When should a full-contact training method be introduced to a student?

Practically speaking, training elements - including full-contact - is usually introduced at set intervals. Similar to Shienaran's experience, I started training with fully resisting uke after 4th kyu; and jiyu-waza or randori with fully resisting uke after 3rd kyu. Was I really ready for resistance by the time I reached 4th kyu? I don't think so; and I only fully appreciated the value of full-contact training later on, much later. But that's just the way things were done; especially in larger schools.

In general, though, I agree that any sort of full-contact training should be introduced slowly. Risk of injury is of course a major consideration; but IMHO it's more about the student's mindset. When a student has begun to get a grasp about what the martial art he/she is training in is all about, hopefully he/she can focus more on the "learning to apply techniques" part of full-contact training instead of "winning." Hopefully, the student will also be mature enough to realize when resistance may lead to injury, or when he/she is without doubt 'beaten' or at an extreme disadvantage, and tap-out/submit without thinking that it means admitting defeat.

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Well it does depend on the Discipline and I mean that in terms of the style of art and the way students must conduct themselves in class, often an over eager student will execute a technique too quickly and either the technique gets sloppy or they do it to well and injure their training partner, but depending on the style for example a combat sport like MMA,Wrestling , Brazilian Jiu Jitsu ,Kickboxing or Boxing where their are often rules and equipment in place for the practitioners safety so full contact sparring should be encouraged, the arts you chose as examples are strictly for self defense their are no sporting forms(to my knowledge anyway)for them, with Judo being the exception as it is also an Olympic level sport, though many TMA practitioners view combat sport as useless, it is a good confidence builder for students and they get used to facing a live opponent , also drilling technique is the first thing that is done after a warm up in most cases with only the last 10/15 minutes being used for live sparring such has been my experience in training , in grappling arts such as my examples one has no choice but to go full contact , the striking arts can be light, semi or full as safety gear is needed and also depending on whether the instructor feels the student is ready and like you said everyone is going to have a different opinion, and the discipline of the senior student in class is another factor they'll know what technique someone below them isn't ready for so they won't use it , it's all a learning experience for everybody the junior student obviously learning the technique and the senior student and sensei learning when to judge someone is ready for the next stage in training by analyzing their technique execution while facing a resisting opponent,and once again everyone is different so someone might pick up a technique faster than someone else, or someone might work harder than someone else and putting a bit of positive pressure on them helps them advance, treat students as human beings not sheep as they are all unique,

I'm with Frank. Full contact should be introduced only after a student has a good grasp of the basics and proper form, otherwise they'll just be swinging for the fences aimlessly. Depending on the instructor, full contact can be used as a training or testing tool. During my Aikido training, only the ranks above 4th kyu were subjected to fully resisting opponents, for ranks below that an Uke was expected to apply proper pressure in his attack, but to let the Nage finish the technique without fully resisting to help develop proper form. By the time you reach 3rd kyu, it is expected that you have at least achieved proficiency in the basics enough to apply them on a fully resisting opponent during randori. But this all depends on the instructor's teaching methods, since our Aikido sensei also had a blackbelt in Shotokan, his training method was spartan like and emphasized endless repetition of drills 6 days a week, so students' muscle memory were getting an overload. In my current Karate dojo, full contact sparring is allowed only during your promotion test, meaning you get to test the technique and form you've been training for the test under pressure from a resisting opponent, everything you do up to that point is light to semi hard contact.to develop control, timing and accuracy. We don't use safety equipment, but limit punches to the body only, kicks to the head are allowed though, if you are willing to risk it. By the time you reach black belt(which takes a long time), full contact can be a normal part of your kumite training, but not before.

There is definitely a need for contact training, but the degree of contact is the factor. When you say full contact I have two images come to mind

1. Competition with all safety equipment, timed rounds, first aid on hand and referee.

and

2. Bare knuckle street fights.

If you train in either scenarios at some stage your going to get hurt (badly if your unlucky enough). In to days society ask yourself could you afford to be off of work due to an injury sustained through your own volition? How would your boss react to you telling him you can't work because of what you had voluntarily engaged in? would you have a job to go back to once you've healed?

As an instructor these are factors I have to keep in mind. Not only because it is morally right, but also because I don't want students claiming on my insurance. Now that may sound a bit financially motivated, and in a way it is, cause I can't teach if I can't run my school cause I can't get insurance cover.

So contact in training yes, but that contact should only be as a direct response to the resistance received in any given technique sequence. Strong contact should never be taught to children, but a good instructor will know when to introduce progressively stronger contact to more senior students.

"What ever the attack so be the response" SGM Edmund K Parker.

Only after they have attained some understanding of their technique and have started to develop good technique and the control that goes with it is the approach that I take with this. More serious and more deadly things or ones that carry a higher risk of injury are not taught in my school until a student or fighter has shown whats above as well as the proper approach and attitude in learning and developing such things.

To me its irresponsible to do otherwise as it exposes themselves to injury as well as exposes their training partners to injury as well. I also have things set up in a logical order like teaching students how to fall and they first learning and developing those skills before they are getting thrown or doing throws and such on others. The same approach is taken with heavier or full contact sparring in my school and its important for a student to have the proper technique as well as a feel for how hard they can hit or kick and to also have some control so that they don't hurt each other.

Most are ready for this at about the blue belt or 4th kyu level while under the supervision of myself or another black belt. By the time they are then getting ready to test for their black-belt they have developed good technique, good control and good touch or feel for things as well and can more easily and readily practice things at a higher level while keeping the chance for injuries down.

First I have to second Kajukat, in a full on hardcore Kajukenbo class at least some form of full contact will be experienced from day one and at every class. I don't agree with that but it is what it is.

Personally I agree that the basics are much more important and contact should be introduced slowly as they gain control and technique. By the time they are considered advanced 3 kyu or better they should be comfortable with good contact.

The wrong kind of contact or too much hard contact eventually wears on the body. I personally don't do martial arts so that I can end up drooling down my chin, I do it so I won't.

Unfortunately, in a hard-core Kajukenbo school, full contact training will be introduced to the student in his or her very first workout. The beginning student will be asked to allow himself to be punched and kicked by all the other students in the class. The new student is not hit hard, but since he is not used to it, it will be a horrible experience for him. For most new students, they will be sore for at least a week, and their whole body will be covered with bruises, since their skin is not used to the impact. This is more of a test of courage for the new student, just to see if the new student shows fear. And most people do not come back for a second workout. The ones who do come back for a second workout usually drop out by the second week. The real full contact training starts when a student makes a commitment to stay, which is rare.

The students who stay develop an incredible level of pain tolerance and are conditioned to survive a street fight. The down side of this type of training is that very few people actually train in Kajukenbo. I personally do not condone this type of training for a new student on his first day. This is what I had to go through and I survived. I personally would prefer that the new student be eased in full-contact training, I believe that more people would stay in Kajukenbo if the first few workouts were not that brutal, but I am not an instructor. Whenever we have a new student, I will do my part to punch and kick him and see if he comes back for a second workout.

IMHO, it depends on the art and the student. For techniques, it can be done shortly after they have grasped the basic idea. In some cases. While in other cases, it isn't done until they have done the drill many times over.

For kumite, it is better to be done after a few weeks or months of training. Again, depending on the situation. But, even after being introduced to it, they should still be focusing on learning the skills first. But by having seen and experienced the "reality" of contact, they are more likely to treat it with the appropriate level of concentration.

Just my two cents...

First, I would like to say how I appreciate your clarity in pointing out full contact training being training that is not limited to sparring. Sparring seems to be the only training method for full contact in martial arts, which is only the tip of the iceberg. Especially since the 'sparring' method has many levels in and of itself.

I would agree that full contact anything should be employed only after the student has a firm grasp on the technique and its principle/s. This, I think is a good way to ensure that the student has trained enough to not get crazy and cocky with their 'badassery' and try to hurt their partners (even though there are those that still do).

Aside from the simple and always present need for safety, there is the need for the student to grasp the concepts behind what they are employing. IE receiving, redirecting, structure, etc... While difficult to execute at certain speeds (slower than true employment speed), the student is able to see every nuance within the technique, (when it is executed slowly, and with less than full strength) because the teacher is able to address and express each and every necessary component.

I find often enough that the students want to go at it full bore from the beginning, before knowing anything about what they are doing other than kicking butt, which often enough sends them reeling, either from a failed technique, or being on the receiving end of a technique that should not have been executed as it was.

Now... aside from that blabbering I just mentioned. I teach full contact technique execution each and every day. I will teach at least one technique that my student can walk away with focusing on for the next couple of days. The technique is first introduced by my asking of a conceptual question, getting them to think in those terms. Then, I ask how they would employ that concept; and I introduce a technique which follows the very idea. We train it until they can do it with their eyes closed with little to no resistance, at slow to moderate speed; and with both sides of the body. Once they're there, we move to past training techniques and other concepts to ensure what they are learning is still fresh and understood.

Eventually, we return to the newest concept and technique, and train it with full speed and strength. The most important aspect of this for me, is that they understand that this one technique is the only thing being employed at the time, which greatly calms their excitement and aids in their control. After I am satisfied with their understanding and employment of that technique, we move to a kumite; however, not a free spar. It is a controlled spar, whereby I will attack with whatever I feel like doing, and they will defend with proper execution. The goal is to execute one technique properly and reset. This I find, really helps to settle the mind, and allow the body to understand the use of conceptual reaction as opposed to technique response.

I have found this method to be very strong in the student's being able to actually employ Karate/Kung Fu as opposed to slam-dancing punch-kick when their need calls for it.