In all martial arts, many students will one day debate the value of practicing forms v real fighting.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs practicing forms important for real fighting? Should I just be performing drills, or sparring?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The answer to this is not a simple\u00a0yes<\/em>\u00a0or\u00a0no<\/em>\u00a0because it depends on how you practice your forms:<\/p>\n
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- Do you let your mind wander, or are you incredibly focused?<\/li>\n
- Do you\u00a0\u2018take it easy\u2019 and treat it as a warm-up, or are you challenging yourself each time with deep stances and\u00a0powerful movements?<\/li>\n
- Are you\u00a0just \u2018following the motions\u2019, or do you have a specific goal in mind?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Practicing Forms V Real Fighting<\/h2>\n
At\u00a0An Wushu<\/a>, we believe form training\u00a0done correctly<\/em>\u00a0is incredibly important for developing your kung fu:<\/p>\n
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- Forms develop what we call your \u2018kung fu body\u2019. Strength and endurance are\u00a0a very important part of kung fu, but can be developed by many activities; the specific attributes you need for perfecting your\u00a0kung fu, however \u2013 such as flexibility, timing & chi skills \u2013 can be best\u00a0developed through forms<\/li>\n
- Forms teach movements in a logical sequence (e.g., \u201cStrike\u2026 if they block, then you do this\u201d) and\u00a0create useful muscle memory*<\/li>\n
- If you practice your forms the way you fight \u2013 with spirit, power, and accuracy \u2013 then you\u2019ll fight the way you practice your forms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
*Many students are also curious about\u00a0the applicability of \u2018grander\u2019 movements, such as flips,\u00a0spins, kicks and so on.\u00a0There are a few\u00a0schools of thought on\u00a0this:<\/p>\n
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- In years past, it was not uncommon for future masters to be\u00a0taught incredibly slowly, often learning a single form over five years!\u00a0If you have practiced a movement\u00a0100,000 times or more, you will definitely be able to use it in combat \u2013 even if it is perhaps not as efficient as it could be<\/li>\n
- Many movements are taken to their extreme to better develop the body: e.g., if you train with your horse stance at parallel, spending minutes then hours\u00a0in this position each day for many years, your legs will become incredibly\u00a0strong. If you only stand at \u2018fighting height\u2019 for these years of training, you will miss out on this strength.<\/li>\n
- In some styles, there are moves that are simply not meant to\u00a0be used in combat, e.g., backflips, and are simply there to develop the body\u00a0of the\u00a0practitioner. Similar to Point 2, if you spend years training backflips, you will\u00a0have much more explosive muscles and better co-ordination than if you didn\u2019t. (Note: There are\u00a0no movements like this in An Wushu, however, as part of a complete\u00a0training system this is a great way to train.)<\/li>\n
- Much of the power generated in kung fu is difficult to do\u00a0in a small way until you can do it in a big way: e.g., even a beginner can sharply twist their body, push off their heel and throw a strong \u2018cross\u2019 punch (albeit at the probable cost of their balance). But if they limit their twist to only\u00a01-inch, can they generate power? The answer is no.\u00a0By starting with an\u00a0over-exaggerated movement, a beginner is able to gain\u00a0the internal feeling needed for any movement and gradually refine the\u00a0movement to its\u00a0usable form.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n
So, is practicing forms important for real fighting? As with anything in\u00a0kung fu and in life, you only get out what you put in.<\/p>\n
To learn more about\u00a0An Wushu\u00a0<\/a>or how to study with Master An full-time in China visit\u00a0www.StudyMartialArts.Org<\/a>\u00a0we work exclusively to help dedicated students connect to quality martial arts schools. This includes visa assistance and independent information all at no additional cost to you. Check us out with no obligation.<\/p>\n