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FORMS

It is stated that basic training is the heart of our art. Form Practice is the Soul.

• A form is a pre-arranged group of movements that emulate a fight against several imaginary opponents.
• It consists of defensive and offensive techniques.
• Form training assists in teaching and developing the fundamentals designated in basic training, except when performed in sections or as a whole form, the movements are done at fighting speed.
• This is the perfect union to our art.
• Form training assists in understanding the movements.
• It teaches when and how a movement can be changed.
• Forms act as an encyclopedia of our art. Consistent repetition of all the forms in your system insures reviewing specific movements that may not be covered in class on a regular basis.
• Forms also serve to identify your style to people acquainted with the marital arts.

Form training is one of the means that masters used to pass on their art.

• Types of Forms
• Solo or empty hand forms
• Two man or contact sets
• Weapon forms
• Contact Weapons
• Training Concepts
• Train one movement at a time
• Combine movements or sequences.
• Never train for speed. Speed should evolve naturally as you perfect the form. Training for speed usually waters down the movements, as the practitioner becomes absorbed with racing the form and gives little or no credence to the technicalities of the movements.

Purpose of the Forms

Some forms are designed to focus on specific areas of training. Some examples are:

• Sip Do Jung embellishes the spirit of the tiger. An endurance training form, its main purpose is to deplete all of your power so that you can build up more as you train.
• Hoy Gar Kuen emphasizes the leopard and utilizes high power techniques.
• The Butterfly teaches speed and fluidity.
• Dop Som depicts the spirit of the dragon and incorporates circular and sneaky movements.
• Animal forms teach you to embody the spirit and attitudes of particular animals while training techniques indigenous to them.
• Two man sets teach the application of specific movements in a combat environment.
• Weapon forms teach the use of a particular weapon.
• Contact Weapon forms teach usage against similar or unlike weapons.

Sifu's Notes on Forms

• Forms begin and end with a salutation. This is called the head and tail. The form is the body.
• Most forms begin with a defensive movement and end with an offensive one.
• Constant repetition of the same form or the technique(s) within does not become boring because the student performs each repetition with an inquiring mind, determined to find a better understanding of what he is practicing.
• Become one with the form.
• All Kung Fu forms are performed at fighting speed with maximum focus and power.
• Some systems train tension forms to learn to withstand powerful blows to the body. The concept of Kung Fu is to develop the movements in our forms to a level of expertise that will prevent you from getting hit.

See Also:

• Basics
• About the School
• Tai Chi
• Class Schedule

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