The difficulties of LIGHT contact sparring

**Ronin** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 8:01am

So, at the Nov 12 th Toronto Throwdown, I was cahhting with repulsive monkey about how it is, at times, difficult going from Hard contact sparring to light contact sparring.

When you fight hard contact or full contact ( yes their is a difference, full contact is what you do when you compete, hard contact is what you do when you train), you fight a certain way, with a certain strategy, in my case, I go to the body, hard, to open the head up, I go to the head, to open the legs, then go to the legs, HARD, to set up for a takedown, etc...

Now, in light contact, THAT doesn't really work, I cab still go to the body, but since I am not going hard, I don't get the desired results, namely the reaction or the covering up, same thing with low kicks, because of my lack of reach I just can't throw a kick out for the sake of kicking, that would leave me open to punching counters, I need to set it up and drill the kick in fast and hard.

While someone with a reach advantage can do light contact sparring or even point sparring with great sucess, it is a tad more difficult for short individuals, especially if their strategy is based on hard contact training.

Grappling on the other hand is different, you can emply the same tactics wither you go with "light rolling" or "full out rolling", unless you add striking into the mix, then you have to modify things, but only a bit.

You know, I get hit more in light sparring than in hard contact. :badgrin:

Any thoughts in regards to the above?

**Ming Loyalist** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 8:28am

i agree completely, often i find that people shrug off my jabs or kicks when i am sparring light contact, especially when i cam throwing counter-shots.

there are 2 solutions to this... either your sparring partners have to react more to your light hits (and treat them as if they hurt more) or you have to just hit them harder until they get the point.

**DCS** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 8:38am

Sincere training mates is a must in light contact sparring.

An "unsincere" mate won't react realistically to light contact as if he had been punched/kicked hard. Then you have to strike him hard to make him react realistically.

I pull strikes in kickboxing training (and in my old days TKD) if my partner notice and react accordingly. If not adequate reaction is made, then is time to cause pain till he learns.

**Ronin** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:01am

Interesting thoughts...

In boxing, you put on the gear: head gear, gloves, mouth guard, cup and you go to town, hard but not full, contact must be made.

Is there any palce for light contact sparring?

**DCS** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:03am

palce?

**j416to** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:03am

Please do not encourage Ronin69 to hit any harder, trust me, he's scary enough as it is!

**Ronin** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:08am

Spelling typo, I meant, is there a PLACE for light contact sparring? outside of dealing with rookies.

J416to, we missed you man.

**DCS** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:10am

Amount of safety gear available.

**Jolly_Roger** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:11am

Well, it seems to me that light contact is a step in getting to hard/full. If you set up a student to do hard from the get go, most lose all technique and become concerned in hitting as hard as they can.
However, as soon as he has some experience in light contact, it should be discarded.
Light contact not only shows those flaws that you pointed, Ronin, but makes them do stupid techniques, like going for a hit and spinning, hitting with open guard, thinking that, because they touched your incoming fist, they have parried you, etc.
Nothing is more enlightening that to blast someone full-on, who thinks he's blocking you.

**j416to** · Posted On: 11/15/2004 9:19am

Ronin69, ah yeah, sorry about that, I had to run a class at Siam #1 that afternoon, and was too tired to battle my way back downtown.

I believe everyone is correct in suggesting that the success, or value, of light sparring only comes with sincere training partners. Your sparring partners have to react honestly, and accept the "hits." Just like when you were complaining about unrealistic weapons sparring, when you're sparring with a bokken, or even a fukuro shinai, if your sparring partners are going to ignore your strikes and keep countering, then it's pointless.