Teaching someone to punch is not teaching them how to mutilate. Teaching someone to punch another is.

IF YOU TEACH SOMEONE HOW TO CUT WITH A KNIFE IN THE KITCHEN, is that mutilation?

You really do need to stop generalising, being steriotypical and stop your bad trait of underestimation, Funstick.

And how the hell would you know what a 15 year old is mature enough for?

Just because at that age you were immature doesn't mean that everyone else has to be.

Also, the fact you even said your 16 doesn't do you any credit, just makes you sound hypocritical.

teaching someone to punch is teaching someone to punch another human being.

when you hit the bag or target you shouldn't see a bag or a target you should see a face, ribs, groin, knee, stomach. as soon as you stop seeing that you're training becomes cardio exercise not a martial art.

as soon as you stop seeing the person you are attacking in a kata/poomse/form your it becomes a dance.

you're learning a martial art, you're learing how to fight, don't forget that.

if you teach some to cut with a knife in a kitchen your teaching them to prepare food. teach someone kali knife-fighting and your teaching them to mutilate a body.

have you seen the opening scene of gangs of new york? this is what you're being taught to do. charming, isn't it. dress it up in a gi or stick it in your tai chi robes its still what you're being taught to do - grim bloody violence.

im 16 and have been doing martial arts since i was 11...from my point of view it all depends on the person / child your teaching...in my martial art they first teach yoo while sparring with a seniour who can show you the ropes with no gloves so that you can get used to constantly having a clenched fist, regardless of your age....when i reached my maroon belt at 14 thats when my sparring got way more serious...i like to think that i show a very mature attitude to my training and i feel full contact sparring is benefical for any ma at any age, only if their mind is mature enough to take in everything and of course to be at a capable skill level...

emm... let me spam here a little bit...

i think MA, especially IMA and aikido, but in reality, anything, is very beneficial for any age, but if and only if taught properly, and the way you may teach properly is different between adult and children groups. MA is teaching children responsibility, discipline, selfcontrol, selfesteem, helps to focus mind. it is hard for me to estimate appropriate minimal age to start training as i have limited communication channels with people younger than 13-14 years, but anyway my first estimation would be 5-6 years if not less. i think if a child is ready for school, he is ready for contact MA. any skill may be misused to harm somebody, but mastering something usually results in a proper state of mind that would minimize the misuse of the art one masters. if the art is of hitting persons, that in my opinion would mean that that person would hit other less, not more, as well as control anger and force.

Funstick, at the ripe old age of 16 you arn't smarter than anyone, my eight year old little brother (who I do contact fighting with, no gear) knows the difference between sparring, doing a kata, and fighting someone in real life.

I know you feel "Noble/intelligent" with your idea that "These kids don't understand what I do about how violent these things are!" but they do, and according to your theory of "a 30 year old knows the difference better because his older" means that you arn't in a position to even say that, because your only 16, where as a "30 year old" disagrees with you, and you still think you are correct.

Our society is filled with age limits and pointless boundries, I see kids who are adults, and adults who are kids.

Relax freind

Nothing wrong with kids sparring with contact long as they have to right protection and learn right from the begining to use proper control.The key word is "control", some adult could learn some control as well.

If I may pose a related question....
What are peoples' views on sparring adult vs. kid (lets say 12-15)? Is this something that you are comfortable with? Do you hold back anything based on their age (or physicality)? I am not talking about throwing a match/fight or to stroke their ego/protect their self-esteem just because it is a kid.

I don't mind working with some of the younger teens we've had come, go, and stay, but I sometimes cringe at hitting a kid. Maybe I am somewhat sadistic, but I figure that once they are about 16, they should be able to handle it and I don't have to worry too much about them being a kid. However, there are adults out there that I really don't like to work with because of their ego and lack of self-control, while there are younger people that i don't worry about that kind of thing because I know that they know what kind of reponse is appropriate to certain techniques or drills.

Is this making any sense? I can't tell anymore...it has been too long of a day...

Shorinjiryumike

Is the equipement you use only the bogu / chest protector as shown on the Mawashi website?
The bogu system I train in only promotes bogu kumite from 5th kyu and up. Joining our style aslo means you are at least 15 years of age.
We also wear head gear with face-shields and a cup. The bogu looks similar to the ones we use.

It is great fighting experience. But be carefull with such little ones. The sometimes confuse sparring with fighting (as the real deal).

Keep up the good work.

Sparring is just one part of class, either your sparring women, children, teenagers or older students that might be 65. It doesn't matter......what matters is how you handle each one individually with respect and the right amount of CONTROL. I suppose if your dojo doesn't spar allot this is all new material but if you do it kind of old. I enjoy sparring everyone since it helps me sharpen areas that might not be used. As an example if I'm sparring a women most of the time I will be Parry/blocking or trying some evassive techniques, kids the same. Teenagers we fight a little harder but with control and others, adult...I have no mercy Just kidding everyone is treated with the utmost respect.