To refine aspects of a fight refers to the common things that happen during a fight. What is the same?
I am a strong believer that working on posture, distance/timing and fluent motion helps everywhere, all the time. No sense in perfecting a shihonage or whatever (for combat purpose). The stylized, idealized scenario will not happen in a fight and you are not likely to be able to enforce it either.
But yes. You start out with a crude ability to fight (bad as it maybe) and you start working on common aspects (refine) and become better and better.