Male VS Female sparring matches-PLEASE advise

[AikiGuy]

Mister Radley is right. I would avoid fighting a girl more than a guy too. But KarateAndy, keep in mind this is not a fight. It's a class. This girl paid good money and time for the right to prepare and practice so she can defend against a REAL attacker. If you hold back, she is not getting the realistic practice she paid for. In personal life, I would hold back unless I thought there was a very serious threat from a girl (like a weapon or multiple attackers). But in class, it is ok to forget those rules and just spar people based on rank and ability.

[KaratekaAndy]

Well my response is this:

There are plenty of other guys in the class she can fight if she wants to get the experience - it's just against my upbringing to hit girls

[lordtariel]

Maybe there needs to be a serious discussion in the dojo. What would clear things up is just asking the girls in the class what they are comfortable with in terms of sparring. That way everybody has clear-cut knowledge of what techniques you should use and what ones you shouldn't, because not all people are the same. Some don't really care and others are more sensitive.

[MizuRyu]

I also think your instructor and sparring partner were in the wrong. She could've said something along the lines of "please don't strike my chest, it makes me uncomfortable" instead of exploding. The instructor should've mediated the situation instead of jumping on you for it, and favoritism is never good for dojo politics.

[bushido_man96]

Well my response is this:

There are plenty of other guys in the class she can fight if she wants to get the experience - it's just against my upbringing to hit girls

I think that 'hitting girls' and sparring in class don't really fall under the same category. Maliciously striking females is not right, I agree. However, this is hardly what is being done under the supervision of an instructor in a dojo. It is a learning environment, and everyone in the dojo should be subject to the same learning experiences.

[MisterRadley]

I think that 'hitting girls' and sparring in class don't really fall under the same category. Maliciously striking females is not right, I agree. However, this is hardly what is being done under the supervision of an instructor in a dojo. It is a learning environment, and everyone in the dojo should be subject to the same learning experiences.

Well said.

[Andrew_Patton]

All in all, I don't think the whole situation sounds at all right, exploding in class, should be a push-up situation at least, and if there's a confrontation, punish both parties.

And, the last time I looked, it's the instructor's duty to explain everything beforehand and make sure everyone obeys the rules.

[TigerDude]

Do you punch guys in the chest? It's not usually a target, altho the kyuskushin guys seem to chest punch a bunch.

[Symphony-x]

to keep 'equal rights' punch them wherever you'd punch a male. if she is willing to spar a male, then she should know what to expect

[baronbvp]

If she had on a protector and still got mad, she needs to be counseled on her reaction and reminded what those are for - so you can take contact without getting hurt. As for being told to do 50 burpees, then 10 minutes in horse stance, then a five minute chew session, that is way over the top, litigation fear or not.

I can't stand in horse for TWO minutes because of knee pain. If an instructor tried to "make" me do that, I'd refuse and we'd have a private discussion right then. I don't agree with humiliating or abusing students. You are a customer who paid to be trained.

Big boys and girls handle these kinds of issues like BIG boys and girls. This one went wrong several ways.