Sparring is a form of training common to many combat sports. It can encompass a range of activities and techniques such as punching, kicking, grappling, throwing, wrestling or submission work dependent on style. Although the precise form varies, it is essentially relatively 'free-form' fighting, with enough rules, customs, or agreements to minimize injuries. By extension, argumentative debate is sometimes called sparring.
The physical nature of sparring naturally varies with the nature of the skills it is intended to develop; sparring in a striking art such as Karate will normally begin with the players at opposite sides of the mat and will be given a point for striking the appropriate area and will be given a foul for striking an inappropriate area or stepping out of the area. Sparring in a grappling art such as judo might begin with the partners holding one another and end if they separate.
The organization of sparring matches also varies; if the participants know each other well and are friendly, it may be sufficient for them to simply play, without rules, referee, or timer. If the sparring is between strangers, there is some emotional tension, or if the sparring is being evaluated, it may be appropriate to introduce formal rules and have an experienced martial artist supervise or referee the match.
In some schools, permission to begin sparring is granted upon entry. The rationale for this decision is that students must learn how to deal with a fast, powerful, and determined attacker. In other schools, students may be required to wait a few months, for safety reasons, [1] because they must first build the skills they would ideally employ in their sparring practice.
Sparring is normally distinct from fights in competition, the goal of sparring normally being the education of the participants.
In any sparring match, precautions are often taken to protect the participants. For Olympic-style taekwondo sparring, participants should wear chest protectors, headgear, shin protectors, instep protectors, forearm protectors, and mouthguards. [2] They are also forbidden from having long fingernails, long untied hair, or eyeglasses. [2]
Despite precautions, injuries are still common, especially to the head, face, or neck. [3] One 2024 study found that mixed martial arts practitioners in Brazil who sparred at least twice a week had worse cognitive functioning. [4]
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu sparring is full contact and injuries are rare [ citation needed ] as it does not involve striking but rather forcing the opponent to submit using grappling techniques.
There is much controversy in mixed martial arts about the benefits of full contact sparring vs career-threatening injuries. Former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Jamie Varner came to an early retirement because he had much head trauma in full contact sparring. [5]
UFC former welterweight champions Robbie Lawler and Johny Hendricks do not do full contact sparring. [6]
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Sparring has different names and different forms in various schools. Some schools prefer not to call it sparring, as they feel it differs in kind from what is normally called sparring.
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