Sparring skilled opponents

[GhostFighter]

Is sparring against people who are better then you the best way of getting better at sparring?
When i sparr agaisnt less skilled ones i feel really good and the end of the day that most my punches landed clean, successfully slipped some punches etc...
But when up against the better ones im having difficulty getting close and slipping and basically just getting a whooping, which makes me feel like **** rest of the day.

[Bretto2]

A balance is better, obviously your not going to be able to chose your opponents, you cant get cained everytime in sparing or your confidence will drop and like you said ull feel like ****. But its always a better move stepping up to challenge better people, aslong as the experienced ones know you have less experience they should help you learn aswell imho

[ScottDBA]

To an extent. It will be difficult at first but as long as you don't get discouraged you will become a better fighter because of it.

Before my first few fights I did all my sparring for my first fight with people who were 10+ lbs bigger (some of them even 50lbs bigger) and had atleast a couple fights or had been around the gym for years. I took a lot of shots especially at the very beginning but they were all good guys (and girl) and knew I was new so didn't go too hard and the intensity increased as I got better.

The first time I ever got in the ring with someone my own size and experience level I finished him in 1 minute. He looked like a punching bag compared to what I was used to in sparring and I got hit maybe once.

Other new people in my gym since then have had to do their sparring with other guys who are just starting out and are around their size. They haven't had the success that I did in my first fights because their opponents are the same or even better than the people they spar against.

[ScottDBA]

You should be using sparring to improve your skill, not to feel good about beating people up or trying to 'win'. If you do this you will be fine sparring with people better (as long as they aren't jerks and are willing to work with you and not try and beat you up).

[Amazinger]

Is sparring against people who are better then you the best way of getting better at sparring?
When i sparr agaisnt less skilled ones i feel really good and the end of the day that most my punches landed clean, successfully slipped some punches etc...
But when up against the better ones im having difficulty getting close and slipping and basically just getting a whooping, which makes me feel like **** rest of the day.

Don't get discourage if you can't beat you sparring mate.But you must always study their movement and try new moves to counter theirs.

It's better to spar with bigger and or better one's otherwise you would become stagnant and will stick to your bad habits.


BTW I never beat my 2 elder brothers but I love to spar with them always.

[Syf]

if you always win, even in sparring, its hard to keep the edge.. So I say taking a bit of a beating in sparring, even for a great fighter, isn't bad.

So take your licks in sparring, and then go train harder in preparation for your next time. Next time, they won't get the better of you like that.

[Syf]

You should be using sparring to improve your skill, not to feel good about beating people up or trying to 'win'. If you do this you will be fine sparring with people better (as long as they aren't jerks and are willing to work with you and not try and beat you up).

Every sparring match I have been in, they have tried to knock my head off. .. lol

[oniham]

At my gym I'm the biggest guy (220 Lbs) and usually to offset this they have me fight very experienced people. I feel that fighting skilled opponents makes you become a better fighter the more you do it, as long as you don't get discouraged because you are taking a pummeling lol. Everytime I spar this guy who is about to make his debut I always find something new to work on because he'll exploit all my weaknesses and expose them.

[HannibalTheKing]

In my opinion it should be a combination of a)working with people lesser than you to learn fluidity b)working with someone equal to you to learn how to box and c)work with someone better than you to learn how to fight. That's the way I've doing doing it and so far so good.

[Bretto2]

Every sparring match I have been in, they have tried to knock my head off. .. lol

Well I think your gym needs a bit more respect for one another, sparring's for learning not hurting each other