The Forbidden Moves
Like any community, martial arts has its own set of unspoken rules. These vary from gym to gym, style to style, and culture to culture, and the best way to understand what is or isn’t appropriate for sparring in a specific space is to ask. That said, some behaviors are widely considered poor sparring etiquette regardless of where you train.
It’s useful to understand these common sparring mistakes ahead of time so you don’t accidentally injure or frustrate your training partners. Most of the techniques listed below are not inherently “wrong,” but they require clear communication and responsible execution. When in doubt, check with your coach or partner about what they’re comfortable with.
Blasting head kicks. Head kicks are legal against a non-grounded opponent, and they should be practiced - but with control. Throwing a full-power head kick shows disregard for your partner’s safety. Unless you’ve agreed otherwise, head kicks should make contact without significant force. Focus on accuracy and control; save knockout power for the bag. If you’re still learning control, keep your kicks at body level or lower.
Face teeps. Like head kicks, these are legal, but context matters. In more traditional Muay Thai settings, placing the sole of your foot on someone’s face can be considered disrespectful. Even outside that context, teeps to the face can generate significant force with an unpadded surface. Use caution with any front kick to the face.
Heel hooks. Heel hooks have a reputation for a reason. The issue isn’t the technique itself, but rather how it’s applied. These submissions often cause little to no pain before serious damage occurs, which means a training partner may not realize they’re in danger until it’s too late. For that reason, they’re typically discouraged for white belts, both in applying them and having them applied, due to limited familiarity with the risks. Against experienced training partners, they should be applied slowly and with extra control.
Intruding on space. If you’re sharing mat space, be aware of your surroundings. Constantly drifting into another group’s area is disruptive and dangerous. It also creates unrealistic training conditions - there are always boundaries that should be taken into consideration. Maintain spatial awareness and adjust accordingly.
Oblique kicks. This is distinct from a controlled thigh teep. Oblique kicks involve driving the foot horizontally into the knee or just above it, which can hyperextend the joint. Without careful control and clear agreement, this technique carries a high risk of serious injury.
Ripping submissions. Applying submissions too quickly for your partner to tap is one of the fastest ways to lose training partners. There’s no reward for “beating” someone in the gym. Controlled application not only keeps people safe, it also improves your technical precision. If your partner doesn’t have time to respond, you’re training recklessness, not skill.
Spinning techniques. Spinning attacks are generally legal and useful, but they come with added risk. The momentum involved makes it easier to strike with excessive force or with parts of the body that may not have padding. A spinning backfist can become an elbow when not ranged correctly, and a side kick involves contact with the heel instead of the softer ball of the foot like a teep. Use these techniques carefully and with control.
Strength over technique. Strength has its place, but defaulting or overly relying on it - especially against smaller or less experienced partners - is poor form. If you have to force a technique, particularly a submission, you likely don’t really have it to begin with. Use sparring to refine technique, not to overpower your partner in an effort to “win.”
Sweeps. These are often legal and are beneficial to practice, but they carry risk if done carelessly. Any technique that takes a partner from standing to the ground should be executed with control and only when there’s sufficient space. Just because an opportunity is there doesn’t mean you need to follow through if it puts others at risk.
“Winning” sparring. This is one of the most problematic mindsets you can bring into the gym. Ego is part of combat sports, especially for competitors, but your teammates are not your opponents. Sparring is a tool for development. You can measure progress - maybe you defend their kicks better than before, for example - but the goal is mutual improvement, not “victory.”
