hi tim,
just wanted to ask what are the sparring methods you use to simulate as much reality as possible regarding real fights, without killing each other in the process.
i have a strong bias against boxing gloves because from my experience in full contact tournaments (wushu san shou), it's kinda hard to grab and throw, control, etc, the opponent with them.
how are certain reflexes trained (knee and throat shots) in a realistic environment?

Mozart,
We practice quite a few different types of sparring drills, ranging from semi-cooperative to fully non-cooperative, within a wide range of parameters.

We rarely use full sized boxing gloves. We most often use small and light MMA gloves (the primary function of the glove is to protect the hands of the striker). Depending on the level of contact and the ability of the participants, we wear protective gear, most often light chest protectors and shin guards.

A typical progression in class often goes like this:

One or two rounds (usually between 3 and 5 minutes per round) with hand strikes only.

One or two rounds with hand strikes, knees and kicks.

One or two rounds with hand strikes, knees, kicks and throws.

One or two rounds with hand strikes, knees, kicks, throws and groundfighting (including strikes on the ground and submissions).

All formats include the allowed techniques in the clinch.

We often spar in a submissions wrestling format.

Every night ends with 30 to 45 minutes of ground grappling sparring.

Other drills include X striking and sprawling only while Y can only clinch, shoot or throw.

There are also many positional drills (X in Y's guard striking while X tries to sweep, submit or escape. The same from the mount or other disadvantageous position. Standing wrestling with the fighters in particular tie ups...).

We also practice various forms of "environmental" drills with specific boundries so students learn to use confined spaces to their advantage.

Some of the same drills are done with practice weapons.

We also spend a fair amount of time training with X in heavy protective equipment while Y strikes him full force. X serves as a kind of dynamic, human heavy bag.

cheers tim, is this the type of methodology i should look for when choosing a teacher? i'm having a hard time right now in beijing looking for a teacher of xingyi who teaches it as a fighting art.

My friends that have been to China said it is hard to get anyone to show you the arts for fighting... they want to see your character for a few years.

Traditionalist...bah humbug.

Mozart,
If you want some practical martial skills, there needs to be some realistic sparring going on.

Rich,
I found the problem wasn't so much most teachers wanted to test your character for a few years before teaching you how to fight, it was that most teachers don't know how to fight in the first place, so all you get are forms.

Teachers that really know how to fight usually can't wait to get to it.

Tim, how long did your IMA teachers typically train you on foundational stuff before you got to full-contact sparring (not counting push-hands and reaction drills), and was there a significant difference in this between, say a bagua instructor and a Hsing-I instructor?

My first Xingyiquan teacher had me sparring full-contact within about six months of training (but I trained a lot). After about eight or nine months of training, he entered me in my first Sanshou tournament.

With some teachers, we never sparred too hard, mostly free push hands and pad work.

tim can you recommend anyone either in china or in taiwan?

tim, how would you go about incorporating combat drills not present in the teachings of your teacher? for example if your teacher taught the 5 element fists, 12 animals, etc correctly, but only taught the two man sparring set, no pad/bag drills, no free sparring, what drills would you add to your practice? and how do you know that you are practicing the drills using the principles of internal arts without your teacher correcting you?(assuming you do this during your private practice) i've found some teachers in beijing who seem to know what they're talking about, are able to express whole body power, etc, but don't teach pad/bag drills, free sparring etc. is it possible to take the tools that these teachers can give you and learn to use them by yourself, without their guidance?

Mozart,
You could take the principles you have learned from your teachers and apply them to drills and training outside their teachings, but it's a little like reinventing the wheel.

Pad drills and bag work are practically self evident, but sparring practices (primarily because of their more complicated nature and inherent danger) should be supervised by someone that understands fighting and knows how to teach the drills.