I don't understand

[TheDevilAside]

I think using the animal kingdom as a reason or to back up your arguments is pretty annoying really. What in all the hells has that got to do with you as a human being? Many animals kill their own young, I hardly think that is pertinant when related to human beings.

Roar

 

No, what I was trying to say is that the whole "chivalry" thing doesn't just come from years of social brainwashing, doctrine, etc. We do, afterall, still have some basic instincts just like some animals. I'm not using that as a sole reason, just saying it might (hence the question mark) have something to do with it. And, you know, humans are part of the animal kingdom.

[tommarker]

and if they lose, they got beaten up by a girl.

 

I find it amusing that the first person to admit this dark truth was a woman.

 

I'd imagine this has more to do with it than being afraid to "hurt" a woman. Once you've had a female yondan crack a rib with her sidekick, you don't really care anymore what's underneath the gi... you want to hit back

 

As long as everyone is sparring under the same rules, and both parties are willingly doing it, then you shouldn't have any problem with sparring women with contact. Would you be offended if a stronger male wouldn't hit you because he thought YOU couldn't take it? Would it slow down your training for the big guys to use kid gloves with you?

 

If you don't train 100% with your woman partners, you are ripping them off. The guy who tries to mug her in the parking garage won't have any problems with chivalry... at least have the grace to prepare her for that.

[tommarker]

Just to follow up...

 

In our club, we always spar to the level of the least proficient person, meaning that a Sam Dan will spar a white belt differently than they would a fellow Sam Dan, but we're constantly pushing them to go a little harder.

 

I might spar two red belts very differently, depending on their level of confidence and ability. But I won't spar easy with someone just "because they're a girl."

 

My training partner up to black belt was a woman, and we spent about 4 years knocking each other senseless to the point that our instructor would just sit back and grin when visiting instructors who'd never seen us together would watch us.

 

I always knew that she could take whatever I threw at her, and viceversa.. I remember the one time I "went easy" on her, and she punched me right in the face

[Vito]

i like grappling with girls...

[Shorin Ryuu]

Whenever I spar with anyone, I bring it to the level of the combatant. Well, just a little bit higher, if I'm able to (since I'm not better than everyone, obviously). The same goes for fighting women. Yes, there are always that case of the really aggressive and fearsome woman who won't hold back and beats a lot of the guys. But the general trend is that most of them are not like this. All the same, even for those that are less aggressive and not quite as skilled, it is an insult to them and a detriment to both of to your and her training if you simply just "go easy" on her. You can scale back a bit, but don't lose your focus. All too often guys will hold back and not take it seriously when facing a woman. What I'm saying is hold back and still take it seriously.

 

Like I said, you should always bring it to a level a little higher than the person you are facing, regardless of the danger. Too much and no one learns anything, unless it is a necessary lesson in humility for some cases... You want to press them, but not squash them. That's just my opinion on it.

[gojuchad]

a agree with some of the replies that society has intergrated into us not to hit a girl. I have sparred girls before and will be the first to admit that sometimes I get my butt handed to me but still I do feel uncomfortable and I feel that sometimes I hold back even when I know the girl is very capeable. Not sure what can be done about it?