Should we wear headgear in Sparring? (Headbutt Accident)

Should we wear headgear in Sparring? (Headbutt Accident)

MMA 28 Comments

In his latest video from MMAShredded, Jeff Chan deconstructs a contentious issue: the use of headgear while sparring. Diving into both his personal experiences and existing research, Jeff explains why he leans away from this protective gear. Claiming that it offers a false sense of security, makes your head a larger target, and can restrict vision, he argues that the perceived protection from concussions is indeed a myth. He does concede that headgear may prevent superficial cuts and scrapes – having recently experienced a gnarly cut himself from an accidental headbutt. Releasing this eye-opening 1.35-minute discussion, Jeff continues to educate fighters worldwide effectively.



Modern Self-Defence and the Headgear Debate

In a recent video posted on the MMAShredded YouTube channel, Jeff Chan tackles a controversial topic within the realm of martial arts — the use of headgear in sparring. There’s a prevailing notion that wearing headgear adds an extra layer of safety, supposedly protecting the brain from injury. However, as Jeff illustrates through his personal experience and insights, this may be somewhat misleading. Jeff begins the video with a strong statement: he personally does not wear headgear during sparring. A bold pronouncement that immediately draws attention. But why is this the case? Jeff lays out multiple reasons. Firstly, he dispels a common myth — that headgear prevents concussions. Current research, he says, shows that the added protection doesn’t actually shield your brain from the jarring effect that occurs when your head is struck. The padding on the headgear doesn’t absorb enough force to mitigate the risk of concussion. Next, he points out that headgear does not cover one of the most targeted areas — the chin. The extra bulk of a headgear can give a false sense of security, making the wearer believe they’re better protected than they actually are. From a pragmatic perspective, he also mentions that headgear can be counterproductive for certain fighters. By increasing the size of the target, (your head), and slowing down the wearer due to the added weight, headgear can actually make you more susceptible to hits. Jeff’s concluding argument against headgear revolves around vision. With headgear on, peripheral vision — an important aspect in sparring — is limited. In a sport where milliseconds and split-second reactions matter, impaired vision can spell the difference between dodging an attack and getting hit.
However, in the spirit of showing both sides of the argument, Jeff doesn’t shy away from acknowledging the primary benefit of headgear — protection against cuts and scrapes. During the sparring session in the video, an accidental head collision cuts his eye — an injury that could’ve been prevented with headgear shielding the area. Jeff Chan’s key message here is not to ditch headgears outright. While they may not offer the level of protection often assumed, they do serve a purpose in lessening superficial injuries. As per his own admission, in his extensive sparring sessions across the globe, this was his first injury resulting from not wearing a headgear.
In conclusion, the use of headgear can be seen as a personal preference, largely dependent on individual fighting techniques, styles and tolerance levels. It’s important to analyze one’s own fighting style, strengths and weaknesses to make the decision. Above all, while headgear can protect against superficial injuries and offer some sense of security, training proper defense tactics shouldn’t be overlooked. Whether you choose to don the headgear or go without, it’s imperative to remember that its primary function is to protect the wearer from superficial injuries, not to prevent concussions or substitute good defense techniques. In the multifaceted and nuanced world of martial arts, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ approach — and that applies to headgear too. Jeff Chan’s video insightfully brings this to light — a pertinent discussion that is sure to spark meaningful conversations in the MMA community.

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MMAShredded, a YouTube channel owned by Jeff Chan, is dedicated to inspiring and teaching combat lovers worldwide. Chan, a professional MMA fighter, shares his unique insights, workouts, techniques, and experiences. His clear video guides and passion for fighting make this channel an invaluable resource for any MMA enthusiast.

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28 Comments

  1. i teach KUDO DAIDO JUKU that involve Headbutt (atamauchi), for sure we wear it. 😄 but it depends on situation. for free MMA spars i would wear, for light stricking spars NO.

  2. Whats your opinion on when only one of the people sparring wears headgear? This is the case for me, I box and like using headgear mainly due to the fact that I have acne that easily blows up when sparring due to sweat and sometimes the impact of a punch, this does not impact my fighting abillity. However clothes and gear can get pretty bloody when I dont have headgear so I tend to use it in sparring. And where I box pretty much no one has a headgear, and sometimes I feel bad for "having" to use mine when others dont. So just wondering what ur opinion is on this, if it's okay or bad.

  3. Preventing cuts is the main reason I wear a headgear. This is no miniscule reason to wear one. For professional fighters a cut during a sparring session might force them to cancel a fight and the money that goes with it. Look at Charles " No headgear" Oliveira and his canceled fight with Makachev. Not to mention the cut might make you easier to cut throughout the rest of your career.

  4. Easy answer. Yes. Any striking style.

    They weren’t designed for concussions. It was designed for cuts. The bigger head argument is weak. The heavier head argument is also weak.
    Work on head movement, footwork and catches. Simple. I’ve sparred a lot without headgear as well.

    Headgear is better.

  5. I personally don't prefer headgear, having a Karate background with all that hands down to body and using distance management as a tool to parry or counter instead of diving straight in, also a bit of boxing here and there did help me with my head moment, not that I'm even good at it, but personally as Jeff said, it doesn't allow that smooth head moment, so long story short, I don't prefer headgear 😅

  6. 0:27 Jeff perfectly pulls the kick in order to not hurt him, and what does he do? grab Jeffs leg and throws a hard kick, i bet in his mind he thought he was so bad ass ''wow that headkick didnt even hurt at all, i am such a tough boy'' . martial arts and combat sports have the potential to be great for the world, they could be as huge as football or basketball, but unfortunately the human ego and pride keeps getting in the way, and most gyms out there end up just being places for egoistic meat-heads to socialize and prove how much they are tough-guys, making so the people who would benefit from martial arts the most, the weak, never step foot in a gym, the result is combat sports are small, niche, and looked down on by society, the audiences will never be big, and the fighters pay will always be little, while NFL and NBA players make millions in a season, and ufc fighters have to beg dana for another 5k

  7. In boxing you should.

    Brain damage in boxing is more frequent than any other sport. Except American football but they always wear headgear.

    In other combat sport I have no comment.

  8. I don't wear head gear that much (only when my sparring partner or the trainer insist and when he would tell us to punch the forehead if there is a huge size difference so it does help I guess) because it hinders my vision and I often found I get hit a lot when im wearing head gear.

  9. Didn’t wear headgear and got an accidental cut needing stitches 2 weeks from my fight. Luckily it healed up nicely and the cut didn’t reopen in the fight. Still don’t wear head gear.

  10. Question for you @Jeff – did you ever do genetic testing to see if you are predisposed to CTE? Have you noticed any cognitive changes after sparring/competing for many years? I can’t seem to shake concussion symptoms from sparring a few weeks ago. Neurologist says I will make a full recovery, but focusing has become quite challenging.

  11. As an amateur fighter I have an other argument in favor of sparring with head gear.
    In most organisations head gear is mandatory for amateur fights. So you might as well get used to it.

  12. In my utmost humble opinion.

    I always felt that it stifles and inhibits one’s peripheral vision, offsetting the “Protection” value as one is getting hit more often due to aforementioned lack of visibility.

    Also seems that many exploit the use of headgear as an” free for all” So they have a tendency to go beyond the sense of what may be deemed “reasonable force output” Which combined with the lack of being able
    To slip/ see shots, and you are wearing a target pad on your head( as depending upon the helmet utilized)The gloves have an tendency to “ stick” akin to an adhesive, so i rather abstain and try to spar sensibly without it.

    Always an honor to be able to observe and learn from such a fellow peer as yourself.

    Sincere regards.

    Fellow Martial Artist.

    Tom Framnes.
    Spain.

  13. Thank goodness you made this video, I was just talking about it with my friend. He does boxing and I do Thaibox. Since in Skarbowsky 's gym we don't even use leg-gear, we only have the headgear for nose protection and some elbow sponges (sorry I can't find the right terms in English)
    I told him I feel like it makes the dodging by just an inch way harder cuz if the hit still connects with my headgear I feel like I got struck. But I have a nice nose and don't want to compete so the only reason I put it on is to protect my nose

  14. I never use headgear, even tho I really should in some situations, such as hard boxing rounds, that I don’t usually do, but still….that said, recently I’ve tried a rugby cap for both striking and grappling, and I found that it works quite nicely for accidental head clashes and ear protection without being too cumbersome…

  15. Headgear doesn’t offer any protection? I have no problem seeing out of my own and I do feel like it softens a hit when one is landed. What is the purpose of headgear then?

  16. I agree with Jeff on this one. I don’t wear headgear because it won’t protect my brain from turning to mush, but if you are adamant on not getting cut then go ahead.

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