Where can I go to spar against other styles?

[ArmorOfGod]

One of the local schools around here has a monthly "fight night" the first Saturday night of each month. It is free to attend and everyone just comes and has a good time.

All schools in the area are invited to come and spar with strict rules about attitude and contact levels. Basically, anyone who is there for trouble can not participate. Several local schools come to it.

Maybe your school could organize something like this. The key to this is fun over competition.

AoG

[cleung]

Go to an open tournament in your region. You can also try connecting with other martial artists locally via the internet or even this board.

[ps1]

The best way of finding other systems to spar tends to be making friends in those systems and sparring them in a friendly environment.

I have entered too many open tournaments in many states in the hopes of sparring new styles. However, what i have found is that the rules of the tournaments always confine what can and can not be done. The point is...everyone conforms and adapts their sparring style to work with the rules the tournament allows. It's the only way to win. And there are very few people who spend from $30 to $80 and don't care if they win or loose.

Armor of God seems to have an excellent thing going in that area! Very cool. This is excellent advise! Work hard to get something like this set up in your area. It helps to promote good relations between schools in the area. That would bode well for you and give your school some great attention.

[cleung]

Tournaments is also a way to make new friends who might be able to have sparring sessions outside the tournament environment with perhaps more relaxed rules.

[ps1]

Very true Cleung. Good point

[claflintsd]

I used to live in Old Saybrook, CT.

Go to https://www.krane.org

I wanted to check out their tournaments but I never had time. The "open" tournament circuit is actually pretty big in New England. There is a big tournament in Marlboro, MA in May and Ocean State Nationals in Providence, RI in April.

http://www.krane.org/Schedule.htm

Good luck!

[cleung]

Yes, these are both part of the NASKA and Krane circuits I usually go to both of them.

[CTTKDKing]

Thanks for all the info. I really appreciate it. I like the add in the paper idea. I was already looking into the New England Open, but was unaware of the Krane circuit in RI, so I think I might have to check that out as well.

[Goju_boi]

just meet people on the net through sites like myspace