How soon do you begin sparring in your school?

[Sam]

Another thread mentioned students sparring after just two weeks. That seemed odd to me, so I wanted to see what the norm was.

 

[FearlessFreep]

Green Belt at my last school...not sure about my current school

 

[Gemini]

We were required to be at least a yellow belt before we were allowed to spar.

 

[rutherford]

My experience:

JKD - First class.

BJJ - First class.

Bujinkan - Eh, I've probably missed an opportunity or two. But I've been going a year now and haven't sparred in the way you're using the term.

Aikido - Probably never. Don't know if I'll ever get that advanced in the art.

 

[Cirdan]

Wado: White belt but not at full speed until later. Light contact. No gloves or protective gear.
Kobudo: Never as far as I know.
Ju jutsu: Grappling at white belt. Stand up with gloves at yellow belt.

 

[karatekid1975]

TSD- three months
TKD- three months
JJ first class (I sparred my instructor and got a good whoopin too LOL)

 

[terryl965]

Well we usally start withen the first month or two, they are required to be able to throw the roundhouse and side kick before they start. That is my school rules anyway.
I have never understood the green belt rule, if they did not want beginner sparring they would not have that division at tournaments.
Terry

 

[Kacey]

We start sparring during the first couple of weeks, but with additional safeguards - slower speed, more senior partners, partners limited to techniques the junior has learned, pads (I keep a bunch of leftover/outgrown pads for new students to use), and so on. In 15 years of instructing, the worst injury anyone in my class has recieved in class is bruising, usually to the forearms or shins, from blocking.

 

[FearlessFreep]

I have never understood the green belt rule, if they did not want beginner sparring they would not have that division at tournaments.

Our school was not a big sport/tournament school. Part of it is just that I think the instructor didn't want students to get too distracted by the sport aspects. Part of it is that we start doing self-defense drills very early (first week if not first class) so there is a *lot* to absorb for a beginner just in forms, self-defense, and basic technique. Part of it is also that I think he wants to wait until the student has a certain level of self-control in technique so they don't hurt each other

 

[fullkontact]

eight classes is our rule, and then they also need to buy gear, (no loaners). So that usually takes em a bit longer. They are not required to spar untill yellow belt though. We spar light contact and people very rarely ever get hurt.

 

[Carol]

I have never understood the green belt rule, if they did not want beginner sparring they would not have that division at tournaments.
Terry

Insurance is why. Our school's insurance policy says that the student must be at least a yellow belt to begin sparring. The only exception is if the student earned a bb in another art, then the student would be allowed to begin sparring at white.

Some schools have the provisions for beginners to start quickly. Ours doesn't.

 

[bluemtn]

I chose "other", because it depends. Where I go, we generally start at yellow, which takes 3-6 months to achieve. The only exceptions are: if the student has a good foundation (previous exp.)= before yellow. If it takes longer (commitment, etc.) to achieve yellow= well, you know the rest.

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

Well, we only meet once a week, so the second week is the second session. Mostly it involves light boxing above the waist and below the head until further techniques are introduced. Novice boxers don't have the strategy to land much more than a jab and a cross, anyway; but the emphasis I place on training is that you should be testing what you learn in an applied environment against resisting individuals. I usually spar the new people because I have control of my punches and am conditioned enough to take harder strikes, should they get a little excited sparring their first few times. The two-man and sparring drills emphasize control, and aid in the ability to spar in a quasi-controlled environment.

 

[still learning]

Hello, At one Karate school we started sparring as white belts...most of us had no control. Getting hit hard and hurt after every class was the norm.

It depends on your teaching system......But to learn to fight you must fight!

Note: sparring and real fighting is not the same thing. (Real fighting is chaos and no rules) ......but sparring gives you good basics that will lead you to be a better fighter.............Aloha

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

Hello, At one Karate school we started sparring as white belts...most of us had no control. Getting hit hard and hurt after every class was the norm.

It depends on your teaching system......But to learn to fight you must fight!

Note: sparring and real fighting is not the same thing. (Real fighting is chaos and no rules) ......but sparring gives you good basics that will lead you to be a better fighter.............Aloha

I don't like to make people all that uncomfortable their first few times around. Most Thai gyms beat the pee-pee out of their patrons, because, well, they are trying to offer a program that appeals to fighters. I just want to make Muay Thai fun for people. Sparring on low-levels, right away, doesn't mean that tomorrow you'll be a fighter; it just means that you're applying your knowledge at a level that's consistent with reasonable resistance. I have yet to put someone in a position where they got hurt; I'm very safety oriented. That said, we go without pads more than any thaiboxing out-fit I know of.

Just a note: Chaos is not real fighting. Most people that fight play by certain rules. Chaos is chaos, and is subjected more to "any-means-possible" than "real-fighting" is. We usually call this war, I think.

 

[MJS]

I picked the first month. IMO, the student needs to be familiar with stances, movement, blocks, strikes and kicks first. Even after the first month, yes, they're still going to be slighty uncoordinated, but they're usually paired up with a more advanced student, rather than another white belt. The goal should be to help them with their technique, give them ideas on what to do, etc., rather than just use them as a punching bag.

Mike

 

[silatman]

My instructor will allow anyone to spar anyone as long as they both agree. It is then up to the two guys to work out the rules. At all times it is under supervision so no one gets silly.

 

[evenflow1121]

About a month.

 

[Aqua4ever]

We start to spar under a few conditions
White striped belt (on occasion white belts can start, but that is RARE and depends on agreements between the instructor and student, and special circumstances)
A want to start
Own equipment
By yellow belt they are strongly encouraged, and everyone starts by yellow stripe (tkd)
Aqua

 

[Drac]

We started in the 2nd week and ALWAYS against a higher ranking student..It got rid of a lot of bad habits BEFORE they took deep root..