Should i switch partners???

**13ringinheat** · Posted On: 4/22/2008 9:09pm

Alrite this is a noob question but bare with me......

I am relatively new at muay thai and its only been a few months for me. So far i have been always partnered up with a friend of mine during training.

Today we were doing some combos and i got paired off with another dude. Mind you i am 5'10 170lbs and he is 6'8 270lbs. We are supposed to go light but he goes pretty hard to almost full force soo much soo that my elbows and shins are hurting from all the kick and hook checking i did today, i almost thought my shin was broken at one point.

Am i being a ***** and should just continue training with him in the hopes that my elbow and shin will desensitize enough to stand getting hit from this beast. I see the advantages of going full force in sharpening my reflexes, though i fear that i will be a pinata for a guy that big untill my skills get better.

Or should i tell my instructor to pair me off to someone closer to my size and weight.

**gallantknight** · Posted On: 4/22/2008 9:13pm

Well, when you're sparring and you're relatively new, why go full out when it could end up ****ing you up for like a week or two? Just ask that guy to take it easy. You guys are just sparring -- you're not trying to kill eachother, nor are you fighting for some sort of championship.

You two are just partners that are both trying to improve, and if one of you ****s up the other guy, you lose your partner to train with.

I'm not saying make it no contact or anything absurd like that, but it should be alright for him to pull his punches a little more.

**MrJ** · Posted On: 4/23/2008 8:38am

I agree with gallantknight - definitely communicate with your partner.

I would also like to add that it is beneficial to train with as many different partners as possible (sparring or otherwise). Different people have different responses to techniques, plus other knowledge and skills, strengths and training needs which you (and your friend) can adapt to. Hope that helps.