The basic rule is that 80% of training is done alone, which means doing exercises and forms and 20% is done with others, which means practicing application. This 20% spent on application does not mean in sparring.
Sparring in the modern sense plays an important role in our method, but it is seldom practiced. For people focused on developing fighting ability, they are allowed one sparring session after they have trained everyday for one hundred days. Thus, with full time training, sparring can productively be used four times a year. For the average association member, sparring is done once or twice a year, and after the experience has become normal, it is no longer considered important to continue. The real skills are considered to develop in training, not in sparring.
A sparring session can mean as many bouts as a person is willing and able to complete. The sparring in the association is done with only a few rules designed to avoid grievous injury. Participants wear a mouth piece, groin protection and light gloves. Women may wear breast protection if they want. Beginners are sometimes given head protection and shin protection, but only for their first match. There is no ground game.
Vince Black liked to say that the best sign that someone is doing it right and learning the important lessons from the sparring experience is that they are able to complete three, four or even five matches in one morning (most people do one or maybe two) without injury and are still able to move around normally the next day.
