Sylvie's Technique Vlog #39 - Committing to Throwing 3s in Sparring (19 min) (Patreon)

This is something I started on about a year and a half ago. It was Kevin's idea as training framework to have me focus on only throwing in 3s, any strike but always 3 of them (or more!), in sparring as a way to help me progress beyond a lot of "one hit wonder" striking. It was hard and to be honest about it, I hated it. It was hard to do under pressure, with counters coming back at you because generally you want to strike and get the hell out of there before being hit back; but that's exactly how it became clear to me how much I was using distance as my defense and, as a shorter fighter that's one of the weakest tools in the toolbox because it puts me way out of range. I kept at it, even though it was so uncomfortable, and gradually I stopped hopping out so much learning to solve problems in other ways. It also helped me develop flow and a better understanding of distance; the former because these aren't memorized combos but rather actually feeling which strikes go together within the circumstances of that moment, and the latter because if your target is moving your range has to adjust while striking. As I mention in the vlog you can start with combos first if you like, but it's much more beneficial if you are improvising your strikes and not throwing in memorized patterns.

That second point about changing range is why it's really important to work on 3s in sparring. You can work with them on the bag and in shadow, to kind of help your creativity in feeling how strikes work together, but you really will be doing most of your growth in sparring. For me, I'd even stopped focusing on throwing in 3s after committing to it for an extended period and then a year on I was I'm reminded of it again, which is why I made this vlog. I've come back to it.  I realize how much the attempts I made in it have had great effects in my phrasing, my ability to see, my jang wa (rhythm and timing), and for my defense. Because I don't have to use distance as my main mode of defense, I'm actually much more defensive in the pocket and able to improvisationally counter during exchanges, rather than taking turns. If you haven't tried it yet, you'll be uncomfortable, that's ok. So was I. You'll throw your one or two strikes and want to naturally stop, create space. See if you can start improvising that 3rd strike, even if it feels forced, or you're not quite sure what to throw. You'll start developing a feel for how strikes follow others by feel, and your defense will start to improve because you aren't jumping out. You'll learn where the vulnerabilities are after a strike, and come to adjust to them. 

So I hope this simple project is as inspiring and helpful for you as it has been for me. I got a lot out of it, and I'm returning to it again now. Just commit to throwing in 3s in sparring, no matter how difficult, for a while, and see what it reveals and opens up for you.

All my Technique Vlogs for Patrons

Check out my other Patron-only technique vlogs:

#38 Head Diving, Small Changes In Balance (21 min) 

#37 Training Around Injury (15 min)

#36 Improving Your Footwork Using a Footwork Grid (17 Min)

#35 Pressure Fighting Working on Getting In / Staying In (28 min)

#34 Experiments In Sparring pt. 2 (1 hr)

#33 The Importance of Head Alignment (13 min)

#32 How to Train Clinch in Shadowboxing

#31 Things to Try In Sparring (38 min)

#30 Training Stiff Arms and Shoves (15 min)

#29 Training The Lead Side Only (16 min)

#28 Training Through Fatigue and the Feet (15 min)

#27 Why You Should Slow Down on the Pads (17 min)

#26 Barefist Training vs Training with Bag Gloves (18 min)

#25 The Non-Switch Lead Kick (9 min)

#24 Getting on Your Toes (13 min)

#23 How to Use Bagwork in Thailand (17 min)

#22 Guard: Palms Facing Outward (17 min)

#21 Your Ambient Footwork (15 min)

#20 Jang-wa, Rhythm and Timing (15 min)

#19  Training Ruup & Composure  (13 min)

#18   Closing the Door in Long Guar (11 min) 

#17  Static Block for Balance (9 min)

#16 The Diamond Guard (20 min)

#15 Mental Gym, Beginning to Advanced Visualization (19 min)

#14 Getting the Right Hand In (13 min)

#13 Rising on Techniques (6 min)

#12 Control of the Kick (6 min)

#11 Body Position First (11 min)

#10 All About How I Recover (12 min)

#9 Creating Power and Distance At Close Range (9 min)

#8 Where Are Your Feet? Foot Position (9 min)

#7 Evolving in the Long Guard (10 min)  

#6 The Power of Eye Contact (10 min) 

#5 Dieselnoi's Lowkick in the Clinch (12 min) 

#4 Air Knees in the Corner (8 min) 

#3 Acceleration at the End of Strikes (10 min)

#2 The Kem Pivot (12 min) 

#1 Dealing With Fear, How to Cut it Out (13 min)

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