How do you motivate training partners

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 1:31pm

Right now in my Enshin class the guy I always get stuck with is too compliant. We were practicing combos where we would finish with a backward throw (Ura Nage) and he'd start falling back before I even started moving him. Also when we do conditioning he doesn't hit me hard when I ask him to. Once in a while he will throw a hard kick that takes me by surprise but otherwise he's pretty wimpy.

Edit: maybe I shouldn't call him wimpy, and I understand that everyone wants to train at a certain level but I have no problem go light with him, but why can't he go hard with me. Also unless you're demonstrating or learning new a throw or sweep on me, I make anyone who throws or sweeps me earn it.

**warnerj5000** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 1:35pm

keep telling him to hit you harder until you get hit as hard as you want?
tell him don't just fall over, wait til you throw him.

Keep telling him until he does it, or just avoid training with him.

Also, hit him as hard as you want him to hit you. He'll either get the picture, or train with someone else.

**Judah Maccabee** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 1:37pm

How often have you encouraged him to hit you hard?

When sparring with tentative people, if they keep pulling their punches or throwing them weird, I completely drop my guard and stick my face out there and firmly say to them "HIT ME." Some people have a large hesitancy to hit hard.

Generally though, before sparring, I'll explain to them that they don't have to worry so much about hurting me or me hurting them.

In Krav drills, like escaping from wrist grabs, headlocks, chokes, etc., I explain to them (if I've never worked with them before) that they need to apply the technique realistically to me (headlock, front choke, etc), or else I am not going to learn how to apply it when it counts. And the instructor is very cool because someone will go "I don't see how it works this way", and she'll immediately explain an alternate way that may be more appropriate for them or she'll explain the principles, and then the person gets it.

But yeah, if they have me in a shitty headlock, I'll say "You can squeeze harder than that. Harder. Harder. *gasps* there *gasps*"

**ojgsxr6** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 1:43pm

Originally Posted by samurai_steve

How often have you encouraged him to hit you hard?

Everytime we train, what bothers me is that I'm not tough at all.

**Kengou** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 1:53pm

There was a guy at my TKD class I was working with, he was being way too complient. I told him to actually try to attack, and he got offended or something and went off to train in a corner.

So yeah, he the guy isn't doing what you want him to, tell him, or train with someone else.

**ac_dropout** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 2:09pm

Not everyone is into training in the same way. Some are more enthustic about it than others. Not to mention different skill levels between students.

I think it is best to get as much out of it as possible. If the person is not a strong hitter, than practice timing and dodges when you are paired up. Timing a weak hitter is sometimes even more difficult becuase they move at a different pace than what you might be use to.

Let's put it this way, it is more fun to practice with a relunctant partner than no partner at all.

**warnerj5000** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 2:09pm

in my muay thai class, if we're not hitting each other hard enough the instructor tells us "This isn't karate. Hit each other."

Does your instructor encourage you to beat the crap out of each other properly?

**ac_dropout** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 2:13pm

Only once a week during sparring practice. Other than that we save the our bodies for competitions.

**Ryno** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 2:13pm

Yeah, I've had this issue many times. I tend to do what Samurai Steve does. If it is striking, I'll tell them to hit me. I'll encourage them. "Sock me in the face. NO! REALLY sock me in the face!" Whap! "That's better. Do that every time. I won't break, and it really forces me to defend more realistically."

If it is grappling drills and someone is flopping, I'll enter into a minor throw, then stop and act like I'm checking my position. Often times the flopper will flop, and I'll just tease them, "Damn, I didn't even throw you, and you went sailing! My Chi power is strong! No touch throws!" If this heckling doesn't clue them in, I'll just tell them "Dude, resist a little. I won't slam you or shock lock you. Just let me work the technique, I'll be smooth and easy." If they still flop, I'll just be a dick, and go back to checking my position upon every entry. This forces them to stay in place and not make a pre-emptive flop.

If it is sparring, I usually tell my partner "Go ahead and unload on me. I like contact. Just tell me if I'm going too hard for you and I'll back it off."

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 11/10/2005 2:18pm

Hitting you lightly is hard to overcome just rotate partners frequently.

BUT the anticipation during Drills is my pet peeve.
Here is what you do:
Stop your drill in mid sequence, when he keeps going and falls over say "What the hell are you doing? i didn't touch you." Always doo this when you feel the drill getting robotic. Also move your feet and make him react to you try circling one way then the other. You are responsible for making your drills "alive". Tell him why you are doing it and explain that a little resistance is better than dancing together.