Hanuman steals the star

We don't blast each other stupidly hard in sparring. We hit hard enough to feel it but without causing actual damage, this also gradually increases conditioning of the legs and body and the ability to take strikes. The control needed to spar without padding actually makes people have much better technique. Let's not forget that shin to shin hurts both fighters so it's in nobodies interest to go silly in sparring. I don't understand the question about kicking with the foot. I think you are over thinking. Just spar as normal but control yourselves to avoid injury.

At our Gym, there is no use of shin guards for sparring or drills. The reasoning being that before westerners started training in Thailand in large numbers, they didn't exist. Our teachers are of the opinion that training is where you are conditioning your body to fight. If you can't handle light contact during training, how's it gonna feel in a fight the first time you get your shin smashed? Yes it hurts sometimes, but this is a fighting sport.