SPARRING Etiquette

Sparring. It’s one of those things that’s always a bit scary when you start.

All Muay Thai and boxing gyms offer sparring to those wanting to test the techniques they have learnt in class against some resistance. Sparring is a tool used to develop timing and accuracy, as well as defence.

At Ironfist Muay Thai Brisbane, our coaches oversee all sparring to make sure no one is hitting too hard or getting injured, and everyone is upholding basic sparring etiquette, from beginner Muay Thai and boxing all the way through to our advanced fighters.

After you have been doing Muay Thai or boxing for a while and we can see you have a good understanding of the basics, Ironfist will encourage you to try some light sparring in our intermediate to advanced classes.

For some people, they are immediately keen to get in there. For others, they might not think they are ready, or not want to spar at all – it is completely up to you.

If you do decide that you want to try out sparring, great! Just keep in mind a few important sparring etiquette rules before your first spar at Ironfist Muay Thai.

Have the proper gear

Sparring requires a mouthguard and boxing gloves to protect yourself and your sparring partner.
Ideally, your gloves should be at least 14oz to protect your opponent.
For Muay Thai sparring, make sure you also have shin guards to protect your shins and feet when sparring.
If you are missing any equipment or have any questions regarding gear, just let us know, and we will be happy to assist you.

Sparring is not a fight; keep the contact nice and light

You should never be going 100% in sparring.
While hard sparring has its place for more experienced practitioners, beginners Muay Thai and boxing sparring at Ironfist is a controlled process.
Remember, you are not trying to hurt your opponent, but instead work with them to develop their skills as well as your own.

Communicate with your sparring partner

Your sparring partner is just that: your partner!
Communication is key; let them know if they are sparring too hard for you, and expect that they will tell you the same if they feel uncomfortable.
If you or your teammate have any kind of injury, letting the other know is important – you should be working with your sparring partner, not against them, so there is no point in worsening an injury unnecessarily.

Don’t ‘walk through’ punches and kicks

Getting hit is part of sparring.
You are going to wear some punches or kicks in any given boxing or Muay Thai sparring session.
If your opponent lands a clean shot, getting flustered and throwing something too hard in return is only going to hinder your progress as a martial artist.
Instead, simply take a pause, give a little nod or touch gloves to acknowledge that, had they thrown the strike with full force, it would be a high-scoring shot in a fight.
If you land a hard strike in boxing or Muay Thai sparring, make sure your opponent is alright to continue.

Always show respect

Sparring can be daunting to beginner boxing and Muay Thai practitioners, but most people fall in love with sparring quickly!
At the end of the day, sparring should be fun and relatively risk-free at the same time.
Our coaches at Ironfist Muay Thai Brisbane are attentive to the health and safety of everyone in the gym and expect that everyone demonstrates respect for each other.

Ironfist Muay Thai Brisbane usually incorporates sparring into our Wednesday Muay Thai classes at 5:30pm, which caters for intermediate to advanced fighters. We also have a dedicated sparring session on Saturday mornings for all strikers at 9:00am.