Striking Sparing ?

Drose427

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
927
Reaction score
251
Location
USA
Sparring as we've seen can have a wider range of emphasis and definition. At the end of the day IMO, sparring is training free from pattern or drills with intent to make contact with the opponent. Injury is a risk but shouldn't be inevitable.

In the FMA world sparring gets even more confusing. Lots of people consider non padded free flow drills sparring, without intent to hit the head FMA is a completely different animal. IMO FMA sparring should require at least head gear, I'd almost hesitate to consider it sparring other wise but I'm biased. You can body spar and do all kinds of variations but "sparring" without any kind of specification is what I'm getting at. I've seen quite a bit of non padded FMA sparring where no one seems to take a head shot yet the fighters claim to be going all out. But what seems to happen is a game of trying to show "I got you" without actually hitting and there are often tough calls where one wonders if the hit really would have landed.

Completely different note here, but for someone whos only ever seen FMA with knife and Stick, what exactly does FMA sparring consist of? Does it have empty hand? ITs probably a dumb question, but we dont have it anywhere in my area, so Internets basically the entirety of my exposure.
 

Touch Of Death

Sr. Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
May 6, 2003
Messages
11,610
Reaction score
849
Location
Spokane Valley WA
Completely different note here, but for someone whos only ever seen FMA with knife and Stick, what exactly does FMA sparring consist of? Does it have empty hand? ITs probably a dumb question, but we dont have it anywhere in my area, so Internets basically the entirety of my exposure.
Practice blades, or rolled up news papers is the game, there. :)
 

Drose427

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
927
Reaction score
251
Location
USA
Practice blades, or rolled up news papers is the game, there. :)

So it really is a weapons art? Not really any empty hand sparring? Sticks and Cane are definitely something I've wanted to learn for a while so I was curious
 

Touch Of Death

Sr. Grandmaster
MTS Alumni
Joined
May 6, 2003
Messages
11,610
Reaction score
849
Location
Spokane Valley WA
So it really is a weapons art? Not really any empty hand sparring? Sticks and Cane are definitely something I've wanted to learn for a while so I was curious
Yeah, you just wax on, wax off, from shoulder to shoulder, with the target somewhere in between. :)
 

Mephisto

Black Belt
Joined
Sep 26, 2014
Messages
594
Reaction score
236
Completely different note here, but for someone whos only ever seen FMA with knife and Stick, what exactly does FMA sparring consist of? Does it have empty hand? ITs probably a dumb question, but we dont have it anywhere in my area, so Internets basically the entirety of my exposure.

It varies. I had single stick in mind when I posted but I suppose FMA sparring could cover a lot. FMA empty hand varies a lot and I haven't seen it sparred much. Most of the empty hand you see is compliant demos or very flowy with light fast strikes, sometimes of questionable power to me. I've been meaning to get some footage of my FMA empty hand sparring just to get it out there. It's few and far between and a lot of groups that do it don't show much to the public.
 

Drose427

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
927
Reaction score
251
Location
USA
It varies. I had single stick in mind when I posted but I suppose FMA sparring could cover a lot. FMA empty hand varies a lot and I haven't seen it sparred much. Most of the empty hand you see is compliant demos or very flowy with light fast strikes, sometimes of questionable power to me. I've been meaning to get some footage of my FMA empty hand sparring just to get it out there. It's few and far between and a lot of groups that do it don't show much to the public.

Definitely do that! I've always been curious as to how much it actually covers, but on the internet it tends to be very limited to stick and some knife. I'd love to some more posted here
 

Danny T

Senior Master
Joined
Sep 5, 2002
Messages
4,258
Reaction score
2,293
Location
New Iberia, Louisiana USA
Completely different note here, but for someone whos only ever seen FMA with knife and Stick, what exactly does FMA sparring consist of? Does it have empty hand? ITs probably a dumb question, but we dont have it anywhere in my area, so Internets basically the entirety of my exposure.
FMA encompasses more than knife and stick. That is like asking does JMA have empty hand or just Katana.

I train in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali where we have empty hand work, ground work, firearms, flexible weapons, sword, knife, stick, staff, and weapons of opportunity. At the highest level in the system it is being empty handed vs multiple opponents with multiple weapons (though it is rare that you will find a pekiti-tirsia practitioner without a weapon..., more likely it will be multiple weapons.)
 

Drose427

3rd Black Belt
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
927
Reaction score
251
Location
USA
FMA encompasses more than knife and stick. That is like asking does JMA have empty hand or just Katana.

I train in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali where we have empty hand work, ground work, firearms, flexible weapons, sword, knife, stick, staff, and weapons of opportunity. At the highest level in the system it is being empty handed vs multiple opponents with multiple weapons (though it is rare that you will find a pekiti-tirsia practitioner without a weapon..., more likely it will be multiple weapons.)

IF you have any videos of your guy's training I would love to see them!
 

kuniggety

2nd Black Belt
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
795
Reaction score
272
Location
Oahu, Hawaii
I train in BJJ so we "spar" every class. It's usually full contact; there are certain moves that you have to hold back otherwise it's just simply too easy to hurt the other person way too much. The more experienced guys usually let the lesser experienced guys take a superior position just to work their way out of it. It's not that fun tapping the newbies out over and over, so you look for ways to challenge yourself.
 

RTKDCMB

Senior Master
Joined
Jan 19, 2013
Messages
3,159
Reaction score
736
Location
Perth, Western Australia
There are a number of different types of sparring we use;

1) One and three step sparring (more of a drill really).
2) Kick to kick (One kick each taking turns).
3) Hand sparring.
4) Shadow sparring.
5) Shadow hand sparring.
6) Shadow sparring in front of a person (usually inside the Vicious Circle).
7) Toe to toe hand sparring (Both participants keep their front foot in close proximity to their partner).
8) Technique sparring (like free sparring but slower and more deliberate).
9) One side attack only and other side defend only.
10)Two on one, three on one etc.
11) Free sparring.
12) Free sparring with a weapon (rubber knife, baton, pool noodle).
13) Free for all (everyone spars everyone else, if someone touches you on your back you fall out until only one remains).

To name just a few.
 
Top