It is rude to ask a teacher to spar if

[Pork Chop]

I've seen a few sparring sessions turn into fights because they guys didn't like each other and the coach didn't think it a big deal.

I think the coach has a lot to do with it.

My muay thai coach seems to have this fascination with being hardcore in everything & sparring hard.
I'd told my coach earlier this year "keep me healthy and I'll fight for you, if I'm injured I can't fight."
Right before I got sick, he was actively trying to get me to knock out beginners. I felt like a tool.
A lot of times people at that gym spar with zero supervision.
Locally, they did/do well in smokers.
Their actual amateur competition record; however, isn't so hot.
There used to be another coach at that gym, more senior with more experience - less into the "hardcore" mentality. He stopped coming around, but when he was there, the team was a lot stronger.

In boxing, I was often asked to spar pros or the golden boys at the gym, because in general I was "beatable" but had enough skill, size, and control that I could keep it interesting and allow the fighter to get work in. This often led to me being "fed" to some monsters. While I didn't like the situation, I understood it. I always thought if I could be one of those trainers' fighters; then it would be pretty nice to have someone looking out for me.

Looking forward to switching to this boxing gym that my friend was going to once I'm healed up completely. He speaks very highly of the coaches & the fighters. They put some sparring on youtube and it seems to corroborate what he was saying. Realistic but controlled. Friendly and supervised.

[TenTigers]

What kind of sparing are you referring to? If it is the slappy hand tcma stuff than that does not really count. Are you talking about with gear, without? How hard was the contact?

with gear, medium to hard contact to the body, controlled contact to the head (my brain? That's my second favorite organ!)-which as I said, turned into hard contact. No, we don't do sparring with slappy hand stuff-whatever that is...?

[RWilson]

with gear, medium to hard contact to the body, controlled contact to the head (my brain? That's my second favorite organ!)-which as I said, turned into hard contact. No, we don't do sparring with slappy hand stuff-whatever that is...?

You know exactly what I'm talking about since you are a tcmaist.

I am talking about this kind of non-sense:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzCH2...e_gdata_player

[TenTigers]

You know exactly what I'm talking about since you are a tcmaist.

I am talking about this kind of non-sense:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzCH2...e_gdata_player

ohhhh...ok, yeah.
Sorry, I forgot.

[IronFist]

but I almost have to play that perfectly because he will try to hurt me. He drops his hands a lot and leans back against the ropes - if I tap him lightly he talks trash, if I chin check him even a little he calls "foul", starts making excuses, loses his temper, and then goes into stalker mode. It's just more drama than I feel like dealing with on a day-to-day basis.

Precisely the kind of douche that sucks to spar with, anyway.

[IronFist]

You know exactly what I'm talking about since you are a tcmaist.

I am talking about this kind of non-sense:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzCH2...e_gdata_player

That stuff is too dangerous for the ring. That was high level sparring.

[-N-]

That stuff is too dangerous for the ring. That was high level sparring.

Yes, they were high.