amount of space needed to practice forms

[lavender]

Hi,

I've been thinking about how much space I need to practice forms. I know you can shrink it to fit a smaller space, I know you can break it down into parts that fit the space you have, you can sort of step in place, etc. When I googled it I was coming up with those kinds of suggestions.

But what is enough space to really do a form (like TKD underbelt forms) without being forced to cutting corners? I've estimated roughly 4 feet by 8 feet If I start in the back corner. I'm considering buying some puzzle mats so I can practice barefoot at home (the floor is tile, hard and in winter, too cold) and in privacy.

Since I'm doing more assisting than taking classes as a student, I've been practicing at home using smaller spaces. I've done this so much that I've seen it has had a harmful effect when I do practice at the school where there is enough space. I haven't brought anything to measure with and I'm not sure of my estimation.

Thanks!

 

[Flying Crane]

You use the space that you have. Forms are not performance art. They are tools used to help you train and develop your skill. There is nothing magical about the specific choreography. If you need to make modifications to fit within your space, do so.

 

[lavender]

Note that I enjoy doing forms. Numerical suggestions, please. Using TKD Chon Gi and Pyung Hwa as a standards to measure.

For a 5'6" female. Chon Gi is the widest (side to side) form I've had so far and Pyung Hwa is the longest (back to front) form so far. If I end up needing more space to do future forms and I have to squish it to fit the space, then I will. The way I practice most is the way I perform (in class, in demonstrating for students), so cutting it so often results in my stances shortening. It's a little like that flea in a jar that hits her head on the lid and learns not to jump so high, then when the lid is removed she doesn't take advantage of it immediately.

 

[jks9199]

You'll have to figure out based on your forms. I've got some empty hand forms that need about 15 to 20 square feet to do without making adjustments. Others can be done in a space maybe 4 by 4...

You say that you have noticed problems or detrimental effect based on your training habits. Can I suggest that perhaps you want to look at those problems, and determine whether they are the result of the space available -- or are the the result of lack of correction as you spend more time teaching, simply ingrained mistakes.. or something else entirely.

 

[Cyriacus]

Pop down to the park.

 

[lavender]

Well jks, there is the wearing of shoes while practicing at home and they have good traction. That changes the way I have to move. Another reason I'm considering puzzle mats - I can go barefoot.
I'm not teaching, I'm assisting the teacher. He doesn't have adult classes right now, so it's true I'm not getting a lot of attention as a student, because I'm not officially a student there.

Cyriacus - too many people at the park and I'd only practice there if I was learning tai chi. I will get to practice outside when it gets warmer. Instructor will hold classes outside

 

[Carol]

A saying one of the old timers here once said "If your footwork doesn't work in shoes, then your footwork doesn't work". Now granted, the fellow is being a bit blunt, but he's right. For one to only practice barefoot on mats means one is never practicing the scenario that will be used in self defense. In a live situation, you are most likely to be wearing some kind of shoes and standing on anything but a mat. Try practicing on as many different surfaces as you can, in as many types of footwear as you can.

 

[lavender]

I'd still like to practice it in conditions closer to the ones where I will usually have to do forms. As an adult among children and teenagers, a higher belt than most of the students there, and a regular assistant, I have become an example of sorts. What they see is an example they might follow. He'll test me for new rankings, but most of my training is solo at home. I've been away from any kind of training for 3 years and I have enough on my hands working on fitness and basics. For the time being, real world self defense practice will have to consist of increasing my wind so I can run away. When the weather gets warmer and we go train outside, maybe we'll be wearing shoes.

 

[clfsean]

The space an ox needs to lie down ...

Or so the story goes...

 

[Master Donnell]

If your just practicing kicks, blocks, stretching, a 8'x8' will work but if you have hyungs "forms" then you'll a bigger area up to around 20'x20'

Practice Hard

Master Donnell
Ohshindo Defense Systems

 

[RTKDCMB]

You could practice forms in just about any space if you make modifications to the way you do them. A good but small amount of space would be a square area about the length and width of 2 forward stances, you can go from one to the other and then reset and move back to the edge of the space to make any more steps. That way you do not have to shorten your stances to adjust.

 

[sfs982000]

I've practiced my forms in some pretty tight spaces, I just broke the form down into segments and I've even had to break the segments into smaller segments. It works really well especially if you have a segment that is giving you a hard time.

 

[Aiki Lee]

I'm with Cyriacus, go to the park. If there are people there, maybe they will be interested in what your doing and want to join your school?

 

[Cyriacus]

I'm with Cyriacus, go to the park. If there are people there, maybe they will be interested in what your doing and want to join your school?

The OP might suspect itd lead to someone picking a fight. IMO, if someone picks a fight with you in a public park, you can probably just leave, because theyre probably not serious, and may well be satisfied with having 'beaten' you by having you 'run away' from a 'real fight'.

Ive never heard of that happening, anyway. And i used to go to the park all the time to do forms, never had any problems, unless you count a young girl asking me 'whats that?' every single solitary time i did something different.

 

[chinto]

depends on the kata, Chinto is designed to be done in an 8' x8' aria... its a bar fight kata.

 

[clfsean]

depends on the kata, Chinto is designed to be done in an 8' x8' aria... its a bar fight kata.

Seriously... you need to be able to backstep as easily as front step on ANY kata/hyung/tao lu .... so in all honesty, you only need to be able to step x1 forward & x1 to the right.... at full speed.

Yes.. actually I am PUI (Posting Under the Influence) so I am not necessarily singling you out for commentary, just using you for commentary kick off.

 

[Jaeimseu]

The space needed to do the form without making adjustments will differ from person to person. For Taekwondo, the color belt forms tend to start and end at the same spot, so figure out which of your forms has the most forward movement. If you start at the back and have enough space to move forward then you will have enough space to move backwards as well. Make a square out of this distance and that should cover any side to side movement, too.

 

[geezer]

- too many people at the park and I'd only practice there if I was learning tai chi.

Just move really, really sloooowly ...and whatever style you do, everybody will think it's tai chi! :uhyeah:

Actually this thread kind of got me thinking. I usually train in the yard or at a nearby park (and never had a problem other than the weather). But I also enjoy messing around and doing formes in totally inappropriate places. For example Escrima drills in a crowded ceramics studio after hours (talk about a bull in a china shop!) but it's been absolutey great for my footwork and spacial awareness. Multi-directional practice patterns that normally involve covering a lot of ground can be adapted to a very small space, as little as 4'x4'. The challenge of adapting footwork to a small space has definitely helped my technique. And I haven't broken a pot ...yet.

 

[Kong Soo Do]

Hi,

I've been thinking about how much space I need to practice forms.

Might I suggest, from a self-defense perspective, that if the bunkai of the form is truly understood then one could adjust the amount of space as appropriate to the situation. One should train bunkai with the thought that the attacker could be anywhere from arms lenght (or longer) to inside a phone booth.

Just a thought

 

[WaterGal]

It depends on the form and how long your legs are. I just did Taegeuk 1 to check, and it took 2 x 3 puzzle mats (so around 6.5'x10'). Some of the other Taeguek forms take up a little more space, though, and Koryo's a totally different pattern. I have no idea about ITF forms. I'm 5'6", for what it's worth.

Puzzle mats are a bit expensive if you're not getting them wholesale, like $35/each. I'd suggest maybe buying a cheap rug, or wearing socks with grips on the bottom.