Usefullness of sparring

[drop bear]

We are still confusing the difference between teaching CPR and teaching our own version of CPR from our own research. And not having ever actually done CPR.

Which is generally considered illegal.

 

[drop bear]

Yes. What was the point? If there wasn't a viable standard CPR today, there would be people studying what has seemed to work to look for solutions. And they'd probably use any reasonable evidence they could get their hands on, including video.

Which is why they strapped people to horses and blew smoke up people bums.

 

[oldwarrior]

I feel like there's a big difference between point sparring and actual real world self defense. For example, in the real world you won't be wearing protection, fights probably won't last two minutes, and there are no rules or off limits areas.
With that in mind, is sparring supposed to be something that helps you prepare for real world self defense in some way, or is the purpose of sparring something else entirely?
Thanks everyone.

Sparring ...another hot topic lol... My take on it is that it depends on how you view it ...what art you are studying and what you are going to take from it... You are correct in my opinion that it has no real basis on a street fight in the 21rst cent but that said if you are talking about "oldschool" arts then they did have more of a practical basis (I am talking about the weapons Schools and arts) the hand to hand stuff lol well ok some basis but I'd say that on any battlefield of those times if you'd lost your weapon you were ummmm it begins with an "F" lol...

Modern sparring will keep you fit as it is aerobic activity and will depending on length of time and the number of "bouts" you do it has that benefit ...also if you are in a competitive art then you do have to sharpen your skills and your awareness of that arena so that is a benefit ...as to the execution of proper technique that I would doubt but there again I have seen perfect technique in a spar to ...To my mind sparring can and does play a role but it is not the be all and end all.

Rules well there have to be for obvious reasons ...for example if I did a proper Kotegaeshi on yourself (i am making no assumptions here) or if I faced you with a bokken and struck properly and your throat then ...in first case your wrist would be broken and you would not be best pleased lol... and in second case you would be dead and then I'd not be best pleased as i'd be in the slammer for so doing lol... so rules there has to be and always have been ...ok way back if a person got their wrist snapped or killed then depending on who they were it might or might not cause any repercussions.... but rules there still were and they were more or less strictly enforced... Even to this day some "schools" you cannot just walk in and ask to be taught but they are few and far between

sparring yes it plays it's part but do not get hang up on that to much it is part of the Art you study (or it isn't) so go with it do not think it is the real outside world of the 21rst cent

 

[oldwarrior]

Be proud of the Art or system you are studying ...you are a student of that art or system and it has accepted you (by dint of your instructor) yes by all means question things and be honest about things and with yourself but do not get hung up on one aspect of it

I can remember 25 years ago standing with a master thinking we were going to spar (I use that term loosely) in full Kendo armour not with shinai but with bokken and i stood tip to tip with him for 20 mins and little happened ...did I at the time think ummm nothing happened ...yes I did ... but after and I means days after my master told me that I had learned a great deal and he had learned about me to and from there on the relationship changed ...

I guess what I'm trying to say probably not successfully is that although on the face of it there was no "real life" basis ... there actually was ...and I will leave others to ponder what that was lol.

Did it upset me ...yes at the time all I wanted to do was fight ...after it ...well again ponder that ...

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Hang on, we are now discussing a different thing, I'm not talking about the masses, the whole population, I'm talking about the work place and an employer meeting their duty of care by having qualified trainers to train life crucial skills.

Now employer either meet that expectations or they dont, if they need to invest money then so be it. If they can't afford to pay for the health and safety of their staff and effected members of the public then they shouldn't be in business

Yep, that was my point. You and I were talking about two different things. I entirely agree, when it comes to an employer's duty of care.

 

[Deafdude#5]

True, the sparring one does in class with protective gear isn’t going to be anything like real-life self defense. But what it does, is provide you with a level of physical conditioning, an awareness of spatial positioning & knowledge of your limitations (hopefully).

 

[jobo]

True, the sparring one does in class with protective gear isn’t going to be anything like real-life self defense. But what it does, is provide you with a level of physical conditioning, an awareness of spatial positioning & knowledge of your limitations (hopefully).

I agree that it most likely won't be, but there's no good reason why it shouldn't be other than the risk / pain adversion of wearing ridiculously over the top Michelin suits to soar in.

Street fighting chanGes in style dependent on what is popular in the day, but there are only a limited number of fundamental ways to hurt someone and therefore only a limited number of ways to avoid being hurt. If people can't hit you coz you block and move then it's unlikely you will get hurt, if you can hit a Moving and commonly not moving very much,target then you can hurt them.

The skill is rather dictating how the fight unfolds so you are fighting to your strengh, be that kick and move it grappling or a bit of both.

But your other point is valid, as an exponent of ma, you should be able to at least match your opponent in fitness, if you can't then all bets are off

 

[drop bear]

True, the sparring one does in class with protective gear isn’t going to be anything like real-life self defense. But what it does, is provide you with a level of physical conditioning, an awareness of spatial positioning & knowledge of your limitations (hopefully).

From someone who has done a lot of both. It is pretty similar.

 

[GreatSayiaman]

We never point Spar where I train at. I would not know how to Classify BJJ's sparring however in Muay Thai we have three levels of Sparring. Technical, Mid, and Full Blast aka Smoker Style.

Technical is what we do 95% of the time where we still make contact like around 20% to 30% but not try to blast each other, More as working with full movement and feeling the hits but not trying to Beat up your Sparring Partner. Mid Level the intensity goes up around 30 to 60% but still not trying to hurt one another.

However for for Full Blast that is only at Smoker Tourneys or if the sparring partners agree to it. It is still sparring with Shin Guards and Gloves however depending on the Gym you go to the "Smoker" for there can be head gear and depending on the rules with Knees and Elbows it is full blast like an actual match set in both Pro and Amateur Muay Thai ,K1, and Glory Kickboxing Rules.

I am all for Sparring in general as I feel you get to see how you progress and where you are at in your training.