| It’s an argument we have all heard before, | | | | stopping after each posture to look and check on the |
| ‘Since you would never fight in a sequence like a | | | | position of your hands, arms, feet, legs, shoulders, hips, |
| form, what is the use of practicing forms?’ This | | | | head and back. As you progress you develop your |
| argument is valid to the extent that if all you want to | | | | sense of proprioception which enables you to sense |
| learn is how to fight then forms are not necessary. But | | | | your posture rather than checking it visually. This frees |
| if you want to improve your overall physical, emotional, | | | | the use of your eyes and attention which can then be |
| and sensory health then forms training is the key. Form | | | | used to concentrate on other aspects such as |
| are not designed to merely teach combat techniques, | | | | breathing, visualization, or an opponent. The nervous |
| there are three other levels and skill sets inherent in | | | | system is trained to monitor and perform a far |
| forms training that you are learning whether or not you | | | | broader range of bodily expressions, without the need |
| know it. | | | | for conscious direction. |
| | | | | |
| A therapy which encourages expressive movement | | | | This is why someone with a background is gymnastics |
| increases the motility of the organism, improves its | | | | or ballet tends to learn martial arts forms faster than |
| aggression and creates a feeling of strength on both | | | | say someone who only played soccer. There are |
| the physical and psychic levels. | | | | simply many more postures and positions to learn in |
| Alexander Lowen, The Language of the Body | | | | dance and gymnastics than soccer, which increases |
| | | | | the body’s repertoire of movements. |
| The Functions of Form | | | | |
| | | | | Finally, forms require movements be done both right |
| The obvious reason for learning forms is that they | | | | and left handed. As you know the brain is divided into |
| teach combat techniques, but in addition there are | | | | a right and left hemisphere, and that the left brain |
| three purposes behind the practice of forms, they are: | | | | controls the right side of the body and vice versa. Cat |
| as a mnemonic device, to develop the muscular | | | | Scan studies show that when both the left and right |
| skeletal system, and to improve psycho?motor skills. | | | | hemispheres of the brain are stimulated in |
| | | | | synchronization that people often experience peak |
| Mnemonic Technique | | | | mental acuity and alertness. One way to trigger both |
| | | | | sides of the brain is what’s called cross lateral |
| A form is a mnemonic technique that trains the | | | | exercises, simply put, something that is done both by |
| muscles to remember the many complex techniques | | | | the right side of the body and then by the left side. |
| of hand-to-hand combat of which a martial art is | | | | This is exactly what occurs during the performance of |
| composed. Let’s make an analogy between a | | | | a form. In effect then, practicing forms will make you |
| learning martial arts and learning the piano. A single | | | | smarter! |
| technique such as a punch or a kick could be likened | | | | |
| to a single musical note. In the beginning you learn the | | | | We tend to stop learning when we have mastered |
| notes of a piano individually and then in scales. Martial | | | | sufficient skills to attain our immediate objective. Thus |
| arts first teach the techniques individually and then in | | | | for instance, we improve our speech until we can |
| drills which is similar to practicing scales. Once proficient | | | | make ourselves understood. But any person who |
| in notes and scales the next progression is to songs | | | | wishes to speak with the clarity of an actor discovers |
| and melodies. In martial arts combat techniques are | | | | that he must study speech for several years in order |
| combined into routines that correspond to songs and | | | | to achieve anything approaching his maximum potential. |
| are combined differently in each routine, from simple | | | | An intricate process of limiting ability accustoms us to |
| progressions to complex ones. | | | | make do with a small part of our potential. |
| | | | | Moshe Feldenkrais, Body Awareness As Healing |
| So how does this work as mnemonic device? | | | | Therapy: The Case of Nora |
| Well one of the first uses of music and possibly even | | | | |
| the cause of its invention was as a mnemonic device. | | | | Chinese Tips for Training in Form |
| Ancient bards knew the words to dozens of stories | | | | |
| because the stories were sung rather than spoken. | | | | As you can see forms are a great way to improve |
| This principle is easily demonstrated. If I were to ask | | | | both mind and body but keep forms alive and |
| you to memorize six notes, C, A, F, A, C, F, in order | | | | interesting you should occasionally change the way |
| and I would only tell you once and you were not | | | | they are performed or add other outside elements. |
| allowed to write it down. What are your chances of | | | | The following are some tips on getting the most out of |
| remembering those notes in an hour, or the next day, | | | | your forms training. |
| or next week or when you were 80 years old? Slim | | | | |
| to none. But if I were to sing the first six notes of the | | | | Varied Terrain |
| American national anthem, | | | | |
| ‘Oh-say-can-you-see....’ you would be able to | | | | In China and rural Japan, much time is spent training |
| remember those notes until the day you died. Music | | | | outdoors, in the parks, along beaches, and in the |
| has the ability to encode, and allows the mind to recall, | | | | mountains. These varied conditions improve balance |
| complex packets of information. | | | | and stability to deeper levels than the uniform flat |
| | | | | surfaces we usually train and spend our working days |
| Forms then are the physical equivalent of music. A | | | | on. All martial artists should train under different terrains |
| form contains packets of kinesthetic information such | | | | and conditions. By expanding one’s experience with |
| as posture, balance, center of gravity, movement, | | | | varied conditions, one is better able to react and move |
| fluidity, and the transmission of kinetic energy. By | | | | under a greater number of combat situations. Practice |
| learning forms one also memorizes the dozens of | | | | your forms on hills, along the beach, on rocky ground, in |
| combat techniques of which it is comprised. And like | | | | the snow, and during a rainstorm. Practice at night in |
| the tales sung by bards, martial arts forms have also | | | | candlelight or moonlight. The first thing you will notice is |
| transmitted this information down through dozens and | | | | the incredible strain this puts on the legs spurring the |
| perhaps hundreds of generations. | | | | development of stronger leg muscles. One also learns |
| | | | | to move more perfectly balanced since the ground is |
| Development of the Muscular/Skeletal System | | | | often unreliable being either to slippery or too entangled |
| | | | | to allow any degree of error. |
| Forms also work to exercise different areas of the | | | | |
| body simultaneously. Practicing forms quickly will | | | | Increased Difficulty |
| develop the cardiovascular system, improve flexibility | | | | |
| and anaerobic capacity, and increase the body's | | | | In earlier times brass or steel rings were worn around |
| metabolic rate. But in addition, forms also work the | | | | the wrists and ankles to add weight during the |
| often overlooked stabilizer muscle groups. We all know | | | | performance of the form. Special wrist and ankle |
| that the body’s large muscles groups such as the | | | | weights can help in the development of muscles, and |
| quadriceps, gluteus, and abdominals are responsible for | | | | endurance. Light dumb bells can also be substituted. |
| strength, and speed. However, posture and balance is | | | | Most important, be careful not to perform the |
| achieved through the actions of hundreds of small | | | | movements too quickly since the weights tend to |
| muscles known collectively as stabilizer muscles. | | | | make you overextend your techniques which can |
| These muscles help to direct the movement of the | | | | cause injury to the joints. |
| larger muscles that are essential in executing | | | | |
| techniques that require refinement and grace. These | | | | Varied Speed |
| stabilizer muscles don't develop very much through | | | | |
| traditional weight exercises that are aimed at isolating | | | | Practice the form as slowly as possible, as though a |
| and developing the large muscles which is why body | | | | tree gently swaying in the wind. It doesn't matter what |
| builders often appear stiff and wooden. Conversely | | | | style you practice, the method of practicing slowly will |
| figure skaters, dancers, and gymnasts are renowned | | | | provide the same benefits as Tai Chi. The form will |
| for their poise a result of training that requires superb | | | | have to be adapted to suit the slower speed, kicks |
| balance and posture. Because form training requires | | | | become slow steps, requiring not only excellent muscle |
| similar attention to posture and balance they also help | | | | control but balance as well. |
| to develop grace and fluidity. | | | | |
| | | | | Conclusion |
| Psycho-Motor Skills | | | | |
| | | | | The heart and soul of any martial art is in the way you |
| Psycho motor skills are those that involve the | | | | move. Following precise directions for moving the body |
| movement of the body in space, generally referred to | | | | does more that simply train you for combat, it |
| as hand-to-eye coordination. Forms teach a complex | | | | improves concentration, self awareness, coordination, |
| set of positions and movements that require more | | | | versatility, balance, rhythm, and harmony - it teaches |
| attention than we normally have. For example, when | | | | you to be alive. |
| you first learn a form you must practice very slowly, | | | | |