I don't know if this is an issue for you, but I'll throw out an example that I've seen and personally experienced as well. When higher ranks square off against lower ranks in sparring, the higher ranked individual is usually the tighter fighter, especially if the class is watching. This is purely due to the ego getting in the way. "I should be better than this guy" or "If I lose to him people will whisper that I don't deserve the color belt I'm wearing" are the types of thoughts I'm talking about. I once saw a white belt in randori get a brown belt's arm back through his legs and under his butt standing, then flip the brown belt forward. It was extremely embarrassing for the brown belt to be thrown like that while many in class were watching. To the brown belt's credit, he didn't get up all defensive and proclaim that he was going to mop the floor with the white belt now. It was a great lesson for the upper belts that a strong opponent, no matter if he has trained in the arts or not, can still get the better of you if you don't keep focused and keep training.

Perhaps this sparring session was your reminder of that same lesson. Forget about ranks, treat every opponent like he/she were more skilled than you, and focus. You'll work out the kinks if you adopt the proper mindset and get back to sparring more often.

You might have been a bit slack in your training lately because you've been missing the sparring classes, you train the way you fight and if you train a bit lazy you spar a bit lazy as well.

Life is hard, but if it's important to you, then you need to make time.

The only way to stay good is to do it. So at a minimum make some time every now and then until you can get back to going on a regular basis

Show up for class more often. You were obviously rusty, so don't slack and listen to your instructor.

Edit: Same concept applies. Show up for sparring class and keep practicing.

If you take martial arts seriously, make sure you're practicing at home as well as your dojo. Also, you have to enjoy a fight if you want to do well in it.

There is no secret as martial arts Sea fin is see Phine.

Hey guys,



So I'm a brown belt in Goju Ryu karate and I need some advice on sparring. Earlier tonight I was sparring with a green belt at my dojo. It was the first time id done it in a while(2,3 months) and I was terrible! It was like I forgot everything I've been taught. My technique was sloppy and I didn't use combinations at all. I pretty much used middle blocks, punches and front kicks. Any advice you can give me? I think all the adrenaline was a factor in it too.