The Importance of Free-Sparring. (In Traditional Karate)

Why practice free-sparring in traditional Karate?

Is it practical to assume "fighting stances" and square off against another Karateka, who will most likely use some or many of the same techniques as you?  What about some of the "light/no contact" type sparring you see in many places.  There are plenty of arguments that can be made against free-sparring but believe it or not, this is a Pro-sparring article.

The benefits of sparring far out weigh the negatives in my humble opinion, however we must understand it's limits and short comings.

First off, what environment are you training for?
Personally, I'm not training for points or training to win a No Holds Barred competition.  I'm more concerned with, if need be, protecting myself and those around me.  This may mean engaging with an assailant, or it could be utilizing the conditioning I've gained through Karate to endure and escape.

Time to get to the meat of this article.

Now there are many other methods to acquire these benefits but like I said this is about sparring.
Squaring off with someone, especially for the first time, outside of the safety parameters of "one-step" or two person drills does something for the mindset and attitude of the Karateka.  Fear and aggression are things we must constantly face ourselves with we are to ever protect ourselves in a "live" situation.  Staying calm under pressure while under attack, and fostering a necessary aggressiveness towards an opponent are essential in taking that first step towards being able to protect yourself.

How to take a hit, and how to give one.  In a quasi-live environment like free-sparring it's different taking a hit than it is having a partner hit you in the stomach when you're ready for it.  How to breath and absorb a blow or roll with a punch so you can respond.  How effective is Karate when you're a crumpled mess on the floor after having the wind knocked out of you.  It's all about preparation. It's also important to know how it feels to hit a live target with some intent.  I'm a small guy and often I hear my teacher say "Make them respect you."  Not in a "come get some" kind of way, but in a "give as good as you get" kind of way.

Distance of engagement, maai.  I believe that Karate's ideal range is up close and personal.  So what does free-sparring teach us?  How to bridge that gap of course.  How can I get past this guy's punches and kicks? What if he/she is a good thrower? Do I panic when I'm grabbed or if my hair is pulled?  When I do get inside and up close, what do I do with my Karate then?  These are all questions that should be answered when sparring.

Unfortunately sparring can get us stuck in a rut. Eventually sparring has to evolve, or else we feel ourselves getting stuck. Many life time competitors find them selves with the same problem and ultimately come to the same answer, kata.  So how does Kata fit into free-sparring?  Many schools have the same problem.  We spend hours working two person sets, analyzing the kata, working bunkai.  Some schools have self-defense where they number it by attack. 1. is a wrist grab 2. is a collar grab etc.  but when we spar none of it is evident.  Why do we fail to make the connection?  Is it because our partners don't attack us the way it's prescribed in the drills? Or because it's too fast paced? Or because we've spent years training a certain way we've put ourselves in a box.  Many schools have many answers.  Some may not have this problem at all, others may not realize there is a disconnect at all.

My teacher calls it moving bunkai, I'm sure it has another name but it fits.  Our partner, or attacker engages anyway they want, and continuously at that.  The attack is not defined and if we fail to meet and stop the attack then they continue.  The key is to not let it turn into a sparring match but utilize the tactics and principles of the kata.  I can go into more detail later but for the purpose of the article I'll cut it short.  Strikes, throws, locks, pins, chokes are all viable.  Hair grabbing, ear pulling, finger locks etc.  It obviously has to start at a medium pace to avoid injury, but hey, you can only build a house from the ground up.  As we progress so too should the level of intensity of this type of moving bunkai.

To be honest, I had a hard time penning my thoughts on this one so I apologize if I left anything unclear and can perhaps clear things up in the future.