Full contact vs light sparring.

[TJS]

First off I belive both have something to offer and should be practiced but I want to talk about why I belive Full contact(or heavy contact) is essential.

 

Light sparring with no equipment on is something we do quite often, it gets you used to blocking and countering and has most of the benefits of regualr sparring.

 

Here is the problem:Reaction

 

EX:When I kick someone in the thigh with a round kick in light contact many people dont react to it or just put up a weak block.

 

When I kick someone in the thigh in heavy contact they react becuase if they dont block it it hurts...Once you land a good one people start thinking about the kicks and it becomes alot easier to punch them in the head and the reverse is true.

 

EX: In light sparring some people just keep comming in and throwing despite the fact that I have touched/hit them in the head/face about 5 time...in heavy contact they would have stoped doing it after the first shot and realize they need to change something.

 

same goes for most things...then you are punching someone in the head they are going to cover up and leave the body open..or if you work the body they may react and leave the head open for a few shot.

 

This goes for almost every combo.

 

People never learn about these things unless they put the pads on and get some serious contact in. There are obviously negatives to this aswell but i belive the benefits outweight the negatives.

 

Thoughts?

[Martial_Artist]

What could be the negatives? Injury? I think that's a benefit because you'll learn to take a hit, and the benefit of that is great. For me, there are no negatives to full contact.

 

I think what you said is good.

 

MA.

[Kirves]

I don't think injuries are that common if the quality of instruction and control is high. Sure, some bruising and an occational minor muscle injury is inevitable, but it is a martial art we are training, right? We are not dancing in a parade, we are training to fight. So I kind of feel that some danger of minor pain and injury is part of the game, when you pick up a hobby such as martial arts. There are risks involved in any extreme sport.

[Kyle-san]

Personally, I prefer light sparring if you get someone who really understands the intent of it. I mean, yeah, anyone can spar light and just not react to a tap or strike. If you get someone who understands they need to react and not just keep going like nothing's happening, then light sparring is very beneficial.

 

But that's just me.

[SBN Doug]

...EX: In light sparring some people just keep comming in and throwing despite the fact that I have touched/hit them in the head/face about 5 time...in heavy contact they would have stoped doing it after the first shot and realize they need to change something...

 

That's my only problem with it as well. We use the light contact, especially with the beginners, to get them used to having punches and kicks thrown at them. Also so they can concentrate on attacking in combinations without being worried about getting nailed.

 

Then, once they're used to it, I like to increase the contact for your exact reason. I do find myself having to warn some people, once in a while. At a certain level, if we agreed to light contact to work on footwork, combinations, or whatever, you should know when you just got hit, and pause accordingly. If they keep coming through too many of those, without acknowledging them, I usually just warn them. "If you keep coming through them, I'll have to tag harder so you know I got you."

 

That usually stops it. But I do think strong contact is an important sparing situation to experience, just not every single time.

[delta1]

Good posts, and I agree with you all. I like to spar light contact most of the time. But heavy contact, with control, is important to do occasionally. You learn to give and take with intent. The only drawback I see is that the protective gear can let you slop your technique if you aren't careful. But that is easily overcome by awareness. Full/unlimmited contact is for the real thing only, for obvious reasons.

[G95champ]

Only prob. with working full contact is that you get guys hurt and frankly if you want to train you can't keep cracking shins. LOL

 

Only prob. with light contact is that if you always pull you punches you will never know how to hit someone when you need to.

 

Again we don't ever go full contact in class anyhow. But we do contact and I would not call it light. I would say 75% or 80% power. Now we do, do the light contact espically when breaking in new people and young kids and women.

[Treebranch]

Both are necessary for improving. Go slow at first, then fast, " oops that didn't work." Go slow again, "I think I got it." Go fast, "yeah that works better like that." So the cycle goes on and on, fast checks to slow and slow refines the fast. I hope that makes some sense?

[TJS]

if you wear proper gear injury shoudent be a huge problem.

 

The drawbacks of full contact are far outweighed by the good imo.

 

16 oz gloves changing the way you block and letting you use them as a shield would be one example of a negative.

[Treebranch]

Very true TJS

16 oz gloves changing the way you block and letting you use them as a shield would be one example of a negative.

 

You gotta take the good with bad. But the good outweighs the bad, like you said.