There are so many different bad attitudes towards forms.
People who think forms are a waste of time between sessions of hard sparring where the learning takes place.
People who think forms are sacred treasures, passed down hand to hand, the embodiment of the essence of the art, the only true measure of mastery.
PURE CODSWALLOP!
The Fu travels with the man, not the art. Forms are alive, they evolve and they are simply exercises. If you do your forms the same way as an advanced student as you did as a beginner - well, it just doesn't make sense, does it?
Forms train muscle memory so that when you are freestyling, you don't think about it. Freestyling. Freestyling. The fu travels with the man, not the art.
Sure, if you're a tournament guy, you probably focus on getting all the moves as per the standard because that's a judging requirement, but to my mind that is just as disabling as the guys that train TCMA and fight Gweilo Kune on in the ring.
Sure, if you want to teach, you have to know the classic version as part of your training skill.
If you aren't evolving your forms, looking for tweaks, changes and applications based upon the core, you're just a muppet.
Of course, all forms are not created equal, some have more to offer to the open mind than others, or maybe its your challenge to take it that one step further - pay your money and take your chances. Remember, 50% are below average.
Are you a man or a muppet?
Guangzhou Pak Mei Kung Fu School, Sydney Australia,
Sifu Leung, Yuk Seng
Established 1989, Glebe Australia