n00b sparring- bad idea or good training?

[Brian R. VanCise]

I think it can also have to do with the fact that an instructor wants to make sure there is a solid grounding in basics, strategy and tactics before letting them out there to bang away and start creating bad habits. In many schools there is one-step, and three-step sparring (kumite) that is done before free-sparring is introduced. In Kajukenbo, we opt for pre-set counters with ad-libs to accomplish the same effect. You need to know how to move before sparring or you just get sloppy IMO.

Absolutely!

 

[Danjo]

We had a kid that came in and on sparring night I was working with him having him do combos to get him used to the whole thing while I blocked and parried. After about five minutes, he said, "I'm getting tired of doing all the attacking. I want to fight." So I attacked for about three seconds at about half speed. Five seconds later, he was back to being very willing to continue with the drill I had given him originally.

I repeat: LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR!

 

[KempoGuy06]

We had a kid that came in and on sparring night I was working with him having him do combos to get him used to the whole thing while I blocked and parried. After about five minutes, he said, "I'm getting tired of doing all the attacking. I want to fight." So I attacked for about three seconds at about half speed. Five seconds later, he was back to being very willing to continue with the drill I had given him originally.

I repeat: LISTEN TO YOUR INSTRUCTOR!

LOL...Ive seen this happen quite a few times

B

 

[jamz]

As far as listening to the instructor, goes, well, it's never been brought up. As it turns out, another person in my class went to an "open" class and the instructor was happy to let her spar with a bunch of intermediate and advanced students.

Probably you are all right in that yellow vs. yellow is just going to be boring as we don't have the technique or coordination yet, but versus more skilled people it's better for us n00bs learning.


Now all I have to do is ask the instructor when she next plans to spar during an open class so I can show up.

 

[Josh Oakley]

Depends on the student regardless of belt. We have a couple of white belts sparring, and a couple of orange belts we don't let spar yet. Depends on their control, both physically and emotionally. But even at orange, the level of contact is much less than we allow purple, or blue or green. The amount of gear depends on what we're working on. Except for cups. Cups are a constant.

 

[ktaylor75]

I am a yellow belt and I sparred for the first time last week. There arent many people in the adult class, and from what I gather, for the most part, they're not to fond of sparrin, but the sparring class is on a night that I cannot attend and I was talking to a black belt from class about it, so he offered to spar with me before one of the afternoon classes! I loved it. He landed many strikes...I landed one! ...lol. I am excited and cannot wait till Thursday to do it again. It was a great way to apply and practice blocks and using some of the basics for application rather than just against rehearsed self-defense moves. Well, that was just this n00b's point of view.

 

[swiftpete]

Just take care.. The reason noobs arent usually allowed to spar is it can be very easy to cause injury if you don't have control in your techniques. I've hurt people in the past when I had a control problem without meaning to but just by getting excited and hitting/locking too hard.
There are 2 new lads in my class, only young lads, one of them nearly broke the others neck the other day when left to practice a technique, purely from not realising how much force to put in to achieve the result he wanted.

As you say you're all old and fat, you're probably sensible enough to take a bit more care and will probably be knackered before you've caused any damage anyway....!

Good luck