The size and severity of his bruises depended solely on who he is was sparring with.
His father started out gentle, hesitant, unwilling to really attack his son. Connor had pushed for weeks and weeks, until finally, he sucker-punched his dad in the face, sending him flying into the wall. Angel didn't hold back after that, and Connor, black and blue by the end of the sessions, was the better for it.
Uncle Wes taught him precision and detail, how to shoot a crossbow with both eyes shut, how to hit a target with a knife from metres away. Connor came away from sessions with Uncle Wes with few bruises, but a precision and skill with blades that even his father marveled at.
Uncle Gunn taught him hand-to-hand combat, how to fight off an opponent twice his size, ways to defend his loved ones, and how to drop a bad guy with a single punch. Connor came away from these sessions with bruised hands and bleeding knuckles and an intense desire to protect his family.
Aunt Cordy taught him sword fighting, wielding the blade with skill and ease. With Aunt Cordy the fight became a dance, a complicated pattern of footwork and blade control. Connor left these sessions with the occasional bloody cut, but also a healthy respect and admiration for his aunt.
Aunt Fred taught him how to build weapons out of ordinary objects, how to hide in places he never would have contemplated, how to use his surroundings to his advantage. Connor rarely came out of these sessions with bruises, but did take away an uncanny ability to adapt to his surroundings.
The size and severity of the bruises depended solely on who he was sparring with, but thanks to his overprotective family, Connor was never defenseless.