OK, so it is late and I am tired, that explains my bad puns for a subject. I take little responsibility for this post . .. just kidding :rofl: .
In my school you have to spar, in all the myriad of variations:
Tournament (little emphasis)
Street - multiple opponents
Continuous (my favorite)
Grappling (combat grappling)
Knives
I did find however, that the advanced classes were intimidating the beginners, and enough so that they did not want to try it. Simple solution, teach them to spar. I tried this in the context of regular classes. We did lots of shadow boxing for basics, some rhythm sparring (credit to Dave Thomas and his wife) and even some slow sparring alternating offensive with defensive. This only picked up a few people. I had to actually create another class for Beginning Sparring. It is now the most widely attended class of any of mine.
I really think it helps to limit the contact, or perceived level of contact, as compared to aggresive blue - green belts, through black. Of course we all know that you are more likely to get injured by a white or yellow belt, who has limited experience, but lots of adreneline and little control. This is not just the 250 lb muscle guys, but also the 5 foot nothing women who get to hit someone for the first time and are actually executing strikes the way they are taught, instead of relying on muscle mass, the way some of the big guys do.
The instructor really needs to stay on top of this class, and ensure things don't escalate inadvertantly. Beginners in general, just do not realize how hard they hit. It is an erroneous belief, or a thinking error (in re-reading this post I see I should have just used the word "mistaken belief" instead of the high falutin' politically correct catch phrases), to believe that just because someone is hitting you hard, they can take an equal amount of punishment back. Sometimes they just don't know how hard they hit, and if we let it continue, someone eventually gets hurt. Beginners are not self-correcting when someone hits them hard after they hit hard, they don't get this as a message, rather they hit hard back. It is easy to miss the escalation due to the general level of proficiency and chaos that can surround a beginning sparring class. There is no indicator that they are going too hard until you have a bloody nose (yes, I have face contact for all belts, but "Light only", for a variety of reasons that can be discussed later), or someone has to stop due to pain.
I ENCOURAGE COMMUNICATION and set the perameters prior to starting the round. Few guys will admit to or say "you are hitting me too hard, slow it down a bit." They need to, but they don't!. So I try to emphasize they learn to communicate BEFORE the fight, and maintain an active analysis of themselves, their opponents, and the ENVIRONMENT (this somewhat keeps their mind off the fight or flight thing.)
As you see, you gotta spar in my book. One of the only things that gets you ready for sparring rounds, is doing rounds. Great conditioning and exercise. Do not limit your sparring - try it all, graft into techniques, try the freestyle sparring basics, apply Striking Set as it was designed, learn ranges, how it feel to be punched or kicked at, and how it feels to block or get hit. You have to know what to expect physically in a real fight, and the fight is not the place to find it out!
You also have to Spar if you want to be able to teach it later in your Martial Arts career. It is a part of a well rounded martial arts repertoire, and one of the 4 legs the Kenpo System is built on.
Oss,
-Michael
Kenpo-Texas.com
then I started this Kenpo stuff and was shown the true way of the Force. ...yes...the force of Seig's fist to my chest.... 
