NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/rec/martial/14660

Text File | 1992-11-20 | 1.8 KB | 36 lines

Newsgroups: rec.martial-arts
Path: sparky!uunet!srg!birch.srg.af.mil!schan
From: [e-mail] (Stephen Chan x4485)
Subject: Re: What are the purposes of Forms ?
Organization: SRG, Arinc Research Corp., Annapolis, MD
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 18:45:47 GMT
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
References: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (Usenet news user)
Lines: 24

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (H.C. Patel) writes:
>    Basically, I want to know what are the purposes of forms ?.
>I do not see why there is so much emphasis on them. How can it help someones
>ability as a martial artist ?. Finally, how should one perform a form ?.
>That is, do you picture an oponent in front of you while performing ?.

    I'll give you the standard answer as I understand it.
    Different forms may emphasize different things - some forms have a
strong emphasis on conditioning ( sanchin for instance).
    Some may emphasize teaching fighting under particular circumstances:
in the naihanchi and tekki katas of Japanese/Okinawan styles, there is an
emphasis on lateral movement, and training to fight out of a horse stance. I
have seen Chinese spear forms which seem to capture the necessary movements
for recovering a weapon which has slipped out of control.
    In the general case, forms teach your body to move in cambatively
useful ways, and through long practice, how to move powerfully and efficiently
while maintaining a clear mind (that moving Zen stuff)
    Forms also embody the strategy and spirit of a style. In this way,
they have what people may consider artistic merit (the spirit really only
shines through once you are something like a master)
    And, maybe someday, you will come to appreciate forms because of what
--
    Stephen Chan
    uunet!srg!schan or uunet!srg![e-mail]