Awareness + Safety

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While sparring, I make sure to stay safe, not from my sparring partner’s offenses but also from others around us.

With some gyms, it’s a written rule that lower belts give way to senior belts and move away. So people training at such a gym are often aware of their surroundings.

When it’s an unwritten rule, it’s not necessarily the case that people pay much attention to their surroundings.

Whether the rule is written or unwritten, or whether you are a white belt or a black belt, it’s much better if you actively pay attention to your surroundings so you will be able to avoid situations where you/your sparring partner might collide with another pair, as such a collision can lead to a severe injury.

I consider this “paying attention to your surroundings” as an essential part of your training because if you can sense what’s going on around you, I’m inclined to think that you will also be able to feel what your opponent is doing, too.

And this kind of awareness is something you need to have when you roll against a skilled opponent. They will not always make obvious moves to attack you, and their setup often starts with subtle moves. So you have to be able to perceive what they are doing. Train your awareness by paying attention to your surroundings. Does that make sense?

Be aware and stay safe both from your sparring partner and from training partners around you.