Sparring is a core activity in any martial art, and failing to test your fighting ability through controlled sparring is akin to learning to drive a car without ever getting into the driving seat. Sparring improves your physical abilities, but is so much more than just punching and kicking a like-minded opponent, for it also has amazing character-building qualities. It is something that almost anyone can enjoy, regardless of their age, size, ability or gender, and with full-contact, semi-contact, light-contact, no-contact, point-fighting and continuous sparring, to name but a few, there is almost certainly a type of sparring to suit everyone.