Has anyone else felt weird about hitting people

[Seeking Zen]

Being newer to training (1 year)...I still have a hard time sparring with women....the funny thing is many ladies that I train with could easily clobber me. But I just havn't got to a point of comfort with hitting women. I am not sure I ever will????? It goes against all my social upbringing.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Being newer to training (1 year)...I still have a hard time sparring with women....the funny thing is many ladies that I train with could easily clobber me. But I just havn't got to a point of comfort with hitting women. I am not sure I ever will????? It goes against all my social upbringing.

You owe it to there training to hit them. Reality bites and you need to help them put a muzzle on it.
Srean

 

[Slihn]

Hello guys,
I have been training Martial Arts most of my life and Muay Thai off and on for the past three years and I still sometimes feel bad when I hit someone.Often times I find my self too saying things like "sorry" of I connect to the faceor times when other students will come back and show me their leg(which is all black and blue from low kicks)In sparring I always try to show respect to the fighter so that he knows that any physical hram done is not intentional.It might sound wieard but even though I train Muay Thai still dont like to hurt people.

 

[edwardcloud]

Actually i did not care too much when I am younger. But nowadays I dont really want to do that. I prefer katas more than sparring.

 

[Tez3]

If you are training with women it's patronising to go soft on them. You don't owe women anymore than you owe men when training that's a bit patronising too, sorry! I don't feel funny about hitting people, I feel much funnier being hit! My MA is full contact, no headguards and a KO wins (so does a submission though)

 

[Mariachi Joe]

no, seemed naturally considering the surroundings

 

[Seeking Zen]

If you are training with women it's patronising to go soft on them. You don't owe women anymore than you owe men when training that's a bit patronising too, sorry! I don't feel funny about hitting people, I feel much funnier being hit! My MA is full contact, no headguards and a KO wins (so does a submission though)

It's not that I go easy. That would have me on the floor in a second!. I simply still don't feel as comfortable hitting women as I do men. I'm sure as more time goes by I'll get used to it. I got used to sparring with no protective gear (light gloves optional).

 

[Drac]

If you are training with women it's patronising to go soft on them. You don't owe women anymore than you owe men when training that's a bit

That's one of the biggest complaints I hear about other LEO instructors..These ladies are going do the same job as the men, they deserve the same quality and intensity of training..

 

[kosho]

Start with what feels good for you. then as you grow and hit more you will be able to control how hard you hit and what not.. then after awhile you will hit some one and say thats training... good luck and never move backwards to move forwards
kosho

 

[subster]

I was a bit weirded out by it at first and grew more confidient in my ability to control my strikes. Until I accidently biffed a class mate with a full on whipping back knuckle to thier jaw. My master tells me that since that day my speed has decreased and I need to get over it because accidents happen.

 

[ares]

You shouldn't feel bad about hitting people in class (you have to show alittle love). I feel that I should get to feel what a attacker will feel if they were after me. It's all part of the game. ares

 

[Hawke]

I have been doing various martial arts for a while and still feel funny when I spar a friend.

I also feel funny when I kick someone.

I feel more comfortable hitting with my hands, elbows, and knees.

But if a loved one is endangered....I go all out. No regrets.

 

[pankration]

You know how it feels when you smack a baseball off the sweet spot? a golf ball when it is driven right down the fairway? That's how it feels for me when I really connect. I'm not into hurting people but quite frankly when a perfect technique lands clean and hard, I get a thrill right down to my toes. I used to live to spar and in the old days (Chuck Norris was still young) martial arts schools didn't live in fear of litigation. Fighting could be furious and we often fought challenge matches against people from other schools. Would I want my children to experience this? No way. Intentionally trying to hurt someone has no place in a modern society but goddammit those wild and woolly days were a hell of a lot of fun.
By the way, the first and only time I went easy on a "girl" she laced me with a roundhouse kick to the chest that cracked my ribs. Never again.

 

[whitetiger2001]

My first TKD school had an instructor who caused injuries. I left as soon as I realized what was going on and found a school that focused on positive spirit and respect toward our fellow students.

The instructor I had at the time (mid-1990s) emphasized light contact to the point where our students took pride in having control. If you made contact with the dots on the chest protector, (and light touch to the padded helmet) that was good form. You made your point by pointing out openings with a kick or punch. We did not bruise or injure our classmates. If we were well conditioned and stretched adequately, very few students had injuries. We were taught to evade or deflect kicks - never hard on hard blocks because legs are stronger than arms. We worked on a lot of footwork and counter-attacks.

My current instructor looks the other way if students hit or kick each other in places that are unpadded. It really bothers me because that is not the way I was brought up in TKD. I'm used to getting a deflected punch or kick here or there but not full force punches or kicks that are off target. I consider that partner to be out of control and that would be the worst comment you could make about a TKD student.

My old school prides itself on developing control and it's enforced by all the instructors with all students. The philosophy is that a good martial artist has control over how hard he/she hits. This is escpeially important at the higher ranks where the material is more destructive. Students are there to learn, not get the crap beaten out of them and I have no respect for any instructor who ingores the safety of his/her students.

 

[..n..]

I feel kind of bad now. I got into MT to dish out and take beatings in a controlled setting. There of course are some philosophical and physical reasons along with the fact I enjoy learning and being part of a team but really at the heart of it I wanted to fight.