Sparring Is Key To Development

You go to class and you learn techiques. For example, you learn a 1 arm shoulder throw from a standing position. You get a partner, the two of you get your grips, you use your 1-2-3 step and throw patern and throw him remaining in a standing position. In Karate class, your parter steps forward in a front stance and punches, you step back, do your inside block, reverse punch and round kick to the head. Now, both of the examples give are good training methods to teach a principle. But the realistic application of these techniques can only come through sparring. In every sport, athletes play that sport as the main preparation (i.e. scrimmage games). In looking at Kata (formal exercises) as a training tool, they teach a principle, but it's the sparring that teaches you application. In the throw example I gave, when you look at experiences grapplers, you will see that 90% of the time, the thrower does not finish on his feet. He has to go down to get an experience opponent down. In my Karate example, he punches fast from a fighting stance, you parry and he moves a way as you punch and then you find yourself out of range for the kick you drilled. I am not saying don't do these drills. Just make sure you get some sparring in.