Keep in mind that I am trying to make a living at this. Causing pain in a student before they're ready is a good way to run them off. First you have to show them that they can overcome the pain, then move on to the rest. That being said. . .

No groin contact. Full speed is practiced in the advanced stage, 7 belts into the system. At that point it's up to the student as to whether they want to wear pads or go at it bare. No contact to the head period. There's not enough insurance in the world for me to teach that. No groin contact. Any kick, strike or punch is allowed to the front and side torso, arms, shoulders, inside and outside thigh. Knees are off limits. I do encourage sparring gear at this level but it's not required. It's also taught as point sparring.

Only black belts that have proven that they have the temprament and control, in my opinion (and that's the only one that counts), are taught disabling attacks. And maybe a few of the color belts if they show the same.

Teaching someone how to deliver a ridgehand to the head that will crush the skull or windpipe can be costly. If I send someone out into the world and they hurt, maim or kill someone I will have to live with it as well as themselves. Knowing the technique is only half the equation. You have to know when to use it also.

I don't make contact with my hand when I'm training people to block. I use the kicking paddles. They only sting a little and I can start using them at an early stage to develop the block instinct. By the time they get to the full contact stage they pretty much know how to block and have conditioned their blocks accordingly.

I could go on all night talking about this, but . . .

Hope that answered the question.

That will do, thanks!
Before asking the question, I forgot to incorporate into consideration that we were training with whatever we got, and there were no such thing as insurance.