Learn Free Sparring Techniques in Kempo Karate

Video Transcript

"O'kay so we did one step sparring, epo kumata, we did three step sparring sonbon kumata and now we are doing gio kumata which kumata basically means crossing hands or meeting hands and it is what the Japanese means sparring. Sparring is where there is no prearranged targets. It is basically like putting on the gloves and going at it. There are rules and you are not trying to knock your opponent out. You are working on your distancing your mahi. You are working on your tsubaki. You are working on timing and if anything its timing. The one thing that beginners have trouble with it is timing. As you progress you get a feel for it. It is one of those subconscious things that you will just learn. You stand and bow and you assume your comata or your fighting posture. Now Shawn is just going to throw hands and I am going to be able to do anything. We are going to work nice and slow and demonstrate what I am doing. I am watching the top of his chest I'm not really looking in his eyes because often times they can fake you out and try to look like they're going to hit you somewhere. He's a big guy and I don't want to get psyched out. I can see here whenever he is moving his hands. I can see when he is going to decide to kick. I can look right there and see him shift his hip. If you are focusing there, they can't tell where you are looking. He did not see that kick. I maintain the same level. You also want to work on your distancing too. You want to be able to hit from a different angle. You don't always want to go in straight, back and forth, back and forth. If somebody has a superior reach, and he throws a punch, eventually he is going to catch you. If you stay there and try to block it comes back. If you are using tsubaki and he is throwing these punches willie nillie, you've got him on distance. Also if you are in this close something that you may let you do in more practical sparring they may let you use elbows, controlled though, you don't really want to use elbows to the head, you can use knees and take out low. There are so many different ways you can do it."