Why Tournament Sparring?

What’s the idea behind tournament sparring?  Bridging the gap.  What’s bridging the gap?  Throwing (and landing) a strike at your partner as you cross the critical distance line.  What’s the critical distance line?  It’s that line (in the sand perhaps) where if you’re behind it your partner can’t hit you without taking a step but if you cross it, you’ve stepped into their range.

Thus the game of sparring is about who can bridge the gap first.  Sometimes this means mustering up the courage, throwing out a blistering charge of strikes and going for it.  Sometimes it means throwing a fake first to freeze your partner, then blazing a trail across the deadly critical distance line.  Sometimes it means letting them cross the line then parrying their shot and firing a counter shot.

However you bridge the gap remember that the bridge is what sparring is all about.  Of course the “fight” won’t end after you bridge the gap.  More than one punch (probably) will get thrown.  That’s okay.  We’ve got other games to cover that idea.  The mindset of tournament sparring is: bridge the gap.

Check the whiteboard for the lesson plan and student feedback.