I lost my rhythm

koreantiger81 · Blue Belt

I'm currently doing W.t.f style figthing...I'm used to the fighting done in the N.B.L or NASKA circuit.(I.T.F style sparring)...Anyway, I've been working very hard on getting my rhythm in W.T.f sparring. I never thought I would lose my rhythm by doing w.t.f.....I can't explain why I can't get it back....I have good rhythm in I.T.f sparring, but in W.T.f sparring, I have a huge mental block..At first I thought it was because of the difference in contact levels between the two styles; however, my W.T.f school practices moderate contact sparring...Could it be because I"m restricted on the number of techniques I can use? (PUnches, backfist, blitz's to the head, are my favorite techniques..) I do feel like I'm restricted on the techniques I can use...anyway, help me! Any suggestions? Why do I have my rhythm when doing I.t.f sparring, but lose my rhythm when doing W.t.f sparring? It doesn't make sense to me..

Bon · Black Belt

I think imposing rules is pretty stupid, unless you want to work on something specific, such as punches.

Maybe you could pick some of the techniques you are allowed to use in sparring, such as your weak techniques and work on them within the rules. Just a thought. I used to do boxing only when I did kickboxing to work on my punches and defending against them, so when we mixed it up with the kicks, we found it a lot easier to make combos, etc.
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karatekid1975 · KF VIP

Koreantiger,

I had the same problem as you. I started in Tang Soo Do, which allowed hand techniques to the head. When I got into WTF TKD, I was always getting told "No hand techniques to the head." Ggggrrrrrrr. In Tang Soo Do, it became "habbit". I almost always scored with a backfist or ridge hand to the side of the head. After 10 months in TKD, I still have occasional hand techniques come out and I don't even realize it, till my partner (who ever I'm sparring) tells me that I did.

As far as contact, yes WTF TKD is full contact. My TSD dojang was light contact. TSD was also point sparring, but we didn't "stop after a point" in class. We just kept going, so I never really got used to the point thing anyways. That helped when I got into WTF.

It just takes time to get used to. I dread the day when I get back into TSD, because I would have to get used to that again LOL.
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KickChick · Black Belt

Just from what you have said, I now know why we "mix" up our sparring (ITF) on occasions.
Sometimes, no hand techniques allowed, sometimes just hand techniques.... sometimes light contact, them full contact ..... and just recently (in black belt classes) no gear and no contact

.... but that is even more difficult than full contact with full gear on, go figure

The fact is, you do get used to sparring a certain way .... and you should never(esp. when certain tournies have different sparring rules)....

You'll get the rhythm back eventually .... it is definitely an adjustment going from ITF to WTF (why oh why would you do that )... (wish you luck!)

SD · Yellow Belt

whatever art doesn't allow punches to the head is * IMO. Not very practical in preparing for a street fight.

3rdanblack · White Belt

It's funny you bring it up because I was raised on point sparring (ITF) for my whole Tae-Kwon-Do life until I reached 3rd Dan, shen I started doing WTF or Olympic. As far as the rhythm part of the two sports goes, they are different. ITF is quick attack off the line speed and no to short movement counters, than stop and restart. So your timing for olympic shouldn't be the same. Olympic is much more continuous and the counters must be followed up. So your timing shouldn't be BANG! it should be BANG BaBang bang bang. Well you get the idea...
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