Forms and Applications

[mark]

Point is , it's not quantity, it's quality !

I couldn't agree more. Gary, I'm really looking forward to watching your DVD. Thank you to you and Sigy for making it available.

Mark

[jay]

I totally agree as well. Too much too soon will create bad habits. Then one has to go back to the beginning to fix them. If one takes their time in the beginning to work on quality, the quantity and understanding will be better later on. Bad habits can be hard to change. ........HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!

[Gary Steuer]

Happy Birthday from me as well Mark !

PS. Jay is right. Take your time and understand your movement fully before you tackle the next section.. Remember that there are at least 3 applications for every movement. There is always a yin movement , yang movement , and combinations of the both.

[jay]

2 Links for great GM Ark Wong footage:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzKoVwks9ms&feature=related
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHJj-wWturE

[Gary Steuer]

The biggest problem I see when people do forms is , speed, and understanding. Break nck speed is not necessary. If you were putting an adversary in front of you would you have to go at that speed in order to defend yourself ? Technique is the key word. you will have no technique if you move beyond the speed of light and keep looking at your feet !!!

[tsherwoo1]

Hey Sifu, question for you or maybe confirmation. Was doing the small cross the other day and was going over block behind (turn around and block w/ left arm) and am finding that the left arm doesn't really do anything,( although one can consider relaxing a specific body part doing)It's all turning and sinking hips and low back. the arm is kind of like a whip. Seems the application won't work if you're trying to move your arm through the shoulder.In addition moving this way sets you up in correct structure for whatever is next. right track here?

[Gary Steuer]

Right on the money. The arm is the fulcrum which is helping the hip turn and is used as a rudder for balance. It is also available if you need to use it to block. Tucking the backside in straightens the spine so it can open . when the back is straight then the neurons can do their job and the body can sense and feel what it needs to do . I've learned a key number. You know things are all connected to each other through numerology. Remember the # 7 . That numer represents the spine and the flow of energy to your center . The teachings I'm following come from a revered Buddha named Lam Pu.. He is of our time and was incredible. He picked the day ,and the time of his own death , or passing as they refer to it . Again, I'll explain more later. This coming April , I think will open new doors for you ... At half the cost of learning a Bull form...

[tsherwoo1]

Hello Sifu, Hope all is well with you. Have been playing with cut down and punch. Some things jarred my memory and recall that a couple years ago we were at stoner and you were describing to me how to do the punch without being stiff, drawing off the power of root and center (tan tien).Maybe this is not public info should I e-mail you?Thanks for the last response and warm welcome.

[Gary Steuer]

If this wasn't public Tim, it should be. Explanations are taken by people as they feel they need . I explain as best as I can, but it is up to the person whether they understand it or not.

Don't think of yourself as a student, you are more like family. I hope to see you soon.
e-mail is good also !

I think I've taken my training to the next level by just sitting and meditating . Amazing what happens when you let go and become relaxed. The Thai monks have a great understanding of what we are doing with our martial arts...This doesn't apply to everyone who meditates. It depends on what form of physical training your body understands. I hope I can explain better when I show it. again, there will be those who don't want to hear this and that is fine also...For them I can just apply techniques that will cause pain..

[mic]

Gary,

To re-enforce your statement: " The arm is the fulcrum which is helping the hip turn." Here is another example.

After I had skied a bit without learning from anyone, my brother who is a P.E. teacher, taught me how to ski.
He had me use one ski pole, parallel to the ground, at waist level, that I held with both hands.
In order to turn, I just had to turn my shoulders right or left and the rest of the body followed.

I am not an advance skier (for lack of practice) but I can ski without fear of crashing and have no clue about using ski poles, any other way! ;D
I prefer to downhill ski without anything in my hands but... an imaginary broom stick.
Mic

[Gary Steuer]

People send me links to youtube, and other sites , and ask me to check the forms that are done , which are in a way similar to the forms that we do .... The faults I find are 1, they are performed way too fast ! , 2, There is no focus , 3, The people doing the forms are always checking their feet, 4, There is no application in the techniques of the movements..... They have to slow down and concentrate on what they are doing as if it is real life . People do not move at the speed they are doing these forms.. Check the kicking, almost all the kicks are not focused and the leg they are standing on has the heel raised off the floor. Most of the blocks are done over their heads . There is no wiping off of grabs , or any controling moves , which couldn't be done anyway at the speed the forms are performed. Truly, they are a mess ! But, good to watch, because you should look for the faults, and then compare your moves to theirs...... If you have ANY questions on forms, or moves or techniques, we'll go over them in April . I'm going to take you into some of the training I am going through with the Monks here. It will change things for you , I guarantee !

[jay]

I am getting chills up my spine (sequential muscle contractions) in anticipation!

[Gary Steuer]

There have been no questions in more than 1 year, so i'm going to take for granted that everyone here is good with what they are doing. I still get clips sent to me from youtube , and am asked to critique them... I usually get into about 10 seconds of someone's form and then delete it.
Why do people believe that speed is the answer ? Why do they start a new movement before finishing the last one ? Why do they keep looking at their feet ,don't they know where they are ?
Forms are a means to an end. They should be done so many times that there is no thought involved at all. A form should be done at the speed the techniques in them would be used . A person should be able to watch a form and be able to see the techniques being applied.

Going to Aikido. The man , Ueshiba was a martial art fanatic and was with the invaders when they entered China. He watched Chinese people doing their exercises and tried to copy them. They saw this and they stopped . Ueshiba was advanced enough to see the technique in their movements but was unable to re-create the form that led to the technique . Bacially , that's what I'm getting at. The technique should be visable even though their is no one on the other side of the person doing the form.
When you work out , you should be using your mind as much , if not more than your body ..

Think about this when you work out..............

[mic]

Here is my question: If I realize I made a bad or sloppy move in a form, should I just correct that move and keep going on or... redo the whole form?
(I'll be redoing it a few times anyway.)
Thanks!

[blackravin]

Funny you mention that, I have been re-analyzing my forms and have looked at how our forms are done and how other systems do them and I can see what you mean.

The practicality is really deminished when the forms are done at a spead that is un natural. And in addition to the spead corrupting the movements it doesn't allow much of a torque from the hip.