Sparring Frequency - Live Rounds

[Wayfaring]

On another thread we were discussing the frequency of live sparring. I made the claim that a BJJ blue belt will have a minimum of 1250 live rounds when promoted.

I am curious. Out of all the WCK schools that people train at on this forum, how many live sparring rounds per year would you say that you average per year?

I am not talking about chi sau, I'm talking about free unrestricted movement sparring. For measurement purposes, I'd say count them if they are timed 3 to 5 minute rounds. If you don't use timers in your school, extrapolate.

[HumbleWCGuy]

Comparing striking to BJJ in terms of hard upright sparring hours doesn't really make sense. In BJJ, the "sparring" isn't fighting. BJJ "sparring" is pretty much drilling because they don't punch each other no one is getting hurt.

The case could be made that BJJ, "sparring" is the equivalent of solid mitt, bag, and drilling work. Bjjers aren't gloving up and going at it mma-style.

[Wayfaring]

Comparing striking to BJJ in terms of hard upright sparring hours doesn't really make sense. In BJJ, the "sparring" isn't fighting. BJJ "sparring" is pretty much drilling because they don't punch each other no one is getting hurt.

The case could be made that BJJ, "sparring" is the equivalent of solid mitt, bag, and drilling work. Bjjers aren't gloving up and going at it mma-style.

Disagree. My BJJ rounds are every bit as hard as my MMA rounds. Actually ground work is more physically taxing. And in my MMA rounds, when it goes to the ground, that burns you out much quicker than in and out striking at range.

Actually, I've seen more people hurt doing BJJ and no-gi grappling than I have in MMA rounds.

The equivalent in BJJ for mitt, bag, and drilling work is drilling work.

[HumbleWCGuy]

Disagree. My BJJ rounds are every bit as hard as my MMA rounds. Actually ground work is more physically taxing. And in my MMA rounds, when it goes to the ground, that burns you out much quicker than in and out striking at range.

Actually, I've seen more people hurt doing BJJ and no-gi grappling than I have in MMA rounds.

Physically taxing and realistic/full live are two different things. I can do an ass-ton of burpees and get my heart up.

[Frost]

Most boxing sparring and MMA sparring isnt fighting either, intensity is nothing like what you get in a fight most of the time its technical not brutal, balls to the wall knock out sessions happen rarely and usually in fight prep.

As for BJJ guys aren't getting hurt id disagree most of the gyms i have seen get more injuries in an average week grappling that stand up sparring, hyperextended elbows, damaged knees, shoulders necks you name it, simply because the stand up sparring is dialled back, but grappling for the most part happens at or close to 100%

[Wayfaring]

Oh, and guys in case you are not wanting your name specifically attached to your answer on the poll for whatever reason, I left the poll as anonymous, so nobody can see who answered what.

So please don't be scared to answer, homey.

[Frost]

Physically taxing and realistic/full live are two different things. I can do an ass-ton of burpees and get my heart up.

yep but you wont get your arm broke or your knee damaged doing burpees, you will grappling

[HumbleWCGuy]

This idea that BJJ sparring or tournaments is equivalent to fighting needs to stop. Fighting is something that requires courage. No courage is necessary at a BJJ tournament.

[Frost]

This idea that BJJ sparring or tournaments is equivalent to fighting needs to stop. Fighting is something that requires courage. No courage is necessary at a BJJ tournament.

again sorry but this is stupid no one said its the same as fighting, but neither is the normal sparring session in most MMA gyms
at a BJJ comp there is a good chance you will get injured, at every comp i have been to the medics have had their work cut out, is it a fight of course not, but to say no courage is needed is just ignorant

[HumbleWCGuy]

Most boxing sparring and MMA sparring isnt fighting either, intensity is nothing like what you get in a fight most of the time its technical not brutal, balls to the wall knock out sessions happen rarely and usually in fight prep.

I know that most upright sparring isn't fighting. I am just trying to get grapplers to stop pretending that the sparring they do is equivalent to a "KO session."

I am going to have to call bull **** on your injury count. Guys get injured in grappling for sure, but if you are training upright hard you are getting banged up too. When you train hard you will get lumped up somewhere.

[Wayfaring]

Most boxing sparring and MMA sparring isnt fighting either, intensity is nothing like what you get in a fight most of the time its technical not brutal, balls to the wall knock out sessions happen rarely and usually in fight prep.

We try to keep it dialed back, but human nature being what it is I see more often than not a sparring round start light until someone gets hit a little too hard, then it escalates up. If guys (or girls) get an attitude or ****ed they let them go and they work it out in the round. So in that there is no intensity difference between those rounds and what happens in a cage match.

But in general, yes, the goal is to keep the sparring rounds what we call "speed but no power", exactly like you are describing.

As for BJJ guys aren't getting hurt id disagree most of the gyms i have seen get more injuries in an average week grappling that stand up sparring, hyperextended elbows, damaged knees, shoulders necks you name it, simply because the stand up sparring is dialled back, but grappling for the most part happens at or close to 100%

Truth.

[HumbleWCGuy]

again sorry but this is stupid no one said its the same as fighting, but neither is the normal sparring session in most MMA gyms
at a BJJ comp there is a good chance you will get injured, at every comp i have been to the medics have had their work cut out, is it a fight of course not, but to say no courage is needed is just ignorant

Pretty much in every full-contact upright event or mma, the medic has to see to someone, often both. Three guys out of 100 getting injured in grappling is hardly a fight. That's standard athletics.

[Wayfaring]

This idea that BJJ sparring or tournaments is equivalent to fighting needs to stop. Fighting is something that requires courage. No courage is necessary at a BJJ tournament.

Spoken by someone who has obviously never competed at a BJJ tournament.

ALL the MMA coaches I've trained with have their amateur and pro fighters compete in grappling tournaments, for the express purpose that it is the next closest thing to a MMA fight.

[Frost]

I know that most upright sparring isn't fighting. I am just trying to get grapplers to stop pretending that the sparring they do is equivalent to a "KO session."

I am going to have to call bull **** on your injury count. Guys get injured in grappling for sure, but if you are training upright hard you are getting banged up too. When you train hard you will get lumped up somewhere.

who said it equated to a KO session, please quote where this was said?

call bull all you want im speaking from my experience in MMA and grappling thats all, and i dont count black eyes, bloody noses or lumps as injuries because that happens in grappling and stand up sparring all the time: my last black eye came during grappling a few weeks ago, as did my last bloody nose im counting serious injuries which last for several weeks, sprains, knockouts joint injuries etc

[HumbleWCGuy]

Spoken by someone who has obviously never competed at a BJJ tournament.

ALL the MMA coaches I've trained with have their amateur and pro fighters compete in grappling tournaments, for the express purpose that it is the next closest thing to a MMA fight.

I am going to call bull**** on this again. It's a thing that gets close, but the closest thing?...Cough.... Cough... Bull $hit


Again, where is the courage factor that makes fighting a fight.