Question on Muay Thai sparring

[fenderbender4]

I just started (2 classes so far) and was wondering when you start to do sparring?

[elbows_and_knees]

depends - it varies from school to school. IMO, it should be 3 - 6 months. until then you should only drill and if anything, spar lightly. Don't be so anxious though - your time will come.

[Menjo]

depends - it varies from school to school. IMO, it should be 3 - 6 months. until then you should only drill and if anything, spar lightly. Don't be so anxious though - your time will come.

Yep, expect alot of cardio and fitness training to get you into the right shape...for your sparring in the future.

[bushido_man96]

depends - it varies from school to school. IMO, it should be 3 - 6 months. until then you should only drill and if anything, spar lightly. Don't be so anxious though - your time will come.

I was just wondering, how many times a week do you train, and for how long?

[pittbullJudoka]

When you start sparring is up to your instructor.The first time I took karate it was a little over a month after starting before I sparred for the first time and for about 2 months after I only sparred the instructor.

[gedanmawashigeriking]

depends - it varies from school to school. IMO, it should be 3 - 6 months. until then you should only drill and if anything, spar lightly. Don't be so anxious though - your time will come.

I couldn't agree more. I lost a couple of students a few years back because I wouldn't let them spar on their first day. They only had wrestling and bjj as a background, no striking at all.

In karate, if I remember right, it was at least 2 to 3 months before I sparred. For some crazy reason my first Kru let me spar either my first day of Muay Thai or some time during my first week, I can't remember(maybe been hit too many times in the old noggen). Let me say this, though..at the time I won nationals in the USANKF and was scheduled for the jr. olympics when I first got into Muay Thai..even though my hands were way too low from Karate.

Before I let someone free spar in Muay Thai I'd make them wait at least 3 months and that's only if they trained at least 3 days a week. Two main reasons why it's this way: 1. most beginners(at least 90%)don't understand what control is; i.e. they will throw a crazy haymaker as hard as they can when it's not a fight,it's SPARRING 2. Most people have horrible defense for a while but they should invest at least 3 months to learn a little bit of defense so they don't get hurt

Now, I would let someone spar in Karate much quicker before I would let them spar in Muay Thai...just my two cents.