learning to take a hit and holding your ground

[niceguy]

Hi all,
I have just returned from watching a "fighters class" and was quite impressed with the amount of punishment these guys and girls take!Light sparring they said to me.Sensei asked me to join in but I quickly declined. In my teens I would have gladly jumped in, but it has been a long long time since I have done any proper er... sparring. I know that they would be taking it very easy with me but at 32 all my brain thinks is flight not fight. I guess my question to you guys is that how do you go from a guy who never gets hit to someone who gets hit, rolls around in agony and then stands up for more. I think I have that guy somewhere in me but how do I start to bring him out?:confused: Osu-EN1

[Kudoist]

Well, learning not to get hit is preferable.;)
But to be a fighter you need to be able to take it too. I wasn't exactly the toughest of guys when I first started Full contact.
But I learned how to forge my fighting spirit to the point where I can take hard hits now and smile, when I would have keeled over previously. So its something you can learn.
The pain doesn't really change so much but your attitude toward it changes.

I dont see what your age has to do with it though.
You've just got to face your fears and get in there. Step by step you'll learn how to bury your emotions and deal with the pain of taking a hard hit.
It just takes some guts and determination.
After all its Karate man, not badminton. Forging a strong fighting spirit is essential.
Only by putting yourself on the line and facing the challenge before you, can you realise your true potential.
It yakes time and perserverance but after a while you may actually find yourself surprised at how much you are capable of withstanding.
Its all in your head.;)

[Spirit]

You have to desire to be that person, then you work on taking the punishment at a slow but constant pace.
Desire and wish are to different things, wishing is thinking about acting on it, desire IS acting ON it!

Maybe start with hitting the bag and work up to pad work with partner and then onto fighting. Build on it weekly and stay on a schedule of training methods that are designed to increase your fighting skills.
It is a matter of you working on skills/techniques that fit you and your personality at this stage in your life.
Though 32 is older, you can quickly reform yourself and get back into that class in no time 1-6 months depending on your dedication, time to train as well other factors that may or may not slow you down.

[koji112091]

Yes age means nothing. Randy counter is 44 and the UFC heavy wight champion. Many others surpass age as well.

I have never experienced full contact in a karate fight. All I have thought were friends at school which deliver barely any pain at all in there punches.
the last time someone punched me, I did not even fight back.The pain or lack of was not worth it.

As for training for full-contact, I heard of using medicine balls will help.
I don't have one so I just throw my old and now useless 40lb punching bag in the air and catch it 25 times 4 times a day. I don't think this helps nearly enough but It must be working out something. OSU!

[seienchin]

HI Randy - there are a few elements to this.
The first is, as others have posted, deciding you want to do this, or at least find out by experience that you want to do it.

I would suggest initially working with a partner, not in free-sparring, but in a graduated challenge to yourself.

First of all, holding a kicking pad, while your partner kicks it AS HARD AS THEY POSSIBLY CAN teaches you how to brace and not be knocked over. It also gives you a feel for what you might expect. Getting someone who knows how to hold well to show you how is a good first step, because there is a lot of learning to be done there that translates into how you brace if you have to wear a kick in kumite.

The second step is for you to learn your own "volume control" - that is, to be really insightful about what it is like on the receiving end of your punches and kicks. I have seen many lower grade but strong fighters get beaten up because they were hitting really hard, not knowing it, but being interpreted as wanting full-on kumite. So, learn to know your own strength, so that you can crank up the power when you want, and tone it down when you want.

This "volume control" involves working with a partner again, and delivering what you think are kicks to thighs and gut on a scale of 1 - ?? (as high as you can tolerate without pads), and getting active feedback about if your assessment that it was a 3/10 is the same as the person being kicked. YOu can then be on the receiving...so you are being conditioned, and at the same time learning to control the power up and down as needed.

then, work with a partner again, do sessions of sparring where you just work one or two techniques, but at the agreed "volume" of power. This is when you start learning to block without being hurt. Same approach, start low power, and crank it up.

Ultimately, the goal in kumite is to NOT wear it, but it is necessary to know you can at least start.

The fact that you have posted the question tells me that you definitely want to learn more about how you feel about being hit. So do it in a controlled environment initially, and above all, have fun!!!!

[niceguy]

Thanks a lot for the input guys. I think I will do some body conditioning classes and hit the bags a bit. medicine balls.. didn't think about that, good idea.Arigato gozaimasu. OUS!

[nzproud]

Many things have been mentioned above so I say something different.

I think you get motivated more when a beginner joins after you. So keep your eyes on new beginners in near future when they join. You want to be a good example of being senior. Thus this should make you motivated, and become a better trainee. Take on challenges!

Getting used to kumite(fundamentals) would take several months so don't rush anything.

[powerof0ne]

I really don't know what to say, it's not that complicated(but a lesson that can take a long time to "learn"). Basically, it takes "conditioning" to help...but, more experience, then anything. You're going to take some hits starting out and will learn how to react and how to "roll with the punches", so to speak.
True, there are drills that you should work on how to parry/avoid/block. You do need to spar "full contact" if you want to really apply what you practice.
The only advice I will really give is to block/parry/avoid at the last second possible...and the smaller the movement, the better. The funny thing is, by the time you really figure this out you will probably have forgot writing this thread.

[Olrac]

osu,

All I can say is "just do it", try to start easy with a partner who knows your limits. Then slowly go beyond that mental line and try to fight a bit harder.
If you fight a bit harder, so will your opponent.
It takes time.....

[Bloke]

Time - it will come in Time

[Spirit]

One thing I did forget to mention is.
Don't let your memories of how you use to do things (I'm assuming that you did once do this and that) drive you or cause you to get frustrated at how things are progressing.
It is often difficult to let go of what you once could do (do to a younger body, pre injuries etc).
take the knowledge learned from that time, and apply it to today's body, don't apply it to the body of 10 - 20 years ago.

[niceguy]

Osu Osu!!
You guys are a great help. Just out of curiosity have often did you guys train per week in the beginning? Days and hours that is.

[Olrac]

osu,
In the beginning 2 days a week for 1.5 hours
Later up to 4 times a week about 2 hours

[seienchin]

For the first month- 2 hours per week - beginners classes, 1 hour each, 2 days a week.

Then was allowed to stay for the whole general class - 2 hours, 2 days a week.

After another month - 2 hours, 4 days a week.

Stayed at this level until 6th kyu, when I went up to 5 day a week. Then added morning trainings. - peaked at about 15 hours training a week at the dojo, then additional outside fitness work.

I was a uni student How did find the time? simply stopped watching television! (and have never really gone back to it. I learned what a time-eater TV is!)

Leading up to shodan, - more again. Stopped full-time work so I could train...(without ending up divorced)


OSU-EN2

[Spirit]

4-6 days a week, 3-4 hours each day for the first 16 or so years

[Liu]

Speaking of conditioning, Satori has posted a thread about an article. It might be helpful.

http://www.kyokushin4life.com/forums/training/3572-karate-body-conditioning.html

[niceguy]

Thanks for the heads up Liu. I think this is just what I need! Ous

[kanku]

pehaps i can relate this to learning to swim...

1] you buy your swimming trunks

2] you find a pool

3]you find an instructor

4]pluck up the courage and take the plunge

5]be inspired by your first strokes

6]the more you practice,the better you swim,the better you swim,the more your confidence grows....like BLOKE said time is the answer!!!!!!!! good luck osu!

[seienchin]

One of the things that I have been thinking about this thread is that a lot of fighters do exactly what the title his - take a hit and hold ground. Then the fight becomes a war of attrition...both fighters digging in and wearing punch after punch after punch.

On reflection, although learning not to be knocked over every time a technique connects is important, rather than "holding your ground", I'd be suggesting looking for ways to move around/in/out/to side, so that you don't keep being hit! It might sound like a pedantic point, but the mindset is different. Move if you are hit - but move tactically, not just backwards. It brings a whole different flavour to your fighting.

OSU-EN2

[Zanshin]

First of all your being 32 is not much of a factor, at least I dont see it as one. I can suggest several ways to get back into the swing of things. The best way is to actually do it. Like the nike ad tells us just do it. Nothing can really substitute fighting, the best way is to go in and let your partner know that you are just getting back into it and slowly increase the intensity. As for your personal training, others have stated it in the thread, but I do suggest getting a few medicine balls, start out small maybe 6lbs then move up as you get stronger. I do ab work with a medicine ball drop, you bring the ball overhead, let it drop onto your abs then pick it up overhead again while doing situps. Im sure there are other variations that you can do. The most important is to work your way back in gradually.
OSU-EN2