Originally Posted by
Faux Newbie
I generally follow the approach that, if I don't know someone enough that I don't know that I trust them to spar reasonably, then I don't spar them. There are so many boxers, bjj guys, taiji guys, etc. out there, that there's no reason I should feel any need to train with the douchiest of them, I'll opt for the coolest.
Sparring is about testing what I've entrained, imo, not the time to start entraining. And finding what else needs to be entrained. Not about testing whether I can defend myself. I train to make a tech effective before the sparring stage, I don't try to enter the sparring stage unsure on what the effect of the technique is, that's asking for trouble.
That said, if I choose training partners wisely, a moderator is not always important.
As for the other question, about habits, particular people will make sure to develop good habits, sloppy people won't, with or without a teacher. Good students can ask someone whose knowledge they respect, "I sparred the other day, while no teacher was around, and kept having this occur, what are your thoughts," and they learn, or they do their own research or thought on it. If someone needs a teacher to notice they get uppercutted a lot, they aren't sparring to learn, they aren't paying any attention, and until they do, sparring without someone to guide them is almost pointless, imo.