I have a new found respect for full-contact point fighting?

Question

I was injured in my last san shou bout, so after a few months of rehab and rest, I entered a martial arts tourney and did forms, but I also entered the full-contact point fighting. I used to make fun of point-fighting, but it takes so much focus and skill. Granted, its not practical on all accounts, but neither is any ring sport. This has brought my kung fu to a whole new level. These guys were charging me and I was unleashing techniques from instinct rather than IQ. It showed me that my techniques are embedded in my brain. I took home 2nd that day too. Anybody agree with me?

Answer 1

Absolutely - "fighting contests" of whatever kind definitely increase the level of your game.  Sparring helps.  Point fighting helps.  Training helps.  All of them in different ways.

There is no real way to prepare for a street fight - you can't train BJJ on asphalt or Muay Thai with barstools and beer puddles in the gym.  

You are putting your technique to a test - albiet a controlled one -in a pressure situation in full contact point fighting tourneys.  The skill set is totally different, but training is training.  I say keep fighting in San Shou or Point tourneys, or MMA - whatever keeps you motivated.  

True story that's related;  "Chief" Wahoo MacDaniels was a "pro-wrestler" in the 60's and 70's.  There were a couple guys in town for an open style "no holds barred"  tourney (old school mma basically).  These 2 guys saw MacDaniels in a bar and called him a fake fighter.  He broke one guys nose and gave the other a concussion.  That's a real happening - trained fighters got stomped by a fake wrestler in under 30 seconds.  Point is you can't train for everything - but everything you train for is good.  Even "fake wrestling".

Answer 2

ABSOLUTELY NOT:

point fighting generally focuses more on who strikes first, this generally causes you to fail to protect yourself and does not take into account the power of the strike.

Rolling point fighting is slightly better, but still doesn't take into account the power aspect of it.

now if you told be the fight was run much like a boxing match (pro- not olympic), where each strike was given a number of points based upon the power of the strike (say 1-5) and the vulnerability of the opponent to it then that would be a different story, and they didnt' limit counterpunching and stop the action on a strike.

beware of point fighting- it is not like that it is more like the TKD type where you have limited contact areas, unrealistic rulesets and action stoppage upon scoring which creates bad habits in the fighter and eventually will make you a worse fighter.

glad to see you enjoyed the experience, but like coke (the drug), if you did it its not good for you, but its not going to affect you long term if you put it down now and realize the problem with it.

stick with san shao- stick with some san da fights in san da leagues.

Answer 3

Point Fighting can definitely improve your accuracy. Any training and competition experience can help your martial arts skills.

Answer 4

Sparring in tournaments, whether contact or padded, is just a broad overview of a basic battle situation. My Sabumnim used to tell us that "Point fighting trains laziness and lack of resolve."

It also causes a lack of power and strength in you stance, strikes, and spirit because, plainly put, in a points match, the risk to you is generally low - nothing is really on the line, so to speak. Especially in the states.

It IS good, however, for allowing you to get a basic idea of how it feels to be alive in battle, and additionally to bring your faults and weaknesses to light so that you can better train them. It's not totally without benefit, but it should be understood and accepted as what it is - sport in a series of arts that are, in reality, a world apart from a sport.