Ouch! Accidents in the dojo

[WadoAJ]

I'm not sure If I follow you correctly Kyudo..
Are you saying that the children have the control when attacking the upper body and the organs but do not have it when it comes to attacking the legs? As for the nose argument, I can understand.

AJ

[kyudo]

Are you saying that the children have the control when attacking the upper body and the organs but do not have it when it comes to attacking the legs?

If only...
Off course they lack control all over. So I tell them not to hit hard. And if by accident they do hit a bit hard, it is my experience that the upper body is less likely to get seriously injured. It is merely a matter of limiting the risk. There no such thing as risk free karate. Or risk free living, for that matter...

[oneya]

Sparring is a western word which is often too broad a term to apply because - as we can see here - not everyone understands 'sparring' in the same way so it is often the cause of accidents. Kumite should be defined by its Japanese terminology simply because we have a variety of kumite practices like sanbon kumite, ohyo kumite, kihon gumite etc where its raison d’être should apply which would clearly mark its boundaries and in these the sundome factor should be paramount. Only Jiyu kumite has no rules and here the danger should be clear and present and explained as such. Injuries can be expected in jiyu kumite practice so the responsibility for safety in practice is shared, even so, accidents are par for the course and one accepts the mutual responsibility for this.

Old hands will always tell you that if the element of 'threat' or danger is removed, your wado will become embedded in fanciful egocentric play instead of reality so some element of kumite, threat and opponent should be understood and standard from day one. The level of this can be tailored to the amount of control and training but of all its component parts it is fighting spirit and will that is most important. Power strength and ability ebbs away with age but one's spirit will always be retained.

oneya