Canadian Open

[Southwell]

I competed in the Canadian Open yesterday and was surprised at how many very young children[9,10 yr olds] had BB's.I'm sure this has been discussed here before but I didn't really give it much thought till I sat and watched the 15 to 17 boys sparring,oh my gosh it was a clumsy game of tag with them diving and lunging to tag the other guy.Some of these bad habits are going to get them in big trouble in a real fight. Some of the best sparring was the womens divisions,they waited for openings and threw their reverse punches and lead leg kicks.

[Sapphire]

That's just how some kids that young fight regardless of training. When we put little kids in full sparring gear it looks more like a catfight than sparring. Now the older they get, as in 12 and up, they start mixing techniques up and then it doesn't look so much as a catfight.

Diving? What style of MA is this? Are they diving and putting their weight behind a punch/kick or diving as in a tackle?

[Eliz]

Scott,
The 15-17 year olds boys that you described (clumsy, diving for their opponent, running game of tag), sound a little inexperienced in competition. They may be great MA ists, but relatively inexperienced competitors. As I'm sure you know, competition has an entirely different mindset and training mode.

As for the women, yes - our divisions are generally very strong and very skilled. The adult men [30 +] are also very strong and skilled.

As for the miniature BB's? Well, many are tremendous athletes but most of us here agree that being a good athlete doesn't necessarily warrant a person a BB in MA's.

[Andrew Green]

Some of these bad habits are going to get them in big trouble in a real fight.

Most point fighting habits will get you in real trouble in a real fight, but then again, that's not the point of point fighting is it?

Believe it or not, speed and agression, even if it is blindly attacking straight on as soon as the ref says go can get you quite far in point fighting, it is a first to tag scores and what "would" happen after that is irrelevant.

[Southwell]

Hi Elizabeth,at 9 -12 yrs old its a tender age and with most of there experience being point fighting,I think it gives them a false sense of security.They wear a BB but are they a BB ? This goes for grown men as well,I know a guy who has a BB in Tracy's Kenpo who never sparred once in his training because his club thinks its to dangerous and the insurance is a issue ?If you want to be a fighter you have to fight.Hi Andrew-Early in my training I was successful in tournament point sparring,I always had fast hands so I would get points quick and win. That was fine till as a orange -purple belt I started to do continous sparring,oh what a eye opener. Continous is all that I do now and my point is I feel I'm more able to defend myself against a real attacker because I've learned to hit and be hit,to be pushed beyond exhaustion and still hang in there.Its no longer a game of tag but more of survival.Sorry to go on but after taking the time to watch the sparring this weekend even the BB,I'm not sure how well some would do against a real street fighter.Not putting anyone down its just my opinion.Blessings

[Eliz]

Unfortunately, sparring classes are disappearing at an alarming rate. I have also heard the insurance companies are driving hard on this issue.

As for BB representing your ability to street fight - many feel BB represents achieving a certain level within a chosen field. I really don't believe that applies so much to competitors, as it does students of traditional MA's. I love competitive MA's, but I have always believed, and probably always will believe that athletics and traditional MA's are not sononomous. There are a lot of "proceedures" in competition that certainly don't apply outside of a tournament venue.

[rockatear]

I competed in the Canadian Open yesterday and was surprised at how many very young children[9,10 yr olds] had BB's.I'm sure this has been discussed here before but I didn't really give it much thought till I sat and watched the 15 to 17 boys sparring,oh my gosh it was a clumsy game of tag with them diving and lunging to tag the other guy.Some of these bad habits are going to get them in big trouble in a real fight. Some of the best sparring was the womens divisions,they waited for openings and threw their reverse punches and lead leg kicks.

I have attended numerous tournaments on the west coast watching 15-17 year old black belts spar. The overwhelming majority are excellent point fighters. I appreciate the inappropriateness of young black belts who are fighting each other and don't have the skills and makes one wonder how in the heck did they get past green belt. But I really don't want to take away from the 15-17 year olds who have earned their black belts. They may not have the wisdom of older black belts or even the experience (I'm talking tournament now), but they are due the respect when they get out there and show their stuff, especially when they have been certified by teachers of reputable established martial arts with proven lineages.

with respect,

[Southwell]

Good point,Shirley.

[Chris Wade]

I was very involved in judging point fighting competitions until a few years ago.

I could never accept the concept of an 8 or 9 year old black belt. They simply lack the ability and maturity to perfect the techniques required for black belt, in my opinion.

I had the opportunity to judge the Canadian championships a couple of times, the WKA World championships once and the IAKSA junior championship once.

I hated judging kata competitions, with the most defiled being "musical kata". Half the time the musical kata division was someone doing some gymnastic monstrosity with music playing in the background.

In terms of sparring, since it is really a game of tag, you will see "techniques" that you would never see applied outside the point fighting ring. It is a game tag, after all.

[nirgle]

You can only be awarded your first black belt once: It is tragic that they are constantly being awarded to those who frankly do not yet have the capacity for appreciation and sincere reflection. In my club there are several black belts who haven't even hit the age of ten. When I see them I feel disappointed, as though they've been robbed of something truly awesome.

[Noble_421]

A bit off topic, I know, but I'm curently seeking an open tournemant in canada. I wish too compete and have been having troubles finding answers to dates and locations and every thing in that nature. If some one could point me in the right direction it would be most appriciated.

p.s looking for something away from point sparring.

[Southwell]

Hi Eric, go to Tourcanada.com or the pmaonline.net, hope this helps.

[Noble_421]

Thanks much scott