What is the point of "light sparring" as a consistent training method?

[Speechless]

In my gym, we only go easy on noobs, but give them a few weeks and it's fair game.

I hear a lot of guys say they've done sparring before, but only "light contact".

We don't know the meaning of "light contact" in my gym. Nobody says "let's do some light sparring today". It's just an unwritten rule that you don't go too hard with noobs (or people that are significantly smaller).
But my coach has always believed that you can't give anyone a false sense of security by going light, and that if you want to be a serious competitor, you gotta learn how to go hard - we all got our asses kicked in the beginning (and I still do by bigger/better guys). But we usually go 80-90% during sparring.

I imagine we're not alone here - and that most gyms don't do this half-contact, light-contact stuff.

So does anyone here belong to a gym that does half/light contact sparring on a consistent basis, and what do you get out of it?

[viru§™]

Just a guess, I don't know any of this shit, but maybe to practice technique, like shadow boxing against an actual opponent that you have to react to.

[pecho26]

I have numerous times,most of the times to practice different techniques.
Saw it a bunch of clubs doing the same.Also when facing a bigger guy as well,by bigger more then 15 kg advantage.

[bballchump11]

Originally Posted by viru§™

Just a guess, I don't know any of this shit, but maybe to practice technique, like shadow boxing against an actual opponent that you have to react to.

woah, so you're telling me that I'm not supposed to spar like this all the time?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqfOlItw0_4[/ame]

[viru§™]

Originally Posted by bballchump11

woah, so you're telling me that I'm not supposed to spar like this all the time?

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Lol. After reading my post again it doesn't get my point across at all. Ignore that shit.

[bballchump11]

Originally Posted by viru§™

Lol. After reading my post again it doesn't get my point across at all. Ignore that shit.

I knew what you were trying to get at

[captain hook]

if we spar with 10-12 oz we go light, fists are relaxed (dunno how to translate that on english ), and we try new things or coach orders what to do.. but every week one or two times we go 100% with headgear and 16-20 oz.

[pecho26]

Originally Posted by captain hook

if we spar with 10-12 oz we go light, fists are relaxed (dunno how to translate that on english ), and we try new things or coach orders what to do.. but every week one or two times we go 100% with headgear and 16-20 oz.

Same here.

[pecho26]

Originally Posted by bballchump11

woah, so you're telling me that I'm not supposed to spar like this all the time?

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That hw was really out of his depth there.You spar with hw like that?
I know if i try(78 kg) i would get my head blown away.

[dempsey1234]

Nacho Beristain, use's the first round of a sparring session to just jab, no other punches just jabs. He does it with all his fighters including JMM. He uses the first round to warm up and force you to use and learn the jab.
Sparring is where you sharpen your tools and should have a purpose. A good trainer knows when you are ready to be let off the leash, sparring shouldnt be wars, there should be a plan. Like working on things and trying them in the gym sparring before you try them in a fight. I know a coach, who gives instructions to both fighters, telling them what he wants worked on. I would say that a coach who is trying to teach a new skill will go slow at first, as you get better using that skill the speed and contact will come.

[viru§™]

Originally Posted by dempsey1234

Nacho Beristain, use's the first round of a sparring session to just jab, no other punches just jabs. He does it with all his fighters including JMM. He uses the first round to warm up and force you to use and learn the jab.
Sparring is where you sharpen your tools and should have a purpose. A good trainer knows when you are ready to be let off the leash, sparring shouldnt be wars, there should be a plan. Like working on things and trying them in the gym sparring before you try them in a fight. I know a coach, who gives instructions to both fighters, telling them what he wants worked on. I would say that a coach who is trying to teach a new skill will go slow at first, as you get better using that skill the speed and contact will come.

You're clueless. Sparring always has and always will be a fight to the death!

[BagsWithDust]

Originally Posted by dempsey1234

Nacho Beristain, use's the first round of a sparring session to just jab, no other punches just jabs. He does it with all his fighters including JMM. He uses the first round to warm up and force you to use and learn the jab.
Sparring is where you sharpen your tools and should have a purpose. A good trainer knows when you are ready to be let off the leash, sparring shouldnt be wars, there should be a plan. Like working on things and trying them in the gym sparring before you try them in a fight. I know a coach, who gives instructions to both fighters, telling them what he wants worked on. I would say that a coach who is trying to teach a new skill will go slow at first, as you get better using that skill the speed and contact will come.

I can't agree more. the point of sparring is to help both fighters and sometimes by going light you get a good sense of what you do wrong and right. instead of going in there to go all out you dont learn anything (technique, defense, etc) and the coaches again watch to see what they can help you improve on. sparring isnt supposed to show whose the better fighter but what you need to work on

[BoxinScienceUSA]

when sparring skills should always be at 100%, and adjust speed/strength accordingly to the person in front of you.

when spar mates get used to going light with each other mentally, that's where training for competition will diminish. I'm sure you've all seen it before. a guy should be able to beat the opponent in front of him, but for some reason he's have trouble and the match comes out closer than expected. that's because he's used to working at his spar mate's level and not keeping integrity to his own excellence. once you are aware of this you can maintain it. ex. if you drop your lead hand, and you normally wouldn't do this in competition, and you become aware of it in the moment, then ask yourself why. if your answer is "because this guy is new and i'm not worried about it", then check yourself and get your hand back up.

light sparring is super valuable for learning new skills/strategies. there are 5 levels of training (rest, lower than competition, competition, above competition). where would "light sparring" come in for you?

[dempsey1234]

Originally Posted by viru§™

You're clueless. Sparring always has and always will be a fight to the death!

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[Mimo]

On several occasions at my club I've had to spar with people much heavier and stronger than me who don't know how to throw punches without putting 100% power into it or guys who you can tell just want to hurt someone.