Sparring time

[Cora Sek]

This question have been on my mind for quite sometime now. Being an avid competitor, I always wonder if Cora is getting the adequate sparring time. For a few months now I've been tracking the actual sparring time she get during each class. As of late its been very disappointing. Out of an hour and half of gym time, she is only getting 5 minutes of actual sparring time. I know conditioning and drilling is important, but I also believe that there has to be a better balance than just 5 minutes. Sure there are some positional sparring here and there, but I think with lack of full sparring, she won't be able to develop other aspect of her game, like the entry. Also isn't live sparring is conditioning in itself? So to get her more sparring time, I go and find others who are willing to roll with her, put her in outside activities like Kids in Kimonos. But even that is just once a month. I believe that if she doesn't get the adequate mat time to learn and work out her game, she won't hit that next level. I'm not sure if other parents feel the same way as I do, but again none of the other kids are competing the way she is. So a 5 minute roll is good enough for them, but not for me. Also with yall posting pictures on FB looking all nice and sweaty, it tells me at each gym session, you guys roll a lot to break out sweat like that. Needless to say, Cora hasn't sweat in months. I even been cutting down her gym days from 5 days to just 3 because I want to train her at home as doesn't get much of sparring at the gym anyways. Yes it has gotten to that point. Every time I take her to the gym, I PRAY that she will get the needed sparring time, but only left disappointed. I spoke to her coach about it and he said he will change things up after Pan, but its just the same. Maybe I've seen how the kids in Cali train and especially hanging out at HQ and see how much rolling is going on there. That probably the cause of me opening my eyes more. So anyways, my question is, how much sparring time is the norm for your gym? Thank you Bruce

[Drew Ash]

5 minutes of rolling is no where near enough for competitors.
We do at least 30 mins a night then I let guys stay late and roll as long as they can.

[Cora Sek]

See that is what I've been hearing also from guys in other gym. She is a competitor who competes at least once a month. So she needs to train differently, especially if she is to compete against the top level kids in cali.

[Amber Kamischke]

My first gym you were lucky to roll at all! There would be two, 5-6 minute rounds and the instructor chose who rolled and with whom. It was terrible.

Now at 10th planet Chicago, we roll 40+ minutes usually and late night can go for over an hour. It's important to get a lot of live back to back rolls to built endurance for competition. I know girls who threw up inbetween matches at a sub only comp because they weren't used to going so hard for that long.

[Serge Bunimovich]

Our minimum is 5x8 minute rounds every practice. But we usually do 6-7 a night. Sparring is as important as drilling in my opinion.

[Rob Marks]

Since sparring directly translates to competing. . . 5 minutes does not seem adequate for an active competitor.

[Cora Sek]

Thanks guys for your feed back. Since I've already brought this issue up with her coach one time already, I'm reluctant to bring it up again because I fear they will come back at me with "what do you know? you aren't even a white belt" or something along that line. So for now I just sit and pray that they will do something about it. But between you and I, I am very frustrated with the situation. But also don't want to step on anyone's toe. You know??

[Tori Applegate]

Even kids should roll at least 20 minutes. Competitors or not. How can you learn without live practice. And Bruce, everyone is a white belt. So you are too. Lol.

[Tori Applegate]

I know girls who threw up inbetween matches at a sub only comp because they weren't used to going so hard for that long.

Wow. That's wild.

[Scott Ray]

Clearly 5 minutes is not enough..have you thought about scoping out some adult classes and if they have some small adult females to maybe try to get Cora in an adult class? kids classes typically roll lots less than adult classes (lots of games, drilling and positional stuffs. Most kids are not "competitors". Oh they do tournaments...don't get me wrong, but they aren't competitors.. Cora is a real competitor, she needs something other than recreational kid-Jitsu. No offense to their kids program, I'm sure is great. Cora is outgrowing the kids classes very quickly, and I don't mean her size or age..