Easy there JWTAYLOR! Some of us do live in Cali... and train just as hard as 'ya'll'... let's not get regional... it's all up to the masters who judge the tournaments... sometimes it isn't about how hard one hits, but how accurately... that is unless one competes in open tournaments where whoop'n your opponent is the fun and highlight of the day.
Sparring is fun, and very helpful in training...but it is important that a martial artist not forget the training aspect of sparring lest they turn martial arts into a sport (which is sadly what has happened to TKD... and I do practice this art!) [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_frown.gif[/img]