Male VS Female sparring matches-PLEASE advise

[Throwdown0850]

As a girl, my opinion is that this woman probably doesn't really want to learn karate and probably shouldn't be there. Guess what-- shots to the chest are extremely common in martial arts and they're something you need to deal with if you're going to be a martial artist. If she doesn't want to get hit in the chest, maybe she should practice defending against that area a little better so she can stop the guys from hitting her there instead of blaming them for her not being able to block their shots. Probably about half of the wazas we do have people punching right at the chest and so I get guys staring at my chest while they're punching all the time. Big deal. I stare that their chests while I'm punching, why should I expect them to do anything different? It may be different since I'm the only female in our adult program so I'm ALWAYS working with guys and they were all here first so I feel the need to not bring too much attention to the fact that I'm a girl, but I think she's over reacting just a bit and she should just get over it and accept that it's part of the martial arts.

Couldn't agree more, Its KARATE, therefore there is gonna be contact, if that person don't like it, then she shouldn't be doing karate.

[Kushiel]

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And also you prpably don't get kicks to groin many times in two minutes... I know it's not totally the same thing, but for women it happens like five times or more often than it does for men. Thought I can handel that, it still hurts way more than somewhere else.

While it may hurt more than somewhere else, and it may start to get trying after a long sparring session, I still don't feel it's the guy's responsibility to avoid hitting me there. At all. It's a legitimate scoring zone. If I don't like being hit there, I should block it!

The last thing I want is for a guy to feel like he has to be all careful cause he's sparring with a girl. I'm not going to learn to be better that way.

[Soheir]

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And also you prpably don't get kicks to groin many times in two minutes... I know it's not totally the same thing, but for women it happens like five times or more often than it does for men. Thought I can handel that, it still hurts way more than somewhere else.

While it may hurt more than somewhere else, and it may start to get trying after a long sparring session, I still don't feel it's the guy's responsibility to avoid hitting me there. At all. It's a legitimate scoring zone. If I don't like being hit there, I should block it!

The last thing I want is for a guy to feel like he has to be all careful cause he's sparring with a girl. I'm not going to learn to be better that way.

I don't think it's the most hardest thing to place the "scoring zone" five cents higher.

Althought, I do agree with that it's no the guy's responsebility.

[Lupin1]

Am I just weird? For me getting punched in the breast hurts no more than getting punched in the upper chest with the same amount of force. In fact, I find it hurts less because it's not as bony.

[joesteph]

As a girl, my opinion is that this woman probably doesn't really want to learn karate and probably shouldn't be there.

Couldn't agree more, Its KARATE, therefore there is gonna be contact, if that person don't like it, then she shouldn't be doing karate.

I believe I understand where you're coming from, Lupin and Throwdown, in that you've chosen dojos/dojangs where contact, likely moderate to fairly strong contact, is permitted--even expected. Perhaps you've even chosen where you train because it's more like the "real deal" when it comes to self-defense.

But there are many people who do not want that contact, yet are interested in martial arts. My children take Soo Bahk Do, which is non-contact, and I've found that the adults I train with (keeping me ahead of my eight-year-olds so I can assist them) don't want contact either. For such persons, like the woman referred to in the OP, it's probably better for them to take such an art and enjoy the health benefits, as in balance, coordination, cardio, and even the aesthetics of performing kata/hyungs.

To be clear as to how I see it, though, the woman who was referred to had to have been made aware of the contact facet of training in that school before she signed on the dotted line, so her reaction has me wondering "What was she thinking?" when she did sign up. When my boys grow older, I'd like to see about light and possibly light-to-moderate contact somehow being incorporated into their martial arts training. A friend who's trained in judo since she was in grade school (and is now twenty-two) has me interested in judo for them, or jujitsu (Vee Arnis JJ is offered in my town), and there's even wrestling in the school system. The grappling arts are all "contact" if you think about it, whether by males or females.

[WireFrame]

When sparring females, you will want to try to direct your punches more to the stomach and rib area, as opposed to the chest. This will minimize the problem, I think.

Exactly.

On the rare occasion i've sparred with a woman, if ever a punch has landed a bit high I've immediately (and quietly) apologised.

[Tiger1962]

My opinion on the subject is this; if the particular style of martial art has contact, this should be made known up front when the person joins. That being said, if they still join, then it's their fault because they were made aware of it yet still continued.

If there is NO contact or light contact (as was the case with the style I used to train in) this should ALSO be made known to the student (and it was). What the case was with me, is even though it was a non-contact style or on occasion light contact, heavy contact was often done at times and NOT stopped by the higher ups.

Further to that, when a woman is punched in the breast, the pain is probably just as intense as when a guy is kicked or punched in the groin. So its wise to wear those chest protectors.

There may be exceptions with some people, as with everything in life.

[Lupin1]

Further to that, when a woman is punched in the breast, the pain is probably just as intense as when a guy is kicked or punched in the groin. So its wise to wear those chest protectors.

I've seen many women accidentally hit in the breast and I've been hit in the breast many times myself (once by a punch, but many times by speeding tennis balls) and I've never seen a woman drop to the ground in pain like men do. I've seen men vomit from a realitively light hit to the groin. I can't see how getting hit in the breast even comes close.

[Soheir]

Further to that, when a woman is punched in the breast, the pain is probably just as intense as when a guy is kicked or punched in the groin. So its wise to wear those chest protectors.

I've seen many women accidentally hit in the breast and I've been hit in the breast many times myself (once by a punch, but many times by speeding tennis balls) and I've never seen a woman drop to the ground in pain like men do. I've seen men vomit from a realitively light hit to the groin. I can't see how getting hit in the breast even comes close.

You're right, even thought it doen't feel nice, it doen't hurt as much as men.

No one drops from that!

[Karatequeen]

A lot of people tell me,being a white belt and all,that if you punch someone and they don't block you,it isn't their fault,it's theirs,because they didn't block you.Although this only applies for white belts (I think)