Sparring formats

[ap Oweyn56 2]

I'm interested to read about people's thoughts on sparring in FMA. Leaving it open on purpose, but here's a few guiding questions to get started:

- Do you think sparring in FMA is important? Does it have particular limitations beyond those of any sparring format (i.e., it's not the real thing)?
- What formats have you tried (either competitively or as part of your training)?
- What would be your ideal format? What would be required to make it happen?
- What intermediary steps would you take to get there? Developmental sparring drills? Straight from drills to gearing up?

I'll leave it at that for now, but feel free to go beyond that.


- ap

 

[Blindside]

Yes, I think sparring in FMA is important. I think sparring in any martial art is important.

I have tried padded stick point fighting, HEMA point fighting, Dog Brothers Full Contact (10 Gatherings, Full Dog Brother), and tons of light rattan sparring which is usually "first blood" rules.

My training group is now geared for steel sparring to HEMA standards, what we lack are decent steel trainers, though I think we are getting close to getting a decent model. And even if we get there the added cost of this gear is quite frankly more than most FMA groups are willing to bear.

I have a format that I really like that is a continuous point system that would work for padded, rattan, or steel. The format is largely borrowed from Nick Papadakis All-Valley Stick and Knife Tournament. This is a very badly explained video on the rules: