Next! The round is over and the next one begins – what's going through your head? Remember always that mental engagement is every bit as important as physical engagement in the sparring rounds. In the time between rounds have a sense of who you want to spar with and what skills you want to work on. If you choose some better than yourself it will be a good opportunity to work on survival and escape skills. If it's someone bigger and stronger it's a good opportunity to work on moving and managing weight from bottom position. If it's someone of lesser skill, then it's a fine to work on control to submission. If it's someone of equal skill, an opportunity to work on wearing an opponent down physically over time to gain tactical advantage over the course of a match. Next time the round ends and you're looking around the room – do so with a plan rather than leaving it to chance.
