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Touch Sparring
A Video Example of Low Impact Practice
© 2017 James LaFond
AUG/17/17
Having noticed how slow my reflexes have gotten in the stick fighting, I thought that Sean would benefit more as a boxer from practicing with me than beating me up. Because I knew that I still have better movement than what he's getting from his guys this was important in dialing in on what he needs work on.
The problem was I could not coach him on much until seeing this video, because as you will see, every time I throw a punch he puts three gloves in my face and when I'm not throwing my glove it is in my face, where I kept it because I knew I was too slow to pick off any shots with an extended guard. I am using a modified peek-a-boo guard, which, if I were fighting Sean instead of sparring, would have been from the cross-arm, not the shell lead.
The main thing I want Sean to change when we spar again is to stop orbiting. This is a TaeKownDo habit which is fine for kicks but not good for weapons and hands and does not help achieve domination. It also happens to boxers and stick-fighters who are taller than all of their sparring partners.
Sean here are the things I want you to work on in sparring until we get you together with a taller man.
-Always hit with a combination. If you can hit this old corpse once you can hit him twice.
-Instead of circling away, step around and pivot. Stay right on top of my old ass. I don't have a knife. You are stronger, so don't play the range game.
-When I throw or slip to one side, put your hand on the near shoulder and move around behind me, hitting me while I turn, to body and head.
-When I pop up under you, stop me with the outside of your forearm on my neck. This will burn the glycogen from my legs and make it harder for me to bob and weave.
-Instead of circling, cut through the center of the ring and turn me.
-Do not throw that low jab from the side while you are fading. Coil, roll and load for a shovel hook instead. We will work on that punch at your place next month.
When I step back or stop following you and bounce up and down, I'm trying to get some spring in my legs, so punish me with a one-handed shove to set me back on my heels and then work on turning me. Never let the old guy take a break or reset.
-You need to practice punching through instead of at me. To do this without hurting me, score short punches [elbow still bent] and give a little twist or jolt before pulling back instead of driving it through.
I really appreciate your taking it easy and not beating me up, which will enable us to do more of this. Every sparring session exposes flaws. That is what it is for, so we can work on things.
Viewer Note: I am not foaming at the mouth to get at that young white meat. I lost my mouthpiece, so am biting down on four layers of Mexican-style gauze wrap with rubber threads laced in the cotton.
In the still you can see the knot on my skull three inches above the ear from a shot Sean gave me with the stick. You can tell by my eyes that I am concussed, but that's fine, because I have a tendency to think too much and fight better when concussed as a result.
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