skribs127 148
Grandmaster
I've been working on developing forms for my curriculum. As I've mentioned in previous threads on my journey, I'm creating my own forms for a few reasons:
Purpose and Fit
Overall, I'm pretty happy with what I have. This is less forms than in other schools I've trained in, especially when you factor in I don't plan to have rote memorized combinations or self-defense sequences for testing. The only additional rote material will be in demonstration team (if we have one). Other than that, testing is going to be dynamic requirements (i.e. I call which kick(s) to do instead of them memorizing #1-#8 combination) or creative requirements.
This is also not the entire curriculum, just the entire rote curriculum. Because this is the most static of the requirements, I want to get this right from the start.
- I am unaffiliated with Kukkiwon, and do not want there to be any confusion on whether I am affiliated with them or not, so I will not be doing the Taegeuks. (Part of my frustration with my 4th degree situation is I thought because the Kukkiwon forms were specifically included in my requirements that I was going to be getting a Kukkiwon certificate).
- I have signed an NDA with my previous Master that I will not use his forms. I don't know how enforceable it is (or if those are even his IP to have signed over), but either way I don't really want to use his curriculum anyway.
- There are minor quips I have with the various forms that I have learned, including both the Taegeuks and my Master's previous forms, and so this will help me make forms that I truly connect with. If I connect with them, I can better teach them.
- The forms fit better into my curriculum (i.e. the types of techniques in the forms fit into the belt that I'm going to be teaching those techniques).
- Because I am enjoying the process and find it fulfilling that my style will have my forms.
Purpose and Fit
- The purpose of the form is to create a performative demonstration of martial techniques, with a focus on aesthetics over application. Practical versions of the technique can be taught in the Kibon part of class, with application of the technique being taught in sparring or self-defense. The benefits of the forms are the development of physical attributes of snap power, stances (strength and flexibility), posture, and balance; the mental attributes of memory, discipline, focus, and attention-to-detail. The forms are a display for use during testing or demonstration.
- As mentioned in the intro, my forms fit into my curriculum by loosely including techniques from that belt level. For example, the basic blocks I will teach white belts are in the white belt forms. Open-hand techniques start in yellow belt, along with open-hand techniques being in yellow belt forms. Elbow strikes in purple belt Kibon, elbow strikes in purple belt forms. Advanced punches in green belt; hooks, uppercuts, and backfists in the green belt forms. And so on.
- My forms should have a steady scaling difficulty. I find that the Taegeuk forms start more difficult than they need to be (unless you add in Kibon forms, and even then there's a huge jump from Kibon #N to Taegeuk #1) and don't scale up very high. In my previous Master's forms, there were huge difficulty plateaus and spikes. I've tried to smoothen the curve on the way up.
- As mentioned in a previous thread, I find the I-shape (with serifs) to be easy to choreograph and learn, but also limiting in creativity. I've created my color belt forms in the I-shape, but my black belt forms in different shapes. This is my attempt to have my cake and eat it, too. Because the forms follow the same general footwork pattern (with some exceptions in the advanced colored belts), I try to give them their own technical identity and pacing to make them feel different enough that they don't get monotonous.
- Keep in mind that color belts will have a testing cycle of 2-3 months, where black belts will be year(s).
- Black Belts will have creative form requirements in addition to memorizing the forms.
- Students will be expected to know all forms for testing. Students will test on their most recent form and at least one previous form, up to and potentially including all previous forms. (Exception is white belts who will simply test on Form 1 or Forms 1 & 2, depending on stripe). Black belts will have an additional form that is tested every degree, as well as needing to demonstrate all creative form requirements.
- Forms must generally fit into an 8x10 grid. This will make it easier for folks to practice at home, easier to train in a smaller gym, easier to fit onto a competition mat, and easier to train in class without bumping into each other (especially if folks are doing different forms with a different timing, or practicing on their own or in small groups).
- Forms should generally use the same space from the starting block. For example, I don't want some students starting backwards, some starting forwards, as it makes it easier to run into each other during training.
- Students will only touch the ground with their feet. In my Master's forms, there's rolls, kneeling stances, and times where you put your hands on the ground in a tripod back kick. This makes it difficult to practice these forms on hard floors (tile, garage), in the parking lot, in the grass on a misty day, etc. The kneeling stances are also difficult on the knees of older or overweight students.
- There should be enough of a difference between forms that students don't get confused and mix forms together. Taegeuks 1-3 were particularly bad in this regard.
- Forms must start and end on the same spot.
- Forms should start with the left leg moving first, and end with the left leg returning to the choonbi position. This just helps keep forms moving in the same general direction (either left or forward).
- Forms should end on a kiyhap. I feel if they don't, it's as if the sentence is half-finished.
- Forms should start with a block and end with a strike, signifying the defensive nature of the art and the idea of, "Don't start fights, but finish them." Each line should also follow this standard, but it is less important at the line level.
- Forms should have a connective theme throughout the form. For example, one form has a double middle block into a hook-uppercut combo at the top, and a double knife-hand block into a palm block--punch combo at the bottom. Similar theme of the double block into a 1-2 combo. There should also be a variation on this theme, because if we want to practice the same thing twice, we can just practice the first half of the form twice. (The exception is at the white and yellow belt levels, to keep the forms easier to learn).
- Forms should try to repeat techniques and transitions on both sides, with the understanding that it's never going to be exactly perfect. Sometimes a technique is taught only on one side in one form, but comes up on the other side in a later form.
- Forms should have a smooth flow to them. One move should be the chamber for the next, or should flow smoothly into the chamber for the next, or the chamber should be it's own step in the combination. This includes designing techniques to have wrist rotation at every step in the combination, in order to maximize the snap power in the next step of the form.
- Whenever I use a combination from another set of forms for inspiration, I should find a way to modify the combination to my own, in order to better fit my style, its placement within my curriculum, and make it more unique.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with what I have. This is less forms than in other schools I've trained in, especially when you factor in I don't plan to have rote memorized combinations or self-defense sequences for testing. The only additional rote material will be in demonstration team (if we have one). Other than that, testing is going to be dynamic requirements (i.e. I call which kick(s) to do instead of them memorizing #1-#8 combination) or creative requirements.
This is also not the entire curriculum, just the entire rote curriculum. Because this is the most static of the requirements, I want to get this right from the start.
