Postby Webmaster » Thu Jun 05, 2003 11:55 am
Stewart,
Yes, I think I'd have to recommend some kind of exercise to build your endurance up. A solid hour of sparring takes a heck of a lot out of you, and of course if you plan on passing you can't get sloppy and stay that way for very long. My arms and legs were up for the challenge, but I thought my lungs were going to go on strike a few times. Of course, having people constantly swinging things at you tends to help you focus on the fight instead of the fatigue. Still, if you have a beer gut, I think you'd have some problems lasting out the whole test.
Also, you're going to get out of your groove and get defensive at times. If you start taking hits that maybe you shouldn't, I found it helpful to change back to more aggressive tactics to get back in the game. Every time I did this I got on a roll through several opponents, but a few slower, more defensive bouts were good for a bit of a rest (if you can call a fight restful). The endurance aspect of the test makes it every bit as mental as it is physical, and you've still got to be able to judge your tempo, tactics, etc. as well in the last 15 minutes as in the first 15.
Other than that, I'd have to say the most important thing is to know your fundamentals well. I really didn't use a lot of techniques, but mostly basic full and half-arm cuts with good placement and timing, and a bit of deception. Not that I didn't get off a few nice moves, mind you, but the stuff you learn in the first few weeks is still going to be what you fall back on most of the time. If there's a technique or a stance that works really well for you though, use it until they catch on.
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Stacy Clifford
ARMA Webmaster
