brain damage from sparring?

Young Turkey

Young Turkey

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How often do you guys spar? I usually do 2x a week, and some times when I'm going against some of the am my fighters at my gym I get clipped pretty good to the head and am a little worried of developing brain damage. For ex, yesterday I got clipped with a could solid hooks and ducked straight into a kick at one point. Had a bit of a headache when I got home.
I like hitting pads and all but just feel like I need to spar to really find out my holes and fix them against live opponents. That said, I'm not a fighter and don't plan to be so I also don't want to develop long term brain damage.

So how often are you guys sparring, and how hard? Also any other advice is welcome. thanks
 
You gotta pay to play. Brain damage, even mild brain damage is the elephant in the gym.
 
Depends on the format you spar under. But personally I think hard sparring should be done less frequently - in fact I personally feel it's much more beneficial to spar between light-medium intensity. This way you can spar more often, develop reflexes & experience and with very minimal brain trauma.

There are plenty of guys that don't develop brain injuries or problems later on in life, precisely because they train intelligently.

Shadowboxing is a great way to identify flaws - as well as sparring. Drilling is the best way to correct these flaws either drilling on heavy bag, pads or even in front of a mirror or even better get someone to drill with you (I think this is the best way to correct problems).
 
Do you spar with headgear on? I used to not use headgear because I thought I looked like a jabroni using it, now I always spar with it because I don't want to be like Chuck Liddell when I'm 40. I find that the headgear makes a big difference
 
Honestly brain damage in combat sports is a little overrated. Of course we constantly see guys in retirment slur their words but most are really fine. Of course brain damage has effected them as well but the extent is so small that it is unnoticeable. Usually the guys who slur words and have proper damage are guys who fought for way too long and didnt train smart. Most guys go an entire career of fighting and sparring and are fine afterwards so you shouldn't worry too much about just sparring.
 
TheMadHatter said:
Do you spar with headgear on? I used to not use headgear because I thought I looked like a jabroni using it, now I always spar with it because I don't want to be like Chuck Liddell when I'm 40. I find that the headgear makes a big difference
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I think there has been research that headgears only increase brain damage (but reduce cuts).

@OP: Try to spar at lesser intensities or just don't worry about it. I use to get headaches but I've yet to slur *touches wood*
 
If you are aiming to having professional or amateur fights at all, you can ease up a bit, maybe ask for your partners that you guys go light, there is no need for you to get concussions in training. Hard sparring certainly doesn't do good for your health, especially in long run. Although it can be necessarily sometimes for fighters, but as you said, you are not aiming to be a fighter so you dont have to do that. Have some light sparring and fun there
 
I remember trainers saying that after 6-12 months of time off (after a fight or a heavy sparring) the damage gets healed.

I still wonder if that's true.
 
Don't duck into kicks... that's like the #1 most noobish thing to do.

you should be sparring lightly with people at your level than with competitive amateurs.
 
^ i kind of disagree. sparring people below you, the same, and better than you is a great way to learn and get a feel for your development. you just have to have the courage to ask people to go lighter. i spar with ammy fighters and they're always happy to break things down and go at my level. in fact i feel sparring with some of the other beginners is far more hazardous to my health
 
Turns out in sparring you get struck in the head. Something you may want to consider before choosing a combat sport.
 
Hard sparring should be done more sparingly, it's better going fast and technical, you identify flaws, get your timing right you could also go hard on legkicks and bodyshots.
 
Our coach is very heavy on sparring but his standard for sparring is 30% power, 80% speed.

I always wear headgear.
 
I've never had trouble treating sparring as a game of face-tiggie, but there seem to be so many other people that can only punch at full power.

The threat of brain damage was a large factor in making me decide to quit. Its kind of scary after some hard sparring sessions when you feel a little bit punchy for a short time.

If it worries you, don't spar would be my advice. It could continue to manifest as a fear and make it more likely that you'll get hit in the long run. Plus you aren't training for competition, so you don't really have a need to find the holes in your game.

Personally, I treat boxing/muay thai more like martial arts and less like combat sports these days and I actually enjoy them more.
 
I equate hard sparring with heavy weight lifting. I like to do it, I just don't like to do it more than once a week, if that. You get most of your gains at a lower %. You just go heavy occasionally to explore the peak of your power and condition your attitude about things.
 
Dreadlock666 said:
I've never had trouble treating sparring as a game of face-tiggie, but there seem to be so many other people that can only punch at full power.
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Yeah, or they start out technical and turn into sluggers after you tag them cleanly once or twice.
 
apizur** said:
Turns out in sparring you get struck in the head. Something you may want to consider before choosing a combat sport.
Click to expand...

Judo, BJJ, Sambo - combat sports without the brain trauma. :wink:
 
Another thing I didn't see mentioned is just training smart. If you get rocked in practice you can always just sit out. The most brain damage happens is when you get hit hard on the chin and then be a tough guy and continue to spar.

If I get caught clean to the point where I'm rocked, I'll just tell the other guy "damn that was a nice one, I need to sit out" and they are usually cool with it.

Also if that happens towards the end of the practice then I'll just sit out for the rest of sparring. But if it's near the beginning then just choose your training partners wisely and tell them you just rather go light today
 
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