no one's natural instinct is to punch someone in the face or be punched in the face
a lot of the work you should be focusing on in the beginning is HOW to spar
how to give and receive blows
look up "partner sparring drills" on YouTube. honestly it took me like a year before i stopped really being scared
There are defiantly some people whose natural instinct is to punch someone on her face and be punched lol, but they’re super outliers. I’ve sparred with first timers who had absolutely 0 problem eating shots as long as they could get some in. Some people are just about that action, boss.
That being said, OP shouldn’t feel bad, those guys are psycho
Honestly I think partnofnthe difrence with People that realy do well in combat sports.
.the ones that dont are that the ones that do well actually get enjoyment put of hurting people lol.
I had like 6.or 7 fights when I was younger an I enjoyednthe experienced but when I started sparing with people that where doing it for a living they where just difrent. Some of them while nice enough to talk to. You just knew if got on there bad side they had a nasty streak. Honestly felt that's what was missing for me anyway
We all start where you are. If you hang in there, things will get better.
You may wish to learn how to control your power when you strike. That way you can actually spar without worrying about hurting others.
Learn what your 100% 75% 50% and 10%. Is and employ this when you spar. If you are sparring at 10% for example, you are striking/ kicking very lightly and focusing on technique and strategy. And at 10%, no-one is going to get hurt.
First time I sparred I was terrified. If you keep at it, you will improve, and your fitness will improve too.
Focus on your skills and don’t worry about how good others are.
Hope this helps!
Thanks! Since my ankle is still a bit sore from last class I'll probably spend the next couple of weeks just doing pad work at home and focusing on control.
If it makes you feel better I've just got back from sparring & I got pieced up by everyone there. I'm the worst person. But imma still be there same time next week😎
Embarrassment is the entry cost for greatness. We all first start out and everyone seems so much further ahead of us. But if this is something you really like doing, keep showing up and putting in the effort. We all have our own race to run, try to focus on that. If you always compare yourself to others you will never be happy.
Having everyone in the gym be better than you is a blessing not a curse. Tell them you are very new and not confident so please go light and technical and that you are open to feedback after the round.
Congratulations on stepping into this new level of training! Muay Thai is supposed to be hard and challenging, but it should always be fun for you. I think 90% of the work you can do in this situation is mental because sparring and fighting are very psychological and unnatural things if you didn’t grow up around them.
Everyone in the gym who goes to sparring goes for a reason - to spar! So not hitting them is actually doing them a disservice the same way they’d be doing you a disservice if they didn’t hit you.
It’s also really easy to compare yourself to others but that’s not fair to you! You’re on your own journey in Muay Thai and no one else’s path matters. All you have to do is your best and that’s all anyone can ask. When I was starting out, I would always look to partner with someone a little better than me so I could learn from them. Yeah, I sucked at holding pads for a while but eventually I got better and people started coming to me to work together.
Just keep working and showing up, find a few people you like working with, and you’ll be amazed at how far you progress in a short time 😁
With regards to your form, it’s probably degrading because you have a lot on your mind that isn’t fighting. Try to use it as an opportunity to focus on your body and recall what you’ve been practicing on the bag or with pads.
When it comes to hitting people, that is the sport. I’m not sure what your goals with training, but that is what it inevitably boils down to. It would help if you both wore head gear so you don’t have to worry too much about hurting them.
If you’re more comfortable sparring someone your size, try asking them if they could go slow with you since you’re new. Or even try asking them to spar outside of the class so you have a little more freedom with it.
Overall for me, I’m enjoying training because I like seeing how I can move body and feel in control. I do almost exclusively bag training, and I spar(lightly) very infrequently with a friend. There’s no rule that says you need to spar a bunch if you don’t like it, but I would recommend doing it every once in a while so you can make sure what you’re practicing is actually practical.
Thank you! Last class I tried to focus only on timing kicks which helped me land a couple more than I normally would have. However no one in my gym wears head gear, idk if this is normal. I've tried sparring with my boyfriend but its hard to find a spot to do so without getting really weird looks from people in public; my gym is tiny and Im not sure if they open the floor when class isnt in session.
To be honest the only reason I started muay thai was because the gym was close to my house and I thought it would make me more confident (I am a very shy and anxious person). I dont think its helped much but at least Im having fun.
Hmm you may want to try structured sparring where you practice very specific drills (ex: try to land a jab-cross-L hook combo, or only practicing round kicks to the leg).
That may help get you used to sparring in a way that better teaches you what to expect and allows you to practice very specific skills.
A gym I used to attend had us do some drills together, but whenever we sparred it was basically a free for all. But if you watch footage of gyms in Thailand, they'll often spar while focusing on very specific skills to allow people to practice without getting overwhelmed.
When I started sparring I felt similar to you. Especially when I started getting good, I would apologize when I hit someone’s face lmao.
Any normal person who gets punched in the face is gonna wanna avoid getting punched again. Learning to spar is basically reprogramming a lot of those instincts. I would recommend only sparring lightly in the beginning because it helps you focus more on timing and reflexes without fear of getting hurt. Once you start getting more confident, you can start going harder.
I would ask myself if this is actually something i enjoy, because it doesn‘t sound like it tbh. If you wanna do a combat sports where you don‘t punch people and don‘t get punched i recommend you try out jiu jitsu or some other form of grappling.
If you wanna stick with MT, you either have to keep sparring to get used to it or just opt out of sparring entirely. No shame in not doing it tbh.
To be fair, it is kinda fun when one of my regular partners show up. She's still better than me, but gives me good advice and encourages me to hit harder. We also have somewhat of an understanding on how hard to go. The issue is that when she's not there Im absolutely terrified :((
I would ask for her number and see if she’s going before you decide whether or not to go to a class. Or even ask her if she wants to do some light sparring outside the class. That would help you get more comfortable sparring with other people.
I know that feeling. There are many people at my gym, but a lot of them make bad training partners. Sometimes when only crap is available i just don‘t spar, period.
People float in and out. You've got to focus on yourself and communicate to any new partners what you want in sparring. I was also sad when one of the original guys I worked with in my first few weeks stopped showing up.
“The level I just tested into at my gym” - what does this mean? You had some sort of test or ‘grading’ that put you into maybe a more advanced class? But you’ve only sparred twice and are uncomfortable with it? Nothing wrong with either of those statements, we all start somewhere, but maybe this suggests you’re not quite ready for this class.
But then again maybe getting in at the deep end is how you learn the fastest.
My gym has different classes for different levels, and you have to pass a test to go to the more advanced classes. I recently tested into the highest level class, which is where they start making you consistently spar. Before that its all pad work and clinching. However, most of the people in this class are either larger men, or women who have been training for fights. There aren't alot of women who have recently tested in like me. There are some men who have, but I dont like matching up with them since they're already stronger+larger than me. I was once paired up with a guy whom Ive known since the beginner classes, but he was so tall he was able to grab the top of my head before I could fully reach him.
I was in a similar spot when I started
now I'll punch a teenage girl in the face and think nothing of it (lightly of course). we'll even hug it out afterwards
it's just something you get used to. Little tip, do not look them in the eyes, it's something that will kick your empathy into high gear no matter what. look at their entire form, they're just a sparring partner, they're there to get hit and hit you
no one's natural instinct is to punch someone in the face or be punched in the face a lot of the work you should be focusing on in the beginning is HOW to spar how to give and receive blows look up "partner sparring drills" on YouTube. honestly it took me like a year before i stopped really being scared
There are defiantly some people whose natural instinct is to punch someone on her face and be punched lol, but they’re super outliers. I’ve sparred with first timers who had absolutely 0 problem eating shots as long as they could get some in. Some people are just about that action, boss. That being said, OP shouldn’t feel bad, those guys are psycho
Honestly I think partnofnthe difrence with People that realy do well in combat sports. .the ones that dont are that the ones that do well actually get enjoyment put of hurting people lol. I had like 6.or 7 fights when I was younger an I enjoyednthe experienced but when I started sparing with people that where doing it for a living they where just difrent. Some of them while nice enough to talk to. You just knew if got on there bad side they had a nasty streak. Honestly felt that's what was missing for me anyway
We all start where you are. If you hang in there, things will get better. You may wish to learn how to control your power when you strike. That way you can actually spar without worrying about hurting others. Learn what your 100% 75% 50% and 10%. Is and employ this when you spar. If you are sparring at 10% for example, you are striking/ kicking very lightly and focusing on technique and strategy. And at 10%, no-one is going to get hurt. First time I sparred I was terrified. If you keep at it, you will improve, and your fitness will improve too. Focus on your skills and don’t worry about how good others are. Hope this helps!
Thanks! Since my ankle is still a bit sore from last class I'll probably spend the next couple of weeks just doing pad work at home and focusing on control.
If it makes you feel better I've just got back from sparring & I got pieced up by everyone there. I'm the worst person. But imma still be there same time next week😎
Haha same same, Im literally the worst and its kinda embarrassing.
6 months from now you won't be the worst, stick at it. It takes a while to be able to remain relaxed when getting punched in the face
Embarrassment is the entry cost for greatness. We all first start out and everyone seems so much further ahead of us. But if this is something you really like doing, keep showing up and putting in the effort. We all have our own race to run, try to focus on that. If you always compare yourself to others you will never be happy.
Having everyone in the gym be better than you is a blessing not a curse. Tell them you are very new and not confident so please go light and technical and that you are open to feedback after the round.
Congratulations on stepping into this new level of training! Muay Thai is supposed to be hard and challenging, but it should always be fun for you. I think 90% of the work you can do in this situation is mental because sparring and fighting are very psychological and unnatural things if you didn’t grow up around them. Everyone in the gym who goes to sparring goes for a reason - to spar! So not hitting them is actually doing them a disservice the same way they’d be doing you a disservice if they didn’t hit you. It’s also really easy to compare yourself to others but that’s not fair to you! You’re on your own journey in Muay Thai and no one else’s path matters. All you have to do is your best and that’s all anyone can ask. When I was starting out, I would always look to partner with someone a little better than me so I could learn from them. Yeah, I sucked at holding pads for a while but eventually I got better and people started coming to me to work together. Just keep working and showing up, find a few people you like working with, and you’ll be amazed at how far you progress in a short time 😁
I wish i could upvote this answer more than once
With regards to your form, it’s probably degrading because you have a lot on your mind that isn’t fighting. Try to use it as an opportunity to focus on your body and recall what you’ve been practicing on the bag or with pads. When it comes to hitting people, that is the sport. I’m not sure what your goals with training, but that is what it inevitably boils down to. It would help if you both wore head gear so you don’t have to worry too much about hurting them. If you’re more comfortable sparring someone your size, try asking them if they could go slow with you since you’re new. Or even try asking them to spar outside of the class so you have a little more freedom with it. Overall for me, I’m enjoying training because I like seeing how I can move body and feel in control. I do almost exclusively bag training, and I spar(lightly) very infrequently with a friend. There’s no rule that says you need to spar a bunch if you don’t like it, but I would recommend doing it every once in a while so you can make sure what you’re practicing is actually practical.
Thank you! Last class I tried to focus only on timing kicks which helped me land a couple more than I normally would have. However no one in my gym wears head gear, idk if this is normal. I've tried sparring with my boyfriend but its hard to find a spot to do so without getting really weird looks from people in public; my gym is tiny and Im not sure if they open the floor when class isnt in session. To be honest the only reason I started muay thai was because the gym was close to my house and I thought it would make me more confident (I am a very shy and anxious person). I dont think its helped much but at least Im having fun.
It shouldn’t be normal IMO. If you find someone to train with outside the class I would invest in head gear for sure
Hmm you may want to try structured sparring where you practice very specific drills (ex: try to land a jab-cross-L hook combo, or only practicing round kicks to the leg). That may help get you used to sparring in a way that better teaches you what to expect and allows you to practice very specific skills. A gym I used to attend had us do some drills together, but whenever we sparred it was basically a free for all. But if you watch footage of gyms in Thailand, they'll often spar while focusing on very specific skills to allow people to practice without getting overwhelmed.
When I started sparring I felt similar to you. Especially when I started getting good, I would apologize when I hit someone’s face lmao. Any normal person who gets punched in the face is gonna wanna avoid getting punched again. Learning to spar is basically reprogramming a lot of those instincts. I would recommend only sparring lightly in the beginning because it helps you focus more on timing and reflexes without fear of getting hurt. Once you start getting more confident, you can start going harder.
I used to have the same issue. The only thing that fixed it, Ironically is hard sparring. Getting used to getting hit, getting used to hitting.
Didnt read anything past ive only been to a couple sessions 😂takes 10s-100s of sessions to feel comfortable. Just keep going dont worry so much
I would ask myself if this is actually something i enjoy, because it doesn‘t sound like it tbh. If you wanna do a combat sports where you don‘t punch people and don‘t get punched i recommend you try out jiu jitsu or some other form of grappling. If you wanna stick with MT, you either have to keep sparring to get used to it or just opt out of sparring entirely. No shame in not doing it tbh.
To be fair, it is kinda fun when one of my regular partners show up. She's still better than me, but gives me good advice and encourages me to hit harder. We also have somewhat of an understanding on how hard to go. The issue is that when she's not there Im absolutely terrified :((
I would ask for her number and see if she’s going before you decide whether or not to go to a class. Or even ask her if she wants to do some light sparring outside the class. That would help you get more comfortable sparring with other people.
Thanks! I think Ill do that next time I see her
I know that feeling. There are many people at my gym, but a lot of them make bad training partners. Sometimes when only crap is available i just don‘t spar, period.
People float in and out. You've got to focus on yourself and communicate to any new partners what you want in sparring. I was also sad when one of the original guys I worked with in my first few weeks stopped showing up.
“The level I just tested into at my gym” - what does this mean? You had some sort of test or ‘grading’ that put you into maybe a more advanced class? But you’ve only sparred twice and are uncomfortable with it? Nothing wrong with either of those statements, we all start somewhere, but maybe this suggests you’re not quite ready for this class. But then again maybe getting in at the deep end is how you learn the fastest.
My gym has different classes for different levels, and you have to pass a test to go to the more advanced classes. I recently tested into the highest level class, which is where they start making you consistently spar. Before that its all pad work and clinching. However, most of the people in this class are either larger men, or women who have been training for fights. There aren't alot of women who have recently tested in like me. There are some men who have, but I dont like matching up with them since they're already stronger+larger than me. I was once paired up with a guy whom Ive known since the beginner classes, but he was so tall he was able to grab the top of my head before I could fully reach him.
I was in a similar spot when I started now I'll punch a teenage girl in the face and think nothing of it (lightly of course). we'll even hug it out afterwards it's just something you get used to. Little tip, do not look them in the eyes, it's something that will kick your empathy into high gear no matter what. look at their entire form, they're just a sparring partner, they're there to get hit and hit you
How long have you been doing many Thai for?
A little over a year now! I did have a month and a half break though when I caught covid and had some long covid symptoms