Hi,
I'm trying to get ready for the open Gathering in late August and, to supplement my classwork, I was wondering if there any FMA groups who have hard sparring meets every now and again in the mid east Coast area.
Thanks.

Sadly, no. I don't know of anyone on the right coast who does real contact. I would offer myself up, but I'm only just getting back into training after a year off and don't feel like getting my ass kicked quite so hard just yet.

If anyone else has more info about real contact on the east coast, I'd love to her it myself.

If I hear anything I'll let you know, doesn't look promising though. Where do you train and how long have you been training?

Right now, I'm training at 5 Points in NYC doing a combination of Muay Thai and PTK. Prior to that I spent about a year and a half doing Modern Arnis at Village Martial Arts. I've competed in a few full contact tournaments, but never sparred real contact. What's your background?

I'm bout a year into PTK training out here in Jersey. I haven't competed in anything, I'm just trying to get myself into some kind of passable shape for the Open DB Gathering in late August. I got a lot of work to do.

You flying out to LA for the gathering then? Or are they doing one around here? Would love to fight in a gathering, although it was my understanding that they preferred folks with 5+ years fighting experience. Maybe that has changed.

Yeah I'm gonna fly out to LA for it. I asked and they said if you feel you're ready give it a shot. I know I'm gonna get my head handed to me, but I'm looking at it as a learning experience. A painful learning experience.

I know the atienzas do full contact hard sparring within their organization but am not sure what their policies are regarding outside practioners coming in just to spar. There are groups in nyc and new jersey. I've been training in ak for about 7 months so I'm not at the level yet where they have me go at it with aluminum trainers but check out their website atienzakali.com and contact one of the guros.

Good luck

Huh... they train at Fighthouse. Something to consider. Thanks for the info.

thanks for that.