What do you think about girls sparring against boys in taekwondo?
I think they should spar. The only way anyone will get better at live contact is to spar with people better than you. Years and years ago, when I first started sparring, there were girls that would kick my butt. Later as I advanced, I would focus on landing the strike or kick, but not put full power into it. That's not chauvinistic, as I would do the same with lower ranked men or teenagers. Now when I spar with another man of equal or greater rank, we go all out with speed and power. You don't want to get too used to pulling strikes or kicks because then that's what you will do in a real situation.
How would a woman get better if faced with a real life self defense situation if she never tried the techniques in a live sparring situation?
I believe that we should all train against as many types of fighters as possible. Women benefit from training against men, because men are generally larger and stronger. Additionally, I for one, find sparring a well trained female fighter a good challenge, as many I know have wonderful kicks.
Of course they should spar, assuming they have appropriate protective gear.
In my karate club, appropriate gear is hand mitts, son and instep pads and gum shields for everyone, plus groin guards for the boys/men and chest guards for the girls/women. Without your gear, you don't spar. With it, you do.
If they are not sparring then they are at a great misfortune. So much is learned from sparring in any style.
Not really knowing its better than a women pulling a butcher stab.
None of the girls in my taekwondo class do sparring. It's not just white belts though, any of them.
What do you think about girls sparring against boys in taekwondo?
