Do you think when you fight/spar/practice?

Question

Capoeira is a defensive/evasive art. The esquiva (escape) is more important than the kick. Buuuuuttt I get hit, like a lot, in comparison to everyone else. So anyway, a lot of times the upper level guys tell me not to think, or that I think too much. I think it's not that I think to much, but that the movements aren't as natural to me as to them. I'm past the stage where the movements look and feel awkward (most of them anyway) but I still don't react naturally w/ capoeira all the time, and I don't flow like the upper level guys.

So have any of you ever experienced this? Does it fade w/ time and practice?

Answer 1

Its all about practice. practice. practice. practice. and then some more practice until the movements become second nature and you can execute them automatically without "thinking".

Answer 2

For a while you think about your moves while sparring, but with practice, your reactions will become more natural. You'll notice this as you get more advanced. Even though you're past the stage where your moves feel awkward, you should still practice them. Practice your moves until they feel like second nature and do a lot of sparring and with time you'll improve.

Answer 3

Most instructors will tell you that you're not supposed to think. What they're actually trying to say is almost completely different. The goal is to get it to where you react instinctively without conscious thought. My instructor put it better. Your not actually not thinking, but thinking hyper fast on a near sub conscious level. I've managed it about twice and you have to experience it to understand it. During the fight you won't feel like you're thinking. You'll just feel intensely focused on the entire situation. After wards if you sit down and try to completely recall you'll remember that you were thinking, despite that it seemed you were only reacting. It's probably best described as a fusion of unconscious and conscious thought. It's hyper fast and observant like sub conscious thought. But you can still consciously feel it. The more experiance and practice you have, and the more serious the circumstances, the more likely it'll happen. A true master of a martial art could probably initiate this any time. So just keep practicing. As far as getting hit goes it just takes time to get the feel of a style's movements. Once you get a feel for it you'll get hit less and less.

Answer 4

I do TKD. when I am trying something new, or only allowed to do a certain thing (for training purposes) I think a LOT. But just regular sparring against someone I've fought before, It's just reaction.

Answer 5

I don't do Capoeira, but I think I understand the feeling you are having - you are proficient at the moves, but your mind still gets in the way of your body - you feel like you can't react fast enough, or that the other guy sees your move and evades before you can even kick.  It happens to everyone at a certain level.  

Based on my experiences you are ready to  have "that moment" ; the break through to the essence martial arts - when your body and mind are in unison. It will happen as you practice more, but with the right kind of practice you can make it happen faster.



Once you have the basics, you start to put them together.  Once you put them together you become competent.  Once you become competent, you don't have to slow down and think of what you are doing - you just do it.  (Sounds corny, but it's true.)  At THAT point, you really get it - you begin to see what cues you are giving that allow your opponent to escape, strike or dodge - you start to read your opponent's body and respond before they strike.

You are going over the hump from beginner to advanced - keep practicing your moves at home, and envision your opponent's responses.

I also love to do situational sparring a.k.a. "flow drills"- get with a partner and give him 2 or 3 moves that he can throw at you - your job is to read and respond accordingly.  Work one broad area at a time- an example in boxing  would be as follows:

"feeder" throws a typical left jab/ right straight combo- you respond with defense, counter, evasion, etc.  You'll get the feel of that particular combo coming at you - and how you respond.  Once you are comfortable with that one then you do something different - jab/hook, hook/cross, straight to body/head hook etc. It's a little looser than standard punching drills because you and the feeder move around, working on footwork, timing, distance the whole time.

I'm sure you can adapt that exercise to capoeira if you don't already do something similar.

Keep practicing and you'll start to flow and move with the best of them.

Answer 6

You are probably thinking about your technique and how you should move too much.

When you see the position are you thinking

what should I do, maybe this

How do I do that

Then concentrating on doing whatever technique you have chosen properly.

DON'T do that

When you see the opportunity to hit and evade, or just evade. That is all you should be thinking. One thought "move" and trust the training and repititions that you have done on you're technique, and you should move something like you are supposed to

Answer 7

You're supposed to think. I think what they're trying to tell you is to FOCUS. Trust me, focus is half the battle.

Capoeira is very well known for it's flexibility in dodging, acrobatics, etc. So focus on your opponents movements and you should be getting hit less.

Yes it fades with time and practice. In almost any martial art, the technique will always take some getting used to. Keep practicing.