By Dion Riccardo
Due to the high amount of contact that combat athletes make during training and sparring, it is essential that we take special care to ensure that we do not injure our fellow teammates. Your partner is your coach and you are your partner’s coach while training. Competitiveness is in our nature, but we cannot allow it to come before our teammates’ safety and well-being. In order to make the best of training and sparring we need to meet all the safety precautions required in a contact sport.
Before you begin a martial art or contact sport, you must 1st ensure that you are physically healthy enough to participate. Protective equipment coupled with a protective training environment is a must. The type of protective equipment will vary from sport to sport or art to art. Bottom line is this – if you do not have the proper equipment, you should not participate. If you have been training long enough to be able to spar, you should have the proper equipment. Make sure that the mats (or flooring) are dry, and that the designated sparring area is free from any clutter. Continue reading
