A question for the instructors on the board

[KempoGuy06]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?

If no: Why not?

I ask out of general intrest and because I know that the main instructor at another school does not spar with people unless they are a 3rd degree or higher.

Thank you

B

[Andrew Green]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

Yes



If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?


Nope, I spar with everyone. (I also don't have any ranks :D)

[KempoGuy06]

Nope, I spar with everyone. (I also don't have any ranks :D)

Do you feel that this good for the students? Personally I love sparring my instructor for many reasons. He is smaller than me and has a different fighting style than me so it keeps me on my toes. Plus he is very critical (in a good way). So i learn a lot when sparring him

Thanks for the response

B

[Sensei Payne]

I sparr with all of the students who want to sparr, no matter what the belt rank...

Unless I feel that the student doesn't have the correct temperment for sparring then in that case we wouldn't until more control is developed...

In any case, sparring underbelts isn't about showing them that you are better than they are...but its to build confidence. that being said, as an instructor, your going to be hit...a lot and sometimes it will hurt...but the out come of the sparring session for the student will be far greater than it would be if you were to have two students of the same belt sparr.

Karate No Michi

[terryl965]

Yes

I spar at each individual experience and level.
We have childern that I spar against and I let them kick and hit me and sometimes act like they even hurt me a little. It is a fun time all together.

[stone_dragone]

I always made it a point to spar with all of my students whenever we strapped on the gear. It gave me an opportunity to simultaneously instruct, critique and get a little bit of a work out at the same time.

One of my proudest moments was when one of my yellow belts hit me with my own signature kick...

[Blindside]

Absolutely.

What is the worst that could happen, a student could give me a black eye? (Which has happened BTW.)

Sparring is an instructional tool, I'll leave holes in my defense for students to capitalize on, I'll repeatedly attack weaknesses in their structure, then show them how to fix it. I generally fight to just above the level of the guy I'm going with, and when I spar someone better they hopefully do the same to me. Nobody learns anything by being completely overwhelmed.

I've had pretty poor experiences with those instructors who don't spar their students, many of them don't because they are trying to keep some elite image in the minds of their students, as if they can't be hit by a mere student. I've seen some good instructors that were simply too beat up, or too out of shape, or both to glove up, but all my instructors have been pretty happy to provide an educational beat down when I needed one. :D

Lamont

[MJS]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?

If no: Why not?

I ask out of general intrest and because I know that the main instructor at another school does not spar with people unless they are a 3rd degree or higher.

Thank you

B

Yes, I spar with everyone. I think that its good to spar with different people, as it gives you the chance to have a variety of people, rather than a select few. Beginner students are IMHO, more unpredictable than a more advanced student. I personally like to spar with beginners or have a more advanced student spar with them for the first couple of times. This gives the inst. or advanced student the ability to set the pace, as well as to teach the new student what they should/should not be doing.

Mike

[still learning]

Hello, As instructors, We all should spar with our students.

We are teaching as we spar...giving pointers. We are also building confidence in our students to face upper ranking people which includes the Teachers.

This type of sparring is NOT for competitons....it is just for practice.

One day these students on the streets may face another black belt, even if they are white belts, and need to fight back. (hopefully this will never happen).

All students should spar with their elders (advance) ones. You will get better and better quicker when you experience advance students/tearchers.

If you spar with only white belts? How will they learn to spar with the next level.

Everyone knows if you train with better people....you become better quicker too.

For real figthing? NOT fair...........unless 445 white belts against the teacher at the same time.

Aloha

[stickarts]

For group classes I prefer students to spar after their first rank (yellow in our school) so they have had some time to learn basic blocking and falling first in their normal classes.

I personally spar everyone and adjust to their level.

[Drac]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

I was a white belt and sparred with Sensei many times, and I got knocked down MANY times but I came back for more..I believe I learned a whole lot faster sparring with him than someone of my own rank...

[jks9199]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?

If no: Why not?

I ask out of general intrest and because I know that the main instructor at another school does not spar with people unless they are a 3rd degree or higher.

Thank you

B

Yes, I spar with students. It allows me to gauge their skill, and to apply exactly the level of pressure I want to and need to for them to develop. It's also allowed me to deliberately, but in a controlled way, rock a student who was going to kickbox so that he'd know how to fight through it.

And it forces me to maintain my skills; I've got a few students who are seriously beginning to push me.

[Drac]

And it forces me to maintain my skills; I've got a few students who are seriously beginning to push me.

Push back HARDER...

[HKphooey]

I love sparring lower belts. Teaches me to protect my nuts!!! :) Brings a bit of reality back to sparring.

[Big Don]

My Sifu says white belts are the most dangerous when sparring, sense they are unpredictable.

[docmartin252]

I agree with what everyone else has said. I think the best learning experiences come from actually doing something, rather than being told what to do and being expected to execute. If you teach as you spar can can visually see how to do things properly for the next time, and it's nice to watch the student's progress.

[Kwan Jang]

So far, I guess I'm alone in that I no longer spar with any of the underbelts and only the black belts who are training to fight in competition. I have guys who kickbox and a few who want to fight NHB. I do roll with some of the bigger underbelts who want to compete in submission grappling.

I used to spar with most of the underbelts with the idea that I should have the best control and would be the safest for them. After one adult student tried to throw a punch at me and I went to check it, he hit my check with his face. It was kind of an interesting face plant actually. Since then, my wife has pretty much banned me from sparring (we co-own and operate the school...and it's obvious who the REAL boss is). She's worried about not only liability, but the perception of the students and families. As unrealistic as it truly is, some of the students and families seem to think that I should be perfect in my control and any mistake would HAVE to be malicious (or at least that is how my wife fears it would be percieved).

I'm not the only one, either. My chief assistant on staff (4th dan-who just happens to be her training partner and they beat on each other quite regularly) is a former ranked competitor and used to fight full contact quite a bit. One of the (then) 18 year old first dans liked to charge in a lot and ran right into a heel with his nose. After his Dad went ballistic about how his son's nose was broken (BTW, the father saw the sparring session in question and even agreed that his kid ran right into it and that Allen had pulled it, otherwise the injury would have been far worse, but still felt that his control should have been perfect and complete), my wife banned him from sparring ANY of the students for quite a while and still restricts who he gets to play with.

[Kacey]

I spar with my students when they come to my instructor's class - not because I won't spar with them at my class if they want to stay after, but because I'm often the only instructor there (and if my assistant is there, he's sparring too), and, as a safety issue, I feel that I need to be watching the class and making sure that no one gets out of control. At sahbum's class, however, I spar whoever comes up - my students, his students, visitors, whomever.

[Dave Leverich]

I regularly spar with any of them, I just adjust the action to their level. I'm constantly offering pointers/suggestions/alternatives as well as letting them know when they've done something good. I'll also coach them by showing them what some of their competitors might do, and what to do about it etc. It's a real hands on way of teaching, and the one I love best.

[searcher]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?

If no: Why not?

I ask out of general intrest and because I know that the main instructor at another school does not spar with people unless they are a 3rd degree or higher.

Thank you

B


Yes, I spar with all students regardless of rank. The benefits for the student are that they get pushed a little. For me, I get the chance to work control and to see truly where the student is at.

I am, however, limited to who I spar with at one of my instructor's schools. I had a few slips and a few bones got broken. That particular instructor has a policy of letting everyone try to harm me when I attend, so I give back what I feel I am getting in return. My fault for hurting some of His students. Just the way it goes.

[tntma12]

Yes, I spar with all of my students regardless of rank. Like many of the previous posters, it helps them with their confidence and I give them pointers as well. I also adjust the intensity based on the rank, age, ect. of the student I am sparring.

[FieldDiscipline]

We all spar.

[stone_dragone]

I love sparring lower belts. Teaches me to protect my nuts!!! :) Brings a bit of reality back to sparring.

So true...so true...

[kosho]

Yes,
I bring the level that the student brings. If there 16 and under
I do more controlling arts. and tap them around. I do let them get is some shots on me. it helps them with there training.

17 and older If you hit me hard I will return the same power or just a little harder. I tell my students, you set the level you want.

My higher ranks and I mix it up. Some joke around in the changing room and say. well tonight I will see where I am at. and bring a high level of attack. Its a ton of fun.

we have had broken noses, fingers, wrist, knees, ribs, shoulder issue,
myself included.

Kosho

[tshadowchaser]

I do not spar as often as i used to but I still enjoy getting on the floor with whomever is there that night no matter what rank.

[atinsley]

I'm not an instructor, just a student, but all of the instructors at my school spar with students, no matter their rank.

I find that sparring with the instructor is a great learning experience for me; I see, and feel :), my mistakes, quickly.

We all do things subconsciously and it sometimes takes another person to point it out; one of the things that I do is lead with my left leg. Sparring with my instructor showed me this, and now that I know about it, I can work on not doing it.

[Brandon Fisher]

Yes i spar with all my studetns white to black. I feel the lower rank benefit from my experience and I don't fight them completely different than I fight a black belt though.

[Laurentkd]

Absolutely.

Sparring is an instructional tool, I'll leave holes in my defense for students to capitalize on, I'll repeatedly attack weaknesses in their structure, then show them how to fix it. I generally fight to just above the level of the guy I'm going with, and when I spar someone better they hopefully do the same to me. Nobody learns anything by being completely overwhelmed.


This is exactly how all black belts spar color belts at my school.

[Kennedy_Shogen_Ryu]

At my school we practice both traditional Karate and MMA. The traditional Karate sparring I'll do with all the students, as already stated it's a great learning experience not just for them but for myself. As for the MMA part, I will start them with the basics of grappling and even let them do some rolling at pretty much any age but when it comes to adding the striking I don't let anyone under 16 participate, and even then I will base it on skill level. I've known some students who are great with traditional sparring but not really cut for MMA fighting.

[Andrew Green]

Do you feel that this good for the students? Personally I love sparring my instructor for many reasons. He is smaller than me and has a different fighting style than me so it keeps me on my toes. Plus he is very critical (in a good way). So i learn a lot when sparring him

Thanks for the response

B

Of course, the more people you have to spar with the better.

I can also "feel" what they are doing, especially with ground work, better then I can sometimes see it, so it helps me coach them too.

ALso keeps me from getting too lazy ;)

[tellner]

Of course. How else? Beginning students are some of the most dangerous to spar with. You don't know what they're about to do. They don't know what they're about to do. An instructor can calibrate the sparring to teach different things or stretch the student in ways which he or she needs. That's something another beginner or intermediate can't do.

What if the student submits or gets one in on you? You smile, shake the hand and say "Good job!" It means that you've gotten through to someone and shows that your ego isn't getting in the way.

[setboy]

Do you as instructors spar with students?


Yes. All of the instructors where I teach spar.



If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement?



No


What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?


the student gets better at sparing. The teachers get better at teaching how to spar. it's fun for both(most of time)







I ask out of general intrest and because I know that the main instructor at another school does not spar with people unless they are a 3rd degree or higher.



kind of sounds like a ego problem to me.


Raphael

[Gordon Nore]

When I train, my instructor has everyone spar, including beginners. He is more likely to match beginners with black belts or senior kyu for safety. When I spar with a beginner, I figure it's my own fault if I get hit, and I need to give the other student a safe opportunity to experiment, move around, and try combinations.

The only program I teach, unless I'm assisting my teacher, is an after-four karate club I run a my middle school. Training is only once-per-week, about nine weeks per school term, with kids coming and going. There are no belts or promotions, and we have no sparring gear. What I've done with this group is to invite experienced adult martial artists I know and trust (including my son) to come in for a class at the end of term. The kids spar with us only.

I know the question is about all students, but I'm focusing on kids. This is a good opportunity for younger inexperienced students to practice, and to learn that real life fighting with adults is not what they see in movies like Three Ninjas or Home Alone. When they see adults taking their best punches and kicks, I hope it has an impact on them.

[Loki]

I don't actively instruct, but I when I substitute, I spar if necessary (odd number of students), and then with anyone.

[ArmorOfGod]

My Sifu says white belts are the most dangerous when sparring, sense they are unpredictable.

Your sifu is right. The lower the rank, the more dangerous a person is when sparring.

AoG

[Gordon Nore]

Your sifu is right. The lower the rank, the more dangerous a person is when sparring.

AoG

Agreed. I remember a white belt once who grabbed an intermediate rank student by the gi and started hockey punching him. I think he got a little too caught up in the event.

[Balrog]

Do you as instructors spar with students?

If yes: Do you have a certain rank requirement? Why that rank? What do you feel are the benefits for your student and yourself?

Absolutely. I spar down to slightly above their level, so that they are pressed to improve.

But every once in a long while, I'll pull out a technique just to show that the old man still has a move or two left. :)