Sparring methods for combative arts.

JerryLove · Black Belt

There are many discussions, at present and in the past, on various aspects of sparring minutia. I'm gonna talk a bit about the varois general strategies, what I feel they offer, and what they limit.

Light Contact:
Light contact sparring is where one spars at full speed but "pulls the punch", that is to say that control is exercised to avoid putting force into the target. This is pretty common in Japanese arts.

Advantages include:
The ability to use a wide array of techniques in practice without injuring your partner.
The ability to move at speed and react to someone moving at speed.

Disadvantages include:
The limiting of many techniques which cannot, by nature, be pulled.
A limit on what and how much resistance an opponent can offer.
The lack of an understanding of hitting and being hit.
The training of the bad habit "pull the punch" (commiting the wrong actions to muscle memory"

Limited Rules
Common in the grapplig arts, this strategy allows opponents to go at near-full speed and with power by severely limiting dangerous techniques and relying on a level of control to "stop" when injury is about to occur.

Advantages include:
The ability to work at near combat levels with resisting opponents.
A gravity dynamic (IE how hard it is to stay up or escape) very true-to life.
A realistic sense of trying to apply something to someone who doesn't want it applied.
The ability to fight in realistic attire.

Disadvantages include:
The restriction of certain techniques (anything from fish-hooks to knee kicks).
The neccessairy de-emphasis of other common techniques (striking).
The likely reliance on some level of padding (I've yet to see this done on standard hardwood or concrete floors)

Pad up and go
In this strategy, the combatitants attempt to armor their more vunerable areas to allow a higher level of striking. Otherwise, it's very similar to Light contact

Advantages Include:
Ability to work at speed and reasonably power against resisting opponent.
Less bad habit of pulling than light contact.

Disadvantages include:
Unrealistic abilities and inabilities cause by padding.
Unrealistic understandings of damage inflicted and recieved due to padding.
A limitation of availiable techniques similar to [i]Light Contact[/b] due to teh limitations of padding.

Slow motion sparring
Slow motion sparring, done most often in Chinese arts, relies on a control of speed. Combatatiants fight, but at a snails pace.

Advantages include:
An almost unlimited availability of techniques.
The ability to work against a resisting opponent.
The ability to "think while fighting" to improve on mistakes.
The ability to perform a technique as you would in a fight.

Disadvantages include:
A lack of exposure to the timing and effect of speed.
A lower "fear coctail" level than other sparring methods.
An unrealistic understanding of one's ability to respond to sudden changes.
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JerryLove · Black Belt

So, to address the question that caused me to start this thread... "which do you do". I primarily spar with "slow motion sparring". If prefer the ability to train proper muscle memory, and the ability to employ, and get used to dealing with, an unlimited variety of attacks.

We've found that the considered actions of sparring become reflexes and do work at speed even when practiced slowly. Further, that's the one methos that truely allows you to floow-through, even agains sensitive targets... and proper reflexes have served better than most other things we've seen.

I've done every method listed above... and I certainly like hitting the others from time-to-time as part of a reality check... but for normal use, I consider slow-motion sparring superior to the other options.
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Kyle-san · Brown Belt

I have done all of these forms of sparring at various times in my training. Personally, out of the ones that you've listed I prefer slow motion sparring the most and light contact sparring slightly less. I'm not a huge fan of limited rules because I always have to restrain myself from striking while I'm engaged in this kind of sparring.
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TJS · Black Belt

I think i agree with you for the most part on the advantages and disadvantages of the various types.

the only thing i have noticed is while slow sparring is great for technique as you said It is many time difficult to transiton into full contact and not loose it..alot of people forget thing when punches are flying in

JerryLove · Black Belt

I agree with you... It seems important to get a student under the more stressful situation of someone trying to hit you from time to time. I know I make a point to get into more violent sparring methods a couple times a year.

I think that better general training come from slow-motion than from speed; but without occassionally "mixing it up", I see the exact same problem that you do.

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Yoshimitsu · Yellow Belt

We primarily do "Limited Rule's" sparring.

delta1 · Black Belt

Ballance- all have their strengths and limmitations. So I try to achieve a ballance in training.

Regardless of which method you are using, you also need to be able to invest in loss. Remember, this is a training experience and not a contest. If you see the opportunity to take a dammaging shot, you might initiate the strike but do not follow through. Pull it before it even comes close. This will probably mean you'll take a hit, but better in training than in the real world. And, you've practiced exploiting an opportunity, even if you pulled it.

The same is true in slow sparing- realize that you are going to loose if the opponent speeds up (and he almost allways will). To me, slow sparing is mostly about recognizing openings and developing flow into the next strike when he blocks. And, as JL pointed out, it is especially good since your moves and techniques are vertually unlimmited.

ko man · White Belt

Full contact is what you should train in as anything else is like playing tig.

TJS · Black Belt

AndrewGreen · Pre-Black Belt

How does going hard negate technique? A good technique is one which hits its target... hard.

Mostly no rules, just keep it friendly. Hit as hard as both are comfortable with.

that said no heel hooks or neck cranks for beginners, don't break fingers.
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