Question 107: Appropriate testing

Sometimes my instructor wants me to work a student hard, usually when he is training for a high rank testing. This does not mean he wants me to use heavier contact; it means he wants me step up the frequency and power of the attacks. Even though the student does not get hurt, he does tend to get overwhelmed and frustrated, especially when grandpa is whipping his butt. Some break and turn their backs to the attacks and occasionally some lose control or get angry. This is what the instructor was looking for, not to see how the student handles pain but to see how he handles adversity.

There are some traditional martial arts that use full-contact. If a person wants to do this type of martial art, they can, but most people want to reap the benefits of a martial art without much risk of injury. Unless a student has trained in and is expecting heavy contact, it should not be used.