My 2 cents on "ideal"
Originally Posted by
Shaolin Wookie
That's where I disagree. I can show students applications for Short Forms #4, 7, 18, 25 (in CSC's system) etc. about a milltion times. Unless the student can grasp for himself or herself exactly what is going on (and it's the same **** thing in all four, but learned with different progressive applications all based on teh same entry/defense-against-a-throw move), one of the most important techniques of leverage and throwing the student can learn from the foundational CSC material will never make sense. It won't make sense for the student as long as the student is attempting to perform a technique in an "ideal" way. Performing the material in an "ideal" way only works in the abstract as a method of teaching material to large quantities of students at once (3+ students on up). As soon as a short person attempts to perform a technique on a larger student, the technique has to adapt and become completely personalized.
What does this personalization of technique contain? I figure 3 things:
1. understanding the underlying mechanics of leverage, root, and torque that operate in every technique--even in just standing up.
2. Understanding that there are contingencies that arise in differential weights, size, balance, and height, and that there is no "cheating" a technique. It works if it takes advantage of Rule #1.
3. Understanding that the "ideal" form is strictly a teaching tool, and not a tool from which personalized knowledge can be gained directly.
It's a bit like a one-size-fits-all tee-shirt. You give the same t-shirt to every student. They're supposed to then take the t-shirt and shrink it to their personal fit. If someone comes back wearing a t-shirt that's too big, saying, "I like it this way because it's comfortable," that's fine, but it's a guarantee that the student in question hasn't learned jack-shirt just yet. (Excuse the bad pun.)
Isn't it true though that there is an "ideal" way to perform the form -- where the hand is, the feet are, the stance, etc. -- and doing it that way has its purposes; then also an "ideal" way to apply the technique(s) from the form, which may be infinite, and must be applied differently in the actual application -- a different way not only for each practitoner, but a different way against a taller or heavier opponent than with a shorter or lighter opponent. And some techniques, that wouldn't be applied at all to some opponents, because of their skill sets, body types, etc.
So there can be and "ideal" way to perform a form, that is not necessarily the or an "ideal" way to apply what is learned from it. Who's sparring looks like their form practice?
And maybe that is what each of you who have commented on the post are saying, just in different ways.
Just One Student
"I seek, not to know all the answers, but to understand the questions." --- Kwai Chang Caine
(I'd really like to know all the answers, too, but understanding the questions, like most of my martial arts practice, is a more realistically attainable goal)