5 Precautions to Prevent Injury During Sparring
Sparring is a full contact martial arts training session that more often than not carries a high risk for serious bodily harm. To better protect yourself from sustaining significant injuries while practicing the martial arts, it is important to take these five precautionary measures:
1) Wear head protection gear
Multiple kicks taken to the head could result in a concussion. Multiple concussions can lead to vomiting, internal bleeding, unnatural mood swings, anxiety, dizziness, and loss of memory. A head guard will help protect the brain from taking serious damage from repeated blows to the head. Always consult a neurologist if you are experiencing any of these symptoms from sparring.
2) Wear a mouth guard
A mouth guard should always be worn when participating in a full-contact sport. This precautionary measure taken before sparring will protect your teeth and lower the risk of a concussion. The jaw bone is much less likely to fall out of place when wearing a guard for your teeth. There is also evidence that shows a mouth guard can help prevent serious neck injuries.
3) Wrap your fingers properly
There are lots of finger and wrist wrapping techniques online that show you how to best protect yourself from hand injuries commonly suffered while sparring. You can choose the best wrapping method for your situation. You want to fully stretch out your fingers and apply the athletic tape so that it will tighten when you make a fist. You do not want to wrap your fingers too tight that they hurt anytime you make a fist. A too-tight wrap can reduce blood flow to the areas needed for sparring.
4) Use moisturizer to prevent nosebleeds
When you are sparring, your nose is more susceptible to cuts. Saline water nose drops and natural moisturizing nose sprays are two great products to try before participating in sparring. Use this precautionary measure, and you are less likely to have to tap out from a nosebleed.
5) Improve your stamina
The best way to avoid severe injuries in sparring is to avoid big hits. Top notch stamina and endurance can help you stay alert throughout intense sparring training. A more massive body frame may threaten to throw punches at you all day, but truth be told, they will get tired. If you keep dodging blows, you can knock the person out in the end when they run out of energy. If you have a high level of conditioning, you can defend yourself with quick movements.
Additionally, males will be required to wear groin cups before they are allowed to participate in sparring. At Royal West Martial Arts, safety is number 1!
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