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This post is more directed at instructors than anything, but all are welcome to offer input and advice. A friend sent me this and I thought you guys might like to read it.
In my Martial Arts class there is a kid who we shall call Arnold. Arnold is one of those people that most instructors dream of having in their class. He’s tough, learns fast and accurately and he adapts to change quickly minus one problem. He’s relatively new to Martial Arts and working out in general and his conditioning is going to take a lot of work. With the proper training and mindset Arnold could be a BRUTAL fighter were it not for this one problem.
Arnolds only problem with Fight Training is with the mental aspect of fighting. It’s not that he doesn’t want to fight, he spars with some of our biggest guys and takes hits that would make me wince and he just absorbs it and goes on. The very model of perseverance. His problem is that when it comes time for live action sparring and not just partner training he loses all focus, he closes his eyes, tries to turn his back on his opponent and moves into it. I strongly suspect Arnold to have been the victim of violence or Physical Abuse most likely for a large portion of his life, however he’s 21 now and I don’t know how to bring this up to him as I’m just getting to know him. He can’t really progress until he breaks past that barrier. Every time we do sparring it’s like he loses his ability to defend himself, in regular training his guard is strong and he throws some tough strikes. Yet when it’s one on one sparring he freezes up and won’t fight back. Some of the other guys are particularly brutal about it too thinking that they have to hit him harder to try and get him to defend himself but I’m afraid he’s going to get hurt really bad sometime.
I think with the proper coaching he could be an amazing fighter in almost any realm of martial arts, if only he could break past that last barrier standing in his way. I personally think it takes an enormous amount of courage for him to keep coming to class, but he’s there every day without fail, though sometimes I’ve seen him get so frustrated after sparring that he packs his gear and leaves quietly and you can see that he’s trying hard not to cry. I think this is in no way a weakness on his part because I would find it very frustrating as well. He’s trying his best and the rest of us are trying our best to help him, but we aren’t well versed in the psychological aspect of fighter training and the instructor just doesn’t seem to care. The instructor is good at the physical training but the mental game is far beyond his skills.
Discuss?
That’s a tough one, without analyzing this guys personality and history, there are things that could help him along. One is time and practice. Two is sparring drills and fight games where there are limitations on the free fighting. For example, one person attacks the other defends only. Then you build on that by making the defender use specific techniques, like a jab or a cross. Third, controlled sparring, where the level of contact is moderated based on what that person is comfortable with. He does have to speak up and tell the partner if they are going too hard. Finally, more grappling based sparring. You get the feel of fighting with a fully resisting opponent without getting punched. Those are just my initial thoughts.
This is the point of free sparring!! You use controlled sparring to build up to a point where it is more difficult than free sparring. Then free sparring is not scary anymore.
Beginners are scared of the unknown aspects of a free fight. You need to show them through controled sparring that all the unknowns will be protected with the structure of what you train. Then slowly increase the pace. Eventually they pass that point from controled into freestyle without even realizing it.
Jumping stright from drills into free sparring will result in this \”turning the head away\” sparring. You need a transitional drill. This is partly why most traditional arts look nothing like what they practce when they spar. They are learning two different arts. The forms and drills and then sparring is something else.
heh. I get all nervous just reading the guy’s story. I am considering attending some sparring classes. A couple of my instructors encouraged me to go. I think the classes are controlled sparring for KM and possibly free sparring for Muay Thai.
Anyway, I am insterested in the instuctors’ points of view. I can see myself freezing up in a sparring situation, since even in partner drills sometimes I get self concious and end up taking blows I (and the instructor) know I could block or counter.
I don’t want to leave the sparring class practically in tears! 😉 But then again, isn’t defending under mental duress one thing sparring should teach?
As a karate instructor for the last 10 years, and a certified KM Law Enforcement Defensive Tactics instructor, here’s my two cents. You say he does fine with formal drills, but not complete free sparring. Take him into free-flowing drills, without the full aspect of sparring. For example, have him work with a partner who attacks w/ unknown patterns of attack, where your student ONLY blocks, and vice versa, where he looks for openings and ONLY strikes with the opponent just blocking. I believe it is a confidence factor, as I’ve had students like this. By increasing their confidence in footwork/blocking through exposure and free-flowing drills where they only have to make 1/2 the whole action often helped them over the hurdles. Then gradually build into full drills, but with limited time. For example, free spar for 10-20 seconds. Give him a chance to mentally regroup, then go again with same or different partner. Build confidence in his skills in the free-flowing format and I believe you will start seeing success over time. As you can see his focus increase for short time periods, increase the time. In between, work with breathing/relaxation/mental focus drills to help him retain or regain his focus and composure.
Awesome advice guys, thanks a lot.
One of the biggest problems that I can see is that the class isn’t very structured at all. The Instructor is an MMA fighter himself and he’s trying to train other fighters and hold regular class at the same time. To him his first priority is the people who have fights so he tends to ignore the rest of the people in his class. On top of THAT the instructor is all Physical Training and no Mental Training whatsoever.
Said Instructor teaches by the \”Sink or Swim\” method, in his grappling class you are thrown in immediately with no coaching, none of the basics your basically meat for his fighters to practice on and \”maybe\” you learn something while your being put through various submissions. The Muay Thai Class that he teaches is much the same (2 classes in 1, first hour Muay Thai second Pankration). He doesn’t teach breathing exercises, he doesn’t teach mental preparation or focus of any kind, he just gives you the drills to run through after 30 minutes of intense exercise. You choose a partner and he calls out and demonstrates combos he wants you to work on. Say 1, 2, 3, 9 (Left Jab, Right Jab, Left Hook, Left Kick usually to outside thigh). Your partner is based on whoever is willing to work with you. At the end of class it’s and I use the phrase loosely \”Light Sparring\” which is another excuse for the fighters to work their game against the people who don’t know all that much.
Like I said, I use the term \”light sparring\” loosely mostly because a lot of these guys like to hit as hard as they can, I personally have fractured both my knee and my elbow and almost had bones in my face broken as well as having my teeth loosened up considerably. The Instructor spends his time either training for HIS fights or watching his fighters with his attention divided amongst the other students to a lesser degree. I have heard people say its one of the best ways to learn because you either toughen up or get out, but I dislike it a lot. I don’t train there anymore as I’ve moved out of state but it was the only place to go and it was my first forray into the Martial Arts world.
I feel really bad for this kid and the friend that sent me that, I have yet to find a REALLY good Martial Arts training center and even in Hilo I’m hesitant to even join BJ Penns MMA Academy (though I heard theres a Krav Maga school here I have yet to locate it). Nowadays I do all my training myself and I’ve forwarded all of your replies to my friend back home in helps that he can help other people in the class. When I was there I was the unofficial \”Newbie Coach\” the instructor allowed me to guide the other students in breathing exercises, proper form etc because it allowed him more time to focus on HIS fighters. It just makes me sad to hear about how things are going back home and I’m glad you guys have been so helpful.
We see alot of this Fight Club MMA schools out there….it is what happens when you have no tradition, no non-combat mental health excersises, and no umbrela organization to guide you. I am sure many people in that enviornment enjoy it and think of it as closer to the \”streets\” and such…but it really sucks for the younger beginner and results in alot of injurys to body and spirit.
and sports event training should NOT be taught in the same class with the same people as the regular class, this is just wrong! As you said the advanced, highly skilled sports guys will prey on the newbees to practice their moves and build sparring confidence.
AFLT gave the perfect discription of what I was talking about. I especially like the 20 second free spar idea. Just when you get scared and shut down, it is over and you regroup. I was going to add something about the instructors roll, but it sounds like your friends instructor is too busy… 😕
The instructor can work the kind of drills AFLT mentioned with the student and slowly turn it into real sparring without them knowing it. The student may trust the instructor more than a classmate, and thus not freak out under pressure. As instructors, our students often think we can handle anything and so they feel free to put on alot of pressure toward us in drills and sparring 😯 . This combined with their trust that we will not lose it 😳 👿 on them allows them to build more confidence.
Enviornments like Reverend mentions cull the weak and allow only the tuff and strong to survive. Fine for sports but not too good for the younger students and regular folks 😉
I personally didn’t like it because of the injuries I sustained at the hands of poorly trained students and/or guys who were only their to satiate their desire to hurt other people and get away with it. People like that should be removed from the class, but like I said before the instructor was too preoccupied and when it was brought up before he blew it off and said he would talk to the other guys, yet as it’s his very first class as an instructor and class size varies he is very loathe to kick anyone out. I’m just glad I got out while I could and I certainly hope to find that Krav Maga school soon. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll get the pleasure of training with some of you guys 😯 😀
Again thanks for all the advice guys, I’m forwarding all of it to my friend back home and hopefully he can help the other students in the class.
Well, Rev, you’re a relatively short plane hop away from Guam if you ever want to make a trip this way. I’d be happy to train with you. I’m pretty much stuck training on my own here, as martial arts in general are very limited and not really what I’m looking for.
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quote \”AFLT\:Well, Rev, you’re a relatively short plane hop away from Guam if you ever want to make a trip this way. I’d be happy to train with you. I’m pretty much stuck training on my own here, as martial arts in general are very limited and not really what I’m looking for.You stuck on the military base there? Or you a civillian resident? The Instructor of the class listed above was supposed to have a fight there and was talking about Guam, that and I remember watching a documentary on birds from Guam and how they are ending up extinct because of some new law passed by the Bush Administration that makes Military Bases exempt from Endangered Species Act, but I’ve heard its a VERY boring place and I sympathize with you. Unfortunately I’m stuck here for the next 3 years until my fiancee graduates.
Yes, I’m on a military base. I actually love the island – tons of outdoor stuff to do: snorkeling, hiking, WWII sites to visit, Scuba diving, sea kayaking, mountain biking, etc. Just no decent martial arts. So, overall, I’m happy.
As for the extinct birds – yes, birds are rare here and many native species are endangered or possibly extinct, but it has nothing to do with the military exemption act. The military tries in all conscience to preserve the environment when the mission allows. The real reason for the bird’s demise is the brown tree snake, a voracious predator introduced in the 1940s, probably as a stowaway on a cargo ship. It has no natural predators, and consumes bird eggs and birds. Significant control efforts have been going on for many years, but it is still estimated that the snake population numbers 15000 per sq mile. Well, a little off topic, but there’s the facts.
Hey Reverend!
Holy s@#%! Trained MMA fighters hitting as hard as they can? Broken knees, elbows, face bones? Loose teeth? No wonder that poor kid was getting scared!! 🙁
That sounds like the fighting school from hell. I don’t see how anything could be gained from having experienced MMA fighters beat the shit out of beginners. Before you start sparring and especially before you start sparring at that level you have to know the basics, otherwise you just end up as a punching bag and get the aforementioned bones broken. Also doesn’t help the MMA fighters much. Yes, it’ll build their confidence, they’ll feel so cool after having just broken a newbie’s nose, like they’re invincible, but once they’re in the ring and have to compete at a much higher level, they probably get their asses kicked. Beating up weaker or less experienced people only gives you a false level of confidence.
I’m glad you got out of there. Maybe you’ll find a better school in Hilo. Your friend should maybe suggest to that poor kid to switch schools. I’m sure there are other schools out there that are much better suited for him. The drills AFLT mentioned… vision drills, \”real\” light sparring etc are all excellent and will actually help to improve abillity before going all out in sparring. Anyone at any level, not just the poor kid, can benefit from these type of drills and you should look for a school that does them.
Good luck!!
In the current Inside Kung Fu (I think) there’s an article about a woman who was a victim of some serious domestic violence. She joined a wing chun/tai chi place, and would tightly shut her eyes at first whenever the instructor would reach his hand towards her. Your story reminded me of this article. It sounds like the kid might have some domestic violence issues. Check out the article- you might even get in touch with the lady. But this is assuming that this is the case, which it very well might not be.
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quote \”CLFMak\:In the current Inside Kung Fu (I think) there’s an article about a woman who was a victim of some serious domestic violence. She joined a wing chun/tai chi place, and would tightly shut her eyes at first whenever the instructor would reach his hand towards her. Your story reminded me of this article. It sounds like the kid might have some domestic violence issues. Check out the article- you might even get in touch with the lady. But this is assuming that this is the case, which it very well might not be.Do you know where I could find an issue of this magazine? I haven’t been able to locate any in the local safeway or 7-11 and I’d really like to read the article.
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