When the action starts – have a plan of attack: It is very difficult to impose yourself upon the outcomes if you simply drift into the action when sparring starts. While you can never predict the entirety of any given match – YOU CAN ALMOST ALWAYS PREDICT THE OPENING SEQUENCES OF A MATCH BASED UPON YOUR RESPECTIVE STANCES AND MOTION. What happens in those opening sequences will often have real effects for the duration of the match – so impose yourself in the opening exchanges – KNOW WHAT YOU WANT AND HAVE A PLAN TO GET IT. Base that plan on your strongest moves, and then ask yourself what kinds of grip, stance, position etc you need to make them work and come out ready to impose those upon your opponent.
