Trouble Sparring Small Childre... please help

[NightOwl]

I remember back in my old TKD days a mom had to spar her son for testing...ended up throwing a punch in the chest and sending him to the floor (tough love?). Anyhow, this is why I think children and adults should be separate...the argument that they have to have experience fighting with adults doesn't fly with me since they are physically not capable of taking on an adult anyhow and any sparring experience that they have with adults with will be very slow and unrealistic. Now...off to do old guy stuff!

[bushido_man96]

I remember back in my old TKD days a mom had to spar her son for testing...ended up throwing a punch in the chest and sending him to the floor (tough love?). Anyhow, this is why I think children and adults should be separate...the argument that they have to have experience fighting with adults doesn't fly with me since they are physically not capable of taking on an adult anyhow and any sparring experience that they have with adults with will be very slow and unrealistic. Now...off to do old guy stuff!

I can see the point that you and several of the others are trying to make here. However, by pitting children and adults, it can be used to test the level of control that the adult has as well. This could be why some of the schools match kids and adults up this way.

[NightOwl]

But if you are studying how to fight, having to pull back to that degree wouldn't seem practical to me. Of course going full at it trying to kill each other is bad too, but if you are sharing constant training time with a large part of MA's demographic you're skills will deteriorate just out of physical habit of pulling back so much.

It doesn't help the kids, and fighting at a more realistic level is leagues ahead of 'learning to control yourself when you hit children' (never a good idea in the first place by the way).

[bushido_man96]

But if you are studying how to fight, having to pull back to that degree wouldn't seem practical to me. Of course going full at it trying to kill each other is bad too, but if you are sharing constant training time with a large part of MA's demographic you're skills will deteriorate just out of physical habit of pulling back so much.

It doesn't help the kids, and fighting at a more realistic level is leagues ahead of 'learning to control yourself when you hit children' (never a good idea in the first place by the way).

I see your point. However, isn't it the whole idea of the test, to test you on something? The fact that it is a concept that you hardly ever deal with makes it even better as a test option. This is just one of many things that can factor into that test.

But, I do see your point, in that an adult should not constantly have to spar against children. I agree with you there. However, doing it once in a while won't cause any long term problems with over-controlling your techniques.

[NightOwl]

no, once in a while won't hurt, but let's face it: a lot of people take MA's as a kid and then drop it by the time they are getting into their teens. Most dojo's simply don't have enough adult students to put them into their own class, and thus most of the time adults do have to spar kids.

Besides, if you are taking a test, it should NOT be a concept you are hardly familiar with, instead a test should show that you understand and can use the concept quite well. MA's is at it's heart about fighting. Fighting is not always evil in itself, it depends on what you are fighting for. But regardless it is about acting and reacting in a combat situation and if you are a kid, then you have to worry about fighting kids, if an adult, fighting other adults (kids do have to deal with adults, but they can't use a primarily physical strategy). I stick by my original opinion.

[bushido_man96]

I think you are right, NightOwl, and I think you have a good arguement.

However, I do think that sometimes in a test the unexpected should be expected. It keeps us on our toes.

You make very good points, though, and I respect them.

[jaymac]

I do think at times in a class setting, kids need to fight adults or larger students. One it is good because their striking areas have to change for a larger person. Two, it is good for the older student to learn control, and take the role as the teacher in a sparring situation. I still stick with my guns that an adult student should not spar children in a test, especially if parents are watching. They didn't come to the test to see an adult black belt student "kick the crap" out of their kid. They came to see their child do well and get a new belt. We all wish we could say that a child could defend themselves against anyone. But in a real life situation, if an adult is trying to attack a child, we hope that the child can use his MA skills to quickly get away from his attacker/abductor and get help. Not stay in there and spar him.

[NightOwl]

If a child needs to physically defend themselves from an adult, than traditional striking won't be that good of an idea. Screaming for help, biting, gouging at the eyes and groin, these would be their best options. However, I doubt that those are part of the curriculum that they train.

[learning kempo-karate]

Hello, First your Instructor ask for your Help. The hit was not intentional. Accidents do happen in ALL sparring.

Everyone could tell you did not mean it. Accept this and let it go (do not hold on to this problem).

It is a good ideal to aim higher or hold back your kicks and punches more.

This is good training for you. You are NOT the first person to hit someone younger. It happens alot of times in sparring (that why gear is important).

You will improve in this area, and you will be more aware of your techniques.

You are ask to help because your SENSI BELIEVES IN YOU!

If you ask me if I ever hit a very young child? I be lying if I say NO...it has happen to us a few times, BUT every accident you get better and better in prevention.

Will this happen again for YOU? Sure...but you know and everyone will know it was an accident.........NEVER QUIT.......Aloha

PS: I am sure that girl learn a valuable lesson too!

[baronbvp]

My suggestion to you is to train more with smaller kids. Talk to your sensei and see if you can help out a bit so you're not so uncomfortable with them.

Honestly the hit was probably good for the kid as well. It didn't hurt her, but it did teach her she needs to be more careful, and it shows her that she can take little hits like that and still be ok. I'm not advocating thwapping kids left and right, but a little contact now and again is a good thing.

Exactly. I think you made a bigger deal of this than either the kid or parents. That's certainly a better way to go than the other way around. If it was my daughter or son who got hit, I would be using it a perfect example of why defense is as important as offense, if not more so.

Both my two older children are blue-green belts in Shorin Ryu. I thought they didn't spar enough, but they actually sparred more than the adults. For the kids, it was required; not so for the adults. (Where's THAT logic?) Sparring is great for kids because it teaches them a few key things as you know:

1. You can take hits and not cry or die

2. Hitting someone else isn't as easy as it looks

3. The opponent is human and doesn't want to be hit, unlike a pad or mitt or heavy bag that is there as a target for your training.

4. You will get tired.

5. You need to learn how to breathe properly.

These are confidence builders. Of all the things I think MA do to help kids, these lessons carry over best to school and other bully situations. I don't care how well they can do a naihanchi sandan or pinan shodan kata; I do care how well they learn their sparring lessons. That includes trying to figure out how to attack and defend against an adult sparring partner.

You're doing fine.