How important is Head Gear In Sparring

[Raewyn]

I'm wanting to know, do you really need head gear when sparring? We dont have head gear, all we have are gloves, mouthguard, shin and foot pads. I asked one of our black belts last night why we dont use head gear. His reply was: It can inhibit your perrephial vision, catch sweat, looks like a big target anyway, and your brains still get knocked around. Anyone out there with other opinions?????

 

[AdrenalineJunky]

I'm wanting to know, do you really need head gear when sparring? We dont have head gear, all we have are gloves, mouthguard, shin and foot pads. I asked one of our black belts last night why we dont use head gear. His reply was: It can inhibit your perrephial vision, catch sweat, looks like a big target anyway, and your brains still get knocked around. Anyone out there with other opinions?????

I don't do TKD, but I never use head gear. If it's too hard, your partner should have enough control to slow it down until you're are conditioned enough to go full speed, and visa versa.

AJ

 

[TigerWoman]

Taekwondo has a lot of head shots. Crescents, spin heel, hooks, front, round kick, side all go to the head. How can you practice that target zone effectively without using head gear? No because accidents happen and it's too risky not to have headgear. I got used to mine and it does not affect peripheral vision. I have a cage so I don't have to wear a mouthgard. So what that you sweat in it - everything else gets sweaty too. Sure you can practice a particular kick on a focus paddle but its not the same as doing it in sparring - alot more variables. No, we do not hit hard enough to rattle brains. In the thick of sparring, though you need to know if you can go to the head. This is more on the sport end of sparring, not for self defense unless you get really really good...usually after reaching black belt. For us flexible females, that is my favorite target zone. TW

 

[Rob Broad]

Martial Arts schools need insurance to safeguard themselves in case of accident and tehy are sued. All insurance companines in North America that offer insurance to Martial Arts school have it so Headgear is mandatory when sparring, if an accident happens and the school is sued and the person was not wearing headgear the insurance policy is null and void. I came up through the ranks in the 80's and theer was a big fuss when tournamenst staretd making headgear mandatory, but the safety factor out-weighed the complaints. If you took a light kick to the head and ended up falling and hitting your head on the floor very hard you could be seriously hurt, and with beginners there is often times when people lose their balance when kicking in sparring; why take the risk. Personally I wouldn't spar with out a head gear.

 

[Raewyn]

Im from New Zealand, and am a bit unsure as to the Health and Safety practises in our country regarding head gear. I think I'll look into it a bit further from the laws point of view

 

[TigerWoman]

Yes, Rob is right about the liability issue. We don't even spar if we don't have a headgear. Most use the school's at first and then buy their own as they attain their gear. But then, I have been known to fall doing a spinning technique, and not wearing a headgear, so we can't wear them ALL the time. Yuck, don't even want to think about that one, I will NOT suggest it either. TW

 

[Damian Mavis]

Raisin, sounds like you are in an ITF school, they don't often use helmets. Am I right?

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[deadhand31]

I would say head gear is very important. The students in my school tend to go for the head constantly, and even with the helmet on, my bell gets rung. There was also an incident when I was sparring a very big guy. I made the mistake of ducking when I shouldn't have, and WHAM!!! I took a full force hook punch to the side of my head. It took me a while to get the world back in focus after that. Had I not been wearing my helmet, I definitely would have been cold-cocked.

 

[Raewyn]

No I dont belong to ITF, they use head gear. I belong to a club called Incorporated Martial Arts. TKD is the base, but we do alot of grappling, locks, sparring etc. There are only two clubs in New Zealand at the moment that I know of.

 

[Ahriman]

I'm part of ITF, and we deffinately use headgear. Especially since we allow punches to the head. Yea, accidents can happen, but also there are people who lose their temper ... MA + bad temper = bad things happening.

And as far as you instructor saying that your brains still get knocked around ... the head gear absorbs part of the force, so if that brain is still moving the same amount, then someone isn't controlling themselves.

 

[Marginal]

The main purpose of headgear is to keep your head from getting cracked when you fall down. If you look at reports of fatalities in streetfights, ring deaths etc, it's usually head trauma incurred from an unconscious person falling backwards so that their head hits full force on the concrete/floor/hard surface of choice.

It doesn't do a whole lot for you in terms of protecting you from brain injury just from random or no KO'ing knocks though. The highest incidence of brain injury in boxers comes from the ameture ranks, not the pros.

 

[Mark Weiser]

There are two reasons for Head Gear while sparring.

1. IF you study an art that uses kicks to the head head gear is a must.
2. Head Injury in MA is very common due to impact trauma from falls, punches, kicks, or torque from movements.

if you are going to spar I would recommend using head gear at all times. Speaking as a Nurse

Sincerely,
Mark E. Weiser

 

[MichiganTKD]

Headgear should definitely be used when two people who have consistantly shown they can and will do head kicks are sparring. Not everyone needs headgear, but for those who have the ability to contact high, it is strongly recommended. First, as a liability issue. Second, as a safety issue. as stated before, the danger is falling back and cracking your head. Headgear will not keep you from getting knocked out. It will help prevent the base of your skull from contacting the floor. The base of the skull contains the brain centers for heartrate and respiration. Not good if those are disrupted. Therefore, as a safety issue, we use headgear for students who can contact high.

 

[hardheadjarhead]

I'm wanting to know, do you really need head gear when sparring? We dont have head gear, all we have are gloves, mouthguard, shin and foot pads. I asked one of our black belts last night why we dont use head gear. His reply was: It can inhibit your perrephial vision, catch sweat, looks like a big target anyway, and your brains still get knocked around. Anyone out there with other opinions?????

Foam headgear doesn't jostle the brain as much as the old traditional horsehair headgear of boxing. That headgear has caused significant brain damage in amateur boxers (pros actually have less). Note, however, that they hit each other a lot harder and far more frequently than the majority of the martial artists on this board. Since that study I think many amateur boxing organizations have modified their helmet construction.

Headgear is necessary. Catch a shot on the chin, and the headgear doesn't help. Fall to the ground and bang your head, and the headgear could prevent you from ending up in a wheelchair for the rest of your life.

Many of us fight on surfaces that are quite hard...linoleum, wood, single pad carpeting covering a base of concrete. If you get clipped and go down, snapping your head onto that surface can cause a ton of damage. I've seen simple slips on kicks where students fell and hit the backs of their heads. Helmets saved them some grief.

The falling aside, the heavy shot to the head is softened by a helmet. It also can prevent cuts to the scalp from a blow, ear damage (if properly constructed), and...I'm guessing...take up some of the shock to the cervical spine.

I require them.


Regards,


Steve

 

[Damian Mavis]

In Canada the ITF schools mostly don't wear em. Black belts kind of snicker at other black belts that insist on wearing them.... which is stupid in my opinion, most people arent good enough to really not need one.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[gyaku-zuki queen]

I am a karate person. We never use head gear. I have seen some brutal things happen to people, including one of the guys on my provincial team drop on the matt out cold, after getting hit at the national Championships this year. Its supposed 2 b only light contact to the head too.

the way i see it, in TKD, since some of you use head gear, as a begginer you should. but if you are good and experienced enough, you should be able to block it fast enough. if you get hit.. then (dont want to seem mean) its your falut. in my karate club, for everyone above blue belt, when we are training, the other person is told to actually try to hit them because they should know how to block it.

 

[oldnewbie]

Headgear is a necessary part of equipment. If you can block everything comming at you, more power to ya...


One thing we found with lower belts is the possibility of the back of the head actually clipping the opponent on the underside of the chin during close fighting.
If the head was not covered the chin would have greater dammage..
My two cents

 

[Damian Mavis]

Gyaku, if people are able to block everything that comes at them it doesn't mean they are good, it means they are the best of the bad in their school. Put them against someone with skill and they will be knocked out just as easily as a beginner and then they will wish they had a helmet on. Even though helmets don't really help for much except light hits (they feel like nothing) and hitting your head on the floor.

My begginners dont wear helmets, my 2nd and 3rd degree black belts do, because when they fight eachother in class they WILL connect to the head over and over.

Damian Mavis
Honour TKD

 

[gyaku-zuki queen]

Gyaku, if people are able to block everything that comes at them it doesn't mean they are good, it means they are the best of the bad in their school.

ok that kinda hurt... like i said i'm a karate person.. but the best of the bad in the school? if someone could block everything that came at them then they've gotta b pretty damn good. i'm on the national team, going to chile to compete in the pan-american games next month and i sure cant, but i can come pretty close.
what i meant was say your doing a drill in class. when the sensai says go, or counts, you try and hit them becuase they have it set on what they have to do, and should be able to do that set technique properly. if they dont, its their fault.

 

[Marginal]

ok that kinda hurt... like i said i'm a karate person.. but the best of the bad in the school? if someone could block everything that came at them then they've gotta b pretty damn good. i'm on the national team, going to chile to compete in the pan-american games next month and i sure cant, but i can come pretty close.

Wow. Rad dude. Rad!