Martial Arts in the Playground

[Kelb_Panthera]

How do you know who "won" a spar if it's not to KO? I don't think they explained the point-scoring system to us, or if they did it was one of the days I missed.
I also hope the school gives us funding soon so we can buy more sparring gear. I bruised my foot pretty badly yesterday because we had no shin-and-ankle-guards.

Winning isn't generally the point in a spar. You spar to sharpen your skills by employing them in an environment where you can have a reasonable assurance that you won't be intentionally, seriously injured, and have reasonably skilled peers that can help you to spot weak-points in your technique or tactics. Winning is for real fights and competition, but if you absolutely must know "who won" having a neutral observer declare a winner can work.

I imagine a martial arts master could become pretty unbearable. Especially if they won't shut up about their preferred art.

Touche'. While I find that genuine masters of a given art are usually pretty mellow, masters of a gym or training hall can get a little antsy if the idea that their style isn't awesome comes up. Many martial artists are prone to a bit of bravado.