R
RHD
Guest
Hi all,
I have this theory about Southern styles and how they developed.
It's based in the last few generations of masters. I think that if a person was to trace back thier Southern kung fu system two four generations, that they would find one to three core forms which were very short...if any. I think that forms were primarily added and/or added to when things like guns and foreign powers became a reality in Southern China, and it was nolonger a situation where people where valued for thier hand to hand skill outside of criminal organiztions. This left the last few generations of masters with tow problems: 1) less hands on fighting experience 2) a need to expand curriculum to keep paying students longer in order to survive financially.
Now of course I realize that in some ways I may have just commited an act of CAM blasphemy, but I have been finding it hard to swallow the last few years that anyone can truly be that good at fighting when all they do is soooo many forms, and so little hands on.
Anyway, as a personal experiment, I have stopped practicing forms. My method of training now consists of working on the core movements, concepts, and sequences from two of Hung Gar's "pillar forms" with the emphasis on as much partnered contact drilling and sparring whenever possible. If anyone's interested, I'll keep ya posted on how this goes.
Regardless, I would be interested to hear people's thoughts on my theory.
Mike
I have this theory about Southern styles and how they developed.
It's based in the last few generations of masters. I think that if a person was to trace back thier Southern kung fu system two four generations, that they would find one to three core forms which were very short...if any. I think that forms were primarily added and/or added to when things like guns and foreign powers became a reality in Southern China, and it was nolonger a situation where people where valued for thier hand to hand skill outside of criminal organiztions. This left the last few generations of masters with tow problems: 1) less hands on fighting experience 2) a need to expand curriculum to keep paying students longer in order to survive financially.
Now of course I realize that in some ways I may have just commited an act of CAM blasphemy, but I have been finding it hard to swallow the last few years that anyone can truly be that good at fighting when all they do is soooo many forms, and so little hands on.
Anyway, as a personal experiment, I have stopped practicing forms. My method of training now consists of working on the core movements, concepts, and sequences from two of Hung Gar's "pillar forms" with the emphasis on as much partnered contact drilling and sparring whenever possible. If anyone's interested, I'll keep ya posted on how this goes.
Regardless, I would be interested to hear people's thoughts on my theory.
Mike