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So is sparring really necessary? I’ve read on the martial arts subreddit that it is extremely necessary to be an effective fighter (which seems to be the general consensus on there) but in my Krav class we don’t spar, we practice techniques on each other and condition ourselves to be more fit.
Also, how should I tell a partner that I don’t want to be partnered up with him? I mean the person I always partner up with is an alright person but he’s not really good and I don’t really feel like I’m learning anything from him when I practice techniques with him.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
quote Ryan T:So is sparring really necessary? I’ve read on the martial arts subreddit that it is extremely necessary to be an effective fighter (which seems to be the general consensus on there) but in my Krav class we don’t spar, we practice techniques on each other and condition ourselves to be more fit.Also, how should I tell a partner that I don’t want to be partnered up with him? I mean the person I always partner up with is an alright person but he’s not really good and I don’t really feel like I’m learning anything from him when I practice techniques with him.
IMO, sparring isn’t necessary to be an effective KM practitioner. You do it more to get used to the idea of getting hit than anything else. When we spar, I’m afraid it probably looks like sloppy kickboxing more than Krav. Also it is great for cardio. If you get in a fight do you think it will last 2-3 minutes?
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
yes without a doubt.
Can you learn to swim without ever going in the water?
Then how could you learn to fight without fighting/
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
quote KevinMack:yes without a doubt.Can you learn to swim without ever going in the water?
Then how could you learn to fight without fighting/
So are you saying if you don’t want to spar, you are wasting your time learning Krav Maga?
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
Elaborate Kevin?
The benefit(s) of it? To what extent should you spar? How often?
I think I know where you are going with it and I agree but I’m curious to see what somebody else has to say.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
Hey Ryan,
Sparring comes later, after you have learned the fundamentals.
And your partner probably feels the same about you. So just listen to what the instructor says and try to help each other get better without whining about it. Someday you guys won’t be the noobs anymore.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
I think it’s critical for learning things like timing, seeing openings, and finding out what techniques actually work.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
The goal of most of our KM techniques are to hit someone and/or to avoid getting hit. Sparring/fighting is where you do that. You can tell by watching someone fight if they spent a lot of time on pads and very little time sparring as they rarely land the punches they throw or are on target. They also get hit a lot more. Fighting is all about speed,timing and distance. You leanr these things through sparring(fighting).
I would also never want my students firs t hit to come on the street. You not only need to hit but you have to get it to see what its like and to see how you deal with it.
I wouldnt say KM without sparring is useless but I would not consider you a Krav Maga fighter or what you are doing as fighting.
Learning how to breathe and float are not useless skills but those things alone dont make you a swimmer and I would not call it swimming.
You can learn a KM gun or knife defense without sparring but those are self defense techniques. KM is fighting and self defense.Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
Ryan T, what level in Krav Maga are you? Generally people begin sparring lightly in level 2.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
quote TheDarkKnight:Ryan T, what level in Krav Maga are you? Generally people begin sparring lightly in level 2.I’ve been taking Krav training for about a month now, so I’m the lowest level right now.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
See if your school has a fight program. Level 1 at KMW has no sparring and the only way to get sparring at that low of a level is to take a fight class. Even at level 2, there is rarely ever any sparring (depends on instructor). I believe sparring becomes widespread during level 3 classes.
I believe sparring is necessary to become an effective fighter. Things are different when your training partner is hitting you back and the same can be said on the street. KM self defense principles aren’t geared towards fighting toe-to-toe with your attacker though, you’re trained to strike hard and fast to disable your attacker. Sparring gives you the necessary training to know what it feels like to get hit, getting your timing, movement and combination of attacks down. IMO it is essential to KM.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
quote Ryan T:So is sparring really necessary? I’ve read on the martial arts subreddit that it is extremely necessary to be an effective fighter (which seems to be the general consensus on there) but in my Krav class we don’t spar, we practice techniques on each other and condition ourselves to be more fit.Probably is. What about multiple attackers, or a trained fighter who wants to beat you up? If you have sparring in your toolbox you can always add in groin strike/driving thumbs into eyeballs/ripping off ears/hitting with a pipe/running away/etc. No one’s saying you should spar on the street, but it helps develops valuable tools you might need that are harder to come by without practice.
quote Ryan T:Also, how should I tell a partner that I don’t want to be partnered up with him? I mean the person I always partner up with is an alright person but he’s not really good and I don’t really feel like I’m learning anything from him when I practice techniques with him.Avoid eye contact, pick someone else before class, don’t be near him when it’s time to partner up, use your common sense, be creative, just tell him. The options here are many.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
In addition to sparring, in our level three and four classes we work self defense techniques with both the attacker and the defender making contact. Training this way takes the realism to a whole new level. The attacker is actively continuing the attack even after the initial defense is made. For protection, we use all the gear we would for sparring with the exception of boxing gloves. We use bag gloves instead so that we are still able to apply chokes to our partners. Each person needs to be aware of their power and control, but I believe this type of training to be just as necessary in preparing for a fight as I do sparring.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
Something else. As students, we’re encouraged 1) not to fight, and 2) if attacked, to end the fight as soon as humanly possible by “rendering the attacker unwilling or unable to continue the attack”, using everything within our power to make sure that happens. Both GREAT principles. However, we often forget the third part of this equation, which is that sometimes 1&2 aren’t viable options, nor is simply running to safety. At that point you’ll probably need to know at least sort of how to fight in order to be able to end it/run to safety/render the attacker unwilling blah blah etc. Sparring isn’t fighting, but a valuable (despite its inherent limitations) training tool that’s a means to an end rather than an end in and of itself. You don’t want to be great at sparring and bad at fighting, and better to get your ass kicked in the gym than on the street (though of course it certainly helps not to suck at sparring.)
Last thing. Krav people always quote Imi as having said you want to be so good you don’t have to kill. Same holds true for you want to be so good at self-defense/fighting you don’t have to do anything overboard (ie. give your attacker brain damage by slamming his or her head repeatedly into the pavement) and get arrested for “defending yourself”. Obviously it’s imperative to do no less than absolutely necessary, but also no more than necessary because you lack skills. (That said, by all means please be brutal and unrelenting, just mindful of the endgame here, which is self-defense. Defense against violence, defense against going to jail, against the worst parts of yourself, etc.)
Safe.
Re: Is sparring necessary to be an effective fighter?
For myself, I find sparring essential. Ideally make it as real as possible (multiple attackers, street clothes, rough terrain etc.).
This has two effects:
It gives you a *very* rough analogy of what a real attack may be like (especially if you allow aggressive language, spitting, throwing things etc.) and helps you inoculate against the psychological factors that will come into play; as well as bringing home just how quickly you get exhausted (we have Marine Commandos in our group, superbly fit, but watch what colour they go after only about 15 seconds of full on scrapping).
It has a reassuring effect when you realise you’ve applied everything on auto-pilot (and shows up what works, what doesn’t and what you need to practice more).
Also you may as well learn how to take a hit, you don’t want to leave that until your first real encounter.
You can vary the amount of protection you use. Personally I’m rarely seen without groin guard and gumshield. I’m happy to fight like that though as it quickens my game and I think you only really need arm/leg protection if you’re constantly repeating blocks in training. In a real/sparring situation you won’t notice your shins/forearms getting sore.
Try to make it as real as possible within the boundaries of common sense safety. We generally have a rule that anything potentially crippling/lethal (stomps to knees, blows to neck/spine etc.) has to be done at less than full power (but full speed is ok). Anything else goes though. Also I would advise that you have a safe system of stopping but without tapping out. You don’t want to condition yourself to stop in the street just because someone taps.
Anyway, my $0.02, you can have a look at my profile gallery to see whether it works or not 🙂
Al
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