3 Types of Sparring in the Dojo.

[Hybrid]

KSN Doug has made a very good point.

 

Some people aren't ready for it.

[Guy_Who_Fights]

Just as an interesting side note to everyone:

 

I teach private lessons and after a 1 1/2 hour class (their first) I have my student strap on some 12 oz boxing gloves (I would recommend 14 oz for high contact sparring, but I just don't have any) and a helmut. I do the same, and then we spar. I keep a low effort and make sure to focus on giving them opportunity to use what they have learned. I keep my contact low (but not zero contact) and tell them to go medium-high contact. So they have to keep their guard up (one of the things they just learned) but will not get hurt, and they get the chance to actually do their best to hit a moving, living target. They LOVE it!!! Usually they feel bad about me using such low contact and ask me to hit them a little harder, so by the end of the 1/2 hour sparring session I am using medium contact (but still a low effort, just low enough to allow them a slight dominance in the fight). They enjoy it so much because, lets face it sparring is fun, that they keep telling me that they can't wait to spar again. As they get better I increase my effort accordingly. We always start off with a low contact level and work our way up together throughout the session. By the end of the session they are confidently having what it almost an amature boxing or kickboxing match but they are holding their own quite well and really enjoying it. A key point is that I always make sure to give them chances to use whatever they have learned, and I don't dominate them so that they can maintain a good enough composure to use what they have learned and strategize a little while still being in a fight - they are not too scared but do not have a false sense of security. Also, since I am sparring, have have just as much opportunity to improve and have fun as they do. So it is sort of like a class for me as well. The results are amazing. I have turned out some great fighters who all developed a passion to think and strategize on their own. They will come to me the next time we meet and say, "I was thinking and wouldn't this be a good thing to do if this happened?" Sometimes it will be stuff that is close but just barely doesn't work out well, and other times they come to me with stuff I have seen win ultimate fighting matches.

 

In my opinion sparring is the greatest and least-used tool for teaching a student, mainly because it requires the student to learn things on their own and forces them to think of solutions. It results in very clever and innovative students who adapt extremely well and are excellent fighters. The whole time they are developing their fighting, they are developing their philosophy on their own without even knowing it, and they develop it well.

 

Anyway, that's how my classes go and though the results might be an interesting side note for you guys.

[karatekid1975]

Good post I'll have to try that

[JerryLove]

I prefer full-contact over all other types. Beginners need padding, but they also need to train with less padding. Injury is a possibility and more often than not someone gets a bruise or bloodied face.

So, in a fight, all you are going to do in your art is bloody a face? Or do you have a different definition of "full contact"?

[Reklats]

Rule 1: If it's stupid, but it works, then it's not stupid.

 

Excellent.

[Martial_Artist]

::EDIT::

 

Bad mood...deleting content. Not that important anyways.

 

MA.