Advice on Karate Sparring tournament on Dec 3

Hey guys, I have been to 4 or 5 sparring tournaments and gotten first in all except my first one. I tape each one, and when I go back and watch my earlier ones, my face turns red at my posture and style, but that is besides the point. I usually win with a kick or sweep, for the past two tournaments I beleive that was my soul strategy. I have a few new strategys for this years tournaments, including a crecent (not quite sure if thats how you spell it) kick fake, turning into a round house. I have also made a few changes to my fighting stance since the last tournament. I am guessing you need a little information about me in order to answer the question so, I am 5'7 about 150 pounds with a good strong build. I have been training now for about 5 years and have the rank of 4th Kyu (purple belt) in Shotokan Karate. Now finaly for my question.

Are there any strategys that you would suggest for me, so I can avoid the old sweep or kick?

Thanks in advance

One question I must ask is if you bounce on the front of your feet when sparring or do you stand flat footed? I always stand flat footed which is not a good thing. If you bounce on the front of your feet your opponent does not pick up on what you are going to throw at him or her as fast as they would flat footed. Your body is always moving and therefore they do will not have as fast as a perception on when or how you attack. Some fighters have a habit of moving their hands across there body in a horizontal motion as they are bouncing around. This opens the stomach and mid section up for the round house and side kick.
For one of my strategies I like to use a jack-leg blitz. Sound familiar? I like to use it early in the match to fake a kick and throw the backfist. If both of them are unsucessful I then throw a reverse ridge hand to the head or blitz in with multiple punches.
I am only a blue belt in Shotokan Karate but I could ne considered at a higher level in sparring. I took Jeet-Kune Do, Brazilian jui-jitsu, Muay Thai, and Kali (Escrima stick fighting) for about 5 years before getting into karate. I am about 6'0" and 175 pounds. This weekend I went to the Rising Star competition in Louisville, KY just to watch. I had surgery on my abdomen a few months ago and just decided to watch so I would not injure myself. It was going to be my first competition. I wish a would have competed because I had a good feeling that I could have one a few of the events.
Well, I hope some of the advice helps. Maybe we can keep in touch and give each other some pointers or just advice more in the future.

~Chris

Quick caveat on bouncing...

Beware getting into a rhythm when you do it. Better fighters will pick up on the timing and take advantage of it. Break up the rhythm, though, and it's good advice.

However, if you do this long enough it does mess up your dancing because you train yourself to never get in a rhythm. This does not help w/ the ladies. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]


OH, I almost forgot...
And good luck w/ the tournament.

[This message has been edited by Karateguy (edited 11-23-2004).]

I think I will give the Blitz technique a try, and what happened to your abdomen?

Yes I have trained with the no rythem thing. A hott girl asked me what I do for training, and I said I have been workin on my rythem. She said really? so you are a good dancer, I said well.. then I just went over and started dancing with her, and I managed not to keep ANY beat what so ever. She started laughing, and so did every one else including myself. I am a pretty big flirt. But hey it works....

My sensei told me about a move that he used to win a few tournaments. I am not sure on its name but here is it. You fake a creceant kick and turn it into a round house kick.

Thanks again Chris and Karateguy, Hope to hear from you again

[This message has been edited by Salek (edited 11-28-2004).]

Your instructor is just throwing a fake. For a fake to be effective it has to do 2 things...

1st - Be believable. It's bait, so like when fishing you need to have bait that they're going to bite on. Flipping a technique out there that has obviously no chance of even touching your opponent is not a good fake. Throwing something that your opponent has to deal with in some way, (either by moving, blocking or some combo thereof), is a good fake.

2nd - Pull their defenses away from your actual target area. For example, if you throw a backfist or jab to the right side of your opponents head and then follow up with a kick to the same side it doesn't work because they're already in a position to to block the 2nd technique after the 1st one. But if you switch targets, (or rhythm, but that's a different concept), then they're out of position. eg - throw a backfist at their head, (realistically enough where if they don't move they'll get hit), and when they raise their front hand to block it you hit the newly exposed area (usually just above the hip/waist) with your reverse punch.

Likewise just throw up a head height crescent kick and when they bite on it roll your hips and drop the kick into a round from the other side.

Of course, if they don't bite on the fake punish them for not believing you and take their head off. [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif[/IMG]

I will make sure to do that [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/wink.gif[/IMG]

Hmmm... I got second... The trophy is pretty nasty... Its this fake plastic sanded metal look alike... But hey it was still really fun

Thanks again for all of your advice, I couldnt of done it without you

Style is determined by three factors.
First, your style is determined by your physical make-up. That determines how a person moves. How tall are you, or how short? How big are you, or how small? How fast are you, or how slow? A person who is very tall will probably be an outside fighter. He can use distance against his shorter adversary. He can keep people on the outside with that long leg or arm.
A shorter, stockier person is primarily going to be an inside fighter. A man who is fast physically tends to be trigger-happy. He usually tries to get off the line first and be the first to squeeze the trigger. He concentrates on beating the other guy to the draw, whereas someone slower than his opponent should sit back in a foxhole, letting the other man fire first, trying to make him miss. Then he can set up for a counter technique.
Speed, size, reach, all these physical factors will decide how you're going to end up sparring and the personality of your style.
Second, your style is determined by your psychological nature. Some people are very assertive and self-confident. They're right on the edge and ready to jump down your throat in a split second. They love to take risks. Others are passive by nature and laid back. That psychological nature will play an important role in the essence of the way you spar.
Your instructor may show you how to throw a round kick, may teach you to throw a punch and how to stand in position a certain way. But how you execute, how you deliver, and how you approach your opponent is not determined by what your instructor shows you as much as by your physical make-up and your psychological nature.
Third, your style is determined by your mind-set. As you learn fighting principles you develop your mind-set. You begin to integrate your intellectual strategies, which also influence your decision-making skills and quickness. When do I make the decision to move as opposed to making the decision to fire?
You've got to know when to move and when to fire. Do I fire first and then move? Do I throw a quick kick and then pull out real fast? Or should I move first and then fire? Maybe I should do a little scramble step to draw his fire and end up countering him?
All of that is going to be determined by your mind-set and the strategy involved.