3 Ways To Improve At Sparring & Become A Better Fighter (Tactics I Use)

Today is a super important episode and could very well contain the tips you need to increase your skill level for sparring rounds or competition.
We are talking about 3 training tactics that WILL help your skills increase. These are under utilized and if you feel like your rate of improvement at the gym has plateaued you should definitely incorporate these into your training.
If you enjoyed the episode please like, share and/or subscribe 🙏
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction
1:22 Defense
3:16 Sparring
5:07 Bagwork & Shadow Boxing
7:38 Sparring Round
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[@thehighcommunity247]

That elevator music added a nice touch to the light spar. 🤣✌️

[@TreyYork1]

You must ride some crazy bourgie elevators. You're right though, it was a nice touch

[@buakawbanchamekdd2793]

When you get hit in the head so bad you dont recognize elevator music from classical

[@thehighcommunity247]

I was simply using the term loosely. Lol. I feel you though. Thanks. 😁✌️

[@unwokesnake]

This was 2 years ago and I recognized that in my gym they hear gangsta rap all the time while sparring. It certainly does influence the way we spar

[@discipleaj]

Lol, some guy is in the process of getting *dealt with.* 🥊💥

[@benbishop3751]

Adding light and playful sparring definitely boasts massive improvements. Sparring light and fun 2-3 times a week on top of 1 harder spar is a nice mix.

[@Condeycon]

I think this would be a cool vid idea Gab: how to blend boxing head movement with kickboxing/muay thai effectively. I don't think you've covered this in the past and I think its a very important topic to cover for intermediate level people to improve. Altogether thanks for the great video my friend!

[@ChocolateMilkCultLeader]

Would love this

[@SkreltNL]

TO THE TOP WITH THIS COMMENT!

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Noted and added to my request list 👍

[@Condeycon]

@@GabrielVargaOfficial Siiick! Thank you.

[@a_thousand_words]

Yes! I was just thinking about this

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Which of my 3 tips are you planning to incorporate straight away? To me the defensive training is the most important.

[@lr2119]

Yes I agree bc becoming more confident in your defense allows you to grow exponentially in sparring because your not as worried about getting lit up and can work more offense

[@dustinwade2403]

The first is the straight defensive training. I’m going to use these tips as I continue to teach my three sons. Thanks for all the great lessons!

[@Markperna1]

1. I’ve done this but not nearly enough; will get on this right away. 2. I do light sparring all of the time and I love it. It is a great way to work stuff you aren’t confident in up to speed. When you spar hard (which is still necessary to manage pressure and panic from taking hard shots or the threat of hard shots), you only use what you already do well. Spar light and work up new stuff that can be put into your repertoire. 3. I know I should be doing this WAY more than I do. It’s just so easy to just start winging combinations that defense gets relegated to second position. I’m making a New Year’s resolution (retroactive since it’s August) to immediately do this more.

[@kamilri]

#2 and #3. I'm very defensive minded, so I already train similar amount of offence and defense, whenever I have influence over what to train.

[@TheMathPipe]

Some golden tips in here Gabe! thanks for the video!

[@whoknows8223]

The chilling music at the end really was chosen perfectly...as the touch/technical sparing is more like a dance between both of you rather than trying to outscore, hurt or win the round. Two gentlemen doing their sport allowing each other to try things out and help improve each other.

[@The_travellingman]

I really like that sparring at the end, i love the way you just hollow the leg kick and come back with a teep or leg kick. I seen shevshenko do it too but just counted with leg kicks. That’s something I’d love to try.

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Yes. I like the little hollow out. A fast and very safe way to avoid the low kicks.

[@kalenberreman8252]

Great stuff, Gabriel. Thank you.

[@MH-sp5ki]

Always sharing gems of information. Thank you

[@michaelpichardo9502]

All these recent uploads have been so helpful, keep up the great content 🙌🏾

[@simonvallin4828]

Love your channel. I've been watching you for a while and I'm now preping for my first muay thai fight in october. Just wanna say that your content is inspiring and helpful :)

[@ForTheLoveOfFitness]

Thanks so much for the tips. Been feeling like haven't been progression in sparring for ages..!

[@ronisworld2916]

i love atching your vid, Champ. it helps me alot to know things and in the same time remember things that was thought and then i didn't even realized that i forgot about it! thank you for sharing! more power!

[@dantespraggs]

The best training instruction on KZbin by far!

[@johnmill9286]

Beautiful light technical sparring. I wish more people would do it/be capable of it.

[@rm-uq3ic]

Excellent vid. Great way to maximise your time to keep Sharp!

[@erikbakker1639]

Loved the combination of the music with the training footage at the end.

[@angelosorrisi]

Top advices and really top music. Thanks 🙏

[@bane349]

Always great content. Love the sparring to Mozart!

[@11oshelbourne]

Spot on, thanks mate 👊🏻🙏🏻

[@stahinjakrackovic2087]

fuuuk i would watch you sparring for 2 hours with this classic music. thank you for this and any other video. Im learning so much from you. Thanks!

[@adrianm7882]

Excellent tips 🔥🔥🔥and music during sparring!🤣 I do this alot so it is great to know that I am on the right path! Thanks once again!

[@1tylerd1]

thank you so much for always giving so helpfull tipps which make me a better fighter my friends and me here from germany love your amazing content of your videos you are a hero for me !!!! thanks a lot !!!! my full respect for you as a big champion and very great fighter !!!!!

[@dedededeedede]

the defense tip was a really good one! I usually only focus on offense and using footwork when sparring. Just focusing on defense especially in close range is going to be something I start drilling

[@chucknorris202]

Great video Gabriel. I used to do this...I need to start doing it again, and Ill begin today. My gym closed down for a month, and before that I had sustained an injury, but now that its open again I am gonna rejoin. My injury has healed too(it was to the back of my thighs, unrelated to fighting though). Imagining an opponent in front of you REALLY helps quite a bit esp in defense, and also in accuracy of shots, and shot placement and so on.

[@bohoFitUK]

Your sparring round is a thing of beauty. Thanks for this video. Watching this before my kickboxing purple belt for inspiration!

[@reeseblakeney7917]

Nice, really love the choice of music. Really fits the sparring footage. S++ video

[@Gabriel-cg5sm]

beautiful sparring at the end, loved to see it

[@shootits48]

That sparring looks really fun! Definitely a great way to practice.

[@TripleEightss]

gabriel my guy, u got no idea how much some people appreciate you never stop lacin us up with game 🙏🙏

[@joeygoguen1525]

Great video as usual.

[@thanieltu3153]

I love the music!! (And the tips of course 🙂)

[@baileylanesofficial]

I've just started kickboxing and these videos have helped me sooo much. Thank you, looking forward to making my way through them all!

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Best of luck with your training. And welcome to the channel.

[@yeagerist6832]

hey man I am going to other gyms with my coach and others for sparring this is perfect again thanks ^^

[@OumiKapilaMusic]

Thanks for the advice man

[@rigobertoroque7587]

the choice in music was exquisite sir! .... and though your video is very informative and helpful and your advice is sound and cleary articulated... i see myself rewatching this many times simply to take in the beautiful coarse practice of the warriors trade accented by the beautiful elegance of classical music. {lol in other words... good stuff man im a fan)

[@owenchan7086]

thanks for these great tips'

[@SevenSpearsMartialArts]

Great videos!

[@buckets3628]

Great videos last couple days

[@JakeV.]

I'm definitely doing the defensive training. At my MT gym they don't do that specifically, but in sparring I'll focus on it.

[@mmareviewer.2372]

nice calm music for the sparring part

[@Bamzelot]

Damn, that music touch was classy as hell. Keep up the awesome content

[@stevekerryofficial1302]

👏 very nice sparring. Poetry 👌

[@coopscommentary5372]

Yeah I've been hearing more and more ppl big on light sparring, and since I train at a place that does mostly light to medium sparring I often forget lots of people go hard until someone who cross train from some other gyms in town come in and are talk about how nice it is to not be trying to kill each other in sparring.

[@wanakaband]

HAHA love the sparring music!

[@iammrsnesbit9729]

That was sick😂.

[@derablilotfi2112]

i really get more information from your channel than my coach thank so much my man and my champ proud of you champ

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Amazing. Thanks so much for letting me know. That means so much to me 🙏

[@marcebest]

Nice músic, nice end! Thanks

[@kamilri]

Granted, it was goldmine, thanks. But probably second advice could be also extended for sparring's with restrictions that force you to work on thigs outside "bread and butter", as another intermediate step. It always was one most important ways to improve in grappling for me, so I guess it should still have some use in striking.

[@justkurtz9791]

That's totally true and somehow natural that we neglect defense in all trainings, aspects, in shadow I try to do at least 20% defense/ counter moves and I always encourage my pad-holder to be more offensive and also don't hold back intense-wise. I remember trainer Rajasak who was good at this, he sometimes would catch you with a strong knee to the solar plexus or an uppercut with the pads during the rounds, that improved things a lot.

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Smart my friend. I'm glad to hear other putting in their proper work for defense 👍

[@LeonardoRamos01]

Gabriel, you could add commentaries to the sparring rounds, thanks!

[@swekiwi4517]

What sparring... was probably one of the best I've seen. Rewinded way too many times to see some of the counters 😅

[@hfmarwen189]

I focus on my defense 🙂 it's working i start doing it since 3 and half years

[@thefellownerd399]

Could you please make a video about the ways to defend against knees?

[@Smashhackisma]

Practicing defense is definitely a good idea

[@richardwagner4015]

i would love to do some of these light sparring rounds with gabriel

[@brendanklippenstein3815]

Ayyy that's my sensei that Gabriel is sparring with! Come visit us Mr. Varga!

[@MySafraz]

Gabriel. your channel is amazing bro. I look forward to new uploads all the time and my muay thai game is getting tighter all due to you. thanks for all your REAL fight advice. keep em coming.

[@zerte4197]

I see your subs rising, as it should be :))

[@rayaneaitmohamed7037]

❤🔥

[@zakkloves]

Do you have a classical playlist for light sparring?

[@RamboRichardson]

This is Legit the sh*t!

[@johnfidalgo386]

@Gabriel Varga My Coach put me in hard/medium sparring on my first day without even doing padwork with me or teaching me defense. Just because I am very athletic and known some good kicking techniques from Karate. Please do a video explaining how much time do you think someone should train and what they should train before sparring 🙏 Because I don't think you can learn something that you haven't learn yet. What I'd your opinion?

[@googlegmail9888]

I think you’re karate background serves well if you did sparring

[@FartCakes]

I feel like he's the Bellator Wonderboy lol. An NMF for sure.

[@Kamingo170]

Then there's my gym where people try to bruise your leg with a kick every single time. Should do some hard sparring vids sometime !!

[@lastexile318]

Could you do a video on how to get good at sweeps pls?

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

For sure. I'll try and film some episodes this week.

[@lastexile318]

@@GabrielVargaOfficial thanks! Look forward to it!

[@tundra2861]

I got my shit rocket today. Gotta learn more

[@Travel-Couple]

The problem is almost all gyms sparring hard... i really dont understand why.. now im having an injury because off that.. whats your saying is true.. just light sparring and focus on technical boxing

[@sinatracann1591]

Where do you train

[@maximmovie6712]

How many times shoud you spar?

[@heavymeddle28]

Muzak version of muskrat love

[@aqifliku2931]

hi i m baki that s my name and i do kickboxing and when i have sparred i thought that i think i m terrible 1 because people go on a rush and basicly go hard 2 i don t know wherever i m knowing or meaby like learning

[@russelsprout2155]

I really lack defence

[@shoxggz645]

I love my gym but everyone there doesn’t know how to go light…

[@a1gamez262]

Where do you train at?

[@crashburn3351]

sparred for the first time today (only body). my legs are so beat up i can barely walk, is this normal?

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

It would be ideal if your legs weren't that smashed. If you sparring partners eased back a little that would be great. But yes, if your legs aren't conditioned it will take some getting use to.

[@seetsamolapo5600]

Problem is finding partners who don't ego spar

[@LaoGrow]

I dont know why, but the classical music behind the sparring makes it feel a little more boring then it is. I suggest some lofi or something jazzy 🤔. Not a big deal, just found it a strange song choice, definitely doesn't matter. Just some 2 cents from a fan 👍

[@PAPALAMRecordings]

Like

[@kamarlewis6579]

This video would’ve been perfect 7 hours ago when I had sparring 😭😂

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

I guess I got you covered for your next sparring session 👍😉

[@StefanRadovanovic05]

do kickboxing combinations work in a street fight please answer

[@tr1pl3str3ngth4]

omg yeah absolutely, especially if its a weak ass bum without any supporting neck muscles they can even drop after the first hook or straight if you got any power, i only do boxing btw and if boxing works in a streetfight kickboxing might work even better

[@tr1pl3str3ngth4]

just turtle shell with your forearms instead of your hands cause you got no gloves to protect your face, the good old double cover always works, just do the shell higher than usual to protect your whole face with your forearms

[@tr1pl3str3ngth4]

or do long guard for parrying and when in clinch use frames on their head to avoid getting headbutted

[@monkeycaboose6872]

yes they will destroy in a street fight. Wouldn't recommend head kicks or body kicks tbh but leg kicks will one shot.

[@rm-uq3ic]

Anything works but it will mostly be who is experienced and athletic.. the best thing is to avoid it and train harder the next day. Street fighting brings on more street fighting. If you wanna fight do it in the gym

[@ZhuiLin]

Light sparring huh my class am in is kids we do light sparring there talking it light hard sparring

[@flyingknee23]

first

[@janlongaver]

I hate hard sparring, too much brain stress.

[@Haidderispro]

Yea The Thais figured it out with the touch sparring where they are still learning how to counter and dodge timings while taking minimal damage

[@OldWorldNY]

Thanks for the tips! I’ve been heading all your advice, drilling like a mad man, && putting in the gym time ⏱ 🥊 I’ll be making my mma debut ASAP!

[@GabrielVargaOfficial]

Awesome! Best of luck in all your preparations and with getting a fight booked.

[@onurpaydas2265]

How to get better at sparring: follow Gabriel Varga 👍