Please Recommend a Head Guard

[Shaolin Wookie]

Big publisher doesn't matter. A high school kid publishing books (you are 21, 4 years ago you were 17 or 18, right?) would be big news in the publishing world. Since it usually takes 12 to 18 months to go to press (especially at smaller presses), you must have been 15 or 16 when you finished it! And that isn't even taking into account the time it takes to solicit queries!


And non-fiction to boot! You're research skills must have been sensational!

I'm intrigued! Just tell me the name of the press.

I'm 26, published at 22....LOL--that's nothing big, especially considering the fact it was second-rate....got 2 on the shelf I'm working on. I was recommended to the Univ. press by a creative writing teacher who helped run it, so it was guaranteed for publishing. It included some works I'd done in high school and retailored (sartor resartus), but wasn't published while I was in high school. Tell you what, when I get these next ones published, I'll let you know. I'm rather proud of these ones. The first one is like the first girl you banged. She probably wasn't that hot, because you just wanted to get laid. So you don't go telling everyone all about her, only that you did her. And it was awesome.

[MasterKiller]

I'm 26, published at 22....LOL--that's nothing big, especially considering the fact it was second-rate....got 2 on the shelf I'm working on. I was recommended to the Univ. press by a creative writing teacher who helped run it, so it was guaranteed for publishing. Tell you what, when I get these next ones published, I'll let you know. I'm rather proud of these ones. The first one is like the first girl you banged. She probably wasn't that hot, because you just wanted to get laid. So you don't go telling everyone all about her, only that you did her. And it was awesome.

Which University press?

If it was 2nd rate, how are you still getting royalty checks?

[Shaolin Wookie]

Which University press?

If it was 2nd rate, how are you still getting royalty checks?

Anyone who orders it online (they have a limited print-on-demand function like a vanity publisher [those guys--vanity publishers, I mean-- will publish anything you submit, you often have to pay to have them do so, but they'll only print when one gets ordered]. Mine wasn't vanity, but that print-on-demand function vanity uses is kind of like how my book is now that it's out of stores) or orders its webformat application--I get royalties. It's a small percentage, I forget how much, b/c I don't get many royalty checks anymore....LOL.....

[MasterKiller]

Anyone who orders it online (they have a limited print-on-demand function like a vanity publisher [those guys--vanity publishers, I mean-- will publish anything you submit, you often have to pay to have them do so, but they'll only print when one gets ordered]. Mine wasn't vanity, but that print-on-demand function vanity uses is kind of like how my book is now that it's out of stores) or orders its webformat application--I get royalties. It's a small percentage, I forget how much, b/c I don't get many royalty checks anymore....LOL.....

But you just said you enjoy getting those royalty checks every quarter. Don't be so modest.

So which press was that, again?

[Shaolin Wookie]

But you just said you enjoy getting those royalty checks every quarter. Don't be so modest.

So which press was that, again?

I'm not modest. I'm mortified by that book. It's dead to me. And so's this issue. If I tell you who published it, it's easy to find, and easy to order. So here's where I plead the fif'....case closed. Subject to retrial if you wish. But I'll plead insanity, and I'll lock up the courtroom in a hung verdict by presenting contradictory information.l....LOL.....

[MasterKiller]

I'm not modest. I'm mortified by that book. It's dead to me. And so's this issue. If I tell you who published it, it's easy to find, and easy to order.

Or maybe you are just full of $hit...

[Shaolin Wookie]

Or maybe you are just full of $hit...

C'est la vie. All Cretins are liars....LOL.....

[MASTERforge]

My post went a bit off topic

I thought about having the front face bars because I wanted to practice light contact to the front of the face. I wanted to practice sparring and include Qin Na techniques so i would be using MMA gloves. So the fingers would be exposed I was also thinking of stray eye pokes might accidentally get through.

It might be worth pointing out that my main sparring partner is 19 stone and I am under 11 stone. He is new to sparring so is not controlled all of the time. I occasionally get an accidental hard shot which feels like a train has hit me. So i wouldn't want one on the end of the nose.

Its all well saying duck, bob and weave and it might be worth training neck muscles. But with no matter how much training punches will land.

Saying just toughen up without head gear isn't practical for me. I don't want to make a career out of it and I want to keep injuries to a minimum. So in later life I hopefully wont get arthritis.

At 26 injuries are taking a lot longer to heal and some are permanent. I have quite a collection of permanent injuries already.

I am not afraid to spar and I am also used to roughing it up and going full contact. I just want to be able to take the pads off and go to work on a Monday not broken and busted.

I think some people like to post comments when they have no idea about what they are talking about. It doesn't help, and people can get really bad advice. Its a good job there are people here to expose the lack of knowledge and judgement.

That being said, thanks for all the advice within the topic.

[Shaolin Wookie]

Are you male or female? (Sorry, not being an @ss, it's just never clear on this board)--as that might change things a little.

Light contact will not break your nose. It's good to get hit by someone bigger than you, simply for the fact you need to be able to learn how to take those kinds of shots. If your partner is trying to actually hurt you, that's another matter. But going hard contact is fine. I never wear headgear, and I've never had anything more than bumps or soreness. Then again, I move my head and shoulders plenty.

The reason I brought up the bobbing and weaving is they save your ass from combinations. What happens is that you'll get hurt if you catch that first one to the face that stuns you (you'll get hurt because of what follows, not that first one--that is). If you don't move quickly, you'll catch three more before you see 'em coming. You've got to move your head and keep the chin tucked.

My teacher was a LB with the ATL Falcons, LOL. But if he were to spar me for demo, I can guarantee he wouldn't go full blast (thank the fates), because he recognizes that kind of power difference. Maybe you should just tell your sparring partner--"hey man, you're twice as big as me, so you can't go full contact." There's nothing lame about that. I have no pretensions to professional fighting either. But a facemasked helmet is probably the wrong way to go. Just get the other dude to tone it down some. You're clearly not talking FULL CONTACT MMA, right?

[MasterKiller]

The reason I brought up the bobbing and weaving is they save your ass from combinations. What happens is that you'll get hurt if you catch that first one to the face that stuns you (you'll get hurt because of what follows, not that first one--that is). If you don't move quickly, you'll catch three more before you see 'em coming. You've got to move your head and keep the chin tucked.

Unless you are Anderson Silva, bobbing and weaving outside of a boxing match is a good way to get your head cracked. Boxing defense doesn't translate to full-contact (which is basically what kung fu training is supposed to be).

[Yum Cha]

Masterforge,
Here's my 2 bits concerning headgear.

A face mask on headgear moves the effective target closer to the opponent. Its like having a big face, if you catch my drift. Thus, a punch that would have only touched, now touches a good 3 or more inches, i.e. more power gets put into your head, and your targetting/movement gets changed to accommodate. That's what bugs me the most about face masked headgear. You may find it easy to tag someone wearing facemask, wearing gloves, but a lot harder to tag someone barehanded without any headgear. The inch or two of glove, and another 2 or 3 of facemask makes a difference.

Face mask does however disperse the energy to the entire headgear, instead of your nose, lips, ears, etc.

Also, you have to use gloves if you use a facemask, or your opponent will cut up their hands on the face guard. (more at the end of this post on that.)

A regular boxing headgear, like the ones recommended by several guys, with the 'cheeks' on them, likewise protect the nose by in essence building up the area around it, so when you get hit in the nose, the padding supports it a bit. They change the range a lot less as well, making it more realistic.
I agree, they do mess up your vision, especially if your opponent tries to slide it around on you as you spar... I would never do something like that myself.... Its not like boxers just invented them yesterday, they are a bit of a proven technology for gloved sparring.

There's also nothing to cut up bare hands, but practically speaking, you probably still want to use gloves.

As you refer to eye attacks and grappling, I'm thinking that perhaps you aren't wearing gloves, or you are wearing MMA or San Da Gloves? See the problem? Facemasks are for protection from gloved hands, yet gloved hands don't eye gouge without a lot of effort...

Another thing headgear is good for is exercises - armoured coach against un-armoured trainee. Coach wears vest, helmet, gloves, shinguards, forearm guards, in whatever combination, and plays a free flowing variable drill against a student, who has to deliver some power into a defense/attack. Coach can whack the student with a gloved hand whenever necessary, yet the student gets to practice open hand techniques as required. Coach is expected to be a bit better able to protect his head, but when they do get through, it's no big thing.

May not be your cup of tea, but its good for training traditional techniques into effectiveness without it becoming just another kickboxing exercise.

I know lots of people who don't spar 'full on' all the time, sometimes you out-skill your opponent, sometimes you're working a particular skill, sometimes, you're just playing with friends and you're not into it - millions of reasons. Anybody who says otherwise must be from a Galaxy Far Far Away...

[David Jamieson]

You're a writer who uses "these ones"? lol, you do realize that is grammatically incorrect don't you?