Tested for my next level this past Saturday

[Chief Fox]

I know that traditionally kung fu doesn't have rank levels but we do at my school and I tested for my next level this past saturday. My school has scheduled tests about every two months. On the average, for me, it takes at least 4 months, sometimes more, to learn new material before I feel confident enough to test.

There were a lot of people testing (9). Two of my friends and myself were the highest ranking students to be tested on this day.

My two friends and I went through 20 forms including 4 weapons forms. The weapons were, broadsword, staff, short stick and spear. We also did some Chin Na and part of a 2 man Chin Na set. We then went through several rounds of sparring one on one and two on one. By the time we got to the sparring I was really fatigued.

I've never been really big on what color my sash is but I really like these tests. I feel like I'm also begining to get an idea of how they're structured and why.

At my school we really try to emphasize sparring. Using the actual techniques in a real or as close to real situation as possible. We don't use pads because my instructor believes that sparring would just turn into a slugfest if we did and we would loose technique. We try to use as much control as possible but of course you always end up getting hit.

BACK TO THE TEST: We start out doing the entry level forms and then work our way up. By the time you get to your new material, you're pretty tired. Then when you finally get to sparring you're fried.

So I think the idea of this is to see how well you use/apply the techniques you've learned when you are tired. This, I think, is a good test to actually see if you have learned the material or are just copying the movements.

Anyway, it was a great test and I feel good about how I did. I screwed up on two of the forms (but not too bad) and I'm sure a couple of them were sloppy based on how tired I was. I feel good about how I sparred and pretty much just had fun.

I'm sure I won't test again for several months. The new material I'll be learning is a new open hand set and two more weapons sets, broadsword and staff.

I'm really looking forward to learning this new material but am concerned about how the heck I'm going to have time to practice it all.

Cheers.

[MasterKiller]

20 forms??!? That's an awful lot for one test. Were those all new forms or refreshers from material on previous tests?

[EarthDragon]

I agree master killer, seems like a lot of forms for any style much less for one test.

what style is this that has so many?

also chief fox what grade are you ?

[David Jamieson]

what if they are super short 5 or 6 move forms? There is a lot of that out there these days.

not like ya gotta do 20, 200+move forms methinks.

chief? do you concur these are short forms?

[MasterKiller]

Even so, just 4 weapons is a lot if it was all new material picked up in a 4 month time frame since his last test. I learned maybe 2 weapon sets a year when I was going to class.

[Judge Pen]

We typically learn 3 or 4 weapon sets per test and that's over a 2 to 4 year period.

20 forms for a test is a killer especially since we've seen some of the forms that CF does (his video post threads) so even if most of it was review material on his test, it's still a good workout.

[MasterKiller]

We typically learn 3 or 4 weapon sets per test and that's over a 2 to 4 year period. Do you guys start teaching weapons at Black?

[MasterKiller]

OK, I missed this part

We start out doing the entry level forms and then work our way up. By the time you get to your new material, you're pretty tired.

But 20 forms is still a lot of material.

[Judge Pen]

Not to hijack this thread:
In our school it takes a approximately three years to get to first black sash. By that time you will have learned 7 weapons.

We learn a very basic staff form at blue sash level (9 months in the system). Really, it's nothing but basic spins and footwork. We learn a short stick form at green sash(12 to 13 months in the system). At third-brown we learn a dao form. (18 to 20 months in the system). 2nd Brown you learn a more complex staff form and a sai form (26 to 28 months in the system). For first brown you learn another staff form and a kwan dao form (36 to 40 months in the system).

1st black to 2nd black you learn 4 spear forms (2 years typically between the ranks). 2nd black to third black you learn 3 jian/gim forms (typically 3 years minimum between the ranks). 3rd to 4th black you learn 3 more weapon forms (typically a minimum of 4 years at the rank.)

So, I know 17 weapon forms. I've picked up a couple of other weapon forms here and there, but that's outside of the material that we are taught as a curriculum.

So, if you break it down, we typically learn 1.4 weapon forms a year.

[Chief Fox]

lol, only 4 of the forms were new material. The rest is review of all past material.

Two of the new forms were very short, about 30 to 40 moves. Typically, many of the mantis forms are vary fast and very short.

There were a few longer Northern forms in there as well.

My last test was in early Spring time so it took me all summer + to learn these 4 new forms. 2 mantis sets, short stick and basic spear set.

For my next level I will be learning 3 new forms. ONe open hand set, an intermediate broadsword set and an intermediate staff set. I expect it will take me 6 months or more to learn this new material as well as improve with my past material.

My grade is an intermediate level. Our whole system has over 50 forms. But like I said, many of the mantis forms are short, fast and very repetitive.

At times I have felt like there is just too much material to learn any of it well. I've been trying to slow it down and lately I have been working really hard and have seen improvement in all my forms as well as my sparring.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

well let me be the 10th to post and first to congradulate you :).

[Chief Fox]

well let me be the 10th to post and first to congradulate you :).
Thanks. It was a fun test. Very demanding in the cardio vascular area.

[YuanZhideDiZhen]

My grade is an intermediate level. Our whole system has over 50 forms. But like I said, many of the mantis forms are short, fast and very repetitive.
.

is it seven star mantis? i think they rate sifus at 37-42 of thier forms depending on how well they perform what they know, I'm not positive tho. good job.

[Chief Fox]

is it seven star mantis? i think they rate sifus at 37-42 of thier forms depending on how well they perform what they know, I'm not positive tho. good job.
Thanks, at my school we blend 7 star with Northern Shaolin and some Hung Gar. Only 6 of the forms I did were from the 7 star system.

[Willow Palm]

Congratulations on the testing Big C. The best of luck.

Warren

[EarthDragon]

Chief you said....... Thanks, at my school we blend 7 star with Northern Shaolin and some Hung Gar. Only 6 of the forms I did were from the 7 star system.

??????? why?, dont see the reason to blend differnt styles from different parts of the country all together. have you not considered learning 1 style out of all 3? perhaps when you mature in your training you might want to focus on mastering 1.
However after knowing this may be why you have so many kuen. mantis doesnt have that many sets, and focuses more on empty hand than weapons.

but good for you for sticking with it.

[Judge Pen]

ED,

Isn't it part of the tradition and nature in CMA to take different styles and mix them together? I can think of several traditional styles whose origins come from two or more independant styles. Heck, mantis comes to mind in that regard. Where did the 7 star mantis footwork come from?

[Chief Fox]

Chief you said....... Thanks, at my school we blend 7 star with Northern Shaolin and some Hung Gar. Only 6 of the forms I did were from the 7 star system.

??????? why?, dont see the reason to blend differnt styles from different parts of the country all together. have you not considered learning 1 style out of all 3? perhaps when you mature in your training you might want to focus on mastering 1.
However after knowing this may be why you have so many kuen. mantis doesnt have that many sets, and focuses more on empty hand than weapons.

but good for you for sticking with it.
Good questions. I have a very simple answer as to why I go to the school I go to. I really like my instructor. I think it's more important to find a great instructor more so than a great style. I'm sure a lot of people think their instructor is the greatest, and I'm no different. I've been training with him for 3 years now and I haven't stopped learning and don't think I will for some time. So maybe one day I will choose to focus on one style but for now, I'm very happy with where I am.

It's actually kinda cool at my school because you have different students that naturally favor one style over another so we get some interesting matchups when sparring. I, for example, really enjoy the mantis sets but when I spar, I'm all northern.

Thanks for the questions.

[Mr Punch]

You realise you can never achieve the next level?



:D :cool:


But congrats on trying! :)

[Chief Fox]

You realise you can never achieve the next level?



:D :cool:


But congrats on trying! :)
Not really sure what you mean. But thanks......I think. :confused: