Is Sparring Necessary in Martial Arts?

I get it. Some people don't want to take up martial arts (mma in particular) because they are worried they have to spar. In my own personal experience, I remember as a kid, dreading sparring because I knew that I wasn't very good at it; so I stuck to getting really good at forms. Not only was I not very good at it, my Taekwondo school at the time wasn't a very sparring heavy school, and my instructor often made bad remarks to Taekwondo schools that did nothing but spar. "They may beat you in sparring, but they don't even know poomse" he would say.

What is wrong with this thinking?

For a long time, I used to think the same exact way. I felt that there was more value in forms and that it truly defined a martial artist. It took years of realizing that thought was foolish to realize the reason why I took martial arts in the first place; to fight. Poomse, or kata whatever you call it, will NOT make you a better fighter. I practiced poomse for years and years, and only when I sparred and practiced did my sparring get better, not by practicing poomse. Some even make the arguement that ITF (international taekwondo federation) practioners just practiced poomse and then just sparred with that. This makes me chuckle because having experienced boxing, I do believe that they did that now; they have some of the worst punches i've ever seen! The whole sideways stance greatly limits a cross...but I digress.

So to answer the question, yes. Sparring is necessary, and alot of it. While I do think Taekwondo sparring is very limited and unrealistic and think that you'd be better off taking a kickboxing striking art or grappling art, I'd take a guy who Taekwondo spars for years rather than a guy who practices punching and kicking the air.

Have a Great Day,

Martial Arts Tutor