The Importance of an Experienced Training Partner

When it comes to learning self-defense, having an experienced teacher is the single most important factor for being successful. However, there is another factor that I would argue is equally just as important; the experience of one’s training partner(s). There are two primary elements that make a good training partner, and both are critically necessary for longevity and effectiveness in training.

Safety

Most of the serious injuries that occur in training are due to inexperience. When students are young in their training, they often compensate for their lack of technique with speed or power, and are too concerned with ‘winning’ rather than the bigger picture of learning. This can be very dangerous for their training partners, especially if they are also beginners. For example, if your partner executes a throw or takedown too fast and you don’t know how to fall correctly, you could very easily break something. If your partner applies an unfamiliar joint lock with too much speed or force, you may not be able to tap quickly enough to avoid injury. If someone doesn’t know their own power and lacks control, you may end up with a new scar or even a concussion.

To avoid these types of injuries in training, it’s extremely important for your partner to be able to properly assess your skill level and train within your limits. Unfortunately, beginners are just not very good at this, so instructors must be extra vigilant in stressing safety. Training with an inexperienced partner carries a certain risk, and some high level martial artists will not even train with lower ranks due to their lack of control.

Realism

For an inexperienced training partner, finding the balance between safety and realism can prove difficult. Unrealistic self-defense training can be worse than no training at all, so it is incumbent upon your training partner to simulate realistic attacks while also being careful to not cause you serious injury. If your partner is not giving you authentic, committed attacks, he or she is doing you a great disservice.

So how does a lack of realism actually affect your training? Let’s just use a super-generic ‘head punch defense’ to illustrate. If your training partner throws a punch without enough force, you will not learn to block correctly or confidently. If the punch is too slow or telegraphed, you will not develop timing. If the punch is not properly targeted, you will not be able to develop head movement. If your partner is too stationary, you will not learn distancing. If the punch isn’t pulled back, it is simply unrealistic. As you can see, this most basic of exchanges in martial arts training requires numerous factors for realism. Omit any of them and your training will not develop as it should, or worse, develop in an unrealistic way.

Obviously, we can’t always control who our training partners are, so how do we train safely with realism? The answer is communication. You must take ownership of your training to be successful, and that means you must be able to effectively communicate with your training partners. If you feel your partner is fighting you too hard or being unsafe, it is your responsibility to let them know. People have different standards as to what exactly constitutes being unsafe, especially in something like martial arts training, and are often ignorant of their recklessness until it is brought to their attention. The same goes for realism. If you feel like your partner is a limp noodle, you need ask them to incrementally turn up the intensity so you can build confidence in your technique. If you don’t, you are only hurting your own training. Only through regular communication can an inexperienced training partner transform into a valuable asset to your success.

Schedule a private training session and learn the benefit of having an experienced training partner first-hand.