Why Don't Many of Kenpo's "Top Guns" Spar?

[Doc]

Doc,

Sometimes I swear we are on the same page! How true sparring is not fighting! Posturing is a beating waiting to happen. My initial teaching on fighting is targeting and attack not waiting. I guess I am too old for "games".

Too true sir. I remember talking to Ed Parker about the differences between sparring and fighting. He gave me a littany of reasons, but one stood out to me that I'll never forget.

"A tournament is a promise of a fight that never happens. As soon as a good punch is thrown, somebody breaks it up and you start all over again." - Ed Parker

 

[LawDog]

Sparring:
*this is a very limited fight,
*there will usually be someone controlling the fight itself,
*the match will have many rules,
*your goal is not to win or lose,
**it is used as a live action training drill.

Fight:
*there will be very few rules, if any,
*the fighters will try to win and not lose,
*very seldom will there be someone controlling the fight itself,
*the fighter will use his total knowledge & ability to win or survive,

Sport Fighting:
Any combination of the above.

This is but a geneal outline.
:knight:

 

[Doc]

One of the elements missing in any conversation about "oldsters" sparring is the fact, that competition sparring has age and skill divisions to level the playing field. It seems they recognized that in that type of activity, categories were neccessary to divide participants into groups of similar age and skill. So if the "top guns" should do it, they should do it among themselves when the age and skill match up, while you others beat each other up. A young student asked Ed Parker why he didn't enter into a tournament to compete so he could win a trophy? Mr. Parker replied, "The longer you do this stuff, the smarter you're supposed to get. I've been doing it long enough to know better."

 

[Flying Crane]

I think if someone has identified a particular Top Gun who they feel should be sparring more, maybe they should just approach that person, level their accusation, and see what happens...

 

[Danjo]

The "sparring" you speak of, under the "Chinese" is even more complex, mentally taxing, and a physically demanding activity that yields more positive results and skills, than the bad habit forming point emphasis variety of tournaments. Under this definition, I and all my students are required to "spar" regularly.

Are these the more pre-determined combinations, or is it more free flowing?

 

[Doc]

Are these the more pre-determined combinations, or is it more free flowing?

Free flowing within set parameters that improve skill.