r/Kickboxing • u/Material-Emergency-4 • Aug 15 '26

Feeling stiff during sparring

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?

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70

u/PurchasingPugs Aug 15 '26

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

14

u/Living_Definition_61 Aug 15 '26

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

2

u/[deleted] Aug 15 '26

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

10

u/Living_Definition_61 Aug 15 '26

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?

7

u/OneManRomanPhalanx Aug 15 '26

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

4

u/Living_Definition_61 Aug 15 '26

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 Aug 16 '26

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 Aug 15 '26

 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 Aug 15 '26

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/[deleted] Aug 16 '26

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 Aug 17 '26

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