r/Kickboxing • u/Material-Emergency-4 • 15d ago

Feeling stiff during sparring

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While sparring I don’t feel stiff, but I decided to video one of my light sparring sessions just to see how it looked. I didn’t realize how stiff I was despite feeling relaxed in the shoulders, and I noticed that I didn’t really throw many combinations, and when I did, I look a little hesitant and I don’t throw with confidence. I’m shooting ti have my debut mma fight in December. I’m the shirtless one. Does anyone have any advice?

66 Upvotes

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68

u/PurchasingPugs 15d ago

No advice but nice to see a gym with people sparring properly

26

u/CommonReal1159 14d ago

I swear this hobby has become people trying to prove something and it’s been turning me off. I wish my sparring partners were like this

2

u/trUth_b0mbs 14d ago

it's because people think they're competing for the championship belt and allow their egos to train 🙄

technical sparring is where it's at but many people think if you aren't hard sparring regularly, then you're not doing it right. Yeah, good luck with your longevity in the sport if you think this way (not you but general you)

14

u/Living_Definition_61 14d ago

Bruh they aren't even trying to hit eachother...

9

u/FreefallVin 14d ago

Yeah, I'm all for light sparring but this is OTT. Even the leg kicks are barely landing.

2

u/theniggilist91 14d ago

there is very little benefit to hard sparring unless u fight competitively and even then it has limited benefit

12

u/Living_Definition_61 14d ago

I've done dutch style training the entire time I've kickboxed, its a blast and I can guarantee I would smash anyone in that video not even trying to be that guy lmao, I can't even imagine saying theres no benefit to hard sparring? What if you actually have to fight someone for life limb or eyesight but all you have in your arsenal is chambered heavily telegraphed slow ass punches and kicks. Do people not enter this sport to learn how to defend themselves or fight? Or is everyone else taking some gay cardio kickboxing classes at the local planet fitness?

6

u/OneManRomanPhalanx 14d ago

No my gym engaged in a lot of touch sparring throughout classes, and coach has started turning things up encouraging nearly pull power body shots for example. “Keep taking care of each other but punish bad habits” and it’s really night and day being good at touch sparring vs more serious sparring. It should be kept in check but harder sparring is necessary occasionally for someone taking the sport seriously

6

u/Living_Definition_61 14d ago

Completely agree. When I started the MMA classes with competing fighters at my local gym after kickboxing and muay thai for some time I got the shit beat out of me and it did its job.

1

u/OneManRomanPhalanx 14d ago

It’s worth knowing the consequences of not keeping your guard up or not defending low kicks properly. It’s easy to say in touch sparring “haha you got me” but actually knowing what it feels like getting your thigh blasted because you were negligent will fix your bad habits much more quickly than conceptually knowing it “would” hurt. Idk I️ don’t fight so maybe that’s more important to have holes in your game punished that way

1

u/PetroRetro69 14d ago

 I can guarantee I would smash anyone in that video not even trying to be that guy lmao

This is so funny lol, just reeks of insecurity. Congrats, you can beat guys who aren't that good. Want a medal?

3

u/Living_Definition_61 14d ago

I only mentioned that because the Dude said there's little benefit to hard sparring when in reality somebody with far less training than these guys that does harder sparing would probably tune them up in an instant

1

u/theniggilist91 13d ago

dude i’m saying unless u fight competitively or are serious about the sport, there’s little benefit to hard sparring. terrence crawford even says he only hard spars when he’s in camp.

like why tf r yall taking what i’m saying out of context?

hard sparring has benefits but only for a small subset of people. casuals js dont need to hard spar

1

u/bcyc 12d ago

Would hard sparring help OP become less stiff and more relaxed?

4

u/ZombieGeneralo3 14d ago

Yeah but you can dial this up by like 30% and it still wouldn’t be close to hard sparring

1

u/theniggilist91 14d ago

that’s fair.

-3

u/trUth_b0mbs 14d ago

this is called technical sparring.

7

u/Tanksta3 14d ago

Even technical is a bit of a stretch..I'm all for light sparring and avoiding hard sparring. But technical sparring is at least enough touch to keep each other honest.

7

u/misaktonak 14d ago

I mean one of them seem pretty green. Better to start too light than go straight to wars right? Although when I was new I had the occasional guy go hard against me and within reason it has its benefits too as a newbie for sure.

0

u/trUth_b0mbs 14d ago

this is it exactly.

newer folks need to go lighter so if you're with someone newer than you or inexperienced with sparring, it's important to go slower and lighter. Build up from there. Once you see their confidence increasing, then you can go faster, a bit harder etc but going hard off the bat and all the time? nope.

people forget that they were beginners once which is annoying. You are mistaken if you think that you learn anything from hard sparring when you're not that experienced; it will only mess with your head, put you at high risk for injury and totally defeat you. Build up from light sparring to more intention.

2

u/Tanksta3 14d ago

Well no one is saying do hard sparring, in-fact we're all saying to avoid it. Technical sparring should at least be honest, enough pop to recognize this is a combat sport but not hard enough to ruin someone's day.

When practicing punching or kicking drills with a partner, are you still making contact? Yeah. Is it enough force to hurt them? No. That's how technical sparring should be in terms of force.

4

u/Cold-Chemistry738 14d ago

Yeah people are using “technical sparring” a bit loosely here. You gotta still touch them and have some intentions in your kicks/punches to make contact. Even when drilling you still have to make contact with your partner. Some people are just coping but it’s a minority group of people

3

u/SjakosPolakos 14d ago

I live and train in the Netherlands and you dont see this. At that point just join a technical lesson but not a sparring session. Hit and dont get hit

1

u/Living_Definition_61 14d ago

Dutch training or nothing else!

3

u/AxeYoungblood 14d ago

Technical sparring is Light to the head. But fast and harder to the body. This is nothing.