Contact In Sparring

[MJS]

How much contact do you allow during sparring at your school?

Do you limit contact to certain ranks?


For myself, I feel its something that needs to gradually be introduced, especially at the lower ranks. The arts involve contact but until the student builds some basics, there should be very little. Once the student starts to feel comfortable, they're usually paired up with someone of a higher rank, so that person can control the pace.

For the advanced ranks, contact should be happening. IMO, going too light is doing more harm than good. Better to get used to it in the school, where mistakes can be fixed, weak areas worked on, etc., than if they really needed to fall back on their skills.

 

[Gemini]

The amount of contact varies, based on what we're trying to accomplish. I'm not a big supporter of full contact practice because once you know what it feels like to give and receive full shots, there's more value in learning no contact control. Anyone can kick like a mule, but controling ones power takes lots of practice.

The first day of sparring practice for a student is fairly rough. It's full contact and usually an eye opener. It's an introduction and I want it very clear that they know what they're getting in to. Call it orientation. If they choose to continue, it's time to start training them. For beginners, we generally call for light contact because being a beginner, they have no idea of their power and though they think they're being light, they're usually quite heavy. As they begin to learn their power and how to control it, we change up.

Most of our practices are then light or no contact, unless we have reason to practice full. Students getting ready to compete for instance. The tournament isn't the place to remember what a full contact shot feels like. Another reason might be a student who refuses to try light contact in practice because they don't see a purpose in it and just want to "mix it up". They then usually get to go full contact with me. Sometimes they get, sometimes they quit. I'm good either way.

Sometimes in a miss match, I'll allow one student to go light while the other one is to go moderate or full. Same thing with head shots. Students under 12 (WTF) aren't generally allowed to head hunt and therefore blocking the head gets lax. Then they turn 12 and don't know how to handle it. If a students (regardless of age) thinks the rules are going to protect his head, I'll call for head shots to keep them honest. I've seen too manyu kids take illegal shots. Yes, the opponent loses a point, but the one who took the shot is mentally broken. Protect yourself at all times!

 

[Andrew Green]

light or no contact tends to build the habit of pulling punches IMO.

Our sparring is hard, not always full. But one thing I try and stress is that evenwhen not going hard, follow through on strikes is important. Even when going light you should be trying to strike through the target, not tap and pull.

 

[karate-dragon]

We allow people to start to spar as orange belts and above. But it is with full gear, face masks, chest protectors, etc. We usually start with doing mostly drills, then slowly allow some free sparring, light to no contact. I find that if someone has a bad experience early on it will stay with them for a long time and effect their sparring. I allow all belts to spar together but the rule is that the higher belts should use this as a time to practice what they want but with no power (or ego)and they should also allow the under belts a chance to come in on them. No egos allowed ever. For higher belts they again should go with light contact, i.e. light to the head (never want to see a head snapping back) and heavier contact allowed to the body. The bottom line is, we all need to go to work the next day and if an injury occurs it detracts from work and from training.

 

[terryl965]

It sepends on age and belt level but once a BB it is mainly allout with very little pulling except prior to a match. When I say all out I mean it is also under control.