Sparring gear (chest protectors in particular)

[ufaded]

Good afternoon all,

 

I have been practicing TKD (WTF) for about 16 months now and currently hold a senior blue belt. What I have found is that the chest protector gear is very restrictive for sparring. Does anyone know of a lightweight chest protector that does not inhibit movement. I've looked everywhere, but there only seems to be about 3 different types (and they are all pretty much the same). Is anyone aware of/or using something they find to be lightweight and non-restrictive to movement?

 

Thank you,

 

Johnny (ufaded)

[Shane]

Only our females wear chest gear in our adult classes and thats for obvious reasons but I supply them with 3 styles to choose from, first a ringside female chest guard very non restrictive, and the other two styles are made from Macho, one is the regular old TKD style and then I have three of the macho Karate chest protectors they are made of a very light weight foam and are about half as restrictive as the TKD style. I would look into one of those they are pretty affordable also.

 

http://www.macho.com/products.jhtml?method=view&section.id=1&subcategory.id=6&category.id=1&product.id=32

 

or possibly this one

 

http://www.macho.com/products.jhtml?method=view&section.id=1&subcategory.id=6&category.id=1&product.id=17

[Hudson]

I didn't realize that chest protectors were required?

[VinnieDaChin]

bah, your chest is your chest protector

[ufaded]

Believe me, I dont wear it by choice, but I also never question the Master. He says wear one, we wear one.

[smr]

bah, your chest is your chest protector

 

I like to use my arms and fast feet for my chest protector

 

I've noticed that a lot of TKD schools use armor, whereas I've never been to a Karate school that did. Is armor a TKD standard?

[ufaded]

For the two schools that I have been to (WTF), and the school that my nephew is in (ATA), sparring gear is required.

[Dijita]

Only our females wear chest gear in our adult classes and thats for obvious reasons but I supply them with 3 styles to choose from, first a ringside female chest guard very non restrictive, and the other two styles are made from Macho, one is the regular old TKD style and then I have three of the macho Karate chest protectors they are made of a very light weight foam and are about half as restrictive as the TKD style. I would look into one of those they are pretty affordable also.

 

http://www.macho.com/products.jhtml?method=view&section.id=1&subcategory.id=6&category.id=1&product.id=32

 

or possibly this one

 

http://www.macho.com/products.jhtml?method=view&section.id=1&subcategory.id=6&category.id=1&product.id=17

 

Shane, do you know of anyone who makes something as light weight as the ones you posted, but just cover the breasts and not the rest of the torso?

 

Sometimes at our tournaments if my competitor chooses to wear a chest guard, I have too as well. It'd be nice to have one that is as minimal as possible as I hate having to wear any kind of chest protection.

[Shorinryu Sensei]

For the two schools that I have been to (WTF), and the school that my nephew is in (ATA), sparring gear is required.

 

since your origional question has been answered it seems, and the thread is already wandering a bit..this is my philosophy on safty equiptment for sparring.

 

Next month (January) I will have had 30 years in the arts. During that time, I can count on one..maybe two hands, the number of times I have worn a chest protector, mouthpiece, groin cup, hand/foot pads or a head protector. We spar at 3 different levels.

 

1. Tournament "tag" type sparring, or light contact. This is to practice speed and accuracy. All techniques are expected to be full speed and power...but pulled short (within an inch or two) of contact to the head and groin, or only the lightest amiount of contact. Medium contact is allowed to the body.

 

2. Medium contact is the same, but with more contact allowed to the head and groin areas. Body contact gets pretty hard at times.

 

3. Full contact sparring with what we call "Bogu" gear. This is Okinawan full contact head and chest protection. Since it is full contact, the groin isn't targeted during this type of sparring, but you MUST make hard, heavy contact to the head or chest areas to score a point. We don't always call points thoyugh and just acknowledge a point by your opponent when it's obvious that he knocked you across the room with a technique.

 

Takedowns and grabs are legal in every sort of sparring we do, as are low sweeps to the ankle.

 

My philosophy is that on the street, you aren't going to have all of this nice protective gear, so you'd better learn to avoid or block strikes. Amazing enough, ain all those years, I've never had a serious injury in my class. Plenty of bumps and bruises and the wind knocked out of you..but nothing that they didn't take and smile about later.

[aes]

We never wear chest protectors in tournaments, but these are point sparring events.

 

2 weeks ago or so I did not wear my chest protector for sparring in class. Most of the senior students did not seem to wear it and it is definately restrictive. I felt my skill had gotten to the level where I could block or deflect most shots to my body good enough so, why bother?

 

Well I now have a broken rib. The person I was sparring kneed me to the same rib twice (a move I was not expecting since it is forbidden in our sparring classes). I got in trouble for not wearing saying at my age bones break and don't heal.

 

I too would like a less bulky chest protector. I feel like the michlen man wearing it. Mine is a Budo World one.