The level of contact permitted depends very much on the level of experience of the competitors. At the yellow and orange belt level contact is discouraged, therefore a point may be scored if your strike is unblocked and goes anywhere near a legal target on your opponent. At green and blue belt level, a point may be scored if an unblocked technique comes within a couple of centimeters of a legal target. At brown or red belt level light contact is usually required to score a point. By black belt level points are seldom scored without contact...and sometimes the contact isn't all that light. However, self-control must be maintained at all times to avoid being disqualified. Any bruising or bleeding, especially to the face, generally results in the disqualification of the person who caused the damage.

Sparring competition is an important learning tool. Sparring in a tournament helps you determine whether or not your techniques are effective. It allows you to see for yourself how you perform under pressure. You can learn a great deal by having someone else try to hit you. If they succeed, then that's a technique you need to guard against in the future and it's a technique you should learn and add to your repetoire.

Your fellow competitor in free sparring competition is really your teacher not your enemy. They will teach you to become a better martial artist by trying to hit you. When you avoid being hit, you are learning. When you are hit, you must learn as well. Your true enemy in competition is your own fear and anxiety. These are the opponents you must overcome.