Sparring and competing

[Shelly]

hey folks.

Don't know if you read this thread but the kids are putting us to shame! They jump into every competition and give it a go. I think its time the adults stepped up and represent as well as the kids

The next competition is on Sat April 16th so lots of time to train. People don't spar for lots of reasons, they don't like it, they think they're not fit enough, they're worried there will hard hits. But unless you don't like it, you should be sparring!

It's the best way to remember a combo, your syllabus techniques make so much more sense when you are using them in a fight. You will get fitter the more you spar, you will get better the more you spar!

This is not what sparring at MAI is like

This is what sparring at MAI looks like

Doesn't matter your age, your gender, your belt, not even your hairstyle All you need is a willingness to jump in and give it a go.

We, as in myself and my partner in crime Laura want to get the biggest number of MAI members down to the next BOTB(Best of the Best). Both myself and Laura have competed at it before and its a great competition to try out your sparring skills. When you're just starting out sparring and competing can be daunting but Martin on a Thursday(8pm) and Gary on a Sunday(11am), I can only speak for D7, will get you sorted! You'll learn loads, you'll get fit AND most importantly you'll have fun.

All the sparring gear can be bought at the shop from the helpful Eddie except for bandannas, which as a Leo I find essential for keeping the hair from being wrecked by your headgear

So why are we doing this? Because we love training and we love to see more people sparring and we believe sometimes people need a gentle push

Think of us as Statler and Waldorf, two muppets who want to see you fighting and winning medals for the club. We are here for you guys to answer any or all of your questions if you have any or to keep nagging at you to get down and train.

What are you waiting for! Get your gear and get down!

We're going to try and post every couple of weeks to poke you into getting down and also to countdown to the competition as well as filling you on what went on in the sparring classes that we attend. In the meantime happy training!

Shelly and Laura(aka The muppets)

Keep up to date on all the goings on down at MAI by liking the page or joining the group

[MadsJ]

I'm still new to this thing, but I would love to compete, even though I'm a beginner. I firmly believe you learn a lot faster when you start using all the stuff you have learned, in a competition

[Deleted]

Well Shelly, great write up! I would love to hear everyone else's opinion on the sparring and what's the verdict. I'm CALLING OUT the students to give us their take on their experience of it. Their feedback and how they got used to it. Be interesting to read everyone's opinion on it. Let us know!

[sarahdg]

This'll shock many of us I know but Shelly and Laura are totally right. Sparring is fun. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m terrible at it: I’m usually too exhausted to attack first (please, just hit me and get it over with, it’ll be easier on both of us), I don’t put together combos (if I manage to get a kick out I pretty much retire to the sidelines in astonishment), I panic if the punches come too quickly (and these aren’t really punches, let’s remember, they’re light, friendly taps on my headgear), I turn my back (so stupid), and, finally, I curl into a sweaty little ball and give up. Usually while humming ‘Amazing Grace.’



I still feel pretty new to sparring, even though I’ve been training a while, and my only regret so far is that I didn’t start sooner.

So here’s what I was worried about:



1. I’m not fit enough.
This is a terrible reason not to start. As always in the brill MAI, you can go at your own pace and only start pushing yourself when you feel more comfortable. You’ll get out of breath, you’ll sweat, but it’s definitely not worse than you know those Tuesday classes when Eddie’s over-caffeinated. You can sit out rounds and take rests. And it’s the single best way to get fit, if you aren’t fit. Isn’t there a phrase – fighting fit? People probably use that for a reason.



2. I’m worried I’ll get pummeled.
You just won’t. As ever, you set the tone. You’re geared up with protective stuff, and if you’re not hitting hard, you won’t get hit hard. If ever in doubt, you can literally stop, tell your sparring partner they’re going too hard, and then get back to it, and focus more on technique, blocks, speed, getting proper use out of the new adult diaper you’re trying out – whichever. It’s as unlikely in sparring that you’ll be hit too hard as it is in the everyday beginner’s class.



3. I’ll hit someone too hard.
This actually is never a worry of mine, but for those machines out there, it’s easy enough to gauge how strong you’re being hit and try to give back about the same, but make sure to account for differences in size and weight. Essentially, you know, be sensible, just the way you are in regular class.



Even though I’m bad at it – I mean, really, just awful – it’s becoming one of my favourite parts of the MAI schedule. Just as the syllabus informs your technique, sparring informs application of the technique.

I come home on Thursday nights even stinkier than usual, but I feel great because I feel like I’ve really learnt something, and practiced something I thought I knew but actually didn’t.

If you like kickboxing at all, you’ll probably like sparring.

You should definitely give it a go.

[dkidd]

I am a bit old school but even though I thoroughly understand and encourage kickboxing and martial arts as a lifestyle and fitness option, for me
it was always about the sparring and in my day the competition was what focused me. Eddie asked me to write about my first sparring experience and the truth is I pretty much forget. I do remember my first competition. It was in an IKKU Kempo tournament in the Oblate Father's Hall in Inchicore as a yellow belt and I got battered lol oh and it was in 1974...feeling old now hehe. Anyway I do accept sparring can be daunting but as Shelly and Sarah so eloquently pointed out Martin and Gary run a good show and they will be delighted to get you started and guide you along. Well done to all attending and enjoy.

[R. Devane]

Great thread. The more the merrier for Sparring plus it does actually get a hell of a lot more enjoyable as you progress. It's the very best for fitness and confidence and autopiloting technique

[seetee]

I can only agree with the points above, in particular:

1. As ever at MAI you will absolutely not be pressured. Encouraged, yes of course, but there's a big difference and all the MAI instructors know it.

2. It's a completely different level of work out. As S G-D says above, it's a whole new way of going home stinky.

I've done a couple of the club competitions and they are very well organised and less intimidating than you might think. At the very least you can go home and brag about being a competative fighter!

[Shelly]

Great sparring class last night in D7 and fab to see so many new faces who continue to pummel me Thanks to Martin for working us through our combos and getting a good few rounds in on a very warm evening.
Countdown is on for the competition, Best of the Best which is Saturday fortnight(April 16th) for those of you preparing for it.

Here's a map to where its located:

Roundstone Sports Club

Public transport, your best bet is the Luas.

Registration takes place on the day and before 10. There will be continuous and points sections if you want to enter one or both. From what I remember adults one section is 20 euros and 10 euros for every other section you want to enter. It can be a long day so bring some lunch/snack.

Luas Timetable

Any questions, pop them up here. Myself and a few others will be heading down to hopefully take part and take lots and lots of pics so have your best action face on

[Shelly]

Best of the best on Saturday was an experience and roller-coaster of emotions. Myself and Laura and our trusty band of supporters, Rachel and Joan all baled into the car and hit the road for Roundstone. With this lady on our playlist we were getting into the 'Zone'.

Registered for both continuous and points and then went to see what kids from the club where doing.

Ismail and Usman were getting ready to fight. Usually with these things there is a LOT of standing around but within around 20 mins of getting out there, our section for points was called. Cue nerves and a quick eyeing up of our opponents. All I saw were brown belts so I panicked a bit. But they all seemed nice and didn't look like they wanted to kill anyone which I always feel is a good start. The ref who later was our coach Fidelma checked us all for our protective wear, gum-shield, chest guard etc. One of the ladies didn't have a chest guard. Fidelma was appalled and told her either she could lend her one or she could buy one but that they were essential for all women competing. The lady was none too happy, I said to her that we really should wear their more for our own protection than anything else. She said she knew about cysts and stuff but that she'd been training for 20 years without and she was fine. I was fighting second after Laura who had a close battle with Miss Anti-chest-guard. Turns out Fidelma wasn't reffing so she got in our corner to help Laura. Then stayed to give me some pointers. I was trying not to be intimidated by my opponent but all I kept seeing was her brown belt. I mentioned this to Fidelma who told me a belt is just for holding your trousers up. Nice philosophy. So we were called up and told to fight. My fav points technique is a blitz and I rely heavily on it. I started with one and she straight away drew up a defensive side kick that stopped me dead in my tracks and winded me a bit. From then on I got scared of using the blitz which was so fecking stupid. Hindsight is a great thing. I could hear Fidelma yelling to strike with the right whenever she got close to me, she was such a defensive fighter that she kept waiting and waiting for me to do something. With points if you don't go for it and commit 100%, its not going to work so I tried moving around and watching. She caught me with a few more and was well on her way to winning this.

Threw caution to the wind and decided feck it I am going to throw myself at her and see what happens. I scored a few back and when time was called I had only lost by 1 I think. Overall I was happy with myself. I need to learn to adapt my combos against a cagey fighter like her. I should know how to in fairness, anytime I am sparring Laura I spend more time looking at the base of her runner as I blitz onto her defensive side kick than anything else. Lots to learn! Because I was beaten by the overall winner I got third place hence a medal. Bizzare.

We got some time before our next section to watch Laura coach Ismail in his fight which he won. He made it into the final and he did great, really got stuck in with some nice combos.

Next up for us was continuous. Thankfully this time they popped us into categories, the under 60kg and the over 60kg. We thought we were saved! We got chatting to our two opponents. They could tell we were nervous. They seemed grand and assured us that no-one was going to kill anyone else.

I was up first. I was determined to try my best to get in, use my combos and get out. I forgot to ask someone to keep time. The ref shouts fight and she's off. This was the first 30 seconds

I turned to Fidelma at one stage as there was some blood on the nose and gum-shield and I said "She's hitting quare hard" and Fidelma filled me with confidence when she said "She would do, she's a full contact fighter" So much for not killing anyone. I was in two minds about continuing but I HATE giving up. I had made the effort to train for this, giving up was not a good attitude so I regrouped and thought if she's hitting me hard, I will hit her hard. Got my front kick going a bit to lead into her and landed some clean shots. I could hear my corner shouting stuff but it was like white noise, its so hard to focus when she's raining punches on me. She was all about the punches and as someone who likes to box it was very intimidating.

Started to hold my own but she had done enough damage in the first 30 seconds to win it. She started to really tired in the last 30 seconds so I got a good few shots in and got a chance to work my combo. Time was called and I was pumped! Took me a while to get started but I didn't give up!! For me that was as good as a win. She was a tough fighter.

Laura was up next and she was amazing! Considering how nervous she was beforehand she kicked ass, I'll let her give a report if she wants to but she was epic. Battered yer one around the place and won her fight! Her next opponents crew tried to psych us out by shouting at their girl to smother her, kill her with pressure, not allow her to breath etc. Which she started to try in the first few seconds but Laura was throwing kicks in and getting stuck into her so much so that she started to back-foot a bit, she was scared of getting caught with the kicks. It was a really close fight but Laura's opponent just just edged it out.

It is scary and intimidating and exhilarating to compete but you learn so much. Roll on the next one which is on Sat Oct 1st and not Sept 20th as advertised. Lots of time to train and with Team MAI starting on Saturday, no excuses

[dkidd]

Well written and well done

[R. Devane]

yet again great post and big congrats for competing. Don't stop.

[Shelly]

Great day at the World Qualifiers yesterday. As Laura already mentioned in her post to the FB group, there was a great sense of team there. Everyone made sure
each fighter had a supportive crew shouting them on. I got to see most of the fights and took lots of pics, will go through them all and get them uploaded soon.

And get copies to you Eddie!

The small kids were up first, Serena and Sean. It was Sean's first ever competition and he did brilliantly! Worked some combos, threw himself into the fight and really seemed to enjoy himself.Serena, Ishmal , Nathan and Jack all had great fights, not sure of where everyone finished sorry!

Leonara and Ella both had tough fights. Ella's first time competing at continous and she did great. The ref was so impressed with her kicks he came over at the end of the fight to compliment her on them.

Joan's first time competing, she had her points fight against a very cagey opponent. She did great and finished it smiling Laura fought the ladywho defeated Joan and again a tough fight against someone who was very defensive.

I only got to see some of Arnie's first round as Ismail was fighting at the same time and so we needed to divide up the support. He got to fight in points only as there was no-one who wanted to continous. He did spend the rest of the day looking for an opponent. I think she scared them all off.

Richard and Usman both got gold, they had really strong fights. It's a testament to the fitness of both of them, at one stage the ref stopped Richard's fight to have a chat and Richard's opponent looked dead on his feet whilst Richard looked very fresh!

Usman got stuck in and his poor opponent took a fair few combos and hit the deck a few times.

Poor Ryan finally got to fight around 4.30 after waiting all day in his gear. He did brilliantly for his first time competing, some really nice combinations and stunned his opponent in the first round. He got silver

It was great to see everyone enjoying themselves as well as taking home medals. Roll on the next
competition.

Pics here

[R. Devane]

That was a super opportunity and big congrats to everyone that gave it a go. To represent Ireland at a World Championships in your own backyard would be awesome. Now, keep in mind that with the cost of the official team gear and the actual competition fees it is a very expensive competition. World Championships can put a premium price on everything because it's a 'World's'. I don't agree with the pricing but if you start putting a few quid away for it now then it won't be as painful. Very well done again and as always we are very proud of all of our members - you all looked great in your gear and it was a big leap entering that competition.

[nomercysdiegolo]

How many rounds in a fight and how long do they last in these kind of competitions?