Sparring
What is Sparring?
Sparring is the practice of sport fighting, like you see in the Olympics and martial art competitions. It is fast and action packed. Protective gear is worn. Apart from the odd bump or bruise, have no fear of major injury.
Sparring requires more mind than body. Strategy is king. By thinking two or three techniques ahead of you it becomes more like a physical game of chess.
Difference between Sparring and Self Defence?
While sparring will teach you certain aspects of fighting, remember it is not truly a “real fight” as there are rules and regulations imposed to keep it safe and fun.
Hapkido self defence is focused on protection against an attacker in the street, where there are no rules. Therefore we learn to disable and overcome any attacker by striking vital areas like the eyes, groin, throat, pressure points and small joints. You cannot attack these areas in sparring therefore your range of techniques are limited.
Benefits of Sparring Class?
Whilst HCA is a traditional self defence focused college, we still value the benefits of sparring. We spar to learn, not to win. There is no winner or loser! The aim of each outcome is not a knockout, broken limb or to spill blood but to produce two improved students.
Sparring will sharpen your reflexes, assist your speed, condition your body and develop the ability to judge and close distances. You will also expand your ability to initiate attack.
The sparring arena is also a place where our spiritual strengths and weaknesses are revealed (eg. anger, egotism, jealousy etc.). In this respect, sparring not only improves physical skills but purifies spiritual and emotional values as well
At HCA sparring is taught in separate stages. The standing striking phase with one step to four step kicking and punching drills, next we move on to the standing grappling phase where you will learn movement, breakfall conditioning and using your throwing and sweeping techniques, then there is the ground grappling phase where we learn ground movement and joint lock submissions. Sparring only commences at the Intermediate (Green Belt) level of the Hapkido curriculum. This ensures the student has a solid foundation of basic techniques and movement.
Your level of learning may vary the safety rules below:
- Do not spar unless you have the permission of an Instructor.
- Junior students practice attack, senior students practice defence.
- Immediately STOP when told to or if your opponent taps-out.
- When tapping out, tap your opponent’s body or the floor.
- Thank and bow to your opponent after sparring.
You cannot:
- Head butt, eye gouge, pull hair, bite or manipulate small joints (fingers)
- Strike the throat, groin, spine or back of the head.
- Strike with the elbow or knee and no striking of any kind in a grapple (advanced levels may vary this rule)
You can:
- Kick anywhere apart from the throat, groin, spine or back of head.
- Punch with a closed fist anywhere in between the waist and the chest area.
- Throw and takedown. No throws with the intent to land your opponent on their neck.
- Submit your opponent in the ground phase.
The sparring arena is also a place where our spiritual strengths and weaknesses are revealed. Leave your ego at the door!
We highly value the benefits of sparring and practice it cautiously under strict supervision. Protection is recommended and available for purchase. Leave your ego at the door!
In addition to modern Sparring, let HCA take you back 2000 years in history to learn the supreme wrestling techniques deriving from the ancient Korean wrestling art of Ssirum. Ssirum has been popular since the Three Kingdoms Period (57 BC–668 AD). It has become a national sport that tests the strength and techniques of a wrestler. It has a combination of techniques similar to Judo and Sumo wrestling.
Requiring patience, tenacity and the force of hands, hips, legs and back, a competitor must direct their efforts to turn over an opponent until they will fall. This is not done with a competitors own force, but takes advantage of their opponent's force against them.
A superb mind game and vigorous physical workout. A match can last anywhere between a matter of seconds to many minutes in which both competitors will be exhausted. Great for overall body strength and wrestling technique.
 Ssirum World Champion, Hong Man Choi (not the little guy) |
To find out when Sparring Classes are on visit our Locations & Classes page
