Sparring vs Fighting

Tonight in the advanced class we did some sparring, which I very much enjoyed. At the end of class Sifu Hayes made a comment that really resonated with me. He said that there is a difference between sparring and fighting. If you are fighting someone you are simply trying to win and be superior, when sparring your goal should be for both people to learn and improve. This concept should be applied to all areas of our training and everyday life. When we allow ourselves to become ego driven our focus is solely to be superior, which will either lead to a sense of failure or an ever growing ego. When we focus on the moment and self improvement we more clearly see the potential benefits of what we are doing and how best to achieve those benefits.

Logan Ward