I PROMISED MORE...
Along the lines of the Shotokan karate 20 precepts... way philosophical, require interpretation, cover the 'world.' But it's the concept of having guiding principles that counts. Take boxing, one of the foundation-al styles for MMA striking.
It came out that Ronda had a secret sparring partner in prepping for UFC 207. There were suggestions by many that Ronda / Tarverdyan should have more sparring action in the training regimen. For argument sake, accept that.
Here's a brief boxing video on how to approach sparring. The video sets a goal post with line markers. Do we see Ronda training along these lines?
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg6V9BNq8WU
Instead of Lazlo, the karate instructor from Expert Village, we have "Johnny" from "Expert Boxing." His presentation, "Basic Tips for Beginner Boxers." Which are:
1. Most Important. Spar @ your level; which follow on to sub-objectives continued with 2:
2. Accept the fact that you are a beginner and spar according to that skill level.
3. Qualities @ the beginner level mean slower pace, lower intensity, more relaxed manner.
4. May be less exciting, basically; this is what allows you to learn.
5. {At the more relaxed pace} you can see your technique, you can use your technique against your opponent's moves..
6. ...work on your defensive movements (illustrates with head movement).
7. Throwing lighter does hurt the opponent, keeps the tenor from escalating into a contest.
For all these reasons, it's a very important [training] principle to fight @ your level.
Johnny goes on to say you can spar against a more advanced partner as long as he (she) fights down to your level.
Johnny reinforces by saying why not to spar @ a high intensity level. Basically you don't learn anything. Specifically
1. You don't learn (as above).
2. You get tougher, Johnny says, he'll accede to that (maybe, maybe not I say). A
mentally tough person, he says.
3. Skill-wise, though, you'll be frozen. Won't lean by going faster.
4. High intensity against a pro-fighter will make you very defensive.
5. High intensity will force you to be very cautious, scare you.
6. The reason why is you won't know when you making the right move, because the better boxer will still punish you by having better technique.
7. So there's no recognition of knowing when you've done correct technique.
8. The fall out is you will develop the habit of 'hiding,' running away 'all day.' {We never see this in MMA striking right?}
9. Bottom line is,
you don't know how to fight back.
Johnny adds, don't spar bigger opponents. It will make you tougher (so he says); yet you won't learn. Higher intensity against a heavier opponent not worth it....
Johnny ends with 'flip-side.' If you are the better boxer, don't spar so intense against the lesser opponent. Throttle it back, work on, try new technique... don't just beat the lesser guy down... now you won't learn anything by just dominating the weaker opponent.
Now in a 2 1/2 minute video, we see important ground-rule principles for getting better at sparring. Getting better. What's more we see similarities with the extensive and much more complicated 1-Step Sparring portion of the traditional karate kumite training component for karate. Of course, pro-boxing gets more complicated. The difference is the 1-Step Sparring has more inter-working parts right from the start. No need to debate the differences here... we see certain ground-rule principles in either approach.
Now let's flash back to Ronda's pre-UFC 207 training footage.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThEdAdlTmT4
AND DITTO...
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0new-z9di_s
Forget ET's n the picture. Here's what I see, riding on the boxing-sparring is key training bandwagon.
1. Sparring partner is an inanimate object.
2. The coach is giving advice on heavy bag striking. The focus of attention is on the bag... what it does.
3. The intensity level is very high, and very short in duration.
4. Ronda then goes to the coach for an appraisal, approval.
5. Ronda exhibits "toughness" in her attack on the bag.
Here's what I question... pulling in the 2 1/2 minute boxing sparring for beginners video.
1. Where's the sparring partner?
2. We don't even get to the proper intensity-level question because we have no partner to evaluate it.
3. The high intensity level is fine for character of the exercise. How does a quick burst of high energy stack up against a tough, seasoned, championship level striking opponent over a possible 25 minutes & 5 rounds?
4. Following this quick-burst exercise in aggressive striking, Ronda walks over to the coach for feedback. As the now YOU (Ronda) are the active sparr-er in training for professional competition, shouldn't you (one) be able to provide a certain degree of self-feedback?
5. We do see a certain "toughness" in Ronda's bag work. How about in the Octagon? What do we see in terms of a quality of toughness?
Again, following on the importance, the key and necessary training for boxing proficiency, I say it's not Tarverdyan who's 'wrong;' it's the training regimen that's wrong. And this has been commented on by a poster on page 1. It's Ronda who either benefits or suffers from the training regimen; so it's RONDA THAT'S WRONG. And because Ronda stepped into the Octagon WRONG... Nunes ate her lunch in 48 seconds.
PAUSE... for silent prayer.
