I Have Good Technique, But I Completely Freeze in Sparring
Hi everyone!
I’m 16 years old and I’ve been training kickboxing seriously, but I’m struggling with something that’s really holding me back.
Technically, I think I’m pretty decent. I do well on pads and during drills, but as soon as I step into the ring for sparring, I completely freeze. I tense up, and it feels like all of my technique disappears. None of my combinations work, I can’t defend properly or move away, and I usually end up backed into the corner, covering up and just waiting for the round to end. I also can’t seem to start my own attacks.
This has been going on for about four months now. Even light technical sparring hasn’t helped. I genuinely love this sport and want to improve, but this mental block is really frustrating.
Has anyone experienced something similar? How did you overcome the fear of getting hit or freezing during sparring? I’d really appreciate any advice.
Thanks in advance.