New student sparring !

[Safroot]

Last night in the dojo there was a new young studnet (about 13 years old), it was his first session ever in MA. He was doing great the whole session then it came to sparring, the instructor said the new students are welcomed to spar if they want to otherwise they can sit and watch. The boy decided to spar and during his second round he got a kick to his head with no serious injury (allowed in Kyokushin) as he doesn't know how to block it then he started crying till the end of the session.

My questions to you guys as instructors:

1- Do you allow new students to spar on their first session ?

2- If not, when you would start them sparring ?

3- How would you react to this situation ?

[Nidan Melbourne]

New students I would NOT permit them to participate because they are very new and have no ways to manage it. At my dojo they do not start sparring until they have their 8th kyu.

[ninjanurse]

Not at my dojo. Sparring starts at about 4-6 months in...and after their first belt test!

[Wastelander]

We will allow people to spar on their first day, if they'd like, but only with a black belt or brown belt, whose job is really to run them through drills that feel like sparring, more than actually sparring with them. We don't have a rank requirement for sparring in our dojo, but we do make a judgement call on a student-by-student basis as to when they can join the "general population" in sparring. Sometimes they are still white belts, and sometimes not.

[hammer]

Where I train the sensei does like to wait a few weeks before introducing students to kumite. In addition, the more experienced students are told to go light which would not involve actual contact to the head.

Fortunately in the adult class many of the students (including myself) don't throw very good high kicks, so the situation you mention would likely not happen.

That said, one needs to go into sparring easy, especially in a style like Kyokushin where it may not be uncommon to go medium to hard contact. It doesn't do any good to scare a student off...

[sensei8]

Last night in the dojo there was a new young studnet (about 13 years old), it was his first session ever in MA. He was doing great the whole session then it came to sparring, the instructor said the new students are welcomed to spar if they want to otherwise they can sit and watch. The boy decided to spar and during his second round he got a kick to his head with no serious injury (allowed in Kyokushin) as he doesn't know how to block it then he started crying till the end of the session.

My questions to you guys as instructors:

1- Do you allow new students to spar on their first session ?

2- If not, when you would start them sparring ?

3- How would you react to this situation ?

Yes, I/we allow new students to spar their first session; it's a norm.

I would've let him be because sparring is intimidating enough for a beginner, and even more so when it's your first time and you're 13 years old. I would've let him just cry, he's not really bothering anything, and I would've allowed him to sit with his parent(s).

I would've pulled him and his parents in my office for a comforting conversation. Letting them know how proud I was of him, and that he choice to spar, even though he didn't have to. Explaining to them that contact is very possible, no matter how much safety we've on the floor; things happen. Expect to be hit while sparring!! Answer all of their questions, and address all of their concerns truthful. After that, there's not much more I can do. I'd also have one of my instructors and/or myself shadow him for the time being to ease his anxieties, which will be there, even more so!!

My job is to teach as well as to ensure that the Student Body is protected at all times!!

[Safroot]

Good points of view everyone. I didn't spar myself on that session & tbh it felt very weird that I was the only one sitting & watching but for me I need to pick up & refamiliarize myself with the differnt blocks & combinations before I spar, this will minimise risk of injury specially with the tough sparing I have seen in the dojo.

I might not be right but for me I am training to improve my health & fitness more than to compete !

[Safroot]

Last night in the dojo there was a new young studnet (about 13 years old), it was his first session ever in MA. He was doing great the whole session then it came to sparring, the instructor said the new students are welcomed to spar if they want to otherwise they can sit and watch. The boy decided to spar and during his second round he got a kick to his head with no serious injury (allowed in Kyokushin) as he doesn't know how to block it then he started crying till the end of the session.

My questions to you guys as instructors:

1- Do you allow new students to spar on their first session ?

2- If not, when you would start them sparring ?

3- How would you react to this situation ?

Yes, I/we allow new students to spar their first session; it's a norm.

I would've let him be because sparring is intimidating enough for a beginner, and even more so when it's your first time and you're 13 years old. I would've let him just cry, he's not really bothering anything, and I would've allowed him to sit with his parent(s).

I would've pulled him and his parents in my office for a comforting conversation. Letting them know how proud I was of him, and that he choice to spar, even though he didn't have to. Explaining to them that contact is very possible, no matter how much safety we've on the floor; things happen. Expect to be hit while sparring!! Answer all of their questions, and address all of their concerns truthful. After that, there's not much more I can do. I'd also have one of my instructors and/or myself shadow him for the time being to ease his anxieties, which will be there, even more so!!

My job is to teach as well as to ensure that the Student Body is protected at all times!!

Thanks for the detailed reply

[DWx]

It might sound harsh but I think it's negligent to make a student free spar on their first session without prior experience. You haven't given them the tools needed to be successful in that situation and might as well be throwing them to the wolves. Of course they are going to get hurt without knowing how to defend themselves.

Traditionally in my association students don't fully free spar until 4th kup. Before that they can do drills or 1-for-1 or take it in turns to do combinations. Personally I think it's a bit too long before sparring but I would still start with a controlled scenario first.

If a student were to free spar on their first session, especially a child, I would pair them with someone I knew had great control. Even then I would set the boundaries such that the new student was taught one or two attacks and blocks to use and the more experience student was to deliberately create opportunities to practice those movements rather than just spar them.

Better yet I would have them "tag spar" which is how I teach movement to students by getting them to forget kicks and punches and just try to tag the other person on the shoulder. It teaches distance management and evasion without worrying about getting hit.

[Safroot]

If a student were to free spar on their first session, especially a child, I would pair them with someone I knew had great control. Even then I would set the boundaries such that the new student was taught one or two attacks and blocks to use and the more experience student was to deliberately create opportunities to practice those movements rather than just spar them

I guess this would be a good way to start sparring but unfortunately he was sparring with other kid arround same age !