Principles of Sparring - Article Three
The Third Installment in a Series of Articles on Sparring Principles
by FWC Instructor David Courtney Jones
In this article we take offence one step further. Until this point a beginner has trained to be able to see an opening (a gap in the opponent?s guard), and then to enter and exploit it.
This is relatively basic, as you are allowing your opponent?s weaknesses to dictate your attack, rather than deciding how (or what) you want to attack, and then creating the opportunity to do this. So in this article we will look at how you can begin to control the fight.
I will explain some basic principles of manipulating your opponent into allowing you to strike your chosen target.
Let us say, for example, that you wish to strike your opponent?s solar plexus (this is the nerve bundle positioned below the sternum which, if struck when your opponent is unprepared, will ?wind? them). Remember, it is no longer enough just to strike at the open areas of your opponent. You are now selecting their weak areas, the choice targets which get the greatest results for the minimum effort.
Often, your opponent will guard these weak areas ? so you must manipulate them into opening them up for you ? i.e. you are creating openings.
So, you must cause your opponent to move in the way that you want them to, and then perfectly time your attack to coincide with the moment that your opening is created.
One way of doing this is to attack another part of your opponent, forcing them to make a defensive movement which draws their guard and attention away from your desired target. Sometimes this is called feinting, but note that your feint should be real ? if they fail to block, it must hit them. An experienced fighter will be able to spot a feint which is not designed to hit, and so will not fall for your ruse. Sometimes more than one such attack is necessary before your target is revealed. And the timing of your real attack must be perfect, or your opportunity will be wasted.
A second way of creating an opening is to deliberately leave an opening on your own body, in order to draw an attack from your opponent. With practice, it is possible to position your opponent and your opening in such a way that they will attack with whichever limb you choose, thereby creating the opening which you wish to take advantage of.
My last example is more specific. Observe your opponent?s footwork, and watch to see if they over-commit their weight onto a foot as they place it. Then move yourself in such a way that they take such a step. Just as they are about to place their foot (at this point their weight is already committed to this foot), sweep it. This requires little strength, but will almost always leave your opponent on the floor.
It is important to remember that you must have developed skill in the principles discussed in the previous articles before you will achieve any success with creating openings. You must be able to remain calm, and defend yourself whilst watching your opponent for their weaknesses ? and then you must learn how to stand and how to move in order to manipulate your opponent into doing what you want them to do.
The three examples given above are quite simple to start with, but there are many other ways of doing this, which you will discover through your own training.
One thing to remember though: if your opponent is reasonably skilled, they will, most likely, be trying to do the same thing to you. Be on your guard for this, and be prepared to defend against unexpected attacks!
In my next article I will discuss the concepts of movement and stillness, and why stillness can be such an important factor in getting the best of your opponent.