Working Kata With A Partner

[MJS]

Obviously we all (or I'd at least hope so ) run through our forms on a regular basis. How many also run through them with someone attacking you? Doing this will slow the process down a bit, as readjustment for the attacking purpose has to happen, but IMO, it'll give the person doing the form a much better understanding of the nature of the attack, rather than just running through the form either a) not knowing what the meaning behind the moves is or b) just having someone tell you "This is what this move is for."

Mike

 

[Ross]

Obviously we all (or I'd at least hope so ) run through our forms on a regular basis. How many also run through them with someone attacking you? Doing this will slow the process down a bit, as readjustment for the attacking purpose has to happen, but IMO, it'll give the person doing the form a much better understanding of the nature of the attack, rather than just running through the form either a) not knowing what the meaning behind the moves is or b) just having someone tell you "This is what this move is for."

Mike

Great thread Mike,

There have been so many occassions at competitions when the person doing the forms have no visualisation of what they are doing. And it really annoys me in a rush to do something quick or loud they completely miss the principles within the forms.

One of the things that our insturctors like to do leading up to gradings is get us to go through the forms using one, two or more attackers and look at how we can use the forms against them. So many locks, grabs, stikes within strikes - it is easy to spend hours just on short form 1.

 

[bujuts]

If working the form with the intent of understanding how to deal with multiple assailants, I'd submit that perhaps the best spots to train whilst in the company of willing partners is at the transitions, i.e. when going from one enemy to the next.

Going through the entire form with attackers in the sequence for which the form was theoretically designed could be a starting point, or used to illustrate something to a beginner. But there is little reality there - attacks simply will not occur like that. So to train as such is more an excercise of a pattern than a training of practical application. Fine for demonstrations, competitions, etc., I suppose, but such is never really my objective, personally speaking.

In general, I'd not spend the time on an entire form if I have the luxury of multiple partners helping me apply my knowledge to multiple assailant situations. Forms are best served for individual practice and for the dissemination of knowledge depending on their content and in what context they are taught. I'd be inclined to break the form apart into the sections that offer the greatest lessons in transitioning from one enemy to the next, and train those sections (like all of my training) 1) beginning slowly and methodically with 100% attention to details, 2) phasing out the conscious mind and bringing in the red haze of the engaged mind (still moving slowly and smoothly), and 3) start to bump up the agression levels.

This is all based on using the form as a basis of understanding multiple assailants. If that is not the intent, then it really depends on what you're trying to get out of the multiple-partner excercise.

Good topic. Look forward to more.

Steven Brown
UKF

 

[MJS]

Going through the entire form with attackers in the sequence for which the form was theoretically designed could be a starting point, or used to illustrate something to a beginner. But there is little reality there - attacks simply will not occur like that. So to train as such is more an excercise of a pattern than a training of practical application. Fine for demonstrations, competitions, etc., I suppose, but such is never really my objective, personally speaking.

While I understand that the moves will not happen in textbook form in reality, it will give an idea of what each individual move is doing. I'm looking at it like seperate techniques.

 

[marlon]

i love working forms with a partner. I, myself, do not necessarily find the most benefit in working the 'transition' moves as transition moves nor going through a whole form with multiple attackers. The multiple attacker thing is good to give the feel of turning while always protecting your head and adjusting to an attack beig\ng where it was not supposed to be. However, i feel this keeps me in a set pattern with a fixed idea of my next move. I prefer to work a small section of a form against a partner slowly then with increasing intensity...then with the same section of the form have someone attack differently, and then have a different attack using the same section. With each new attack i learn something new about motion, angles, strike points, body positioning, depth of attackand defense...the 'transition moves are great for throws. This way i get depth from my form, my reactions in the form are not set or fixed, i have multiple visualizations and i am being taught by my form. The multiple attacked training i do mainly with a dragon circle situation. The black belts all look like they are doing a form when we do thisd type of training, yet every move is representative of what is happening and not a pre set pattern...this i feel comes from form training alone with focus, presence,timing and power...Combine this with an active and realistic techniques training and i get much from my forms.

Respectfully,
Marlon

 

[annie]

Every private I have with my instuctor each week i ask him to go threw all my forms with him attacking. I t definately slows it down but intensifies all my my moves and strikes. The only time it gets tricky is when there are multiple attackers LOL then he runs around alot. But it gives me a greater understanding of the form.

 

[ChrisWTK]

I've only done the forms once with a partner attacking and I agree it slows the form down, but it does help with understanding the application of the form. Even though I don't practice the movements with a partner, as I learn the form the instructors make sure I know what each move is doing, where you're striking or what you're blocking. I think it would be good to do it every once in a while with a partner just so that doing the forms doesn't get reduced to just going through the motions without thinking about what you're really doing.