About a month and a half ago, I was one of two PFA fighters to be involved in the first bare knuckle sparring session and no, you didn’t read that wrong, I said BARE KNUCKLE. Most martial artists out there wouldn’t dare go a couple rounds of Everything Goes Sparring with no head gear and little four ounce gloves on. But then to go bare fist as part of your training, I bet your thinking we’re out of our minds right? WRONG! YOU are the ones that are out of YOUR mind if you feel that taking your training to this level is not necessary. The Dog Brothers have a saying, “Higher Consciousness Through Harder Contact,” words with which I couldn’t agree more. To find out what really works and also find out what you are capable of, you must take your training to the extreme and make it as realistic as possible (In a recent piece I wrote, I used the wording “No Rules” to describe Everything Goes Sparring. However, a wise instructor pointed out that if EGS had no rules, we would be getting our eyes ripped out and our ears bitten off so that’s why I say realistic as possible…..Thank you Sifu Andrew). It takes a special person to attempt this type of sparring, someone who is not only physically tough, but mentally tough as well. Below I will touch a little bit more on these two things.
Obviously, being physically prepared for this type of sparring is essential. Unless you plan on ending the fight quick, be prepared to have your conditioning tested. I haven’t had the chance to spar every instructor in PFA yet, but from sparring the ones that I have, trust me, prepare yourself for a war with these guys because rarely does it end quick. That brings me to my next point, you gotta have a chin and you got to be able to take punishment. If you cannot take a punch, DO NOT attempt this type of sparring. If you can’t absorb blows and give them back to your opponent, DO NOT train this way. Not only will you be eating knuckle sandwiches, but they’ll be piled high with head butts, knees, and elbows too. Finally, to be successful with this type of sparring, you must have all of your tools sharpened and ready to go. This isn’t some average Joe you are going up against, this is a guy who has been preparing for this just like you. He could be just as skilled as you, in fact, he might even have more skill than you. One mistake and it could be lights out so it is crucial that you are properly prepared.
Mental toughness is just as important as the physical aspect, if not more. When your body is fatigued and is saying “No More,” it is your mind that will keep you going, taking you beyond your limits and push you farther than you thought was possible. Those involved with PFA have been put through some of the toughest training in the martial arts world. Whether it be countless nights of getting pounded on or being put through a mini-HELL training session, it is all done for a reason…. You can NEVER give up. Quitting is NOT an option. Having this never give up mentality is part of what it takes to be successful in bare knuckle sparring. Whether you are getting pounded on or your opponent takes your back, there is always a chance to turn the fight around as long as you keep fighting. Along with having this kind of mentality, you must throw out all cares about getting hurt. Sparring this way guarantees you to get hit and get hit hard and this is something that you have to accept. If you are tense when you step out there, the blows are going to have ten times the impact than if you are relaxed and focused on fighting your fight. You have to be able to give what you get, meaning you need to be able to not just take a shot, but give them right back and this won’t happen if you are worried about getting popped.
The day that me and Sifu Michael sparred was a big learning experience. I had prepared for this day for a while, but what happened during the fight was something that I had not prepared for. At the beginning of the second round, my left leg was broken during an attempted takedown. Most people would have been rolling around on the ground and for sure would not have finished the four round fight. It hurt like shit, but I sucked it up and finished the fight, not just surviving but trying to win. I forced myself to finish because even though it was just sparring, if it were a real fight, you don’t get that choice of taking a time out or throwing in the towel. You quit fighting and that could cost you your life. This sparring session taught me a lot about the power of the mind. With determination, guts, and a goal in mind (finishing the fight), you can get through almost anything.
In my opinion, sparring bare knuckle is the ultimate test of your fighting ability (besides a real fight). To date, it has been the second biggest learning experience I have had since joining PFA (The first was when I started training in PFA after spending eight years in karate, man was that an eye opener!). By taking off the gloves and head gear, it brings your fighting skills to whole new level and also shows what you are made of. Not only that, but man it is some fun shit and I know all the other PFA guys will love it just like I did. Most of you out there that are reading this will never try it out, but for all the ones that do, I have respect for all of you. You are ones that aren’t willing to settle for theories on what works, but rather are willing to put your skill to the test in the realms of full contact. Bloody lips and broken bones are temporary, but the knowledge you gain from training this way will stick with you forever.
Sigung Mike
Nice Piece Sigung. That's Sigung 2, and the rest of you 0.... Get with it guys, lets write, write, write..... Sijo
