Favorite Sparring Combinations

[Medina Kenpo]

I will soon be a 2nd black in Tracy's Kenpo. I have not had a great deal of opportunity to spar over the last 2 years and am going to start attending sparring again. I'm a bit rusty and need some practice. I would appreciate hearing what some of your favorite kick/punch sparring combinations are so I can practice more at home. Any input is appreciated. Thanks.

[dubljay]

Just a side note I train in EPAK so if I make no sense just let me know.

Kick combinations
rear leg: Front kick/wheel kick combo low/high low/med height.

Same combination off the front leg. This is a bit harder for me, requires a bit more flexibility

I happen to be very partial to the first line of kicking set 1 (step thru ball kick, front cross over side kick, shuffle round kick, spinning rear)

The first 3 kicks of line four also flow well, (step thru ball, step thru round, spinning rear).

One combination I just started working is a rear leg outside crescent kick (traveling from inside to out) to a wheel kick.


Hand combinations:

oldie but good, lead hand back knuckle followed by reverse punch.

Jab then a ridgehand coming down to the neck/collar bone is one I like because a downward attack is not so common (at least where I train)

Low jab (chest height) that rolls into a back knuckle to the head (strike set 1)

High jab that rolls down to a hammer fist (also from strike set 1).

High jab, rear hand heel palm/ridgehand (high) as the jab rolls down to a hammer fist.

Punch/kick combos:

Lead leg, rear hand, rear leg, lead hand.

Ex: from an open position: low roundhouse kick to knee, or kidney, followed by a downward ridghand, step thru ball kick, landing with a lead hand back knuckle strike.

Any hand strikes you can work into the kick combinations listed above usually find a good target.

Ex: for the ball/wheel kick combination, I sometimes throw a back knuckle to the head as a start my pivot for the wheel kick, and send the wheel kick to the solar plexus, land into the opponent and follow with a reverse punch.



Hope that gives you some ideas... and good luck on your test, I'm sure you will do great.


-Josh

[Kenpo-Sloth]

OUCH !!

Yo Adrian, I can't see

[dubljay]

OUCH !!

Yo Adrian, I can't see

wha?

[Kenpo-Sloth]

wha?

I have to keep in mind that not everyone shares my unusual sense of humor.

The post was a compliment!!
The "OUCH" refers to the pain encountered when you connect some of strikes you described.
The "Yo Adrian, I can't see" refers to the ROCKY movie when his eyes were so swelled after the fight he couldn't see.

Maybe I should only post useful pertinent information without humor???
NOT -- I's not my nature

[ackks10]

"Hey Father Carmine, i was wondering if you can bless me just in case i get BEAT UP TONIGHT"

[Seabrook]

It is better to find which sparring techniques work for you and to try to perfect them rather than spending time trying to improve techniques that don't feel natural to you.

It is best to have 3 to 6 sparring moves that you can use instantly both offensively and defensively. I recommend focusing on the jab (and/or backfist), reverse punch, as well as side and roundhouse kicks.

Develop a quick lead-hand punch and kick. Also work on feints.

Hope that helps.

Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

[ackks10]

Hey Seabrook i see that u know my friend steve A. i'll call him tonight and say hi.

[One Warrior]

" Cut me Mick... Cut Me... I can't see... Cut Me!"

[Seabrook]

Hey Seabrook i see that u know my friend steve A. i'll call him tonight and say hi.

Hi George,

Where are you from and how do you know Steve Arsenault?

Best in Kenpo,


Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

[Brother John]

I suggest you look up the books and articles by Joe Lewis!!!!
NOTHIN better for the ring as far as I'm concerned.
Also: almost as good would be Training and Fighting Skills, by Benny "the Jet" Urquidez. (click on that)
This one is top-notch as well!!!! A must read if you are interested in ring fighting!!

Your Brother
John

[Seabrook]

Frank Trejo's sparring seminars are awesome as well.


Jamie Seabrook
www.seabrook.gotkenpo.com

[Seig]

IMHO, good advice has been given so far, along with some nostalgic jokes. But there is some hidden wisdom in the Rocky analogies. One of the wonderful things sparring does for a practitioner is reduce the fear of getting hit.

Once you fear getting hit less, you flinch less, you also tend not to over commit to feints, thereby reducing their effectiveness.

Another good practice is to learn to spar from either posture, dominant or weak. If you can fight effectively from either, you increase your chances of success. Also, remember that just because the rules say you can be hit in "X" is not an excuse to ignore the area. 1.) Accidents do happen 2.) You condition yourself to not react to a strike that in the real world can have devastating consequences.

[PlatinumPi4u]

back knuckle -> body punch... sweep the lead leg with your lead -> back knuckle and come over the top with a body punch... and if things get hesitant, the old 'switch stances -> body punch' from L or R neutral bow

very basic moves but mix, match, and blend to your own personal style!

[parkerkarate]

No body else has a favorite combo. I have a hard time believing that. Here are three of my favorites.

First: I learned this when I first started sparring, jab - cross- step through round house kick.

Second: Jap - spinning back kick

Third: Lunging lead hand back knuckle - reverse punch

[thesensei]

A couple of my favorites:

Backfist followed by a crossing rear kick - the backfist hides the footwork real well.

Fake a spinning rear kick, and do a real rear kick with the other leg - it feels like an awkward hop at first, but I've landed quite a few of those after setting him up with a few real spinning rear kicks.

And of course, the aggressive drive is always fun - just chase him raining reverse punches alternating high and low.

[Rob Broad]

I like to use left back fist, followed by right ridgehand, followed by right roundhouse kick.

[EndlessRising]

So far I've heard some good ones I'm gonna have to try next session. But here are a few of my favorites:

I like to pull down my opponent's lead hand and slip a back knuckle past it and follow up with a cross and a roundhouse.

Fake a front leg ball kick and throw a jab or two (delay the jab slightly to see if they'll drop their guard for the kick) then throw the ball kick you originally faked.

Right jab, left spinning backfist, and then a right roundhouse. That one is probably my favorite and feels awesome if you pull it off.

[Rob Broad]

Here is anotherone of my favorites, but it is complicate. From a left neutral bow, throw a left backfist, then start to spin like you are throwing a right spinning hook kick, but instead keep the leg in the cocked position and then shoot out a right roundhouse kick. It is very deceptive.

[Dharma_Punk]

I'm very fond of using a kick to set up a hand technique (or less frequently vice versa) I will often throw a roundhouse or side kick, then as I land I will throw a jab followed immediately by a reverse punch. Another personal favorite is to lunge forward with a back fist from a left leg forward stance. I will spin, bringing the right leg forward and using my right hand to knock my opponents arms out of the way in a downward parry motion as I slide past them. As I slide past, I will deliver a left ridge hand to their neck or other available target. Most people can't stop this, but if they can it can backfire quick. Also, I like to use the classic lunge punch, I've found once perfected this is almost unstoppable, although leaves you in a slightly unstable position. As a side note, the spinning backfist into a spinning rear kick feels great if you can pull it off, but almost anyone can stop it if they are paying attention. Leg sweeps are good. The first time someone pulled one on me I was totally unprepared for it, but the second time didn't work. Practice, do high intensity interval training on a bag to build up endurance. And remember, there is no better way to prepare for sparring then to spar!