# Sparring Accidents



## Withered Soul

What kind of sparring accidents have you had?

Once I was sparring this lad, in SEMI-contact, and I had a helmet on. But mine didn't have a face cover, just the sides of the head. So what does he do? That's right, he hit's me as hard as he possibly could right in the eye. I had to by some eye cream it was so bloodshot! The helmet looked like this:
http://www.martialart-superstore.starwebz.com/Picts/product.77.gif

And I've been kicked countless time in the crotch and once my foot guard became a projectile weapon.


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## jdmills

Probably the funniest accident I witnessed was one of the black belts sparring with Ray (who looked like a cross between Stallone and Springsteen).  Ray was an orange belt but he was one of those guys that if you wanted him to back up, you needed to leave him no alternative but to get pulverized or back up.  Paul (the black belt) threw a front kick to Ray's stomach and at the same time Ray stepped in and caught the kick in the middle of its power range right in the groin.  I heard a tremendous crack as Ray's cup gave way and was amazed to see Ray stay standing.  Paul cracked Ray's cup in half but was backing off on the power and caused no penetration.

It sure did look and sound like it hurt.


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## cali_tkdbruin

> _Originally posted by jdmills _
> *Probably the funniest accident I witnessed was one of the black belts sparring with Ray (who looked like a cross between Stallone and Springsteen).  Ray was an orange belt but he was one of those guys that if you wanted him to back up, you needed to leave him no alternative but to get pulverized or back up.  Paul (the black belt) threw a front kick to Ray's stomach and at the same time Ray stepped in and caught the kick in the middle of its power range right in the groin.  I heard a tremendous crack as Ray's cup gave way and was amazed to see Ray stay standing.  Paul cracked Ray's cup in half but was backing off on the power and caused no penetration.
> 
> It sure did look and sound like it hurt. *



OUCHHH!!!!!!!!!!
Most mortal men would have dropped to the floor, and would have been rollin' around on the mat for a while after a shot like that to the Nads.  

Just thinking about it gives me the creeps...  :erg:


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## arnisador

See also the links in this thread.


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## Zepp

Well let's see.

From both sparring and three-step I've had each of my thumbs sprained twice.  In fact, three of those occurred just as the previous sprain was finished healing.  The good news now is that my thumbs are nearly sprain-proof.  

I haven't actually been kicked in the groin while sparring, but I've had a lot of close calls.  Especially when sparring women who are new to martial arts.  Why is it that a girl's first instinct is always to kick to the groin?


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## Kope

Kind of amusing one happened to me this weekend.

I was going against a fellow a few belts higher than me who has become a pretty good friend and regular sparring partner. As we moved about the ring feeling each other out we both decided, at the same time, that the time was right for a spinning reverse kick . . .

As we were both laying on the mat looking at each other we could hear the judges laughing . . . 

You know it's bad when the referre has to go grab onto something to keep themselves standing up from laughing so hard . ..

*sigh*
:shrug:


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## cali_tkdbruin

> _Originally posted by Zepp _
> *
> 
> Why is it that a girl's first instinct is always to kick to the groin?   *



It's their KILLER INSTINCT!!!  

I guess it's cuz that the Nads is one of the most vulnerable points on our bodies. A guy doesn't even have to get blasted down there, just a close miss in that area makes most guys cringe...  :wah:


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## KenpoGirl

I think it was my 2nd or 3rd time sparing 3 years ago, I was an orange belt.

I got kicked in the face/eye by a spinning roundhouse by a BB with little control.  Gave me a Black eye, didn't hurt alot but he got me in my "good" eye as I am blind in my other.

Soon after I purchased a helmet with a cage.  Better to be safe than sorry.

Dot


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## Cthulhu

My xiphoid got cracked by a knee to my sternum.  Couple of busted knuckles, but nothing too major.  Nice big bruises.  Considering we spar with rattan and allow grappling and all strikes, I've been fairly lucky 

Oddly enough, I think I get more injuries during regular training then during sparring.  

Cthulhu


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## jdmills

My first instructor (who I have been friends with for about 38 years (I'm 40)) was just learning kenpo.  I think he was about 14 and an orange belt (maybe) at the time.  He had just learned a cross-over rear kick and he was practicing it while sparring with his 4th degree black belt instuctor.  In this studio there was a LOT of contact permitted.  Paul (my friend and the blackbelt from my previous story) kept practicing the crossover rear and was throwing it very frequently.  Paul finally decided to try something a bit different.  He did the cross over, the instuctor's hands came down to block the anticipated rear kick, and Paul blasted him and put him on his back with a back knuckle.

Of course, dropping a 4th degree black belt when you are an orange belt sometimes has consequences.


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## Shinzu

a long time back i did a front snap kick without pulling back my toes.  my big toe nail went straight back into my toe.  blood everywhere.  i couldn't even walk...damn that hurt, and taught me a lesson also.  keep 'em trimmed short!!


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## cali_tkdbruin

I've competed in full contact tournaments and I've also sparred countless hours without ever suffering a serious injury other than the usual bumps and bruises. However, last Saturday I was a victim of a freak accident at my dojang. 

I was helping out with the Black Belt test by holding boards for the breaking portion of the test. Well, one of the students was doing a break using a back kick. As soon as he unleshed the kick and hit  the board I was holding, the board exploded sending several pieces of wood flying like hot shrapnel. Unfortunately for me, I caught it full in the face. I'm really lucky I didn't lose an eye. The side of my face got pretty sliced up by the slivers of wood, and I've got a real beauty of a mean shiner. Looks like someone socked me in the eye.   :erg:

Oucheee! What luck!! If it wasn't for bad luck I wouldn't have any luck at all...


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## Shinzu

ouchers!!!  i hope you heal quickly.  i'm always getting bashed in the hands when i'm the holder.  it tends to hurt after two or three times.


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## jdmills

Surprisingly, most of the injuries that I have seen take martial artists out of the martial arts for awhile have come from football, not martial arts.


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## Ceicei

> _Originally posted by jdmills _
> *Surprisingly, most of the injuries that I have seen take martial artists out of the martial arts for awhile have come from football, not martial arts. *



How so??  

- Ceicei


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## jdmills

Simple.

1.  Martial artist aslo participates in Football(normally High School 
     of College level, but sometimes just for fun)

2.  Martial artist is injured while playing football.

3.  Martial artist is unable to continue in Martial Arts until injury 
     heals


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## theletch1

I've been lucky in sparring.  Worst injury (so far) was a broken bone in the top of my foot.  Went for a round house kick to the ribs and had it blocked full force with the point of an elbow.  Didn't really hurt at all until the next day.  It never did heal quite right so now I have a weird looking protrusion poking up on top of the foot.  Nothing huge but enough to remind me to watch for those elbows.


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## KenpoMatt

I've got 2 storys:

1) Many years ago I watched a kenpo orange belt spar a blue belt. Orange belt throws a front kick. Blue belt catches the kick and just holds the guy's leg. Orange belt stands there for  a second, one leg up, contemplating what to do. He decided to jump up with the other leg an attempt a round kick to the blue belt's head. Blue belt sees this coming and simply drop the trapped leg while the orange belt was in mid-air. The orange belt fell backwards, head first into the ground. He suffered a concussion and sprained neck. God - that was just plan stupid. 

2) Same school. This time I am sparring. I was a yellow belt sparring the head instructor, a 5th BB. He, of course, is having his way with me. He's got me turned around, hitting me from all angles I can't even figure how he did it. I was flailing. I threw a spinning back fist and accidentally caught him in the throat. Yikes. He, stopped sparring and admonished me for not looking at my target before throwing the backfist. Then, we continued to spar where he promptly cracked my rib. I quit that day and didn't return to the MA's for 10 years.


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## stickarts

The worst shot i took was a reverse punch to the ribs. bruised my ribs, made my knees buckle, but didn't drop me! 
The only satisfaction was that the other guy hurt his elbow somehow on the punch so we were both hurting for a couple of weeks! :0)


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## Ceicei

As a purple belt sparring a green belt, I attempted a sidekick to his stomach.  The green belt simply drew one knee up.  As a result, I sidekicked his knee.  I ended up with a hairline fracture and my entire foot black and blue.  His knee also had a huge bruise.  It took a month to get all better.  Both of us, however, continued with karate during that month.

- Ceicei


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## jdmills

I was a Yellow Belt sparring with a Kenpo Blue Belt who held a Brown Belt in TKD.  I threw a jab and as I did he spun and hit me with a spinning side kick while my forward arm was still extended.  I didn't go down but my ribs hurt for a few months.  I still wonder whether the were broken.


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## Old Fat Kenpoka

1.  I was teaching a kids class.  Prior to sparring, I was giving a lecture on control and pulling punches.  I pulled the biggest kid in class...demonstrated "control" with a backfist...and gave the poor kid a bloody nose.  Didn't hurt him.  My face was redder than his nose.  He thought it was pretty funny.  

2.  We used to spar with Tae Kwon Do from Foster City about 10 years ago.  These guys train for professional full-contact kickboxing and have produced some professional kickboxing and Olympic TKD champions.  Probably the best TKD school in the world!  http://www.goldenstatetkd.com/ 

One Kenpo Brown Belt was going pretty hard with one of their Black Belts.  The Kenpo Brown Belt got hit and sat down on the couch.  I looked at him:  One pupil was much larger than the other one.  Had one of our Black Belts who is a doctor look at him.  Diagnoisis:  Head Concussion.  Prescription:  911 and an ambulance ride to the hospital for an X-Ray.  Result:  Full and speedy recovery with no complications.

3.  We went to an ATAMA seminar at a local Community College a long time ago.  One of our Brown Belts took a good shot to the cheek during the sparring session.  We went out for Pizza...he sneezed...His cheek blew up like a balloon and his eyeball descended a millimeter or two!  Everybody lost their appetites pretty quick!!! Turns out he broke his eye-socket and ruptured his sinus.  OUCH!  He also healed pretty quick.  If you look at him closely, you can see that one eye is a little lower than the other one...


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## arnisador

Any other such stories?


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## FiveSwords

I was sparring my yellow-belt friend one time when he tried to knee me in the groin.  I went for the open-hand push-down block, but caught it with just my fingers and ended up pushing right past his knee.  I broke the middle finger and sparined the ones on either side.


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## Eggman

My damgae has been slight but it seems that my eye seems to be the target of many a finger and thumb.  Other than that, the only injury that i have caused was one broken nose to a female counterpart.  When i spar, control is my main concern and would hope that in the future my sparring partners reciprocate my desires.


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## Ceicei

In 1986, I participated in a open style karate tournament held in the local college gym (Orem, Utah at Utah Technical College).  I had entered the kumite division for the beginners level (yellow/orange/purple belts).  My opponent threw a roundhouse punch aiming for the side of my head.  I tried to duck and she missed, getting the full contact punch to my nose (she didn't pull back).  My nose broke and blood splattered all over.  She was disqualified, but I was allowed to continue once the bleeding stopped. 

- Ceicei


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## kenpo2dabone

> _Originally posted by theletch1 _
> *I've been lucky in sparring.  Worst injury (so far) was a broken bone in the top of my foot.  Went for a round house kick to the ribs and had it blocked full force with the point of an elbow.  Didn't really hurt at all until the next day. *



I did this exact same thing to one of my instructors. I was an orange belt at the time and she was a brown belt. I was trying to block her wheel kick to my ribs with a downward block. I was always a little behind her kick so she would always make the contact and score the point. Incidentaly we always sparred pretty much full contact to the body light contact to the head.  One of my other instructors came over and showed me how to block by simply dropping my elbow. It was a lot faster and I could counter very quickly with a straight punch with the same hand. So during the same sparring session she through the wheel kick and BLAM!!! That little drop of my elbow broke two bones in her foot and I nailed her with counter punch which was controled of coarse. I felt bad because I could see she was in pain. I looked at my other instructor and all he said was "See, I told you it works". 

One other time, and I feel bad about this as well but... I was the sparring instructor by this time and I was watching to of my students spar. One of them nailed the other with a totaly uncontroled side thrust which lifted the other off the ground and he landed right on his keester. I warned him to watch the control because we were working on point fighting for an upcoming tournament. I let them continue and SLAM!!! he did it again. I warned him again and let them continue because the other student did not want to quit. Finally, he did one more time so I told him "O.K. you can spar with me now". I had planned on giving him a little tast of his own medicine. By the way these guys were both blue belts and I knew they both had good control when they wanted to. About ten second into the match I set him up for a spinning side thrust. Just as I started to rotate he tried to close the gap. Unfortunately, he did not quite get there in time and I even though I had not yet extended the kick a nailed him in the ribs. The combination of him moving in and my rotation, even though I saw him coming and treid to pull the kick, when my foot made contact with his ribs three of them broke. Luckily all he said was "O.K. I get the point" but I felt horrible because I had always concidered my self a good controled fighter and here I hurt some poor guy trying to make an example out of him. Anyway, I learned a lesson that day.

Salute,
Mike Miller UKF


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## LadyDragon

Well, I was a purple and we were running some kicking drills is class.  We started doing some double reverse cresant kicks, and I thought I had gotten the hang of it.  Well sure enough, I got a little to confident and tried to put a little to much power behind one of my kicks.  Needless to say, I ended up on my behind.


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## hardheadjarhead

I'll let you decide which one was the worst...

Blew out my ACL in 1977.  That was the most painful of all I list here.  Oddly, I didn't discover that I did this until this year when I had an MRI done on the knee.  When it happened a guy did a jump axe kick on me, I stepped in to jam him, and he landed on my shoulder.  He would have fallen very neatly to the floor in embarrassment (if not on his head) if my foot hadn't slipped to the right on a somewhat wet gym floor (it was raining that day, and nobody bothered to swab the decks).

Crushed left testicle.  Impromptu sparring match...told the guy I didn't have a cup.  Gentlemen's agreement.  So much for honor.  That sent me into shock and tetany.  I walked like a homo neanderthalis for three weeks.  When I went in for a vasectomy years later I asked for half off...doctor didn't extend it to me.  I should have shopped around a more, maybe?

Broken left fibula when a very big guy blocked a kick.  I'd been doing a ton of running, and might have had minor stress fractures contributing to this.  This also hurt really badly.

Bruised liver.  Tournament.  Put me down for about a minute.  My opponent was six foot something and weighed 236.  I was just under five eight at 164.  In the 4th dan and up divisions they combine weight classes when nobody shows up.   We were the only two fighting that day. He beat me by one point in a five-points- wins match.  

(I scored three of my points AFTER he bruised my liver because I thought..."The quickest ways for me to get out of this ring are on a stretcher, or by winning.  The slowest way out of this ring will result in me getting beaten black and blue."  I fought pretty hard after that.  I went to the hospital two days later for a liver enzymes test to see how bad the damage was.  I was fine.)

And then a knockout occured in 1976 when a guy kicked me in the mouth and I went totally out...but never fell down.  That was one of my weirdest experiences.  I could feel my body, my mouth filling with about a half cupful of blood, but I couldn't see or hear.  I've been knocked out plenty of times where I fell down and couldn't move, but retained consciousness and could see and hear.  This one was just the reverse.  My teeth almost went through my lip, and the laceration was an inch long.

Except for the testicle, all of these were against guys that outweighed me by thirty pounds or more.

These were the acute injuries of significance.  


Regards,


Steve


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## OULobo

> _Originally posted by hardheadjarhead _
> *I'll let you decide which one was the worst...
> 
> Blew out my ACL in 1977.  That was the most painful of all I list here.  Oddly, I didn't discover that I did this until this year when I had an MRI done on the knee.   *



Training or even just walking for 25 years without an ACL must have done some serious damage to your meniscus. 

I have seen two really good incidents of damage that I think people might get a kick out of (no pun intended). 

Both were in full contact matches on different occations. The competitors had cloves, shinguards, headgear, cups, and mouthpieces. In the first one I watch a friend take a spinning back kick in the ribs. He took it and then fell down crying. Diagnosis: lost 70% of his spleen to concussive shock. 

In the second incident I saw a guy in the corner of the ring try to bob-and-weave an assumed hook that ended up being a Thai round. He ate it at full blast right in the chops. After he hit the mat the on site doc ran in to examine him and try to get him conscious. When he removed the mouthpiece to open the airway it came with four pearly white upper incisors. Ouch.


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## hardheadjarhead

> Training or even just walking for 25 years without an ACL must have done some serious damage to your meniscus.



Apparently not.  My orthopedist says that some people are able to do this if their legs are strong enough.  Another doctor in his office also lacks an ACL, and they didn't find it necessary to do his.

My meniscus is a little torn, but that was recent.  I was roleplaying as a bad guy for a police exercise and twisted the knee.  It swelled, I went in, and the doc did the test for an ACL.  An MRI follow up showed it was gone, and a radiologist determined it was an old injury.  

No surgery on the horizon...but I've got arthritis.  I was told I'd have that years ago as a result of this.  No surprise.

All in all, I consider myself pretty lucky.



Steve


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## jkn75

I sprained my ankle a few years ago when I threw a front leg kick and then landed on my opponents foot. My foot rolled off and I strained the ligaments. 

My hip is injured currently. I was doing some groundfighting and my instructor hooked my leg to pull me from guard to the ground. It's no fun. I'm going to see a sports medicine specialist next week because my regular doctor's treatment didn't help.

The worst injury I dished out was when I was a TKD yellow belt. I threw a Roundhouse and my opponent ducked into it. He dropped but only ended up with a shiner. Thank goodness for my foot pad from my shin guard, my foot guard and his head gear.


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## OULobo

> _Originally posted by hardheadjarhead _
> *Apparently not.  My orthopedist says that some people are able to do this if their legs are strong enough.  Another doctor in his office also lacks an ACL, and they didn't find it necessary to do his.
> 
> My meniscus is a little torn, but that was recent.  I was roleplaying as a bad guy for a police exercise and twisted the knee.  It swelled, I went in, and the doc did the test for an ACL.  An MRI follow up showed it was gone, and a radiologist determined it was an old injury.
> 
> No surgery on the horizon...but I've got arthritis.  I was told I'd have that years ago as a result of this.  No surprise.
> 
> All in all, I consider myself pretty lucky.
> 
> 
> 
> Steve *



I tolre mine out on a bad hip toss. They told me that another option to surgery was to strengthen my legs to the point that the made a virtual and natural brace for my knee. That sounds like what you did. They also told me that this was not recomended for someone as young or active as me. They did mention the arthritis and said I would still get it early, but that I would buy a significant amount of time if I opted for the surgery. I always wondered what people did in the past before they knew what the damage was or had the surgery to fix it. I guess you made the perfect answer to my question.


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## hardheadjarhead

> I always wondered what people did in the past before they knew what the damage was or had the surgery to fix it. I guess you made the perfect answer to my question.




God, this dates me...

When the doctor checked it originally, it was too swollen to do the standard manipulative checks.  I'd scream too loud when he tried it.  He thought it was a sprained medial collateral ligament.  I got a Zimmer splint and crutches and was encouraged to exercise it.

Back then, no MRI's.  No surgery, even.  It usually just ended a career and a person would have a "trick knee".

You know, reading this thread, I hope this doesn't scare too many of the newer martial artists.  If done with safety kept paramount in the mind, martial arts can be fun and beneficial.  There is always risk, however.

A lot of my injuries were do to stupidity or negligence on my part or the part of an opponent/partner/coach.  There is an upside, though.  MY STUDENTS TRAIN MORE SAFELY.


Steve


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## TheEdge883

Everyone who knows me knows I hate getting hit in the face. During my second degree test, I was going heavy contact three on one against MY instructor, my instructors instructor, and another head instructor at the school. Wasn't fun, I musta cracked two ribs, and was knocked unconscious twice. First time I was knocked out for a couple seconds, I got back up and they started the beating again. Got my instructor with a sweet right hook to the jaw, but that pi$$ed him off, he came right back with three punches to the face and I was out again. The second time I woke up and really didn't understand where I was, so they made me sit out for a few minutes. 

That was one of the funnest tests I have been in 

Had two of my other instructors go at it one on one, one of them broke (no that's not the word, shattered) the other's nose. That was not a pretty sight. But they kept fighting. I wish I could fight like nothing hurt.


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## cali_tkdbruin

Well, as for me, I really didn't have a sparring accident, but I did have a breaking test accident. :shrug: 

In one of our interim tests on the way to promoting to 2nd BB, one of tests on the way up is that we do mini tests every 3 months. Last week we tested and part of that test was a 2 station break, roundhouse kick then a quick side kick. Anyway, I was so fired up that I didn't target my 1st  roundhouse kick properly and instead of hitting the board in the middle, I smacked it with my instep right on the sharp edge...  

Needless to say I ripped open the top of my foot, and of course there was blood galore. But, I didn't wimp out, and on the 2nd try I did break both boards, bloodly *** foot and all.  

Just goes to show that the next time I won't load up on the caffiene, and instead rely on my own adreneline. I'm sure that it's more than enough...  :asian:


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## karatekid1975

Eeeekkkk. That had to hurt, Cali  

I had a similar (no broken skin though) situation. I once broke with a roundhouse, like you. I was aiming with the ball of my foot, but missed and hit the board with my instep on the edge of the board. %$#@!! That hurt LOL. My foot was purple for two weeks. But I did break the board and not my foot, thank goodness.

Another breaking "mistake" I made was listening (or getting dared) by a black belt. We were doing a breaking clinic. I did a speed punch, jump front kick, front leg suspended hook kick break, and a lot of neat breaks (showing off basically). 

Anyways, he (the black belt) asked me to do a jumping axe kick. I said ok, that's easy enough. But he held the board way too high (he was standing on a chair). I told him it was too high. He told me that I could do it. He said, "You came from another style, you can do it. I dare you." I was a yellow belt at this school at the time. I just couldn't say no to this dare. I thought I'd feel like an @ss if I turned down a black belt with an easy break, so I went for it. I shook my head, and thought this is going to !@#$ing hurt. It did    I jumped up as high as I could, stretched my leg as far .... wait, past it's range of motion, and tore my hammy in mid air. I broke the board. My leg hurt so bad, but I could still stand and walk. I ended up feeling like an @ss anyway LOL

BUT I played it off long enough to do on more break. With the same leg that I just hurt, I broke two boards with a side kick. That REALLY made my leg hurt. I dropped to the floor in pain thinking to myself, "You are an idiot for doing that."   It took 5 months for it to fully recover 

I had various broken fingers and minor sprains in sparring, but nothing major. I hurt my knee also, but that was another "showing off" injury  :shrug: 

The most recent one was during throws/grappling class. I was going to do a hip throw on someone that out weighted me by 30 pounds. I didn't get under his center of gravity enough, so I ended up using more muscle that I really had to. I hurt my lower back and left hip. I'm going to see a doc for that soon (sports doc).


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## Old Tiger

In 27 years of training I have seen and suffered some interesting accidents.  One that was pretty wild was when we were knife sparring once. These two guys had aluminium trainers and were going at it, however they forgot to put their safety goggles on. One slashed at the others face and open his eye lid up at the top. It just sagged down to the bottom of his eye because it was cut all the way through. Lots of blood. Just think what a real knife is capable of. 
Personally, I have had almost all toes and fingers broken thai boxing and grappling with the gi. Right now I have a torn tendon in my hand. My wife says I am getting too old for this ****.  The thing is...it is a way of life. My worst injury was teaching leg locks to a guy. I said go right...he went left...destroyed my knee. Surgery and three years to rehabilitate it.


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## OULobo

not my injury, but still a story worth telling. Not long ago I was grappling with a begginer. He's an older, very stubborn guy and an instructor in one of my other systems. I had a sunk and well placed lock on his elbow; good body position and grip. This was a textbook lock. The guy had grappled before and knew how to tap/shout/snap out. I knew he was still learning so I just held the lock for a little while to make sure he knew he was caught, then I started to apply force, as slowly as humanly possible. He started to thrash and roll and do anything he could to find an escape, but I was locked in for the ride and I just continued to apply slow steady pressure. He refused to tap and I continued to raise the pressure, that's when I heard it. It wounded like when you slowly break a toothpick. You can hear the fibers in the wood fail, a few at a time, before the whole thing goes. That's what I heard in his arm, before he yelped. I released as soon as I heard it. He jumped up and said he was alright, demonstrating how he could move everything fine, but one particular motion I noticed was weak at best. He refused to admit it was hurt, refused to ice it, refused to go see a doc. The next time I saw him was a week later and he was taking it really easy. he said his arm was swollen 200% the night it happened and that he was having problems with it. Still it took him over a month to go to the doc.


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## MA-Caver

The only sparring accidents I had was with the same person (he ninjitsu, me JKD) ... first time was I went to block a low kick and didn't tuck my thumb in enough and thus broke it (a mild break). Then days later we sparred again and he blocked one of my low kicks and cracked the upper bone in my foot... fortunately it wasn't dibiliating enough that I couldn't walk but I did limp for a couple of weeks.


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## drunken mistress

My karate-mad son (7) likes to put both his legs behind his head as a show-off warm-up exercise. Eventually, he pulled a muscle, not doing that but walking down the road!


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## theletch1

> _Originally posted by drunken mistress _
> *My karate-mad son (7) likes to put both his legs behind his head as a show-off warm-up exercise. Eventually, he pulled a muscle, not doing that but walking down the road! *


 During the cold war that was a drill for preparation for nuclear attack... Put your head between your legs.... and kiss your butt good bye.

Pulling the leg muscle walking down the street is indeed ironic, he just wasn't warmed up yet.  Make him start stretching before he leaves the house


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## Shodan

Here's mine...........

  (1)  One of my first times sparring, I got backed into an open three-ring metal binder that was on the floor.......stepped on one of the rings with my instep- was done sparring for quite awhile.

  (2)  We had this guy in our class that was the type that never tapped out cuz he could take the pain, etc.  He also would torque you just a little further once you'd tapped out just to be mean or prove a point or......I don't know what his deal was- he was a jerk.  Anyway, while sparring him one time, the velcro came undone in my foot gear so, I put my hand up (which usually meant to stop), backed off from him and bent down to fix it.  While I was fixing it.........the guy came up and did a front kick to my head!!  I have it all on tape by the way!!

  (3)  Same guy.........while in class one night, we were sparring and he caught me under the chin with the toenail of his big toe which opened a nice gash.  A little bit later, I caught him along side the head with a spinning crescent kick and made his nose bleed.........normally, if it were anyone else, I would have been very sorry, etc......but, I felt sorta good about that one.......considering who he was and what he was like.  The instructor had us switch partners at that point though cuz this guy was mad at me and he knew he'd probably try then to hurt me.  He had a tendency to get outta control when he got hit by someone else.

  (4)  While sparring tag team at a tournament one time- I (a purple belt at the time) and two friends......brown and blue belts......got paired against 3 black belts.  The opponent I went against hit me with a front kick right between the eyes and knocked me out.  We later went on to beat them and place first in the tournament!!

  (5)  While sparring in another tournament, I went to kick my opponent with a wheel kick to the side of the head.......picked my distance so as not to actually hit her, etc......as the kick went in, she moved forward and I ended up making contact with her nose.  Her nose started to bleed so I was DQ'd.  I have this one on tape too and have watched it many times in slow-mo to see what went wrong with my judgement of distance, etc.

  (6)  My favorite..........was sparring a beginner one time who tried to do a spinning rear kick on me.......I moved out of the way and he kicked his foot thru the plaster/sheet rock wall and left a nice hole!!  We all had a good laugh about that one!

  :asian:  :karate:


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## James Kovacich

> _Originally posted by Shodan _
> *Here's mine...........
> 
> (1)  One of my first times sparring,
> :asian:  :karate: *



My first karate tournament in "73 or '74. I was a Kajukenbo student, purple belt and "thought" I knew how to spar.

All I remember is getting sidekicked and sliding on my butt out of the ring.

 :asian:


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## ThirdDegreeBurn

My strengths in MA has always been my speed and flexibility. Board breaks were never my thing, I can do them if I put my mind to it, but I avoid them as often as possible.

The point is, in speed there's always someone faster.  While I was a yellow belt, I figured I'd go against my Sensei's wishes and sign up in a full contact tournament. (He didn't want me to fight for another year, although now I *only* fight in half-contact or full contact). I wanted to see how fast a guy is, and a lot of the time, when I'm unsure about my opponent's speed, I fight with my right leg as my leading leg, because it's faster and stronger, which makes it easier for me to do leading kicks. (My left leg has way too many old injuries that I'm still training to get around.) I wanted to see how fast a Brown belt was, feinted with my right leg and jabbed with my right hand, but not close enough to make contact. Turned out he was a lot faster than I am, swept my right leg away and punched my right hand. A small bone popped out. I said "screw this" and took the first available cab to the hospital.


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## Chozen One

Two instances that stick out to me are:

(1) When I was a White Belt Master, I went to snap kick a fellow student and he hammer struck my toes (which felt like it was as hard as he could) which fractured and hyper extended  a couple toes. After a brief moment of disbelief I continued to spare him.  Shizer it took almost a year before I could snap kick with that foot again and im still kind of hesitant.



(2) As a Brown belt sparring a Black belt, we both went to do round house kicks and simultaneously slammed each others shins that was also rather painful.


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## BrandiJo

most of mine are my shins i always always always get hit in the shins somehow and it hurts like a _____ no matter how good or thinck of pads i got on ...i hope i never have 99% of this stuff happen to me that iv just read it all sounds rather painful :-/


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## gyaku-zuki queen

ive had a few sparring accidents myself, and all the groin shots ive seen just doesnt really compare to this one fight i saw. at the '04 jr pan-am karate champs, canadian guy vs some south american guy . i'm jus watching the fight, and all of a sudden i see the south american guy fall back on his back grabbing his face seizing. (you could tell he was in pain)
my first reaction was: oh **** if xavier (canadian guy) hit him that hard he'd be disqualifed.(and xavier was a sure spot for a medal) but then i realized that i didnt even see xavier attack the guy. then i see the other guys toe. 
his big toe, literally, ripped off. it was only hanging by skin, and the white bone was sticking straight out. he got it caught somehow on the mat when he was going it, and it just came off. :S

pretty much all of the people who were watching were tramatized it was so sick. a few of the mexican girls were screaming / crying. 

the guy was carried off in a strecher. (i talked to their coach though, he'll be fine and back in the ring in a few months  )


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## Ronald R. Harbers

I was practicing drawing my sword and deblooding, once, when I went to Noto I missed the saya and drove my training sword right into the forefinger and second finger.  If it had been a live blade I would have lost both fingers.  Being a practice sword, I only peeled the skin back about 1/2 of an inch.  Great lesson learned.


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## Cryozombie

This didnt actually occur durring sparring... but Its a good story none-the-less...

At my first Bujinkan School, One of the other students was getting ready to come to class, and he had an unsheathed katana, and he fell down the stairs of his apartment with it and drove the blade all the way thru his leg.

Consequently he was out of training for several months, and we all got a good lesson on what the Saya was for...


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## Cryozombie

Ronald R. Harbers said:
			
		

> I was practicing drawing my sword and deblooding, once, when I went to Noto I missed the saya and drove my training sword right into the forefinger and second finger. If it had been a live blade I would have lost both fingers. Being a practice sword, I only peeled the skin back about 1/2 of an inch. Great lesson learned.


I was doing that once, with one of those cheapo United Cutlery Katana's, and my hand was too low, and I sliced the webbing between my thumb and trigger finger on my left hand...


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## JKD_Silat

I stabbed myself in the face with a training blade once, during a knife disarm drill. I had the knife in front of my face, and a new student smacked my hand into my face ala Three Stooges. Everyone got a good laugh. Thank goodness, I had safety goggles on...


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## 47MartialMan

Contusions, sanginary lacerations, and the worse-sprains


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## OULobo

Just got a good one yesterday in free-rolling. I splawled and posted on his head, as I started to pivot around him, he caught one of my feet unexpectedly. So I brought the other one around to compensate and landed with all the toes under the foot hearing a loud CRICK. This morning the urgent care physicians and nurses were betting on broken or not broken before the x-rays came back. It ended up being not broken, but I'm out for at least a week or two with a foot that has turned a nice purpleish-red from mid foot to second toe knuckles of all the toes. Not pretty, unless you like those colors.


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## 47MartialMan

I had witnessed a guy actually get hit so hard that he defecated. Seriously that has to be the worse sparring accident. And I am being serious. Good thing he was wearing a white top-with black pants. He was so dazed, I was the first to "notice" it (fortunately for him, but not for me). I told him to go home. He had skipped many sessions thereafter. I guess he was trying to let time difuse and erase the scenario.


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## asangria

We had three matches going on at the same time. Each pair had its own designated area. I slipped on a wet spot with foot gear and stepped into the next area by accident. One of the people sparring there got disoriented and landed a overhand right that landed square on my ear. I was a little stunned and stumbled a little back into my area to walk into a heel kick right under my right eye. So not only did I have an ear problem for the next few weeks I had to sport a shiner. Made an interesting story at happy hour. :erg:


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## TigerWoman

Euwww...doesn't sound pretty at all--actually like a ballet on the toes thing.
Hope it heals fast.  Take B vitamins, antioxidants. Such is the price we pay so that we can play.  TW


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## OULobo

Right now I'm taking aspirin at pretty high doses for the swelling, and doing the usual elevation, ice, compression thing. I hope it works, because I'll go nuts sitting at home and not being able to hit the gym or the dojo.


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## 47MartialMan

Makes you wonder if it is worth getting busted up for...


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## asangria

47MartialMan said:
			
		

> Makes you wonder if it is worth getting busted up for...


 I wondered about it myself until I realize it sure beats playing golf. (no offense to golfers).


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## DarrenJew

The only thing I have is a bent pinky on my right hand that will not straighten out... I contribute to jamming it while blocking a kick... maybe a few lost brain cells from holding the kicking shield... frankly I'd rather be kicked sparring than holding that kicking shield... atleast you can attempt to counter the kick in sparring.


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## 47MartialMan

asangria said:
			
		

> I wondered about it myself until I realize it sure beats playing golf. (no offense to golfers).


Matter of opinion on how much work/finances, workout time lost, leisure, and medical you have........ *"FOUR" *


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## karatekid1975

Chozen One said:
			
		

> (2) As a Brown belt sparring a Black belt, we both went to do round house kicks and simultaneously slammed each others shins that was also rather painful.



That happened to me last wednsday night. I was sparring a high red belt. This guy is known to not have much control, so I was hitting him as hard as he was hitting me. He backed off after I got him with a sweet roundhouse to the midsection and knocked the wind out of him (even with a chest protector on). He came at me again, and we both attemped to do a roundhouse at the same time, and connected shins ...... Ouch! We both have purple shins still (a week later) LOL

I also just remembered someone else who got injured. It wasn't during sparring, but breaking. He was testing for BB. He had to do a three board knife hand stike. Mind you, this guy was big and buff. I thought he would break those boards like a hot knife through butter .... Nope. He broke his hand instead (didn't use proper technique and rolled his hand).


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