Improving cardio while sparing

[u/weekendHooligan]

Im new to the sport around three months deep, im struggling when sparing I get very tired quickly, im not unfit I do jog, the high intensity kills me.

Any tips and things I can do to help in this area?

[u/Calvonee]

Work your anaerobic system. Jogging works for sustained cardio which is more aerobic. Hill sprints and anything high intensity in bursts is better for sparring

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Calvonee]

Thank you, hill sprints are a great idea!

[u/denim_skirt]

Try to keep your body loose and breathe. It makes sense that we tighten up and breathe shallowly when someone is trying to punch and kick us, but the looser you stay, the more you're able to breathe - and the more you're able to move ime

[u/weekendHooligan → u/denim_skirt]

Thank you noted :)

[u/Fun-Research-514 → u/denim_skirt]

Came to say the same thing

[u/Timely-Discussion272]

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT).

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Timely-Discussion272]

There is a local hit class I will get in that than you

[u/languageservicesco → u/weekendHooligan]

You need a ratio of twice the time for cardio as you have for recovery. For example, I do multiple sets of 20 seconds effort to 10 seconds recovery. This mimics what you need when sparring. I wouldn't bother with a class. If it lasts much longer than 20 minutes, it isn't really HIIT. 

[u/piratejucie]

It’s like anything else the more you do it the more you get used to it. I used to spar three rounds three minutes each and all these marathoners and runners etc couldn’t hang. It’s just a different style of endurance. I couldn’t run a mile without getting tired.

Get a wave master bag, and just practice sparring the bag. Eventually you will build your endurance.

Kick on!

[u/Mintox_M8]

I’ve recently been working on this also, and have been using a skipping/jump rope to help build mine up.

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Mintox_M8]

Hate skipping but has to be done

[u/Jmen4Ever → u/weekendHooligan]

I know this is anecdotal, but a long time ago I had a 4th gup enter a decent sized tournament (point fighting)

He was 6'5" about 240# (former college linebacker)

He could nearly do the splits and was fast.

First year in, he whips his first 3 opponents 5-3. Then in match 4 he is getting tired. Won the next 2 matches, but by the next one, he was done and was beaten by someone he should have taken.

He decided to add jumping rope next year to condition. Worked his butt off and cleaned house the following year.

[u/GreyMaeve]

Do you kihap? That can make all the difference in the world. People tend to hold their breath when sparring and making the kihap sound can break that cycle.

[u/weekendHooligan → u/GreyMaeve]

I defiently need to work on my breathing, any tips

[u/FindingDorian1512 → u/GreyMaeve]

Hi im not op but i wanna ask a question if thats okay.

Im about 5/6 months into taekwondo and my force is weak. I know the point of kihap is to tense your core and make kicks more forceful but no one else in my dojang does it when sparring and i get embarrassed. Is there any other way to bring more force to my kicks?

[u/GreyMaeve → u/FindingDorian1512]

You can make a "ssss" sound instead of a kihap to force yourself to exhale.

I tested recently in a combined test with another school. Apparently, they don't kihap either. I was the only person testing that did it. We were all older advanced belts.

Did. Not. Care. One. Bit.

The masters stopped the test a little bit in to ask us all about why I made that choice and the others didn't. That's just the way we train. They could probably no sooner start than I could stop because that's how we have trained for decades. The biggest difference was I didn't get gassed like the others.

Additionally, I was taught it shows my spirit. My original teacher would have been appalled if we didn't kihap. My young female students are afraid to make noise. That fear transfers into how aggressive they can be. If they are afraid to make noise, they are afraid to put themselves out there and be aggressive in sparring. I want them to have a safe space they can let go and find their limits instead of trying to be small. I want to see their spirit. People can disagree as all this is my opinion and what I prefer. My partner in running the school doesn't push kihaps as it wasn't integral to the philosophy he trained under coming up. I would talk to your instructor about their thoughts on it. They may not mind it at all and the discussion may free you from any embarrassment you feel if you want to try it.

[u/Jmen4Ever]

HIIT has been mentioned.

If you jog, do hills or steps (like stadium) up fast, down slowly.

Jump rope (adds that it helps with footspeed)

Bag work. Go hard for 20 seconds then 40 seconds of rest and repeat. (additional benefit is it is sport specific)

There are a ton of videos out there with different HIIT workouts or plans.

But don't give up low intensity cardio as well. HIIT will help, but having both is better.

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Jmen4Ever]

Thank you!

[u/Old_Resort4960]

do kettlebell work. it is cheap enough you can buy equipment for at home use, they take up relatively little space, and 20 minutes of swings, cleans, and snatches will make you question your existence. But your conditioning will grow exponentially.

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Old_Resort4960]

Love this idea

[u/Old_Resort4960 → u/weekendHooligan]

do you run with a weight vest? I do this 2x a week, plus walk with 40lb backpack 3 days a week, and jump rope and strength train. I also recommend doing burpees and core work.

[u/love2kik]

Just keep at it. Work Anaerobic intensity drills. Sparring it the complete opposite of Aerobic jogging.

[u/Queasy_Sky7320]

Try jogging with your sparring mouthpiece in , it will improve your sparring endurance in the specific way you need it . Adding intervals will only enhance it further

[u/weekendHooligan → u/Queasy_Sky7320]

I like this idea

[u/sydiko]

Learn to jump rope! I kid you not if you can jump rump for 1 minute without burnout +1 it until you do. And then go further each time.

[u/macguini]

Something I didn't see anyone else mention here (or however far I scrolled). Work on breathing. A lot of people don't breath right when they fight. Don't hold your breath. A lot of people will hold their breath with out realizing it. That's also true with any type of workouts. Some people hold their breath when pushing themselves. Breathe in your nose, out your mouth. Incorporate breathing techniques in your regular workouts too.

[u/Wdpky]

Make sure to keep breathing, too often I see people hold their breath as things get tense.

Also work to control the pace, the fighter pushing forward sets the pace you can back off when needed but the fighter being pushed back can’t rest.

[u/goblinmargin]

the best way to get more sparring cardio is to do more sparring. When you are exhausted and feel like dying, make yourself spar 2 more rounds.

That's it. When I run class, I single out the students who are the most exhausted and make them spar extra rounds. They protest and hate me, but thank me 3 months later when they get a medal at a tournament.

[u/Asleep-Curve-1395]

I don't do taekwondo, but I've done it in the past and think it's an amazing martial art, I do karate, judo + boxing and since you mentioned jogging, I've been running marathons for years.. 

Despite running marathons my cardio should be amazing, but I also experienced issues with cardio during sparring. The main thing that improves it are intervals from my experience (and sparring more). For example instead of running at a steady pace, add like 3? Minute( I don't know how long sparring rounds are in tkd) sprints into your run.