How are forms taught in your school?

[Lisa]

In my school, there is no specific day scheduled for working on forms, but we usually do them about once every week to week and a half. We usually only do either weapons or empty hand, but once in a while if there's time, we do both. You generally learn one movement of the form at a time, but if a movement is repeated or two or three movements naturally flow together, you might learn two or three in one class (14 roads is different... you learn one of the 14 sections at a time). You'll only learn a new move if your form up to that point looks good. Sometimes you learn the application at the same time you learn the movements, and sometimes my sifu will say, "I'll just let you think about that one for a while." It gives you a chance to analyze the movement and figure it out for yourself. Most people will spend about a year to a year and a half learning our first form (14 roads). The other forms tend to take several months to learn.

My brother went to another kung fu school in town for a few months. Their beginner class started on a specific date, so all the beginners started at the same time. They worked on forms every class (not application... just learning the movements). There was little to no individual attention given to the students. They all learned the form at the same pace, so the students who picked it up faster were held back by the ones who didn't practice, or just weren't good at it.

How does your school teach forms? Do you learn the application at the same time as you learn the movements, or do you learn the whole form, and then learn the application?

[norther practitioner]

We do a lot of forms, it just being me in class nowadays (most people would love it, however, it gets to me sometimes) I get a lot of details. I learn the apps. (if they are not obvious), usually a week or two later at most. I have learned a lot of forms the last 2 years (6-7 and most of a 10 line tan tui(a few have many of the same techs.)). None of these forms I would consider advanced.

[Skarbromantis]

Sifu teaches one form a month, plus applications, we break the form down to 4 parts learning one part each week, each week we review the previous weeks lesson, then continue with the new material, Sifu always shows the applications and makes sure we understand, the rest of the week is spent on practicing.

Skard1

[Leto]

We practice forms every day. Every month is one form, broken down into three sections, usually, with the last week of the month for practicing the whole form together. After completeing each section we learn the application, too.

[HuangKaiVun]

I try to teach one move at a time to each individual student.

That involves proper posture, proper application, variations, and counters. I also "test" the technique via unrehearsed sparring.

In general, I don't get hung up on details of posture. My thing is that a technique should be done in a way that gets maximal power and speed while not being stuck in that position. What good is a strong lead hand punch if the legs are so stiff that any opponent can kick up the groin?

Only after teaching and drilling the entirety of a technique do I move on to the next one. To me, a technique has to WORK against a resisting opponent before the next one can be learned.

Eventually, the individual moves add up to the whole form. The forms I created for myself and my students are all extremely short.

[TaoBoy]

We don't have a set plan...in fact up until last night I hadn't done forms for over a month. We do a lot of technique, partner and application training...forms also.

We have around 10-12 forms in the whole system...they are fairly short but all have a different basis. Never anything fancy - always applicable techniques.

As far as the training of forms - we get shown parts gradually and then put it all together.

Forms are nothing without application knowledge.

[Shadow Dragon]

We are taught a few movements of the form, given corrections and which points to look out for.

We than train those moves until Sihing and Sifu are happy than we move onto next set of movements.

No specific starting of classes or course, newcomers are assigned to the group with the lowest skill level and work from there on.

Usual session is as follows:
Warmup and loosening exercises.
Everybody does the form once.

Than we split into groups and work on current material till we get called by either Sihing or Sifu who checks our movements gives corrections and new material to concentrate on.

After this it is back to working on our own or under the assistance of a Sihing. This can also include Push-hand etc.

Cheers.

[Neurotic]

Considering our style only really has 3½ empty hand forms (I say half b/c 'advanced' sil lim tau is not a total deviation from the normal SLT) it's actually rate rare to learn a new form.

That being said, occasionally we will do a A/SLT in class, dependent on the mood of who is taking a warmup.

Also - we tend to go in reverse - Sifu will give us an application of some sort, and after we have done it for a while, explain how it comes from a particular form, to give us a different perspective.

Generally though, it is up to the practitioner to practice forms in their own time, and question Sifu as neccessary when the need arises.

Neurotic

[Souljah]

we practice forms every lesson, and as mentioned by others are given pointers and corrections while doing so.
Typically you will learn a new move/set every lesson (if you come regularly), but this does vary from form to form, for instance when I did the second form, it was like a set/move a lesson, but now im on the 4th its a little slower due to the more complex movements.

Generally we are shown the application when learning the move but only practice them in depth when we finish each form and we begin to 'polish' it off.

[David Jamieson]

forms are taught as the student becomes ready for the information and has the ability to perform and understand them.

peace

[Souljah]

yea that too.....sorry didnt mention that:D
Usually takes about a couple of months to begin forms, basics must be taught.

[nospam]

How are forms taught in my school? Slowly.

nospam.
:cool:

[David Jamieson]

...and one at a time! :D

peace

[Sho]

We go to a seminar to learn a new form and then practice it afterwards at our usual classes. In total, a student learns 1-2 forms a year, but of course depending on his own decisions.

[lotusleaf]

We usually do them every monday after drills. We are split up into corresponding groups so we are working on the same form in small groups. Some work on the 2-man forms, empty hand and some work on the weapons - mostly the staff.

[MightyB]

How do you train your forms?

Get shown the moves one segment at a time not progressing until the first segment is mastered and then: Practice, practice, practice, get critiqued, practice some more, public exhibition, critique, practice, teach, give critique, get critiqued on how I critiqued, practice, ........

[jun_erh]

i go to one school that's just forms. they win alot of competitions because they don't do anything else. but they do know that much. So I go there once a week and learn a little more each week. I've learned 3 forms in like 8 months. The other school is no forms at all and it's like twice a week. So about a third of my thing is forms. I practice them at home alot, which is cool because alot of the two person stuff can't really be practiced at home, obvuisly.