Question for the Wah Lum People

[Unfettered Palm]

from my understanding...

it was a split kick and a block low, to a slash up...(typical broadsword pattern)
practiced three times in a row... the purpose -- stamina, repitition for familiarity, and traditional forms have 3 repetitve sequences in some cases. WL foms have 3 sequences in a lot of there forms, so... no surprise there....

from what i was taught (and i can actually fight with any long/short/flexible weapon in combat scenarion, being i learned how to fight full contact with weapons...(learned with armor and with out -- which hurts ) it was a jumping block against a spear defense -- by jumping forward and pressing the spear down... you gain ground on the spear fighter... when you land, you can lock the spear with your legs long enough to strike the spear fighter with your broadsword.... hence the upward slash

cutting off heads and all that is rubbish... it sounds good in mystical stories but MC makes more sense than that.... the lao wai couldn't do it so he had to dumb it down...

give the man a little more credit than that...

-zz-

[Yao Sing]

That's an interesting take on the move but I'm having trouble relating it to the moves as I learned them.

You say jumping FORWARD while pressing down yet the move done 3 times keeps you in the same spot?

So you block down while jumping forward in a split against a spear attack, then slice upwards at opponent while locking legs together trapping the spear.

The previous move, the one interpreted as stabbing a horse's belly, is a close in technique and doesn't fit with a spear attack.

I'm a little foggy today and I'm just not making sense of it. I know it's difficult putting moves into words. I guess let me kick it around awhile.

[Unfettered Palm]

for not attacking my reply and actually looking forward to civilized discussion.

"You say jumping FORWARD while pressing down yet the move done 3 times keeps you in the same spot?"

you only stay in the same spot for the forms sake. it's to build stamina (if you can do it three times in practice well, you can surely do it proper when it comes down to it--once) but when applying fighting application, it's moving forward -- clearly a non-practical move - but... it is what it is... it might work for some, but i sure as hell am not going to try it. you wouldn't want to remain stationary while someone is thrusting a spear at you.... so -- block low while advancing inward... you can slash whlie in air, or... when you land, lock the spear in between your legs and slash upwards... yes, your stance isnt strong, but its quick... and a little off blaance is traded to get the winning slash... ::crowd cheers::

The previous move, the one interpreted as stabbing a horse's belly, is a close in technique and doesn't fit with a spear attack.

each move of the form can be separated or used in joint attacks... it's not meant for one move to automatically follow the next... the form is a guideline of the weapons capabilities and limitations. ex.) when the right hands is holding the sword and points downward and the blade is tip down, when coming around the body blocking,and your hand goes over head, then the sword comes behind the back....the spiraling affect is to not only block, but to pick up momentum for the next slash... that can be used for nearly anything, blocking or striking.....
also, while doing what you refer to as stabbing the horses belly-- when you do the spin upwards and your holding the sword by the handle and the left hand presses against the dull/back of the sword mid way down.... that can be used as a way to gain ground and get in close... or can be used if an enemy gets too close to you and thinks they got past your weapons range.. you bring it in close and can cut upwards and move into the stab...... there's so much to this.... so much application in the WL forms..... great stuff...... if i ever went back to external.... i would go back to WL

[spiralstair]

Unfettered Palm
Interesting take on that sequence. Thanks for sharing. Solo form practice (which is constantly undersold on these boards) is to me one of the most valuable aspects to TCMA, if one fully involves their mind. Once all the need to be the "Baddest ***tard in the Room" fades with youth into one's past, form practice turns out to be like a friend with whom you can have a really good conversation. It doesn't have to get 'old', unless you allow it to.
Sort of like a nutritional supplement for the grey matter....

[18elders]

Did you train with Bruce Cohen?