Forms to Fighting

What specifics do you feel your forms lend to practical ability Do you practice forms with the intention of training certain aspects in order you might apply them or that they might assist your practical application

How many forms do you regularly run through What is your fav and why

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Faith itself, compelled by the Holy Spirit, possesses an inner dynamism that necessitates deeper understanding. ~Thomas Weinandy O.F.M.

“	Originally Posted By: FightingFat What specifics do you feel your forms lend to practical ability	”

Hmm, balance, coordination, strength, endurance, flexibility, awareness, "flow" from one tech to another. Preciseness in movement to gain an understanding of application.

“	Do you practice forms with the intention of training certain aspects in order you might apply them or that they might assist your practical application	”

Yes ... I can practice one form several different ways. Slow to study technique, fast to build endurance. Low to build strength/flexibility. Breaking out sequences from a form to understand them better. Applying form sequences with a training partner.

“	How many forms do you regularly run through What is your fav and why	”

At home practicing I'll probably run through all my forms once (don't have that many) and then pick one to work on, usually whatever I had trouble with at the last class. I don't really have a favorite, although wah lum flute is growing on me.

forms provide a training that result in a flow of motion within balance and control, connecting the mind to the body in a secure means to not have to think about the body,allowing the intent and the responce to drive the changes in position.

I prefer free style forms

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“	Originally Posted By: aqira I prefer free style forms	”

You mean shadow boxing

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Faith itself, compelled by the Holy Spirit, possesses an inner dynamism that necessitates deeper understanding. ~Thomas Weinandy O.F.M.

AKA: Natural Movement

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"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

wraith is right...allowing the intention of the response determine the move, it comes in later stages once a feel develops

also geodesic formulas will give you insight into strength and weakness of changes in positions

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You are not where you have been and you are not where you are going you are only here.

“	Originally Posted By: FightingFat What specifics do you feel your forms lend to practical ability Do you practice forms with the intention of training certain aspects in order you might apply them or that they might assist your practical application How many forms do you regularly run through What is your fav and why	”

I believe forms are one of the best ways to practice a lot of the concepts within a style. As Storm has mentioned in the past, forms serve as an encyclopedia of movements. Movements are stringed together with a purpose so you can get a feel for the fluidity of the movement, what sets it up, what position you are put in, ect...Forms are essentially the precursor to Natural Movement. Once techniques are ingrained in the memory they can be called upon without cues or preconstructed movement patterns. And from there they can better be applied in the physical.

I personally try to run through as many forms as I can when I am on my own, but generally do not repeat the same ones very often. I do this more for a cardio training effect than anything else, but you can easily change the speed and intent of the form to better suit yourself. You could even practice them like Qigong (which give a really weird feeling to them). I like warming up with Tan Tui and 5 Animals especially, and really like going all out on Gung Li. Tan Tui can help stretch me out, and the Animals are a true work out with a lot of excellent techniques within. But Gung Li really fills me with a sense of power when I practice it. And the practice must be helping since I started using some of it without thinking the other day while sparring.

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

Although black tiger has over 100 actual fist and weapons forms ,we believe that two trained properly will do you for life. Usually it's one form that is inclose to midrange techniques ,and another that is midrange to longrange in techniques. The first three forms of black tiger contain many techniques and much of the core of the system. They are basic forms in black tiger ,but actually contain many advanced techniques from animal styles to Drunkards Boxing.

I don't have a true favorite form. I have some that i'm dying to learn ,but no real favorite. Black Tiger forms are learned thru drills and applacations ,so you actually know the technique inside out ,before you even know you're learning a form.

jeff

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History will be kind to me for I intend to write it ~ Sir Winston Churchill

If a form isn't apllicable, is it useful If it isn't, then why do it

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It's all about the nitty gritty.......

“	Originally Posted By: jawsman If a form isn't apllicable, is it useful If it isn't, then why do it	”

Artistic interpretation- to confuse people about the style, loads of reasons. In Sil Lim Tao, the way we apply taan sau in the form is different to it's practical application. The practicality is disguised in the form so as not to give a secret away!

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Faith itself, compelled by the Holy Spirit, possesses an inner dynamism that necessitates deeper understanding. ~Thomas Weinandy O.F.M.

Secrets! There are none. The impulse to find esoteric martial secrets leads you only into mystery and abstraction and away from "the thing itself".

Back in the old days, before most people were literate, forms served a purpose for catalogueing techniques.

But nowadays, since we can write things down or put them on TEH INTARNET they've outlived their usefulness.

Here's an analogy: Swimming.

If anybody ever told you practicing a "swiming kata" outside of the water would help you do the breaststroke you'd think they were daft, right

No, you'd much prefer to practice swimming by swimming.

Same thing with learning to fight. You practice fighting by fighting. Sure, there are techniques and conditioning and those matter quite a bit, just the same as in swimming.
But they are of seconday importance to actually "getting in the water".

Why forms are not "alive" or useful anymore:
http://www.straightblastgym.com/matt.html

“	Originally Posted By: hedgehogey Secrets! There are none. The impulse to find esoteric martial secrets leads you only into mystery and abstraction and away from "the thing itself". Back in the old days, before most people were literate, forms served a purpose for catalogueing techniques. But nowadays, since we can write things down or put them on TEH INTARNET they've outlived their usefulness. Here's an analogy: Swimming. If anybody ever told you practicing a "swiming kata" outside of the water would help you do the breaststroke you'd think they were daft, right No, you'd much prefer to practice swimming by swimming. Same thing with learning to fight. You practice fighting by fighting. Sure, there are techniques and conditioning and those matter quite a bit, just the same as in swimming. But they are of seconday importance to actually "getting in the water". Why forms are not "alive" or useful anymore: http://www.straightblastgym.com/matt.html	”

It's very obvious that you don't understand forms at all!!

jeff

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History will be kind to me for I intend to write it ~ Sir Winston Churchill

“	Originally Posted By: FightingFat The practicality is disguised in the form so as not to give a secret away!	”

Yeah, there are also a few forms that are as plain as day. Yet people have no idea.

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It's all about the nitty gritty.......

Here's the question of the day though...

Are secrets hidden WITHIN the form or does the practitioner transmute outside "secret" knowledge INTO the form

And HedgeHogey is certainly entitled to his opinion.

__________________
"You must eat bitter before you can taste sweet"- Iron & Silk
"I see no virtue where I smell no sweat"
"Arm yourself because no one else here will save you" - Chris Cornell

Right now I'm practising a wooden man form. Each move has infinite applications. My job is to uncover as many as I can before I along to the next big item on the curriculum. Another curriculum form is Sup lap dong. We analysed that as well, and continue to practise it.
I'm simultaneously learning a monkey form and a dragon boxing form . These really help my fighting. You learn versatility of movements. If one style is not working against an certain fighter, you just slide into another. However, today my Sifu wanted me to use the wooden man moves on my opponents. I guess I need more practise. Two fat lips, a scratched cornea and the biggest goose egg I've ever had on my shin. One good thing though about wooden man is that you learn to hit HARD!

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"I say, if you want to find out where the road goes, get in the fast lane and hit the gas." Calvin and Hobbes