I have recently began wondering the purpose of demonstrating every kata one knows at testing. Is there a purpose to this? Is that nay better than doing just the form you learned for that specific belt? It's something I've done just because, and never really looked deeper into the purpose.
For me personally, I make my students responsible for knowing all their forms so they still spend time practicing them and so they can help teach the lower ranks. Also so they can see their progression over the years doing the basic forms. Other than that , besides using the forms as training tools themselves, I have trouble thinking of what else would be the purpose of doing this.
The biggest advantage I can see is teaching lower ranks.
One thing I think is there's a difference between the
rote memorization of the form, and the
concepts learned from the form. Quite often, the concepts in Form 1 are retained in Form 7, so you can only practice Form 7 and still maintain those concepts. So when a black belt helps out in the white belt class, they may not remember the specific moves of the form, but they can correct:
- Chamber position
- Stances
- Snap power
- Correct technique (i.e. if the Master says "down block" and the person does outside block)
- Proper step and footwork
- Kiyhap (focused spirit shout)
- Tight fists
Just because the black belt doesn't remember Form 1 (or didn't learn Form 1 because they came from a school with different forms), doesn't mean they can't help out. It just means they help with the concepts and the techniques instead of the rote memorization.
At my school, we have tests for 1 or 2 classes at a time. For example, we have 2 kids white + yellow belt classes that test together, green belt class and blue belt class test together, but purple + orange class is by themselves, and red is by themselves. The white + yellow belts usually take 1.5 hours, the others usually 2+ hours, with the black belt tests at 3-4 hours long. The white belts get more direction, but by green belt you have to have memorized several punch combinations, kick combinations, jump kick combinations, forms, and one-step punch and kick drills. Add in freestyle combinations, sparring, and board breaking, and tests get quite long.
Usually it's 5-8 punch combinations, 5-8 kick combinations, 1-5 forms (5 forms by orange belt, reset to 1 at green belt, and reset to 3 at red, and stay at 3 until black), 3-5 punch defense, 3-5 kick defense, (for adults 3-5 hand grabs). And then account for there being 10-30 people testing, and if there's any mistakes they may have to redo it, and some things (like the punch and kick combos) we generally do several times each as a warmup.
I'm curious how long it would take if I were to "test" myself on everything, instead of just what's required for my next test. No mistakes, no repeats (unless it's a combo that we do on both sides), I'd probably spend at least a few hours on it.