Common Problems in 2 Man Forms

[-N-]

Good examples here.

[sanjuro_ronin]

2 man forms were originally done to develop counters and counter to counters BUT they were limited, typically, to one of 2 maybe 3 moves because practicality was crucial.
When performance took over it became, well, a performance.
Some of the old koryu systems like the Yagyu Shinkage ryu and the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu use 2 man forms as a huge part of their training and they are a long sequence of moves ( to build stamina) BUT the moves are "broken up" as mini-sequences and they tend to be very practical ( for their intended purpose).

[mickey]

Greetings,

I remember seeing a demo that featured a weapons contact done with intent. After the first section, the Sifu noticed that they weren't going light for the demo and said, "If you want to kill each other, then kill each other!", adding to the drama. The participants made through it to the end with no injuries and one broken weapon. The silence of the audience suggested that this was not what they were used to seeing. I knew both guys and that was how they trained.

mickey

[-N-]

Greetings,

I remember seeing a demo that featured a weapons contact done with intent. After the first section, the Sifu noticed that they weren't going light for the demo and said, "If you want to kill each other, then kill each other!", adding to the drama. The participants made through it to the end with no injuries and one broken weapon. The silence of the audience suggested that this was not what they were used to seeing. I knew both guys and that was how they trained.

mickey

I was told a story about one of my seniors. He was learning 3 section staff against spear. My teacher was his partner for the form while teaching him at the same time.

The senior student got part way through the routine, and finally asked not to continue because he was concerned about getting seriously injured.

[mickey]

Greetings -N-,

That was too funny. What you shared showed how much times has changed. I remember how sadistic and hardened people used to be in the USA. When I was in college, I gave a presentation on the level of neglect found in mental institutions. I made reference to how a body had been found in an apartment and that th body had stiffened to the point where they had to break the body to put it in the body bag. I was expecting major laughs and giggles. All I got was a loud chorus of "ULLLLL"

Barehand contacts, when properly done, really works toward strengthening the body in a way that weights do not.

mickey

[bawang]

a proper 2 man form

[-N-]

I remember seeing a demo that featured a weapons contact done with intent. After the first section, the Sifu noticed that they weren't going light for the demo and said, "If you want to kill each other, then kill each other!", adding to the drama.

Reminds me of one time after learning my first two person form.

My teacher looked at us and said, "Like mad dogs fighting." He didn't mean it in a good way, and he turned around and walked away with a disgusted look on his face.

We were fast and aggressive, but tense and with no skill. Somehow we thought we were doing good.

[-N-]

Kendo lightsabers

[Brat]

Xingyi's Ahn she n Pao form is a two man form and the only two man sparring form in the style consisting of five moves in repetition between partners. I must say that until I practiced it I had no real grasp of how to effectively fight my teacher and the combination of attacking and continuous footwork were brought together. It is really a genius form in that it really "programs" you to move, strike, block, and evade. After practicing it at full speed for a time I was able to more effectively free spar (which was basically non sequenced execution of the form) with him and also with other people not in my style. When I first met my teacher and sparred with him he made a mockery of my efforts to engage him. After much practice in the two man form it became much easier but still required practice in free sparring to fully realize. I don't think without the 2 man form I would have ever grasped it though.