Sparring Session #2

My second sparring session and I felt much more relaxed going in compared to my first session. I was still stiff and overthinking things when I started but I quickly overcame it and was able to maintain a somewhat relaxed state throughout most of my rounds.

Partners of Note: Denis, Devin, James

Denis

Boxing

• 1st round: held out his jab as a guard/shield. For the first round, I was hitting it like it was a bag which didn’t accomplish anything
  • told me to do something weird to try to get past it
• 2nd round: added in a lot more stance switches at the start, then was “jumping” around back and forth
  • wasn’t particularly effective at getting around his guard but was still better than the first round
  • I suspect the ineffectiveness was because it was my first time trying it and it needs to be polished. I’ll be trying it more in the coming weeks
• post-session followup:
  • If I’m going to stance switch, I either need to go forward for straight punch or if going to the side like I normally do, throw a strong hook (of the side I’m switching to) so that a strike is coming from the opposite direction in which I’m moving my body
  • If going to the side, I can also square up quickly for straight punches
  • I’m also not closing distance enough
  • TODO: ask him to show me that stance switch forward/back movement again, having trouble picturing it

Devin:

Kickboxing

Notes: much larger than me - probably 6’4” and ~240 lbs

• His movements were slower but he probably hits like a truck
  • I say probably because I didn’t risk going into the pocket at all, instead attempting to play a more ranged game as his reach did not seem to be particularly longer than mine.
• He kicked me once in the leg above the shinguard but below the knee cap (I checked, maybe improperly)
  • it completely took me out, as I felt like I kicked a tree.

TODO: more shin strengthening/deadening of the nerves. It was lame to be so compromised so easily

James

Boxing

Notes: Taller than me, probably 6’2”, longer reach

• hit me with harder body shots, took me out via gassing
• he had good setup: Jab -> Jab, cross -> Jab, cross body hook

TAKEAWAYS:

• will need to improve movements in order to overcome the reach disadvantage
• more volume will lead to more setups will lead to more clean hits

Other Notes

• I didn’t fight her but apparently Olivia has very strong kicks and likes inside leg kicks
• I have a tendency to react to inside leg kicks but simply turning the target leg outwards and taking the kick in the quad…BAD
• Conclusion: fight her and ask her to let loose on kicks below the head. Should lead to some more lessons learned.