Is sparring necessary?

**Slydermv** · Posted On: 3/03/2006 1:16pm

Originally Posted by meng_mao

I agree with that the spirit of MMA rules is to prevent dangerous injuries, but I'm not aware that the second sentence is a rule in any MMA rules I know.

Sorry, this was my mistake... but as long as you understand what I'm trying to say...

***JohnnyCache*** · Posted On: 3/04/2006 12:34pm

Originally Posted by Kidspatula

ya know, I've come to a point in my training where I ask myself this very question. I feel that I get so much more out of sparring than I do out of drilling that I've mostly just dropped everything but sparring.

There's stuff it takes a long time for people that art very natural fighters to pick up without drilling. Like headmovement and footwork. Someone can spar all the damn time and not get any better if someone doesn't at least watch and critique the sparring. Also, sparring meaningfully enough to matter more then about 4 times a week really starts to hurt after a couple years.

**Smeagol** · Posted On: 3/05/2006 2:29pm

Originally Posted by Darren San

Certainly....sparring (randori, etc) is necessary. I have never said it wasn't ..once we settled on a good definition of sparring (i.e. not tip/tap point karate) in this forum. However, so are strengthening and conditioning drills (i.e. fingertip push-ups), flexibility exercises, and reaction / accuracy / focus drills. To argue that working in these areas of training is somehow a waste of time because at that precise moment you are not "sparring" is ludicris.

italics(added by me):i didn't say that.