Gym language
Sparring
What it means
Practising against a partner at an agreed intensity. Thai sparring is traditionally light and technical, closer to playing than to fighting, though how well that holds depends on the camp and on who else is training.
It is optional at effectively every camp that takes visitors, and stepping out of a round is normal rather than a loss of face.
The intensity you should expect is the fact most first-timers most want and the one camp websites are quietest about, which is why we treat it as a field to verify rather than a claim to repeat.
Related
Words that go with it
Clinch
Close-range grappling with the arms and neck, used to control an opponent so you can land knees and elbows or throw them off balance. Thai gyms treat it as core, not as an extra.
Check
Lifting the shin to block a kick so the incoming leg hits bone instead of ribs or thigh. Done properly it hurts the person kicking more than the person blocking.