Almost knocked out opponent in sparing!

[hammer]

After that sensei told me to be more careful and It's OK-we all are training.

Your Sensei is correct, just listen and keep training.

Even when one is in a "non-contact" school stuff happens, I've had at least a few oops that resulted in face shots or hard body contact. Last one I remember was during a test at another school, we were doing 2 on 1 self-defense and I was one of the attackers. I tried to move in with a strike and was too slow, and the defender (person being tested) moved the other attacker's in between us after I was committed. End result was a solid face shot from me to the wrong person. Embarrassing on a few levels and I really felt bad when the other person's jaw was all swollen.

[jaypo]

I have very good control, but I always tell students that no matter how good your control is, you can't control your opponent's tendency to move toward you! It doesn't matter if you can stop your punch a millimeter from their nose if they can't slow their momentum down to avoid the contact. All we can do as martial artists is try to get better at anticipating their positioning as they move while you strike.

I have a rule that I tell people- there are no hard feelings if I get hit by another student UNLESS they are intentionally trying to cause me harm. If I get hit by someone without ill intentions, that's on me and that's kudos to them. I harbor no ill feelings. However, if it is one's intentions to either hurt me (or another student) or make the opponent look foolish, then, I may get upset!

We practice an art that was designed to do a lot of damage. So some contact is to be expected, and they guy reacted as though he understood that. Don't worry about it at all. Just continue your journey and enjoy it!

[Hammersmith]

Sounds to me like it was an honest mistake and lesson learned on your part. Do not get discouraged, everything you're saying is what you should be saying. Now you know that you need to work on control that's all.

[sensei8]

You've received some sound advice and encouragement from many here, and I can't add much to their excellent advice and support!!

Shugyo...suck it up! Sounds uncompassionate? But, it's not. For me, it's a motivator...things DO happen, and when they do, they happen my accident. Two forces will collide, as one tries to best the other. Respect one another, and when an accident happens, quickly apologize, bow, and then continue in the training.

Don't quit over this...IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!!

I've tagged and bagged my share over the many years that I've been on the floor, but it was never deliberate nor was it full of malice and intent!! Our Dai-Soke would shout out, not Yame, but..."Block or move!!" And when forces collide, it's to be expected from time to time in the MA.

Control is essential, and it will come in time!! Even with ultimate control, accidents will happen in the heat of the battle!!

Greg and I literally try to kill each other during Kumite because that's how we train to improve our betterment. It's no exaggeration when I say that we try to kill each other. We're two Senior Dan's, and we've decided a long time ago to kumite in the manner that teaches us. Sure, our Dai-Soke, at first didn't like it because we looked like Barbarians instead of MAists striving to improve our betterment. After time, Dai-Soke saw the value in our personal sessions of kumite, and he would, at times, just grimace because we go at each other extremely hard. I WILL GET A TURN!! The respect we have for each other allows us this. I win some...and I lose some, but neither of us are doing this out of malice and evil intent. We're like two bulls in a china closet, and it's with no ambiguity and/or reservation that we kumite the way we do. I don't recommend to kumite like we do; it's for us, I suppose!!

Dust off any ill feelings that you may have about this. Train hard, listen to your Sensei, respect your fellow dojo mates, and don't be so hard on yourself, especially over this.