Is "bouncing" while sparring wrong?

Eric7_27 · Yellow Belt

Whenever I spar or do my kicks, forms, etc., I have a tendancy to "bounce" up and down. I've done this ever since when I was a kid and did a little boxing. My instructors always tell me not to, and that it wastes energy, or it might make me telegraph. If it's wrong- how come I see some of the best fighters do it?? What do you guys think?

-Eric

ShotokanKid · Black Belt

It is true that it wastes energy- I found that out after about 25 minutes of sparring.
However, bouncing can be good, it keeps you moving, and keeps your opponent from knowing when you are going to attack. For example, if you are motionless until the attack, you need to be fast. But if you are always moving, they aren't sure when you will attack because you're moving.
Hopefully, there was logic in that.
Good luck.
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lordtariel · Black Belt

Moving from your front foot to back foot isn't such a big deal... it's the going up and down that's the problem. It's really easy to catch someone while their center is high with a sweep or throw.
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cross · Black Belt

I find it alot harder to maintain balance and move around efficiently while boucing. Movement is important, but the boucing isnt necissary.

ShotokanKid · Black Belt

Shotokan-kez · Black Belt

I tend not to bounce. But like others have said it's not such a bad thing, because it can keep you moving and so confuse your opponent. I also agree that it can waste energy and be easily caught out with a sweep or something. I would advise maybe just trying to minimise it.
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Elky · Orange Belt

I personally don't like bouncing but then if you watch all the world champion WKF karateka (eg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxnfQi4GEKk), they bounce all over the shop and they probably know much more about it than I do. On the other hand, the top kyokushinkai karateka bounce much less (e.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DAepRbZC6E). Bouncing seems to be about vying for psychological advantage and position, which only seems to work if your opponent is willing to play the game too.

Shotokan-kez · Black Belt

Those two fights were good, i tended not to notice the main thing, the 'bouncing', because i was enjoying it so much

. I noticed that in the first fight one of the guys was brought down a lot, i'm pressuming that was because he was unstable on his feet because of the 'bouncing'?
The second fight looked a bit like how we do it but with just a little bit more moving around. The thing that got to me about the second fight was that they wasn't wearing protection and they were really battering each other!
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lordtariel · Black Belt

Excessive bouncing can waste energy.(Unless you're Tigger) You shouldn't be dancing all over the place when you're fighting. What you do need to be is on the balls of your feet with a little bit of spring.
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cross · Black Belt

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