Sparring quirks

[mijemi]

During a recent grading I had this guy stick his tongue out at me Maori style every time he got a shot in on me while sparring. It was really quite distracting and I got a few punches in the stomach as I stood there with my mouth open thinking "What is this guy doing?". I am pretty inexperienced as far as sparring goes but thought this was quite funny. I've also heard this other guy make a hissing sound every time he strikes and another girl makes her own little sound effects. Has anyone else come across some funny sparring quirks or better yet, do you have any?

 

[MBuzzy]

My instructor just stands still with his hands at his side, talking about what I'm doing with a grin.....until he decides its time to knock me down. Is that a quirk?

 

[Ninjamom]

I met someone who had special contact lenses that she used for regional sparring competitions - they gave her a 'cat's eyes' look.

I think some such things are OK for distracting or unnerving an opponent, but sticking out your tongue and other self-congratulatory displays after a hit/strike seem more like poor sportsmanship to me, personally.

 

[elder999]

I think some such things are OK for distracting or unnerving an opponent, but sticking out your tongue and other self-congratulatory displays after a hit/strike seem more like poor sportsmanship to me, personally.

Actually, he said sticking out the tongue "Maori style," and he's in Australia, so it's possible the guy was actually Maori, and culturally this is an intimidation tactic, and not self congratulatory.

I used to hum when sparring; I think that's a quirk. It was great for regulating my breathing when boxing, kickboxing or karate sparring, but kind of upsetting when I'd put a choke on someone and hum "lullaby and goodnight", so I had to give it up...:lol:

 

[TraditionalTKD]

None that come to mind. We were always taught to be respectful of our partners use good concentration. God forbid someone start humming or stick out their tongue. They would end up paying for it. Probably the only thing some people do is smile during sparring, and even that's borderline disrespectful.
We've had guys come in in the past and wave their hands around a la kung fu. I think they ended up getting broken fingers.

 

[MetalStorm]

During a recent grading I had this guy stick his tongue out at me Maori style every time he got a shot in on me while sparring. It was really quite distracting and I got a few punches in the stomach as I stood there with my mouth open thinking "What is this guy doing?". I am pretty inexperienced as far as sparring goes but thought this was quite funny. I've also heard this other guy make a hissing sound every time he strikes and another girl makes her own little sound effects. Has anyone else come across some funny sparring quirks or better yet, do you have any?

The hissing sound is pretty normal, well atleast from what I have seen in Muay Thai, we are taught to breath out with really quick breaths when striking. Not sure the whole reason behind it, was explained to me before but I cant seem to remember.

 

[Blindside]

None that come to mind. We were always taught to be respectful of our partners use good concentration. God forbid someone start humming or stick out their tongue. They would end up paying for it. Probably the only thing some people do is smile during sparring, and even that's borderline disrespectful.
We've had guys come in in the past and wave their hands around a la kung fu. I think they ended up getting broken fingers.

Smiling during sparring is disrespectful??? Sparring is a training drill to develop tools, and why shouldn't you have have have fun during training? We have a pretty close school, and you'll hear (joking) taunts throughout our sparring class, and yet the respect is still there.

Lamont

 

[mijemi]

Smiling during sparring is disrespectful??? Sparring is a training drill to develop tools, and why shouldn't you have have have fun during training? We have a pretty close school, and you'll hear (joking) taunts throughout our sparring class, and yet the respect is still there.
Lamont

I agree that smiling could be considered disrespectful in the case of a tournament or another more formal occassion but this grading was pretty informal so I just laughed about it afterwards. It all depends on the situation doesn't it?

 

[mijemi]

I met someone who had special contact lenses that she used for regional sparring competitions - they gave her a 'cat's eyes' look.

:lfao:That is so funny. I wonder if it worked?

 

[TraditionalTKD]

It also depends on who is sparring whom. Two people who have known each other a long time and are good friends will probably do things that others would not let each other get away with. I used to spar with a partner that I knew for a long time, and we'd do things that I would never have done with others simply because we knew each other well, such as smiling, talking, unorthodox technique etc. It wasn't as formal as others might have been.

 

[Shaderon]

Probably the only thing some people do is smile during sparring, and even that's borderline disrespectful.
We've had guys come in in the past and wave their hands around a la kung fu. I think they ended up getting broken fingers.

Smiling during sparring is disrespectful??? Sparring is a training drill to develop tools, and why shouldn't you have have have fun during training? We have a pretty close school, and you'll hear (joking) taunts throughout our sparring class, and yet the respect is still there.

I agree that smiling could be considered disrespectful in the case of a tournament or another more formal occassion but this grading was pretty informal so I just laughed about it afterwards. It all depends on the situation doesn't it?

It also depends on who is sparring whom. Two people who have known each other a long time and are good friends will probably do things that others would not let each other get away with. I used to spar with a partner that I knew for a long time, and we'd do things that I would never have done with others simply because we knew each other well, such as smiling, talking, unorthodox technique etc. It wasn't as formal as others might have been.

We don't just smile while sparring, we have a good laugh and I'm always giggling, especially when I get hit in the nose or I manage to strike someone on the head who's not got their guard up. We smile during sparring in grading too, I don't consider it disrespectful as long as it's not spiteful smiling. It's enjoying what you are doing to me.

I bite my botton lip when I'm about to do a combo, it's a concentration thing but the people that have sussed it out beat me regulaly, I've learnt to stop it a bit but sometimes I do it on purpose now to throw people off the scent.

 

[kidswarrior]

We don't just smile while sparring, we have a good laugh and I'm always giggling, especially when I get hit in the nose or I manage to strike someone on the head who's not got their guard up. We smile during sparring in grading too, I don't consider it disrespectful as long as it's not spiteful smiling. It's enjoying what you are doing to me.

I also think the training hall is a place to have fun. Yes, we all know it's serious business, but we don't have to walk around like we're in a life and death situation every second--a little too much intensity for me.

If we're doing San Soo (our form of 'sparring') and someone really puts a good combination on me, I tend to laugh--at myself.

Had one instructor who thought this was disrespectful of the art. To me, it's one thing to take the art seriously; it's another to take ourselves too seriously.

 

[Shotochem]

To me, it's one thing to take the art seriously; it's another to take ourselves too seriously.

My sentiments exactly.


-Marc-

 

[Eternal Beginner]

There is a guy at our club who hums while he rolls. Very unnerving for some reason.

 

[Touch Of Death]

During a recent grading I had this guy stick his tongue out at me Maori style every time he got a shot in on me while sparring. It was really quite distracting and I got a few punches in the stomach as I stood there with my mouth open thinking "What is this guy doing?". I am pretty inexperienced as far as sparring goes but thought this was quite funny. I've also heard this other guy make a hissing sound every time he strikes and another girl makes her own little sound effects. Has anyone else come across some funny sparring quirks or better yet, do you have any?

If those quirks effect you, they just graduated to timing mechanisms.
sean

 

[Touch Of Death]

None that come to mind. We were always taught to be respectful of our partners use good concentration. God forbid someone start humming or stick out their tongue. They would end up paying for it. Probably the only thing some people do is smile during sparring, and even that's borderline disrespectful.
We've had guys come in in the past and wave their hands around a la kung fu. I think they ended up getting broken fingers.

And just what the hell are you talking about? It sounds as if it is y'all whom are being dis-respectfull. I hope you guys enjoy hurting newbies.
sean

 

[zDom]

Sticking a tongue out or biting a lip while sparring is dangerous, a bad habit.

A shot to the chin at the wrong time could result in needing several stitches.

 

[TraditionalTKD]

We don't enjoy hurting newbies, we enjoy hurting people who think martial arts are fun and games or a social event.

 

[Shotochem]

We don't enjoy hurting newbies, we enjoy hurting people who think martial arts are fun and games or a social event.

Without the fun, what's the point? Hurting anyone you train with intentionally is not what MA are all about. It is the higher ranked or more highly skilled persons responsibility to make sure their partner does not get hurt.

It is the instructors job to eliminate horseplay and instill a learning atmosphere.

-Marc-

 

[Shaderon]

Sticking a tongue out or biting a lip while sparring is dangerous, a bad habit.

A shot to the chin at the wrong time could result in needing several stitches.

Yea I know I shouldn't do it, it's hard breaking the habit though. Better breaking that habit with friends I trust though, than going into a comp and getting that split lip.