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What is "free sparring"?

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  • What is "free sparring"?

    This thread was inspired by a post by Drunken Boxer where he comments:
    I still get confused as to what exactly people mean by free sparring as well - as I say in boxing there were also different levels and conditions in sparring, but what I interpreted as free sparring was the most common one where both boxers are under specific instructions to try and knock the other man out.
    So what do others consider "free sparring" to be?

    Andrew
    Sifu Andrew Barnett
    Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

    Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
    Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
    Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

  • #2
    Sparring that you don't have to pay for?

    Well, someone had to say it

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    • #3
      Be careful Darryl Siheng --- you are becoming predictable

      Andrew
      Sifu Andrew Barnett
      Shaolin Wahnam Switzerland - www.shaolin-wahnam.ch

      Flowing Health GmbH www.flowing-health.ch (Facebook: www.facebook.com/sifuandrew)
      Healing Sessions with Sifu Andrew Barnett - in Switzerland and internationally
      Heilbehandlungen mit Sifu Andrew Barnett - in der Schweiz und International

      Comment


      • #4
        And then comes the serious post.

        To get the ball rolling, I'll state that sparring is completely different from fighting and they should not be confused in regards to being the same thing.

        To me, sparring is an exchange when the emphasis is on development and observation. Each 'exchange' would have preconceived areas to either develop, confirm or train key skills. An example within Shaolin Wahnam would be a combat sequence, in boxing it may be people developing their jab on a human target instead of a bag or mitt. Each 'exchange' would have clearly defined boundaries to allow the participants to confirm specific requirements. Boundaries could include the use or non-useage of legs (e.g. kicking attacks), throws, dominant arms, sweeps, limiting movements and so on. As the competance of the participants grows, they could then start expanding on the boundaries until there are even fewer limitations (no biting, no headbutts, stop when the blood is freely flowing). Once each partipant is not shackled by excessive rules or limitations and is allowed to use virtually any technique or strategy that they know, then they are returning to a 'free-er' state.

        One school I used to train in had only three rules for free sparring - "Don't bite, Don't hit the head & Don't cripple them". As this could not be practiced every week, they had different levels of sparring limiting available targets (torso only, legs only), useable techniques (no knees, no arms, only throws) and specific situations (sitting, kneeling) along with using external equipment (using a hidden weapon during your sparring session was acceptable). It was very usefull and gave me lots of blockages to clear while getting me used to being hit in unexpected ways.

        In summary, I would say that the usual definition of free sparring is an attempt to duplicate the unpredictability and fluidity of a genuine fight, while still providing a safe environment for the participants to try out their skills.

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        • #5
          Good information there.

          I suppose what I was calling "free" sparring in boxing isn't totally free, it is within boxing rules - you still aren't allowed to bite, kick, headbutt etc, and most grappling moves are prevented (by the rules and by the gloves).
          And usually mouthguards and very well padded gloves are used for protection.
          So within all those constraints its free! (Definitely an Irish statement that!)
          No, its free in that you don't have to pull punches, you can inflict maximum damage if you want.
          This is why in one of my first posts I said I and my master don't free spar, because by that definition if we did I would be in serious trouble!
          There are other types of boxing sparring, where one person is only allowed to use his left hand, or only allowed to jab, or only allowed to use body shots, or is just told to "go easy" etc. And also, both can be under different instructions, the more experienced guy might be limited to using his left jab, and going easy, where the other guy is under no restrictions.
          So one guy is "free sparring" and the other is "conditions sparring"!

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          • #6
            These days, "free sparring" seems to have taken on its own meaning. In my country, when you say "free sparring" (or even just "sparring"), people usually assume that it refers to what THEY call "free sparring." And what they call "free sparring" can be anything.

            What is most commonly called free sparring (or usually just sparring) looks a lot like kickboxing, with variations from school to school: some schools use gloves; some shun gloves; some schools punch to the face; some forbid punches to the face; some schools allow grappling; some don't; some only grapple.

            What some people don't seem to understand is that all sparring, no matter how "free," is governed by rules. Even UFC and other NHB competitions are governed by rules. Different rules make all the difference.

            Imagine a Boxer forced to "free spar" with TKD rules (no punches to the face). Imagine a TKD player forced to "free spar" with Judo rules. Imagine a Karateka forced to "free spar" with Taijiquan Pushing Hands rules.

            Rules are everything. If a boxer suddenly unloads on his opponent with a groin kick, it's not free sparring. That's called fighting.
            Sifu Anthony Korahais
            www.FlowingZen.com
            (Click here to learn more about me.)

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