3 Things to Remember when Coping with Sparring Fear
Hello Everyone. It’s BKJN Josh, guest writing in today’s blog. Quick bio, I started at WC Berryessa in 1994 and was an instructor/program director from 2007-2012. I just wanted to give my quick 2 cents on how to cope with sparring fear.
Everyone is afraid of sparring!
Yes its true. Everyone and anyone is afraid of sparring. Especially when you are first starting off. Think of it like any new challenge. When you first learning to ride a bike wasn’t it scary. The fear of potentially falling down and getting a cut was scary. That is a feeling that everyone faces and has to conquer. However, much like how your parent or childhood friend was there to encourage/catch you, so are our great instructors! We’re here to make the sparring safe and ensure that every student only works at their readiness level.
Safety is the biggest priority for our instructors!
We promise you that every instructor is highly training and experienced in creating the safest environment for you and your child to learn to spar. Our goal is to teach each student how to properly react and defend themselves in a self-defense situation. Each sparring session is closely monitored to ensure that the appropriate level of contact and speed is being practiced. If you ever think there is excess of contact, please let one of our instructors know and we’ll be sure to address the issue immediately.
Head gear? Chest Gear? Gloves? Feet Gear? Check!
The sparring gear isn’t just there to make you look cool. It’s also put in place to ensure that you and your sparring partner are protected at all times. Being able to practice your techniques in a safe way allows for everyone to experience a fun and safe kicking and punching practice! Just be sure to clean it regularly to avoid any extra funk.
In conclusion, I know sparring is a stressful time for each of our students and parents alike. But trust me, it is a common fear that many share. However, it’s an essential application of teaching in the safest way possible. We would much rather have each of our students practice sparring in a highly supervised, padded, and equipment heavy environment then only have to use it on the streets.
We know that you’ll get through it and if you ever have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach our to our awesome staff of instructors.