Can soft sparring on a weekly basis give you some brain damage?

[BirdSong]

The really dangerous shots are the ones you didn't see coming.

dillion and an uppercut lol

[Lomadeaux]

Can soft sparring on a weekly basis harm you and still increase your chances of getting cte ? Does soft sparring become more dangerous without headgear ?

Find a new sport.

[CubanGuyNYC]

If you're doing technical sparring, like Thai sparring, and going to just taps with good control, its not particularly dangerous. Hard sparring with idiots is the big threat. If you have a good gym with people who have the skill to be controlled, you'll likely be ok. If you don't trust your sparring partner, sit the round out. There's a lot of high level MMA guys that won't do any sparring at all, particularly striking. That's much less common in boxing still, and far more common to find guys who go too hard because they let their ego get into it.

Ironically, gloves and head gear can lead to more brain damage than not because people think they're safer. But the point of the gloves is to protect your hands, not your opponent, and the head gear doesn't do much to mitigate your brain bashing against your skull.

I'd be very cautious with it. I still spar, but very carefully and without ego, Thai style. There's a lot fewer Muay Thai fighters with lots of brain damage compared to boxers, even though they're hitting each other with kicks, elbows, and knees, and many of them have hundreds of fights.

You'll also really help yourself by doing neck strengthening exercises. A strong neck and good vision for what you're getting hit by really helps. The really dangerous shots are the ones you didn't see coming.

What is Thai-style sparring? And not saying you’re wrong, but I find it hard to believe that high level MMA guys don’t spar. I don’t see how else one can develop the necessary pain tolerance/punch resistance. It’s like self-imposed ring rust. I’ll never forget the first time I took a shot to the head during sparring. I immediately understood why they call it “having your bell rung.” And you’re right: people think gloves are meant to protect the fighters — they’re meant to protect their hands and extend the battle. Also, as you said, headgear does little if anything to prevent brain damage. The gear just helps prevent cuts, and mitigate bruises and swelling. Combat sports are no joke. If more fans sparred, there would be a lot more respect for the athletes that have the guts to compete.

[Boxfan83]

Wtf is soft sparring? Is that like dry humping?

[crimsonfalcon07]

What is Thai-style sparring? And not saying you’re wrong, but I find it hard to believe that high level MMA guys don’t spar. I don’t see how else one can develop the necessary pain tolerance/punch resistance. It’s like self-imposed ring rust. I’ll never forget the first time I took a shot to the head during sparring. I immediately understood why they call it “having your bell rung.” And you’re right: people think gloves are meant to protect the fighters — they’re meant to protect their hands and extend the battle. Also, as you said, headgear does little if anything to prevent brain damage. The gear just helps prevent cuts, and mitigate bruises and swelling. Combat sports are no joke. If more fans sparred, there would be a lot more respect for the athletes that have the guts to compete.

Thai fighters do primarily light technical sparring. They get to see various styles and try things out without risking each other. Fighters who don't spar include the likes of Max Holloway, Robbie Lawler, Tim Kennedy, and more. GSP talked with Rogan about how he doesn't think hard sparring is a good idea, and how too many fighters end up leaving their careers in the gym because they sparred too hard. You develop the conditioning through other aspects of your training. Kicking a heavy bag, for instance, conditions the shins so that Thai fighters, who have been doing hundreds of strikes a day full force, every day, can kick down trees or break their opponents arms and legs as Tawanchai has done in some of his earlier title defenses. The point of sparring isn't pain tolerance. That can be accomplished in a lot of other ways. It's to experience having an opponent in front of you, and you can still get full benefit without going hard, especially if you go into every session with a goal. A lot of guys just go into sparring to try to hit more and get hit less, and end up progressing slower than they would have otherwise. Boxing is really behind the times with that. I think we'll see fighters rely more on technical sparring and they'll really lengthen their careers.

[crimsonfalcon07]

What is Thai-style sparring? And not saying you’re wrong, but I find it hard to believe that high level MMA guys don’t spar. I don’t see how else one can develop the necessary pain tolerance/punch resistance. It’s like self-imposed ring rust. I’ll never forget the first time I took a shot to the head during sparring. I immediately understood why they call it “having your bell rung.” And you’re right: people think gloves are meant to protect the fighters — they’re meant to protect their hands and extend the battle. Also, as you said, headgear does little if anything to prevent brain damage. The gear just helps prevent cuts, and mitigate bruises and swelling. Combat sports are no joke. If more fans sparred, there would be a lot more respect for the athletes that have the guts to compete.

Here is another guy discussing the effectiveness of light sparring... You might recognize him...

https://******************/_poUKEEc4Pw

I actually will often tell my sparring partners exactly what I'm working on just so I can get as much practice on it as possible. I think sparring is necessary, but hard sparring is best done sparingly (or sparringly, as the case might be?).

[CubanGuyNYC]

Here is another guy discussing the effectiveness of light sparring... You might recognize him...

https://******************/_poUKEEc4Pw

I actually will often tell my sparring partners exactly what I'm working on just so I can get as much practice on it as possible. I think sparring is necessary, but hard sparring is best done sparingly (or sparringly, as the case might be?).

Appreciate it, man. Unfortunately, certain links are disabled by asterisks on this site. I couldn’t watch what you sent.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Appreciate it, man. Unfortunately, certain links are disabled by asterisks on this site. I couldn’t watch what you sent.

Naturally... Was Floyd Mayweather talking about how he doesn't hit hard in sparring and just practices certain things.

[TheProudLunatic]

If a person is aspiring to become a boxer, getting concussed is a situation they should get comfy with

If a person is just doing soft sparring and is still worried, head gear and pillow gloves would be best