Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Please be helpful. Basically, in sparring, I'm pretty shit. I'm 6-2 in actual fights and have beaten a ranked guy pretty handily so I know I'm not terrible, but in sparring I just can't do it.

I dunno what it is. It's like I don't want to reach for my shots, like I'm just throwing my punches half heartedly in fear of getting caught. Just today in sparring I was up against this lad well bigger than me and he just fucked me up, throwing full power punches on me, a guy a good 15kgs heavier than me. I end up falling apart, losing balance and confidence and just can't spar properly. :conf
And I've been at this for a good four years now, I've just been dreadful in sparring lately.

Any tips? I know it's difficult without actual footage but I dunno how I'd get any clips.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

so you do well in fights? maybe you just need to the Adrenalin to spar well?

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Well enough. I KD'd a guy ranked #1 in the country two or three times my about three fights ago, but I've lost my last two.

I just don't have the moxy to go hard in sparring. It's fucking annoying.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

How did you end up fighting #1 in your country in your first 5 fights?

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

It's an anxiousness thing. You are overthinking it.

If a guy is pounding you, man, FIGHT him. Hit his ass back. Screw worrying about getting hit. Hit him, he's an ass.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Too many people go too hard in sparring. It's like every spar turns into a war. In my opinion, sparring should be used to work on defense and countering opportunities.

Sharpness, and speed.

You don't have to dig in with your shots. Honestly, it shouldn't be much more than slap boxing.

The problem is, a lot of guys, especially the ones that think they cna overpower you will just walk in as if you're not hitting them and as if they would do that in a normal fight, so unless you want to get beat down out of your comfort zone, you got to throw hard shots on them coming in.

I know a guy that would just fight against the ropes against guys like that, but that wasn't his style in the ring.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

15kgs?! man what the fuck. the power and size difference will make even the more experienced guy wilt and hesitant.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

I think this guy is a kickboxer, right?

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

it's all mental. Just relax and remember to breath. If you have to, maybe you can ask to slow things down which I doubt you really need to do since you're 6-2 in actual fights

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Some guys look like shit when they spar, maybe it was an off day, or just maybe you aren't a gym fighter. My guy Jesus chavez a two division world champ, almost always looked like shit in sparring, but when it came to the fight he was on. Another guy I had BJ Flores, was a gym fighter, in the gym he was terrific, in a real fight he wouldn't look as good. The moral of the story is that dont let it get you down. Are you a heavywt, cos 15kilo's is alot of weight to give up if you are not.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

This

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Size differential plays a big part imo especially when you're fighting in the lower weight classes. For me it's so much easier sparring people my size as I don't have to constantly worry about their power as opposed to sparring someone heavier than me. It's so hard to spar at your full potential when you have to worry about heavier punches coming your way.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

ALOT of people are like this(myself included) its your record that counts kid

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

What does that mean? :huh

You get many successful crossovers, both sports are children of the same mother requiring similar qualities.

Re: Why am I so shit in sparring?
 

Set sparring goals