Too nice while sparring???

[tessone]

It's the "Questions on sparring" thread.

 

http://www.karateforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=2617&forum=2

 

 

[Bitseach]

At my old club there was a 1st Dan who used to biff people in the face the whole time. No matter how many times she was told by the Sensei to use control and not to punch to the face she would do so anyway. She ended up really hurting people, who were holding back on the sparring so that they wouldn't inflict damage (like we were supposed to do!).

 

With her though, if you got through her guard at all she'd go mental and try to teach you a lesson or something. It probably didn't help that she was about 5'2" and Japanese. She talked alot about how Westerners were soft and didn't show enough respect for Japanese culture! Cow.

 

Other Dan grades, if you got past their guard, they'd tell you, 'well done' afterwards but she just got red mist. (Other senior Dan grades also had a word with her a few times about control and lack thereof but nothing seemed to go in).

 

It got to the point where nobody wanted to spar with her because of her lack of control and people started refusing (after all if she was going to ignore the Sensei then we were going to have to disobey him, if only out of self-preservation!) She was well in with the Sensei and a lot of people left the club in the end, myself included. After she nearly put my eye out twice in one sparring session I was not prepared to risk losing my vision or any teeth in what was supposed to be non- (or at least very light) contact sparring.

 

So my point? Not everyone wants to do martial arts to be a street brawler or to do proper contact, and certainly not to lose teeth or sense organs! Also, as somebody pointed out already, most of us have day jobs and don't want black eyes either. If you can punch full contact on pads or a moving bag, and you are fast enough to get through someone's guard or block them, but to do it lightly, then do that, unless you are specifically in some kind of Deathbloke competition or seriously fighting for your life.

[shotochem]

Hi Ai H, In addition to waiting for the perfect hit, I would not completly follow up but retreat.

 

I discovered that if I just followed through more aggressively with more combos while attacking, opportunity came KNOCK-ing!!! :idea:

 

 

[Martial_Artist]

Bitseach,

 

Too bad you left.. If the opportunity would have presented itself I'd have given her a bloody nose or better yet knocked her out.

 

She believes she is invincible and superior because of her ethnic heritage. This is a hindrance to the atmosphere of the class. Sure they have the right to be a jerk, everyone does. But you have the right to let them know they're a jerk.

 

If you ever come across someone like that, what they really need is some a$$ whooping to realign them with reality. No one is invincible. And if they cry that westerners(or anyone) are too soft then break their nose and then ask them, "Was that soft?"

 

I know you don't approve of violence, but you can't let people like that walk all over you. You have a right to learn and some people just need a busted lip to set them straight.

[KickChick]

Bitseach my blood is boiling after reading that post of yours! "Let me at her!!"

 

It's situations like that that brings out the fighter in me!

 

Need to harness that anger and use it ...

 

Yes, there is a certain threshold one has (everyone has I believe) and she certainly crossed it. I believe the owner/instructor is at fault here for condoneing her actions.

 

 

[shotochem]

Anyone with that type of attitude is not welcome in our dojo unless they change it. If not, there is the door. We are fortunate to have a dojo with high standards and little tolerence for those who do not respect others.

 

Then again if someone is going too hard, hit them back harder till they get the picture.

 

(just not in the face) A BB should know better and have greater control.

 

 

[Bitseach]

Thanks, all, for your comments. Our dojo used to be very respectful but it went very weird when the Sensei and some of the students started having relationships with each other. I don't know what sort of relationship this odd Black Belt and the Sensei were having, but it was very unhealthy for the club!

 

[ This Message was edited by: Bitseach on 2002-05-07 10:48 ]