personally, i view forms as a tool. just like my weight bench or heavy bag. just a different type of tool.
example: there are quite a few isolated exersizes I can do that would be beneficial to maintaining and increasing balance capabilities. Personally, I like getting some of my balance training in by doing forms. that way, im not bored by just doing solo balance drills, DULL, and i also am working on cardio, coordination, structure, technique, etc.
im of the opinion that forms are a tool, a unique tool to be sure, but a tool nonthe less. i think no less of form work than i do of weight training. it just happens to be a tool i personally know the value of and put to use when i want that value at that particular time.
[QUOTE=MightyB;956782]I still haven’t resolved it for myself.
As a traditionalist I say “who am I to change the system?” since I’m nowhere close to being a sifu.
Pragmatically I don’t find a lot of use for a lot of them other than for showing off and feeling cool.
Personally- sometimes I like doing them, sometimes I think they’re kind’a g@y.
Right now I think It would be cool to pull off a b!tch’n Siu Fu Yin form and I’ll probably work on it tonight.
But I know that next week- I’ll probably work on my groundwork and throwing and work out a lot and not give a 2nd thought to doing forms
See what I mean- I can’t resolve the issue. [/QUOTE]
stop looking at your training diary, lol you have a “DIARY” and do your form when you are not sparring…uno work your posture while watching tv, and then break your posture when you play with your friends.
oh and also, no one should fool themselves, forms are a big section of where the art comes from in kungfu.
yes, regardless of what anyone thinks, there is a direct relation to forms and dancing. its that quality of movement, art, and technique blended into one continuous drill that has its own level of merit.
[QUOTE=Lucas;956799]oh and also, no one should fool themselves, forms are a big section of where the art comes from in kungfu.
yes, regardless of what anyone thinks, there is a direct relation to forms and dancing. its that quality of movement, art, and technique blended into one continuous drill that has its own level of merit.[/QUOTE]
its the shamanistic aspect of the form. similar to dancing you are imbodying the spirit of the animal. where as in a dance you do the same thing, depending on the dance, think more of a tribal type of dance. its more than mere movement. its like a fusion of spirit.
take for instance any tiger style. when you move, you arent merely doing the movements and the techniques, you are a tiger. feirce of eye, strength of heart, you may even growl. you strive to take on the aspect of the tiger, the relentlessness of attack, the agressiveness of retreat, etc.
many sequences of form is more than mere movement and technique. you become the form. its like another skin.
of course you can. hell i can do it without any techniques. but it is AN aspect that can be compiled with form training. it was my elaboration of correlation to the artistic aspect of forms being similar to dancing. dancing is the only word i could think of, thats why i express to think more along the lines of tribal dance.
of course its a scale, you can surely do a form with absolutley no art. or it can be mainly just art.
but there is a connection between art and cma forms, i believe thats a strong portion of the artistic connection.
its the personal expression through movement and spirit.
the artistic part of kung fu is not in the forms
its artistic part and beauty is in the brutality and cruelty
form is when some guy needs money so he “performs” all the techniques he learned in a flowery and harmless manner to villagers for money
the 1800s are over
[QUOTE=bawang;956819]hi
what do u mean by “shamnisitc” ??[/QUOTE]
‘Shamanism comprises a range of traditional beliefs and practices concerned with communication with the spirit world’
‘There are many variations of shamanism throughout the world, but several common beliefs are shared by all forms of shamanism. Shamans are intermediaries between the human and spirit worlds’
in regards to CMA, its the connection between the animals and our development of martial arts based off of them. again its one of those things that has such a wide range of variation. most practitioners probably dont try to embody any spirit when they practice.
a good example is when you watch a shaolin monk do any animal form, he has that animals spirit.
i fully understand that. personally, my kungfu generally contains little art, the time i get to train i usually practice techniques on my bag or a partner, lift weights, or other types of conditioning. usually when i do art, its by drawing.
except when i practice weapons, i can tend to get more influential there.
I like some forms and dis-like others. To me forms develop grace, coordination, and depending upon how on performs it, aerobic capacity. They can be similar to dance and there is nothing wrong with that. Soft forms and hard forms both have benefit according to ones goals.
If one is training for reasons other than self-defense alone, they have benefits.
If one was only interested in learning to defend their self, their time would be more efficiently spent learning to shoot a gun properly. It is more effective, it is easier to get good and take less training time!
Also social skills in order to avoid dangerous conflicts are a greater advantage then physically fighting in may circumstances.
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;956825]I like some forms and dis-like others. To me forms develop grace, coordination, and depending upon how on performs it, aerobic capacity. They can be similar to dance and there is nothing wrong with that. Soft forms and hard forms both have benefit according to ones goals.
If one is training for reasons other than self-defense alone, they have benefits.
If one was only interested in learning to defend their self, their time would be more efficiently spent learning to shoot a gun properly. It is more effective, it is easier to get good and take less training time!
Also social skills in order to avoid dangerous conflicts are a greater advantage then physically fighting in may circumstances.[/QUOTE]
thats a great sum up’in
to me its always been a full spectrum, from useless fairy dancing, to solid hardcore technique drills, and everything in between.
Well, technically speaking…even a two move drill is a form. With a partner it is even better. Call it performing techniques or call it performing a two man form. One still improves self-defense performance when one practices prearranged actions.
[QUOTE=Scott R. Brown;956828]Well, technically speaking…even a two move drill is a form. With a partner it is even better. Call it performing techniques or call it performing a two man form. One still improves self-defense performance when one practices prearranged actions.[/QUOTE]
and do your form when you are not sparring…uno work your posture while watching tv, and then break your posture when you play with your friends.