What type of martial arts does sparring without padding?

[johnnymac]

Saishu Ryu dosen't use padding of any type. We train like everything is for the street, so no padding, and no point system of sparring. It's all for submission or knockout.

John

[Meguro]

I too think it depends on the dojo. I do Shotokan and we don't spar with padding. In tournaments, we use gloves and a mouthpiece, both mandatory. But at the dojo, we fight without the stuff. But I've been to other Shotokan dojos where they used gloves in class. But I think in general, Shotokan uses little padding apart from the gloves.

Isn't the Shotokan claim to fame pulling the punch and kick at the last minute so as not to make contact and thus demonstrate control? If so, isn't the lack of pads a recognition of this control?.

I've trained with a lot of guys, many from Eastern Europe, who never trained with pads and practice knockdown karate (Kyokushin). What I've discovered is that rather than the ranks being decimated by injury you have a student body of very tough fighters inured to the bumps and bruises inherent to knockdown. Generally Kyokushin karate uses pads in day to day training. The pads come off for the elite competitors and for blackbelt testing.

[BlackWolf]

When i spar i use no padding, my trainer insists we must condition our body. luckly i dont pay for my lessons, it is in honor to be training under such a trainer as mine. You must practice self control and must have it when sparring without padding.

[hurricane]

I too think it depends on the dojo. I do Shotokan and we don't spar with padding. In tournaments, we use gloves and a mouthpiece, both mandatory. But at the dojo, we fight without the stuff. But I've been to other Shotokan dojos where they used gloves in class. But I think in general, Shotokan uses little padding apart from the gloves.

Isn't the Shotokan claim to fame pulling the punch and kick at the last minute so as not to make contact and thus demonstrate control? If so, isn't the lack of pads a recognition of this control?.

Yes, this is correct, Meguro. We're all about control, at least that's what they are trying to teach us! Doesn't always work though! Hence the gloves and mouthpiece in tournaments. In the dojo, if hit, you just gotta take it. Which is fine with most people.

[ElbowTKO]

MMA!!!!!!!!!! you only use 4 oz gloves enough to cover your fist

[Chaz]

In San Soo we don't wear pads of any sort (Except for a cup, lol). But, what we do isn't traditional sparring. We call it free-sparring.

[mtheiss]

I think dojos have the right to set sparring rules (even padding sparring is worth a look due to disipline and training uses). However, personally, I do have preference to non-padded schools. As I said in another post, however, I think propsective students and parents should have a real choice in their local area. Instructors should have a good servey of all the local schools in the area to immediately refer individuals to one where the instructor feels the parent or the student's view of sparring best fits.

Martin

[granmasterchen]

it all depends on the individual school and instructor as to what your typical sparring sessions will be like.

[Alan]

I have been training in Ashihara for 9 years now and we have never used padding. Padding gives you a fauls sence of security. Does not give you a feel of the power you or your partner are using.

[mtheiss]

Nice website. Perhaps unfortunately our next thread topic would be the age minimum of your sparring matches. Nice site.