Using the Sparring Log

Detailed round-by-round tracking with the Sparring Log worksheet.

The Sparring Log Worksheet

While the Daily Training Log has a sparring section, the dedicated Sparring Log worksheet gives you more space and structure for detailed round-by-round tracking.

Use this worksheet when:

• You want detailed sparring data
• You're rolling multiple rounds
• You want to track specific partners and positions

Anatomy of the Sparring Log

Header Section

Date: When you trained Session Type: Open mat, class sparring, competition prep Total Rounds: How many you did Round Length: Standard length (5 min, 6 min, etc.)

Round-by-Round Section

For each round, you'll track:

Session Summary Section

After all rounds, total everything up:

• Total submissions attempted/landed/defended
• Total sweeps attempted/landed
• Total passes attempted/landed
• Overall observations

Walking Through a Sample Log

Let's fill out a complete Sparring Log for a 4-round session:

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Session Summary

Total Rounds: 4
Total Time: ~20 min

Submissions: A: 6  S: 1  D: 2
Sweeps: A: 4  S: 2
Passes: A: 1  S: 1

Observations:
- Better against lower belts (expected)
- Sweep attempts increasing but still low success vs. blues
- Need to work on takedown defense (round 1)

Start and End Positions

Tracking where rounds start and end reveals patterns:

Common Starting Positions

• Standing: Full round, includes takedowns
• Knees: Common starting point, no wrestling
• Specific Position: Starting in guard, mount, etc.
• Your Guard: You're playing guard bottom
• Their Guard: You're in their guard, top

End Position Tells a Story

Where you end up shows your tendencies:

Over time, this data shows whether you're improving at keeping position or advancing.

Tracking Specific Partners

The partner and belt columns help you:

Contextualize Performance

A round against a purple belt plays out differently than against a new white belt. Your stats should reflect who you're rolling with.

Spot Partner-Specific Patterns

Do you always end up in a certain position against a particular training partner? That's information you can act on.

Track Improvement Over Time

Rolling with the same people regularly? You can see if you're improving against them specifically.

The Notes Column

This small space captures important details that numbers can't:

Good Notes:

• "Finally defended the guillotine setup he always gets"
• "Arm drag to back worked twice"
• "Too tired, sloppy in round 4"
• "He mentioned I'm telegraphing my scissor sweep"

Less Useful Notes:

• "Good round"
• "Bad"
• "Tired"

Specific notes lead to specific improvements.

When to Use Sparring Log vs. Daily Training Log

Use the Sparring Log When:

• You're doing open mat (lots of rounds)
• You want detailed partner-by-partner data
• You're preparing for competition
• You're focusing on sparring analysis for a period

Use Daily Training Log's Sparring Section When:

• Class has brief sparring at the end
• You're doing positional sparring
• You want simpler tracking
• You're still building the basic habit

Both are valid. The Sparring Log just offers more detail.

Next Step

Now that you're tracking sparring data, the next lesson shows you how to calculate success rates and turn numbers into insights.