Sparring = Chess Game

There is a strategic science to sparring. From the outside, sparring may look like lots of kicks and punches … but from the inside, however, a sparring match is like a chess game. You cannot win a game of chess by mindlessly moving around the pieces anymore than one could win a sparring match by mindlessly throwing techniques. Strategy is a prerequisite to chess as well as to sparring.

Strategy goes beyond “What kick should I throw now?”. It is readlly “How can I manipulate the situation to give me the advantage over my opponent?” Just to give some examples, if you’re taller you need to keep a far distance from your partner and jam them with push kick and back kick. If you’re shorter, get in close enough that you’re too far in range for your partner to kick. Get in, stay in, and rack up the points. If you heavier, you’ve got a power advantage, so use it wisely. Think “tank” (that’s me :-). If you’re lighter, you’ve got a speed advantage, so use it wisely. Think “butterfly”. And dude, if you’re slower, don’t get fancy — stay simple.

And please, sparring is usually the practice of your skills in live motion. It is not supposed to be used to hurt your opponent. At least not in the Dojang.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Tags: Martial Arts

Category: Lifestyle