full contact training bad for technique?

[bushido_man96]

To play devil's advocate here, I would like to say, "the more focused on technique the less effective for fighting?". There needs to be a happy medium between technique and 'full contact'. Focusing on the sundome method of kumite and too compliant training methodologies IMHO doesn't prepare someone adequately.

I think that's a good point. Being able to focus the training properly will maximize the level of technique and level of contact.

[Groinstrike]

Yes, if you train nothing but full contact, hard sparring, not only will you be injured more, your technique will suffer. One must mix together light and heavy contact when sparring. We only spar hard contact about 1 day a week.

[Dobbersky]

Excellent thread guys, good responses but tends to be more bias towards Shotokan.

I teach Ashihara Karate (A Kyokushin OffShot) Knock-down Karate and I have visits from other karateKa from different styles, includding Shito Ryu Shotokan Etc, One was a WTF World Finalist and won many Championship in Kata etc. I've also had One from the Army Karate Team too, this to make a point, they were unable to cope with the level and type of sparring we do. Thigh kicks and level of contact being the issue. Now not one said it wasn't technical or that we were sacrificing things to improve our contact because I work so much on Bunkai and Kata. Now I did say to the WTF Champ that the chance was that sparring the same as he did I would probably feel out of my depth to as I'm used to continuous sparring not stopping at a strike.

The kata that I teach can be used in sparring and I've even used Pinan Sandan to beat a Shotokan guy at his own club sparring. Try it, it works!!!!

To me there are 3 levels and I've moved on from my younger days and find that everyone SHOULD have experience of all levels of sparring as to know all 3 would help in all 3 so it would be a win win situation.