stoneheart said:
I think it's like kata. We tend to think that every single move in kata must have bunkai or martial purpose to it. Much of the time a movement is simply for artistry or to build strength and balance. This is much more true in my opinion with regard to Chinese or Japanese or Korean forms. I think the Okinawan forms tend to retain more practical content (and yes, I am generalizing).
We practice variations of the old Okinawan hyung in our branch of TSD. IMHO, I think that the amount of moves that are poorly understood or are "simply for artistry or to build strength and balance" is directly proportional to the amount of cultures the hyung has passed through. In Okinawa, the forms are very close to the source so the practicioners understand them better. In Japan, the next place the forms went, the understanding is a little fuzzier. In Korea, often the understanding of the forms is completely jacked up. In America...heh.
So we chamber because it helps us remember to retract our punches and to emphasize hip rotation. Oh yeah, it's aesthetically pleasing, too.
This is one aspect that is completely misunderstood IMO. Chambering has a martial purpose, just not the purpose we were taught. There are many forms where I believe the chambering the changed in order to make them seem more artistic...and thus the true purpose of drawing the hand back was lost.
The bottom line is that all chambering indicates grabbing.
Yakusoku kumite is simply prearranging sparring. I believe TSD people call them one-step and three-step sparring. Again, this is just my opinion, but I think the way Okinawan systems (and many Chinese systems, too) do it is much superior to what I have seen in TKD and TSD. On the former examples, you frequently see attack and defense performed simultaneously by the same people. The one steps I have seen in TKD and TSD all involve a defender countering off a formal lunge punch from an attacker in a front stance - it seems primitive in comparision.
This is what I thought it was and you are correct most of the one steps I have seen in TSD and TKD are horsey doodo. They should be labeled how to have your butt handed to you in a fight because the movements are so far removed from what someone would actually do to defend themselves.
Again, I wonder how this happened? It's not like Tangsoodoin or Taekwondoin don't ever spar. Wouldn't someone have made the connection that these movements are nothing like what we use when we actually put our stuff to the test?
I used to practice shotokan when I was a kid. The one steps were a little better, but even those were somewhat removed from a combination of techniques that one would use in a fight. Lately, I've been introduced to some Okinawan stuff that seems pretty interesting though. I'll have to learn more of it before I can give any opinion.
The bottom line is this...imagine how it would change many arts if they asked questions like what would I use to effectively punch someone? What would I use to effective block a real punch or kick thrown in my direction? What would I really do to kick someone? How can I practice that?
Doesn't that seem like a good foundation for basics?
