Timing in Attacking

Against an experienced fighter, your attack timing is crucial if you expect to get an attack through his or her defenses.

If your timing is off, your attacks will be blocked or avoided and you may leave yourself open to a counterattack.
Mistiming means you will make many non-scoring attacks that quickly exhaust your energy reserves.
If you precede your attack with a feint or fake, mistiming may make the actual attack ineffective.
Timing in Sparring
Timing in sparring takes the above blocking and attacking points into consideration, but also involves other timing issues.
Adjust your tempo to fit your level of physical fitness to insure you are able to move, block, and attack continuously throughout the allotted time.
Change the rhythm of your movements and attacks so you never become predictable.
Try to time your attacks to your, and your opponent's, breathing. You should attack on your exhale and try to catch your opponent on the inhale.
Time your counterattack to the first movement of an incoming attack. At this moment, your opponent only thinking about attacking, not blocking.
Time your attack to move as opponent is regrouping after his or her attack.
Increase your tempo near end of a round, this will influence the judge's opinion of who was the winner of a round.

Timing in Patterns

Timing in patterns is mostly determined by the traditional rhythm to which the pattern should be performed, but there are some still some important ways timing is used.

Tempo in patterns is important. When nervous, or after making a small mistake, students tend to speed up the tempo of the pattern. Concentrate on keeping the tempo smooth, even, and regular, except when a tempo change is mandated by the pattern.
Concentrate on hand and foot timing. Insure all attacks or blocks occur just as the stepping foot touches the floor.

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