Hapkido Sparring

[Jointlock]

I saw a little bit of this question answered in another thread but I was just curious what everyone does as far as sparring is concerned.

We do not do Tae kwon do sparring for fun. My instructor and myself do occasionally by ourselves because we are both TKD blackbelts. In Hapkido class we do sparring with more of a realistice orientation. One person is the attacker/aggressor the other person is the defender, and we play out scenarios.

For the beginners they might just have to defend against one punch, or one kick and they know whats coming so they can figure out different defenses. For the defenses they can use strikes/kicks, jointlocks, throws, chokes, or whatever they can think of with control of course.

For the intermediate the attacker does a single technique whatever they want to do from kicks/punches, tackles, throws, etc, and the defender makes a defense for that one technique same as above but they have to be more conscious of what attack is being thrown at them and flow with the opponent.

For advanced the attacker throws several techniques for the defender to ward off. This can get pretty rough and pretty serious. The defender tries to end the confrontation as soon as possible.

Do any other schools do this type of sparring or any variation? Does anyone have any good ideas for other types of sparring?

[BSR]

We do Tae Kwon Do-style sparring in my Hapkido dojang.

It is optional though.

[Sweeet]

Ours is somewhat TKD style sparring, with moderate to full contact (depending on who and when...) but with punching included - obviously - and low kicks you wouldn't see in any TKD sparring match :)

[Spikedude]

our sparing is with everything we learn most the time its just hapikido in our dojang but even though we teach manily tang soo do and hapikido we rather that be shown

[Jointlock]

Originally posted by BSR

We do Tae Kwon Do-style sparring in my Hapkido dojang.

It is optional though.

How are optional things handled in your class. Do the people that don't want to do it just sit off to the side while the rest of the class trains, or is it something that you do out of class time. Just curious because nothing that we do in class is ever considered optional.

[Tosh]

Originally posted by Sweeet
but with punching included - obviously - and low kicks you wouldn't see in any TKD sparring match :)

This is Rumour Control here are the facts!!!

TKD has many different styles of sparring please do not assume "Competition Sparring" is the only one.

For example ITF sparring can contain any of the following:

3 Step Sparring
2 Step Sparring
1 Step Sparring
Semi-Free Sparring
Free Sparring (not competition style)
Model Sparring
Foot Technique Sparring
1 v 2 Sparring
1 v1 Self Defence (Joint locks and throws)

Please check the facts! :D

Rumour Control Out!

[BSR]

Originally posted by Jointlock
How are optional things handled in your class. Do the people that don't want to do it just sit off to the side while the rest of the class trains, or is it something that you do out of class time. Just curious because nothing that we do in class is ever considered optional.

A couple of nights a week, the last 20-30 minutes of class are devoted to sparring.

Those who don't want to participate get half the dojang to work on either kicking or hoshinsul. There are only a few students who never spar. For example, I have belt testing next week, so I will probably choose to work on my kicking instead of sparring in class this week.

[shadow warrior]

Not for everyone!

Indeed, free fighting practice is NOT for very student who would like to train in Hapkido. It is however mandatory for serious students or those who have the long term goal to achieving the level of black belt.

Dimensions of free fighting practice:

The accumulation of free fighting skill is measured in hundreds to even thousands of hours of practice. How to develop this skill in a "sparring" situation with your friends without spending time in a medical facility, is somewhat problematic without some fundemental training parameters.

The development of "softness", in a students body is critical. True "relax" in every fiber of the person's physical being promotes a state of potential learning. This can be encouraged through breathing, meditation, stress reduction and relaxation applications. Taekkyon and Chi Gong push hands and leg drills help in this reguard. These ideas reduce 'clashing' of strike techniques through the development of energy flow dynamics and the exploiting of 'seams' occuring in the motions of human beings.

No protective equipment should be used from the very outset of basic skill application. (Cup and mouth piece are OK). Although no punching should allowed to the head or kicking to the kness, an open hand to the side of the head and kicking to the thighs gives much needed feedback.This is for three very good reasons. First, it promotes "true" control, not 'pulling' a technique to prevent excess contact, but learning how to deal with arm and leg 'weight', where the appendages are soft not stiff.. By focusing on timing, range and the all important rhythum in the open field, students will develop a fundemental understanding of how to avoid getting hit cleanly, without their bell being rung too many times. Second, it prevents the development of bad habits which come easily with using and relying on equipment which you will not be wearing in real life. Third, it allows less experienced students to get significant free fighting exposure to much more advanced students who can 'kill' them at any time, yet they can experience the type of technique and power control which the lower students need to develop.

In addition to these aspects the application of pressur points, joint locks, misdirections, projections, sweeps and throws can be introduced over time as a student become more comfortable with their skill set abilities.

Perhaps the most critical thiing must be the development of trust among the student population. Mistakes do happen, but the protection of lesser skilled students often aids the more advanced student in understanding the random nature of physical interaction. Students with less than two years experience are far more dangerous then those with more, in a training enviroment. They do the craziest things when stressed.

Once students have reached the range of three to five years 'moving around' practice, all aspects of their applications should have reached a good basic level of understanding.

Should you want to test you power application ability in the open field (intermediate student up), ..suit up a more senior student with some heavy duty gear (giant head gear, pads chest guard..hell the whole thing, as long as the senior is still capable of displaying good fighting motion) and let the student go at it. This already assumes that the student in question is quite proficient at static power generation pad drills with strike techniques.

The dynamics of joint lock ect must be attempted with something less than 'warp speed'. With that said, execution appications approaching 80% - 85% of street speed are certainly possible with highly skilled students.

Take downs, blasts and other blitz type techniques will add the final dimensions of applications. Of course, a few hundred hours of training on the ground fundementals doesn't hurt either.

Putting the whole free fighting Hapkido package together into a 'seamless' flow takes an enviroment build on skills, sane attitude and above all, trust. Without these, many people will either end up getting hurt and or developing a sense of false knowledge.

Whether standing, clinching or on the ground, it is the application of relaxed energy dynamics which must be encouraged. The only way to achieve this is in a situation where the above mentioned aspects are instilled in every student interested in developing a fair level of free fighting skill through sparring with their friends.

Fighting more than one person at a time is something which should be reserved for senior students only..this application requires new skill sets, beyond most hobbiests..