Most young men today just want to become UFC fighters and they have no interest in traditional forms. In fact, they scoff at anything traditional even if they have no idea what they are missing. On the other hand, older martial artists are trapped inside their forms and cannot see beyond their structure. This post is the beginning of a long discussion of the role of forms in martial arts training.
The Pros of Forms Training:
- Coordination & muscle memory development
- Balance training
- Cardiovascular exercise
- Leg strength
- Footwork pattern development
- No partner required
- Forms provide a framework for repetition training
The Cons of Forms Training:
- Very time-consuming
- Abstract movement patterns don’t always apply to combat
- Imitation does not always lead to creativity
- Limited feedback during movement (no resistance or variables)
- Looking good doing a form and fighting well are not the same skill
- Fighting has no pattern
As you can see, it is difficult to discern the value of forms without a lot of study and practice. No matter what anyone says about forms, they do have value, its just that it takes a long time to discover it. Most people do not have the patience or the discipline to tolerate the repetition required to master forms.
