# TSD Sparring - How does your school do it?



## Hawke (Apr 7, 2010)

Hey guys,

I was wondering how your TSD dojang spars?

Points?  Mild/Medium Contact?  Full Contact?

The guys I play with matches the amount of contact with their opponent.  So if your opponent goes light/medium then you go light/medium.  If you both agree to go full contact then it's now full contact.  Kicks to the groin is fair game.  Control kicks to the head are ok (but not full force).

This is a type of sparring I am used to in Kenpo (EPAK) and FMA.  Both participants agree to the amount of force.


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## Manny (Apr 8, 2010)

Well I am not a TSD guy but a TKD guy, in our dojang we use all the force to do kyorugi using mostly kicks. We sometimes do something like mild kyorugy to practice techs but then we switch to full kyorugi.

Manny


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## Shawn-San (Apr 8, 2010)

Depends totally on the sensei.
My original sensei only had us doing point sparring. Now, my new sensei just has us go at it for one to two minutes at a time. We just go all out, full contact with sparring gear. Then sometimes he'll switch it up and tell us we can only use our right arms and left legs for attacks and blocks etc.


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## Malleus (Apr 8, 2010)

When I was studying TSD the sparring was pretty abysmal (sensei's fault primarily). It was done in basically a YMCA place, with no safety equipment available like headgear, chestplates or even mitts. Thus, it was relegated to mostly light/medium contact, but punches and kicks to the head were a no-no.

In addition, no mats, so takedowns and some more adventurous kicks were dodgy. 

I still loved it, but it gradually became less and less common until weeks would go by without any sparring. That's one of the reasons I quit. I think regular sparring, some of it being full-contact, is essential to developing as a fighter.


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## Mighty Mouse (Apr 10, 2010)

Hawke,

We do it like you do. If I am lined up across from a bruiser, we look at each other and grin. Anything goes. Sometimes we actually have to be separated because we get carried away. Nothing malicious or vengeful, we just get too happy with the contact or takedowns. If we are sparring someone that doesn't want to spar like that, then it's regular point sparring. You have to respect the person you are lined up across from. You can still get a great workout even by sparring kids. I kick over their heads. They flinch and cringe, but I never hit them. Generally, we are a light contact school. We are not training for MMA. We know how to hit to defend ourselves. What I tell people is, I have to go to work tomorrow so I don't want to kill each other or anyone else.

BTW, I didn't know there were any Senseis in Tang Soo Do.


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## Hawke (Apr 10, 2010)

I used to go by belt rank.  If I saw a low rank I didn't go hard.  If I saw a black belt you were fair game.

Now if my partner is new I either ask or feel how hard they hit.  The person may be a white belt in TSD, but a BB in Kenpo.  This might be from FMA training where no one wears a belt.


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## Teufel Hunden (Apr 11, 2010)

Back when I was but a wee gup level, sparring depended on the attending black belt.   The head Kyo sa was all about no contact, but some of his other black belts had us do light contact.   Occasionally we'd do more exhibition type stuff, where contact was allowed, but it wasn't very common.  

These days, since there are no TSD schools within reasonable distance of me, so I do my own 'distance learning' type stuf, still in connection with my federation, I train with both amateur and professional MMA guys, as if we're ready to step in the octagon.   It's pretty good stuff, though sometimes I regret the decision for about a week.  :lol:


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## tsdclaflin (May 29, 2010)

No contact at all for kids; all unblocked techniques score.

Teens and adults; light contact to body with protective gear. No contact to face. Light contact to head gear though.

I like it that way. I don't like to get hurt.

Some tournaments I go to are medium contact but with good control, including groin shots.  It's okay.


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## EMST930 (Jun 29, 2010)

Hawke said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I was wondering how your TSD dojang spars?
> 
> ...


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## kbarrett (Nov 26, 2011)

My students spar every night, the contact is moderate to heavy, we don't wear safetypads (mouth guard mandatory), so I tend to lean more to the moderate side at times, but my students can get pretty intense at times and I'll let them spar as hard as they want as long as no body get hurt, we'll even include takedowns at times. 

Actually I need to back track a little students under 13 yrs, must wear safety pad, students over 13 don't have to wear the safty pads.

Ken


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