| turies and as far as we know forms have always | | | | Very few would have the responsibility of preserving |
| been an integral part of Kung Fu training. They have | | | | the complete knowledge of their system for future |
| been passed down through countless generations, and | | | | generations, and the ones who wish to become |
| even though the original set of movements would | | | | instructors would probably wish to learn all the forms |
| inevitably have changed, much of which makes up the | | | | to be used as teaching material. |
| core of the system would still be there. | | | | Forms can provide a platform for one to understand |
| Some people have suggested that forms were | | | | and develop physical awareness of our body and |
| designed originally for the purpose of passing down | | | | limbs in relation to space. What it cannot provide is |
| fighting techniques secretly, negating the need to | | | | interaction, and so to practise forms as a means of |
| document them and thus risk having them being | | | | learning to fight in pre-set fashion wouldn’t be |
| exposed or stolen. While others suggest their designed | | | | practical, or effective for the obvious reasons. |
| and sole purpose was to provide a pre-determined set | | | | Forms training can provide the means of refining |
| of training aids to improve such attributes as balance, | | | | one’s balance and coordination making it an |
| coordination and timing, just as we might see a | | | | invaluable tool in building a sub-conscious blueprint. For |
| Western boxer using his shadow boxing. | | | | those who don’t have access to regular training |
| There is probably some truth to both, and this would | | | | partners, forms are a way of re-enforcing our spatial |
| explain why some forms flow naturally into successive | | | | awareness of our positions, which is important for |
| techniques whilst some others are a combination of | | | | those systems that focus much of their training on |
| techniques which don’t seem to flow together. | | | | using biomechanical structure. |
| The question many ask when taking up Kung Fu | | | | For those that train their art internally, far more time |
| training is whether their form training is relevant. To | | | | would be spent training on their forms as Internal |
| answer this question we need to address all the | | | | Energy or Chi, can only be developed through many |
| various aspects of training as traditionally Kung Fu was | | | | hours of meditative focus. Physical movements, which |
| trained differently in the past to how it is today. | | | | are done slowly and with intent, gives our mind the |
| Traditionally Kung Fu in China was for many, a way of | | | | unique ability to isolate individual sets of muscles which |
| life, and training needed to continue whether you had a | | | | sets the foundations for Internal training. |
| training partner or not. Today however many see it as | | | | There will always be the argument on the validity of |
| a recreational sport, and may spend time training one | | | | Forms in today’s Kung Fu training. |
| or two times a week in a club with other students. | | | | |