Variant speed form training

Hey... throwing arts can do slow and fast too.... (forwards and backwards as well ;) )

 
Nah, I’d rather not. Apologies to anyone it upset.
To be clear, your comment did not upset me. I don’t know if others feel differently.

You are right, fighting and forms often take on an element of showmanship. Sometimes these things are deliberately used for the entertainment of others. Whether or not that rises to the level of performance art might be open for further debate.

In my opinion, when this is done it cheapens the art. Combat is serious business and I personally don’t care for it when it is reduced to entertainment. This does not mean that training should not be fun. In fact, it should be. But turning it into performance art or simply a vehicle for the entertainment of others feels like a betrayal of what it is at its foundation. Yet at the same time I can enjoy a Jackie Chan movie too.

But people will do as they will.
 
I think all forms are a mix of performance art and performance science.
Oh no, many of our instructors would disagree strongly. They exlaim at times when they feel that we lack power or dedication in kihon or kata something along the lines of...

"This is neither a dance class, excercises class nor improvisational theatre, where you just move your limbs through space. This is kyokushin karate and I want you to envision your opponent in front of you and your kick should be propell like an iron bar into your opponent"
 
Oh no, many of our instructors would disagree strongly. They exlaim at times when they feel that we lack power or dedication in kihon or kata something along the lines of...

"This is neither a dance class, excercises class nor improvisational theatre, where you just move your limbs through space. This is kyokushin karate and I want you to envision your opponent in front of you and your kick should be propell like an iron bar into your opponent"
I keep saying, forms/kata are just a tool meant to help you develop your skill. They were not meant to be put on display for the uneducated public to gawk at.

I understand that some schools develop their own forms specifically to be gawked at by the uneducated public. That is their use for them. More power to them. That is not how my forms are meant to be used. It is not artistry. It is training.
 
It's boring to hear the drum beat as "slow, slow, slow". It's fun to hear drum beat as "slow, fast, slow", or "slow, slow, fast". Also slow is used for defense, and fast is used for offense. One has to know his form well in order to put the right speed at the right move.

Here is an example of variant speed form training. What's your opinion on this?

Isn't the purpose of slow movement for development in training? Like to practice better muscular coordination, alignment, etc. Because when I'm working on improving a particular movement in a form I'll do it slow and focus on making sure feet, legs, waist shoulders, etc. are involved correctly, try to get like a loose flow going and gradually quicken the movement.
 
Isn't the purpose of slow movement for development in training?
One day when you are 80 years old, slow will be normal and fast will be abnormal. IMO, if you are still young, there is no reason to be slow.

You can use slow motion to check your body coordination (hand coordinate with foot, elbow coordinate with knee, shoulder coordinate with hip). But even slow movement, you still need to coordinate your breath with your move (each move should not be more than 1 inhale, or 1 exhale).

Slow movement make me to feel old, sick, and weak. Fast movement make me to feel young, health, strong. When I can still do my spin hook kick, I feel happy.
 
IMO, if you are still young, there is no reason to be slow.

Isn't the purpose of slow movement for development in training? Like to practice better muscular coordination, alignment, etc. Because when I'm working on improving a particular movement in a form I'll do it slow and focus on making sure feet, legs, waist shoulders, etc. are involved correctly, try to get like a loose flow going and gradually quicken the movement.
Slow is good to give you time to check your form and work on relaxed flow. But that's just part of how your training should go. If you want to use your technique for self-defense, fast is much more realistic and will help keep your muscles toned, improve endurance and keep you young. you were practicing slow. Executing at speed will help you realize the potential of your art. Why drive a Ferrari at 35 MPH? But just because you are fast doesn't mean there is no time and place for slow.
 
Slow is good to give you time to check your form and work on relaxed flow. But that's just part of how your training should go. If you want to use your technique for self-defense, fast is much more realistic and will help keep your muscles toned, improve endurance and keep you young. you were practicing slow. Executing at speed will help you realize the potential of your art. Why drive a Ferrari at 35 MPH? But just because you are fast doesn't mean there is no time and place for slow.
I like being fast too lol! Id like to replace the word slow with relaxed flow like you said. I sort of learned what my perspective of internal training is when I became frustrated with becoming fatigued in practice sessions and started using just enough effort to train for longer duration. And when I started training every day (5 days) there was just no way that I can get through all the forms along with individual movement drills. I try to be only as quick as I can be relaxed and pick certain movements depending on the day to put in all my effort. That way I can get my repetitions in and still work on fast-twitch. I love your advice thank you! Be a fast car that can also drive slow ;)
 
Be a fast car that can also drive slow ;)
As long as you don't treat slow as normal and fast as abnormal.

One day I asked my teacher, "What's lighting speed?" My teacher said, "When you feel your eyeballs are going to fly out of your eye sockets, that's lighting speed".

Another day, I asked a praying mantis master, "What's fast?" He said, "When your see your own hand is just a blur, that's fast."

I always try to achieve these 2 stages. It's not easy.


 
As long as you don't treat slow as normal and fast as abnormal.

One day I asked my teacher, "What's lighting speed?" My teacher said, "When you feel your eyeballs are going to fly out of your eye sockets, that's lighting speed".

Another day, I asked a praying mantis master, "What's fast?" He said, "When your see your own hand is just a blur, that's fast."

I always try to achieve these 2 stages. It's not easy.


OMG I never seen anything like this. It’s amazing thank you!
 
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