The practice of forms, prearranged combinations of blocks, strikes, kicks and throws, represents a characteristic of the martial arts. Forms remain a vital feature in kung-fu, karate, and taekwondo schools today and are known in various disciplines as kun toh, kata, hyung, etc. With the advent of full-contact kickboxing and mixed martial arts contests in contemporary times, the question naturally arises: Is the teaching of forms an anachronism, irrelevant to modern combat needs?
Two general schools of thought exist on the relevance of forms in today’s martial environment. One outlook opines that forms are outdated; museum pieces best left out in favor of heavy bag and pad-striking practice, shadowboxing, roadwork, hard sparring, and ground grappling. The opposing viewpoint, maintains that forms continue to play a vital role in the overall martial education.
Historically, forms have been included in the training regimens of Asiatic fighting styles. The preset sequence serve as living repositories of a system’s peculiar techniques, making it easier to teach and remember the techniques and thus preserving them for future generations. Forms also help to define a practitioner’s identity.
Many have looked into the importance of practicing forms which include:
Ergonomic Execution
An immediate and very important product of forms training is the ergonomic execution of techniques. Take the basic straight punch as an example. This fundamental maneuver common to nearly all striking-based martial system in existence, is delivered by launching the body from the rear driving leg, placing one’s weight on the front leg turning the waist powerfully in a forward direction, and punching forward with the rear arm while keeping the back straight.
Dynamic Balance
Forms also foster a dynamic sense of balance, facilitating the maintenance of the practitioner’s stability while in motion. A vital consideration in combat lies in keeping one’s center to prevent overextension and vulnerability to an opponent’s attacks and counters.
Proper Breathing
It is universally acknowledged that proper breathing leads to the powerful delivery of martial arts technique. In breathing in (the inhalation process), the practitioner charges up energy in preparation for an explosive release. In breathing out (the exhalation process), the practitioner in turn generates a great force to achieve the intended result on an opponent.
Mental Focus
Forms are sometimes referred to as meditation in motion. Focused thought maintained throughout the length of a given sequence. By properly executing his forms, a practitioner learns to concentrate his attention to the task at hand and avoid distractions that may come about. This leads to fluency in, and mastery of, the techniques.
Hidden Meaning in Forms
Many practitioners take forms at face value. However, for most Asian martial arts, there are hidden applications when practicing forms that sometimes can be lost when inherited. This forms itself can be a system of its own, or part of a larger system that showcases the logical sequence of movements and strikes to the enemy when paired with a partner. The key word here is “modular”.
A single movement may imply a strike, a throw, or a lock/choke. A series of combination of strikes and techniques to be applied so as to avoid being in a disadvantage when in a fight. This is applied as the situation dictates. A form may also teach the optimal distance to strike to best takedown an opponent (depending on the interpretation and essence of the art).
More importantly, the form is just a form. Though the form is representative of the art, it is also used to hide the intention of the message that it tries to impart. The shape of the strike can be replaced with a fist, a claw, or a palm etc. and the form still stands because the main message is not in what is used to strike but why you are striking.
There is indeed a continuing relevance in the practice of forms in this modern age. While bag-hitting, contact sparring and ground grappling may seem more exciting and immediately fulfilling to the younger crop of martial arts practitioners, even a cursory view reveals the vast benefits of forms training for anyone.
