) will find out on Saturday. I am entering the Pacific Jewel Nationals across the river in Portland. I am a 39 year old, 5' 10", 230lb. yellow sash.  My sparring skills are limited. I have found that I am not fast, light on my feet, or mobile like I used to be. What happened to 20 anyway?
I have never competed in anything. Ever. Never played any organized sports.
I figure that just showing up and stepping onto the floor to compete is a win for me. I'm just going to do my best, smile and have a good time. I may not win the whole thing, I may not win a single match. (Heck, I may not score a single point.) but I'm going to give it my best shot.
 I was told by my Sifu, "Don't get tunnel vision, breathe, and if you wait long enough, they will get impatient and make a mistake."

Perhaps style is a bit much to ask. I'll let you know how I do.

Uh, any tips would be most helpful.

The PJ is a good tournament I won the continuous sparring section 5 or 6 years ago.  Just go and have fun, you will see the true person come out in some people at those types of tournaments.  Have fun and don't worry if you loose.  You learn more from loosing than you do from winning.

[supertim2003]

Well there are some advantages to not being 20 anymore, the attitudes of the men you will be sparring with is much better.  They are there to have fun and demonstrate technique, they know they have to go to work on Monday.  You have a great attitude toward competing and that is a good tournament to start off in.  We have a good size team from my school going to it, unfortunately I am saving my knees for testing in June so I will not compete in that one.  Just remember don't worry about how you finish, but what you come away with in experience and knowledge is worth a lot more than any trophy.  Good luck I am sure you will have a great time and meet some awesome people.

[kfarny]

Well, here is the second part of the story.
There were six people in my division and I finished fourth. Lost my first match 6-3.
I scored two more points than I hoped to, and now I want to go back and do it again.
It is amazing how you know exactly what you did wrong as soon as your match is over.

My wife finished fourth out of six in the womens 18+ novice.
Of course we all think she actually got the overtime point, but the judges did not see it that way.
(I actually think that I scored two more points than I was given credit for after reviewing the tape a single frame at a time, but agian, It's not what you think. It's what they think.

I saw some OUTSTANDING people, capable of things that I have only seen in movies. I saw a lot of GREAT sportsmanship.The kids were great to watch. I saw a little boy of no more than five struggle to carry a set of Grand Champion swords that he had just won out of the ring that were bigger than he was.A nice way to impress the nieghbor kids no doubt. And I also saw an example of some of the worst sportsmanship I have ever seen in a confrontation between my wife and her opponents black belt ranked coach. The woman disrespected our sifu out of his earshot but within my wifes. My wife handled herself very well.
If it had been out in the parking lot, it would have been on. (The Krav is very strong in that one.)

All in all, a very good time. I had a lot of fun,(even at $25 a minute). And now am thinking about entering a local tourny in the fall to see if I can get my first win.

.....................My style? Still no answer on that. Planted is a good description. More movement will help.The lack of 35 more pounds will help the movement. (Gotta learn to step and turn.)

[John Bishop]

At this stage and many stages to come, all that matters is you come away having enjoyed yourself, and having learned something
I think when you stop experiencing those two feelings, it's time to walk away from the tournament scene.

[Bryan Reed]

How you spar, now thats a touchy subject I think. Because if I were to get myself into a street brawl. The way you spar with stances, limited strikes, a constant need for control and the game of tag running through your mind. Now I don't think I would win a fight that way. I spar very defensively, drop my hands and bait them in. Then hope I am faster then they are. Now I have never gotten into a fight were I have had to used my knowledge to defend myself. I have been able to talk my way out of the few that have come up. I think I would still be defensive not to agressive but I wouldn't fight like I was sparring. It would be more brutal and what I train like in class. My sparring style is just a dirivitive or a weaking personality of my knowledge. At least I try to keep it that way, because I don't want to get to into point fighting, what good could that do me besides a few trophies. But hey I do love to spar; ain't got nothing against it.

[supertim2003]

Bryan, It sounds like you are the right track with how to handle yourself in a street fight, the objective is to avoid one if at all possible and it sounds like you have been very successful at doing just that.  Of course if you are throwing down in the street with someone we fall back on our self defense, hit him quick, hit him hard, and get ready for any of his buddies.  Point sparring does have its benefits, which I am sure that you will continue to discover as you continue training.