Martial Arts World News Magazine - Volume 23 | Issue 3

COMPLETE MARTIAL ARTS CONCEPTS
10 Principles to Become Great
at Sparring (Part 2)
by Professor Willie “The Bam” Johnson
6. Stay conscious of yourself at all times
In many sparring matches there is an attacker and a counter
attacker. After executing his technique, the attacker often is left
open because his attention was totally focused on that one target
technique and if he isn’t able to act and react spontaneously, he
loses his advantages to the counter attacker. Remember, when
you hit your opponent, don’t put all your attention on your target-
-only as little attention as is needed to hit the target. Leave your
mind free to respond and react instinctively to the situation. When
you are able to flow as one with the universe you will have learned
a valuable lesson of all great fighters.
7. Stop and think
Free sparring is a great way to develop a successful
thinking pattern under pressure. Frequently
in sparring sessions a student’s mind
locks when his opponent is constantly throwing
techniques at him or when he gets tired. An old
saying is that ignorance will make cowards of
us all! It is important to stay conscious of what
is going on at all times, to be able
to think fast on your feet, and
above all to be able to think
under pressure.
8. Control your
emotions
Controlling your emotions
is a necessity if you
want to win your match.
If you are being hit much
more frequently than your
opponent, anger flares
up along with feelings of
oppression, shame, and a
loss of control. When your
emotions take over, your ability to execute techniques gets worse
because you are not in control of the match any more. That is why
it is important to stay conscious of your emotions and think thoroughly
about the right response.
9. Be yourself
When practicing, it is important not to become a clone of the
other students but to continuously strive to develop your own
individual expression, both verbally and physically, by combining
the proper
principles, techniques, and approaches. If you know something,
you should be able to express it. If you understand something, you
should be able to do it. In the martial arts, the degree to which you
can describe a particular action, principle, or approach to someone
else will parallel your ability to execute it. Check it out. The
maneuvers you cannot describe are generally the ones you cannot
do. Be yourself!
10. Follow your natural instinct
Following your natural instinct is the key to flowing in harmony
with the universe. An Aikido expert calls it Ki. Others call it your
sixth sense. This is expressed by being in tune with yourself both
consciously and unconsciously. You must not try to feel or receive,
but simply “be” the situation. Act on your “gut feelings” first an
action then a reaction, an action and a reaction, back and forth.
Focus on your successes. Follow your instincts. Go with the flow.
PROFESSOR WILLIE “THE BAM” JOHNSON is a 7th degree black belt and seven-time sport
karate and Kung-Fu world champion. He has appeared in four movies, 16 plays, and 11 television shows. He is also
the national spokesperson for the Stronger than Drugs Foundation and the Champions Against Drugs.
82 MARTIAL ARTS WORLD NEWS VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 3
Photo (right) by OSTILL