Kenpo Forms

[Yeti]

Curiosity is getting the best of me regarding the Kenpo forms…Short 1, Long 1, etc. Having never seen these forms performed, I am curious…are these forms performed in a flowing/continuous manner such as you’d typically see in Chinese Martial Arts, or are they performed in a more linear/choppy manner, more like most Japanese/Korean styles?

 

[Touch Of Death]

It would depend on the specific things you were working on. If say you were working specificaly on getting off the line of attack (imagine trees falling all around you) you would flow, but if you were working on say opposing forces, your motion could look choppy.
Sean

 

[KenpoTess]

Kenpo is so individualistic- Hence each of us has our own 'Style'- so dependant on how the Artist dances.. is how the form will be performed. Some Kenpoists Dance with very fluid motions- some don't develop the fluidity and appear choppy- or forceful, even robotic to some. All depends on what level they are at in their training . And how they are being taught to move. When the student begins to Round off corners and elongate circles, the forms show the development.

 

[Flying Crane]

I would agree with what has been said so far, but would like to add a bit.

I think that in general, the kenpo forms are less rigid and choppy, and more fluid than the typical Japanese or Korean katas, especially with Long Two and up. At the same time, they don't have as much flow and fluidity as you would see in many of the long arm Chinese systems, like Tibetan White Crane, Northern Shaolin, or Choy Lay Fut. In my experience, I think Kenpo really falls in between the continuum of Japanese or Korean vs. Chinese systems with regard to stylistic flow.

But at the same time, kenpo forms, many of which are made up of kenpo self defense techniques, tend to have more rapid-fire explosions of shorter range movement that the long-arm Chinese systems don't always have. A southern Chinese system like Bok Mei (White Eyebrow) might be more similar in that regard.

 

[jdinca]

Depends on the kata. In our system, the katas start out very Japanese in style (one of our BB took 1st in a regional karate tournament with Kata 2 from the orange belt) and then progress to more fluid chinese style movement as you go up in rank and ability.

 

[Kenpobuff]

The farther I get the smoother the forms become. The more I practice and when I can do them without thinking of the next part or what technique is next is when the corners get rounded.

 

[Doc]

Curiosity is getting the best of me regarding the Kenpo forms…Short 1, Long 1, etc. Having never seen these forms performed, I am curious…are these forms performed in a flowing/continuous manner such as you’d typically see in Chinese Martial Arts, or are they performed in a more linear/choppy manner, more like most Japanese/Korean styles?

Depends on whom is teaching and what they are attempting to instill in the student at the moment. Interesting question that has many answers. Consider this: Very general questions will always solicit very general information.