Sparring to Music

just for gods sake man don't play eye of the tiger!!

I've always suggested :
"Do you really want to hurt me?" by Culture Club

Fighting is a dance. Music is a natural compainion of combat. Has been for centuries.

I find music can be good for not just motivation. But timing as well. I think it can help beginners develop timming and rhythm. If you can move in your stance with a certain flow / dance. It can be rather hypnotic, intimidating and distracting to your opponent.

Besides if it makes martial arts more fun for your students. Then use it.

Having fun is what it's all about.

If you happen to be sparring in 4/4 time and listening to Rock, then I can see it being useful for timing...but I'd say adrenaline is the only added factor when you spar to music. besides, do you actually time the strikes, parry and footwork to the music? If not, how is timing even involved, never mind improvement of your timing.

My understanding is that rythym in sparring is asyncronous and non-repeating... more like Jazz.

have you're own jazz band in the corner of the dojo, bassist with a pork pie hat and a smoke looking half asleep, a trumpeteer who's always squinting cos he's probably blind but no-ones ever asked and a crazy old drummer.

Cheers Kintama,

I haven't got the CD yet but I'm going to now I've read everybody's replys. I think it will definately help my students develop rhythm and timing. I think the speed of the music on the CD is 148 bpm, a bit faster than jazz but less motivational than Eye of the Tiger! On my fifth week at my school and it seems to be doing well so far. They started to learn to spar on the fourth week (one step) and are progressing to free sparring so I'm expecting the numbers to drop a little. (they did at my old club - seems everybody suddenly realizes its a contact sport!) I've got 30 ish students now so should be set for christmas cards!

I know this is a really old post but at the time I entered it on the forum I got a nasty computer virus and haven't been on here for ages. Wanted to revive it again! I still havent tried the sparring to music thing yet, but was talking to my chief instructor who came to grade my club yesterday and it came up again in conversation. Apparently one of our other chief instructors has had great success with it so far but our other instructors are divided as to whether to use this method or not. Some of our more traditional instructors say that if it wasn't neccessary for thousands of years then its not neccessary now. More modern opinions agree its not neccessary but we should move with the times and try it.

As for it being more dangerous I meant from a health and safety point of view. it may be difficult to stop the loud music if I need to give instructions!

Thanks to any new input or exerience of trying this!!

Rossko

Capoerra is sparring to music. Thai boxing has sparring to music, Pehlivan wrestling is done with drums and zurlas.

Why not kick ass to Abba!

You might find some hard hip-hop is useful.

Thanks Trevek,

I actually didn't think of it like that! Not sure about Abba, need lots and lots of bpm's!
Hip Hop eh?

Rossko

I've actually produced some music that I intentionally composed for sparring. I wanted to see if I could put it on and get a reaction from people. It's true - hip hop tracks do work incredibly well and I believe this is because the bass pound coupled with the slightly dragging beat causes the body to relax, yet raises concsiousness. I believe this is why it is so popular in urban areas - where people need to be totally aware of what's going on around them, yet they still need to go with the flow and relax to cope with the stress.
I'm no scientist though, I could just be makin stuff up

Music in the Dojo.....what the?! Sorry, very old school. Got to run my ballet class is starting , can't be late were working on toe point shoes tonight, oh... it's such fun!

Was that an insult? how dare you! You just forced me to use my home-made super-evil lasercannon!
Naah, just kidding.. I don't have a super-evil lasercannon.... but anyway, music sounds interesting. But one should not depend on it to get the adrenaline flowing. Sparring should be un-rythmical after my opinion, then the opponent won't have a clue about when you are going to go head-on, side-to-side or whatever. Anyway, i think it's a good motivator when training alone!
Since i'm a newbie here i shouldn't try to lecture anyone, just making an opinion

Sayonara green banana!

I believe that some styles of hip-hop are related to capoerra rhythmns (supposedly where breakdancing developed). I think it's possible to get cappoera music mixed with HH. maybe some African or Indian stuff mixed with electronic beats couldbe good because of the erratic rhythms.

As for sparring being non-rhythmical, I feel part of sparring is to be able to break your rhythm to confuse the opponent (that's how it works in cap)

Now you're talkin!

I don't think you want to give a rythm to an opponent - that would be a big no no in sparring. But, if you can keep it inside you and work with it in ways that aren't visible to anyone, you have an advantage IMO. But like I said, my whole life has revolved around music, so that's just me.
Frankly, I always need background sound.

It can actually have another benefit. I have heard of Systema classes where instructors blare death metal at unberably loud levels while practicing. The idea is not to have music you enjoy while you are training, it is to teach you to ignore unimportant peripheral distraction while in combat. Focus on the rhythm of the fight, not the music, so to speak... It sounds like a good idea, if you pardon the expression.

You leave the post for 12 hours and it goes bonkers!! Where were all you lot when I was bored yesterday!! Thanks for all the positive opinions about music. I'm definately going to try it out. Not very often I don't think but definately soon!

[It's true - hip hop tracks do work incredibly well and I believe this is because the bass pound coupled with the slightly dragging beat causes the body to relax, yet raises concsiousness. I believe this is why it is so popular in urban areas - where people need to be totally aware of what's going on around them, yet they still need to go with the flow and relax to cope with the stress.]

Never thought of that but I guess thats an interesting way to put it, probably got a point. I thought dance music originally was a good idea purely because of the beats per minute, but now you've changed my mind. I'd try to get a copy of your CD but Chicago is a long way to send it!

[Sparring should be un-rythmical after my opinion, then the opponent won't have a clue about when you are going to go head-on, side-to-side or whatever.]

Totally true but many people seem to agree that good fighters can dance (I cant so I'm obviously a bad fighter-don't hurt me) because they've got rhythm. Bruce Lee was a ballroom dancing champion wasn't he? When he was younger? Anyway its just for some inspiration and motivation. Welcome Newbie and thanks.

[I have heard of Systema classes where instructors blare death metal at unberably loud levels while practicing. The idea is not to have music you enjoy while you are training, it is to teach you to ignore unimportant peripheral distraction while in combat. Focus on the rhythm of the fight, not the music, so to speak... It sounds like a good idea, if you pardon the expression.]

Obviously more to it than motivation then! So many hidden reasons why it might be a good idea to try it. Does anyone think that it might be a wierd advanced sparring session with slow music on? Kind of forcing you to either spar like tortoise or go against the noise in your ears?

There are probably as many cons as pro's but I'm definately going to give it a try. It seems as if the people who have commented in a negative way on this post haven't given specific reasons why it would be a bad idea (read as "please put cons!"). They've only disagreed to the practice on the grounds of it not being traditional!

Rossko

The greatest sight is always seen when focusing on something else. Music helps relax some people and it improves there ability to do something

Hello Rossko:

For what purpose would you use such music? If you do choose music stick with the instrumental music and nothing with lyrics. Sparring is difficult enough, why make the process louder ?

Jeff

I can think of no better way to train than with music going in the background. The music is normally rock because I have it dialed into a rock station. However I'd listen to variety of musical genres for training purposes and have; anything from techno, to Middle Eastern (Indian) music. It's all good.


-John

we play music at our dojo.. i started with my sensie at a self defense class in college where we played music and i got used to it.., then at his private dojo, we listen to classic rock , and rock.. it is not too loud.. just something to kill the silence.. i know it's a bit unorthodox, but there has never been a problem with it