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Fighting is an integral part of nature. When not fighting for survival against predators, animals fight each other for dominance, power, and control. When fighting each other, the combat is usually ritual without deadly results. Humans are no different. We fight for survival against rogue humans and other animals and we also participate in ritual combat to determine the best warriors. One type of ritual combat is free-sparring as practiced by Taekwondo and other martial arts. Free-sparring has evolved into two main types: no-contact/light-contact and full-contact.

No-contact sparring has its roots in the early Kung-fu systems dating back to sixth-century China, when Boddhidharma introduced his fighting techniques. As these methodologies spread throughout the Far East, other fighting styles developed. Although full-contact sparring claims a Eastern origin, it incorporates techniques found in Western-style boxing.

Hundreds of no-contact tournaments are conducted every year with competitors of all ages and genders. Full contact tournaments are not as popular and most competitors are adult men, although women and some children also compete.

No-contact competition emphasizes scoring with little or no contact. In  point-sparring., engagement is stopped at the first score. In continuous-sparring, points accumulate without stopping engagement. Speed and directness are stressed in no-contact sparring. Full-contact competition just gets started at the point where a no-contact engagement is stopped. Once they close the gap with a kick or a punch, full-contact fighters follow-up with close-range weapons such as elbows, knees, throws, joint locks, and grabbing techniques. Powerful, potentially lethal techniques are important in full-contact fighting so it uses more circular techniques, like hook kicks and hook punches. Although they are slower than the direct, linear techniques of no-contact sparring, they generate much more power. Since a knockout is the goal in full-contact sparring, head punches and head kicks are numerous.  Full-contact sparring techniques are mostly close in and flow easily from one to another, where as, in no-contact sparring, techniques are fired from the farthest, safest distance possible, and at the first available moment. Since the emphasis in no-contact sparring is speed, straight-line techniques are preferred.

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