How many? How long?

[rickyscaggs]

I'm interested in knowing at what rate people from different schools learn their forms. How many do you learn in a given time and how long before you learn a new one? Is there testing on forms at your school?

[Mortal1]

Basic stance form=1 month

Erluquan(long fist type form) 1 year

Shaohongquan=7 months

Da lohan=7 months

I guess the answer is it varies.

[Banjos_dad]

it took me over a year to memorize the basic moves of 12 spring legs / 12 tan tui. and i am still perfecting it years after passing the test. and i still have some work to do on it.

we are taught the forms a section at a time and then leanr them progressively that way. after the entire sequence of motions has been taught, we practice the entire for for a while, then have an opportunity to be tested on it. after that we move in to instruction in the next form. we have a review day once a month, so if we don't keep up practice on all our forms it will show. we have report card type things, sort of like a check list with the entire curriculum on it. Sifu signs off each one after the test is passed. he keeps more detailed records on how we did, high pointd and low points i guess. for us its strictly pass/fail. either way we are given recommendations on ways to improve the form.
we don't wear indications of what level we are at in the curriculum. everyone knows who is who. we line up in order that way, that's about thie only outward manifestation of 'rank'.