We are currently working on bridging the gap between the drills and the freestyle sparring
too many times a member treats it as a leap and looks at sparring as more of a match fight than a drill
that member runs away from attacks rather than blocking and countering
they hang back looking for a big hit instead of working combinations
expect to get hit
the glove will hit your body
the boot will hit your body
the shin will hit your thigh
expect to get blocked
forearms meet forearms
forearms meet shins
shins meet shins
it is SPARRING
so rather than just do box sets on pads then put on gloves and box we are doing the box sets as a partner drill with the puncher going light and half speed and the reciever taking the hits on the gloves
we will progress through the box and thai sets so members all learn to do the drills and treat the sparring as just a free flow drill
it is also possible to do a lot more flight time doing the drills back and forth in a round to learn them properly - so when you get on the pads you know what you are doing
form first
then speed
then power
it's not just HOW to do the technique
it is WHY and WHEN