My first Full-Contact Weapons Sparring Invitational?

I don't usually answer this questions since i have limited full contact sparring, however i have lot of experience in competition (filipino martial arts).

On your question on etiquette, it depends on who's hosting the tournament/Event. If it is a traditional group (i assume you are from a traditional dojo since you call your instructor Sensei) just do what you normally do as if you are in your dojo. Be polite to your opponents (bow, shake hands etc.) you may train with them someday.

Also, on training try to put in as much sparring sessions as possible with your Sensei (hopefully he has allot of training FMA). And make sure to know the rules clearly before attending the event (eg. is it point system, etc.)

Good luck to you and have fun!

If you are going just to watch it is one thing but to compete.......? Your friend has no sense in inviting to you compete after just one CLINIC! You are not even going to classes?! .....and if your Sensei knows about it and lets you do this he is totally irresponsible. I never understood the motive of teachers who let their students compete without proper training and that does include etiquette! Weapons are not toys! It takes training to use them not just a CLINIC! What if you hurt someone else badly because you have no clue what you are doing? You would not know any rules and what strikes are off limits let alone the control to obey those rules. Even in full contact sparring there are rules.

Full contact makes it more realistic but it should always be Light contact so you dont get to competitive and so you dont injure each other. Tag sparring is good for beginners and i always make sure the new guys ALWAYS go tag contact and then Light contact. We try to avoid Full Contact but sometimes we just want a little more out of training and see how good we are. I like full contact but i just like to hold back on what i do for real fighting or ring fighting because again its just sparring so i dont want to hurt anyone. I avoid using spin kicks or heel kicks so i dont hurt them, i avoid jumping kicks and i avoid grappling to often so i dont over power them to much. Instead i act like a Bob so they can get used to fighting.

if you have only limited experience better not mess around with things you don't know.

you risk getting hurt.

they are not called weapons for a reason