Sparring Party: Part 2

This past Saturday (5/15) was a great turn out for sparring. John brought some of the guys he trains with and I got to work on my San Da. Even though the fight I get, soon hopefully, will be low kicks; I still want to practice San Da. I felt like I was floundering a bit against John (two 3 min rounds) but according to Sifu I actually was doing much better than expected (even Victor made comments on my improvements). I tried my hardest to answer back and not just throw kicks. This came after I was caught many times and taken down. Getting slammed on the mat has a way of resonating points made by your corner. Near the end of the second round, although exhausted, I managed to avoid one take down with a sprawl and got in a few shots of my own. I literally rolled out of the ring and rested until I got in another 2 rounds with one of John's friends, also named John.

All total I did 6, 3 minute, rounds. The rest was only 30 sec which definitely showed how much conditioning I need. Which is fine, I just need to find time to run.

Monday I got the gym early and did a mile on the treadmill at 7:30 pace and then did 5-30 sec HIIT, with the final one at 15% incline (lots of fun). Along with about 5 rounds of bag work before MMA.

Tuesday, started of with 10 rounds of bag work then boxing (with X) and Kickboxing 2. We worked on low kick defense and then sparred. I was pretty tired after classes and it showed during sparring. At one point, I got hit (not especially hard) and stopped for a second, thinking I got my bell rung. Sifu said if that happens to just shake it off and look ahead as if to say "Bring it on." I think I was just tired and the shock of getting hit kinda "took the fight" out of me. However, I did not let that happen again so in fact it put the fight in me.

I could not answer Ahmed in the first 2 rounds, whenever he kicked me. I got frustrated and angry during the third round after Sifu kept telling me to answer. My response "He's too fucking far away." His comeback, "Then move closer." Simple yet effective. I, more or less, said "Fuck it" in my head and just moved in; blocking kicks until I was close enough to box. I would hit him and then move back out, eating some kicks and punches but also giving some of my own. I ended the round much better than I started and then moved on to another opponent. After Ahmed I sparred just 2 rounds with a new person, Greg (?), who wanted to try it out. I worked on answering and distance as well as defense (per Sifu's recommendation).

Hopefully, my opponent will be somewhere in the middle of Greg and Ahmed. Either way, I cannot wait on my fight. I told Sifu to contact the promoter and tell them that I will take the low kick fight. Why not take what is offered. Get it out of the way. Then move on to the next fight after a good showing in this one. At least it will give me more time to work on my clinch, take-downs, and wrestling.

Improvements:
Take down defense, clinch, answering kicks with punches, distance/range, setting up kicks with punches

Positives:
Conditioning is better, sprawl looks good (when I use it), Improved greatly from last week