Hoping to get some people's opinions on this. I've been going to the same kickboxing class for ~3 years now. It's a smallish class with a focus on practical self-defense. Contact sparring is required to advance to the higher ranks. People go pretty hard, but we use gloves and foot pads, and the instructors are quick to step in if someone is getting dazed, so serious injuries are rare. No one is forced to spar, but forfeiting a match really slows your rank progression.
About a year ago, the instructors told us they did not think the class was properly preparing us for self-defense, so cups/groin guards are no longer allowed in sparring above beginner level. As with head strikes, we are expected not to go full force against an opponent who is clearly unable to defend.
This didn't really affect the men's matches, since they just agree not to go for each other's groin. But when it's a girl against a guy, groin attacks are fairly common. Some women, including myself, avoid them unless he's going really hard. Even then, I mostly focus on feints. A lot of the guys have gotten better at defense, and I like that the playing field is a bit more even.
Guys usually don't try it against girls because they don't want to escalate or just don't want to. When it does happen, it usually doesn't connect in just the right way be effective.
But I'm concerned that some of the girls, mostly newer ones, have focused a lot on using groin strikes against guys. And a few have gotten so good at it that even against the best guys in the class, their kicks will occasionally connect. Some of the slower and newer guys really struggle against it and get pretty upset losing that way.
I think it's unfair to do that, even if the rules allow it. There should be a balance. It's obvious why a guy would feel upset if his opponent is just going out of her way to exploit the vulnerability of his private parts! I don't know if I should say something or if that would just make things worse.
About a year ago, the instructors told us they did not think the class was properly preparing us for self-defense, so cups/groin guards are no longer allowed in sparring above beginner level. As with head strikes, we are expected not to go full force against an opponent who is clearly unable to defend.
This didn't really affect the men's matches, since they just agree not to go for each other's groin. But when it's a girl against a guy, groin attacks are fairly common. Some women, including myself, avoid them unless he's going really hard. Even then, I mostly focus on feints. A lot of the guys have gotten better at defense, and I like that the playing field is a bit more even.
Guys usually don't try it against girls because they don't want to escalate or just don't want to. When it does happen, it usually doesn't connect in just the right way be effective.
But I'm concerned that some of the girls, mostly newer ones, have focused a lot on using groin strikes against guys. And a few have gotten so good at it that even against the best guys in the class, their kicks will occasionally connect. Some of the slower and newer guys really struggle against it and get pretty upset losing that way.
I think it's unfair to do that, even if the rules allow it. There should be a balance. It's obvious why a guy would feel upset if his opponent is just going out of her way to exploit the vulnerability of his private parts! I don't know if I should say something or if that would just make things worse.
