adult in karate class not wear head gear & NOW READ UPD

[Shorinryu Sensei]

In the 30+ years since I started karate training, I've yet to wear head, hand or foot pads except in full contact sparring. Then I use traditional Okinawan bogu, which is a lot different than what most people use. heck, I don't even wear a groin cup!

My reasoning is that if you spar continuosly wearing protection, you won't learn to block as well because the chances of getting hurt are far less. You will do what you practice on the street.

However, you need to do what you think is right and what you feel confident in doing. So, if you feel you need to wear head gear or any other pads...then go for it. Just remember, you won't have them on the street.

[TAZ]

ShorinRyuSensei said: In the 30+ years since I started karate training, I've yet to wear head, hand or foot pads except in full contact sparring. Then I use traditional Okinawan bogu, which is a lot different than what most people use. heck, I don't even wear a groin cup!

Yeah! There's nothing like shorin ryu conditioning. I've got a few sore spots right now from last night.

[matbla]

thanks for the replys

with wearing gear i just want to wear what they all wear

the kids from matt blake

[matbla]

keep up the good work

kep the help coming from matt blake

[Fairfax_Uechi]

thank you for your reply that was a real good

answer to my problem about wearing head gear

and please keep this going from matt blake

I agree with everyone else. When in doubt, better safe than sorry.

As for the comment on the senior students. Senior students shoud press the junior students enough to make them work hard, and to THINK, but not so hard that they injure them or make it too difficult to work with them. Also, the more senior students SHOULD have control. But as we all know that varies by person.

One final thought. Don't think of the head gear as protection. I can assure you if someone kicks or hits you hard enough you can get seriously injured even with head gear on. SO, when you use it, understand it offers a MUCH higher level of protection that nothing, but it doens't mean that a good hard shot won't hurt you. Always train safe.

[Dont call me Sir]

Just something to bear in mind; a headguard isn't specifically designed to prevent head injury from sparring strikes (kicks, punches, elbows, knees, etc). Ok, the headguard will prevent minor knocks and abrasions, but the main purpose of the headguard is to prevent serious damage to the head when hitting a hard ground should you be knocked unconcious.

There are very few, if any, 'off-the-shelf' headguards that will prevent 'brain shake' and therefore prevent a knockout. Even I've knocked out a guy who was wearing the Redman Suit with a straight palm, easily!

Age has nothing to do with it. It's down to the rules of the dojo/dojang and/or your personal preference as to whether you wish to wear a headguard. I personally don't like them because I find them a hinderance and I also let my students have the choice of not wearing them.

If it's your choice, then you do what you feel you should do, but remember, should the brown sticky stuff hit the whirly thing, you only have yourself to blame.

DCMS.

[HongKongFooey]

Just remember that the dipped foam sparring gear is for NO TO LIGHT CONTACT It will not absorb a hard blow to any great degree. If you want good sparring gear made for hard contact then you need to get a good leather boxing headset. They are expensive, but worth the investment.

HKF

[jaymac]

It is a rule in our dojo that everyone must wear sparring gear. No it isn't going to completely protect the head if someone struck it hard. It should provide protection if falling to the floor. Mostly it is a liability issue. Everyone is supposed to have good control. Doesn't mean they always do though.

[younwhadoug]

head gear is smarter. i'm sure you reallize that. if you want to challenge yourself, don't but put some head gear on and let someone with control land a few to both sides of your head just to see how it feels. its not as bad as you probably think. and in a sparring match its less painful because your focused on winning or attacking or blocking or something. i get kicked in the head frequently. the only time i don't use head gear though is if i'm sparring my instructor. if you don't trust the people you spar, i would say wear the head gear

[Sensei Rick]

I have been a black belt for a long time and love people that don't wear gear, so much easier to prove my point on. My sensei likes to say that his black belts don't wear cups, they just block. Well, I wear a cup. I have not been hit in the junk in a long time, but I wear one. A new black belt of ours was sparring me, and I asked him if he had a cup on, He said "we " don't wear cups. I made him put his cup on. I kicked him so many time between the legs he didn't block his head anymore. his hands just went to protect the "primary target". After I finally got him to double over, He agreed to never spar without equipment again, no matter what Sensei likes to brag about us.

If someone isn't wearing head gear, then I wont attack the head so much, and they wont learn to block as well. I encourage everyone to wear gear untill they can trust themselves, then they should still wear it untill they can trust your partner. once you have a partner that you can trust, you been sparring that person too long and you need a new partner, and you need to put your gear on again. save your ego for the ladies, and keep a good head on your shoulders so you can put your words together coheirently when you're an old man.