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When Adam Chan Talks I listen. Brilliant thinker, teacher and practitioner. Thank you to Chris for making the videos possible. I appreciate the content and recommend that those who train with me watch them when ever they come out.
I agree with your ideas here Adam. Especially when it comes to fighting. A few points I'd like to add: Forms can be very useful for people like me who are not very naturally talented or who start way out of condition and need things really broken down and repeated like crazy to sink in. I would have been overwhelmed doing partner drills when I first started. I barely knew my left from my right. It really helped me to go slow...and I mean really slow...I'm a T'ai-Chi guy ;~)...and really carefully, so I could figure out and understand what the hell I was doing and refine it. Forms are also something a person can do by themselves, so if a person doesn't have ready access to partners, forms are a good way to work on principles of their art without a partner. It's something I can do everyday regardless of partner availability. Forms are also a nice way to study and improve kinetic chains without the added pressure of speed, intensity or a partner or opponent. I can study the chain itself "off the field of battle" with very little injury risk. I can experiment with different ideas, go slow or fast...tease out parts of the chain that might be tense or tight. And finally, forms are great for people like me who enjoy martial arts but aren't as interested in combat usage and it's accompanying injury risk. Many older people fit into this category too. I call it "Martial Yoga"...using martial training games to help unify body, mind, and spirit. I like having martial tools even if I'm unlikely, especially at my age, to get into a fight. Life itself is a martial situation and having body protective movement patterns and moving efficiently and in good alignment can be really helpful in avoiding injury in everyday life. I do plenty of partner work at less than combat speeds and intensity...but I also do plenty of form work to keep myself in shape and ready for whatever comes next. Love these videos Adam! Keep up the great work. GB
Thanks Adam! That means a lot to me. I wrote it intending to be helpful to people and I never know if it is unless you people let me know, so thanks very much. GB
Gene Burnett hi! I know this is late, 3 years late lol, but I’d be interested in this book. What is the title? Also, I agree with what you said about forms. I have no physical aptitude, so I have to practice over and over. Also, I’m in my 50s and benefit from the cardio and conditioning from forms
@@blockmasterscott Sorry, just now seeing this comment. If you go to my site, which is my name, plus the dot and the com, you'll see info on the book which is called "T'ai-Chi For Geniuses~A Practice Companion For The Genius In Everyone".
I've been training in Korean martial arts for 11 years (Taekwondo 11 and Hapkido 8) and I have to say that this is one of the most informative and well spoken videos I've ever seen about martial arts. Consider me a student of yours now :) I can't wait to listen to more of your teachings on your channel :)
Awesome analogies Adam! One of my Taichi teachers told me once that the form was not a series of techniques, but a codex of movement to train the body/nervous system etc and that once trained many more things would become available. This was a super interesting video to see how some pieces can be applied.
it's even more enlightening when one realizes that on their own. I was 50/50 on forms, but I learned to understand their purpose. in wing chun, or any other style that teaches forms.
I like practicing the forms as it drills proper technique, alignment, etc. I strive to use each motion with intent and learn ways to apply them. Then under pressure the reflexes are good if practiced well
If the forms aren't explained, then it would be useless. If I had a choice I'd practice 2 person drills more than forms. Some martial arts practice 2 person forms (eg judo, aikido) which I think is better than the solo form practice, because then you experience things with partners of various sizes, and timings.
Adam..it's refreshing to see your vids on here.. very well done and no nonsense. WC forms are not only a codex of moves or techniques but also teach a type soft power using body and arm structure through the length of each movement.. so they are often done extremely slow.. which is quite different from the Shaolin forms which are more about dynamic movement with stances and breathing.. so some people see WC forms, which seem simple and wonder why they arent done super fast with power.. it comes back to WC is about power through structure and not through just explosive movements. In a way Shaolin forms teach something totally different than WC sets. Anyway my point of view from 35 years of doing Northern Shaolin and 30 years of practicing WC. It was from learning the applications of WC that let me see the real applications of the Shaolin forms.. which is kind of ironic.
You have a grasp of the JKD mind set of 'using no way as way and no style as style' in a way very few have managed to overstand - thank you for this material. xx
Great video! I like your explanation between doing forms and learn through partner work depending on your style of learning. For me both are like Yin (forms) and Yang (partner stuff) and both are necessary for a full learning experience.
Anything you practice is good. Every day is a learning, depends on everyone, what is taking !! Take anything to learn to be better person or for training .... is good. Another lesson from great teacher.
I have very limited Wing Chun. Have done a little Chi sau. However practicing the forms over time, you ingrain the concept, and it can emerge without thought in spar. I am still a straight novice but I could advance faster just by practicing forms alone
I practice my forms daily and the one form I’m focusing on I practice it twice daily. Wing chun forms too me are worth practicing as much as possible. Way better then any kata I’ve learned, but that’s me personally
This is such a great explanation, thank you very much Adam for demonstrating this. I only wish I can find good Wingchun schools here in Melbourne Australia.
I'm gonna use the dictionary thing next time I'm explaining this to someone. great breakdown. I would love to see you demonstrate siu lim tuo. that form is like great sermon or something. I swear every time I go back to it I gain new depth from it
This is a good video in regards to the use of forms and not having forms to learn from. Basically form are only a dictionary for your system techniques! But the confusion in the forms have the techniques some forms just teachs attributes. The common things betwen both is that both need to be explained! You can learn all the forms in your style yet be useless using the techniques in the style! Forms are useless if you don't know the importance of them! You can't fight using a form completely! But if you know the application of the techniques in the forms. You can apply them! You can learn traditional martial arts without learning forms and still be good! It just that the style or system is more of a value with the forms and it can live on as it was created! So learn your forms to keep what you love about your system alive and the way it was created
No worries , and thanks. I thought I'd share my Nickles worth on your great videos..in your Wing Chun. Please keep the great videos coming cause this old guy of 59 years young enjoys blending the two teachings and as a foot note ?? I can see as to how easily forms can be applied in defense. But as I'm sure you would agree it's all good cause in the end it helps to keep one let's say balanced. Again thanks for your video and also your response. Maybe you could come out here to Albuquerque N.M one day and meet Sifu Phil Romero. Have a great evening sir.
Great knowledge and explanations, thanks for the info 👍 so much of this is nueromuscular, so I guess it doesn't matter if you programme the muscles with forms or drills so long as you do it right
yes I agree but the teacher is the person that know that form for them. so that teacher can place them (meaning the ones who did not learn the forms) in the correct positions and way of performing two man drills. after a while two man drills become forms also. people practice them on their own. slowly. but the forms help you to be in the correct positions and use of your body and mind if use properly.
Some of your applications reminds me of Bak Mei more than I've seen from other practitioners. Depending on lineage I've seen some decent similarities between the systems in general.
Could I suggest the question should be redirected to "Are football, Tennis, Basketball drills useless"? essentially for the Western mind forms and Katas should be addressed as "drills". Perfecting a form and or Kata does more than just improve the techniques. Only thing I can say for me is I listen really well when someone with a lineage talks. Someone can be really good at a sport just by shooting baskets and dribbling down court. Don't know if Meadow Lark Lemon ever did any drills. Did practice alot and various routines. Anyone in these videos could kick my ass without trying, probably their students could too. Though I get to have my stupid/ignorant opinions anyway. What does someone that was a white belt for over 10 years know anyway? So let the insults begin.
More stupidity from me. I guess it's that western mentality I have. Kinda like if the results are consistent then the training should be as well. Why did Shoalin keep the forms and Katas? I have seen first generation Western students "change" the way they were taught a technique when they teach. "It's too hard for some students" is the usual excuse. These changes were as simple as changing the count of each movement. Yet they are as good as they were because they were taught a specific way by someone that has a long history of awesome students and used these methods to teach. The second generation students demonstrated the effects of the change. I would suggest that if it is too hard for a student to follow a time tested method then they need longer time training. If it takes me 2 years instead of one semester to grasp basic Algebra should they change the rules so I can get the right answer? * Waiting for all the Senior Martial Artists to dump on me*. Go ahead I know you want too. I'll even help... I was a white belt for 10years plus. Seriously just a puny white belt for 10 years plus.
Just came across your vids. Awesome shit! You might be better then Master Wong at making Kung Fu relevant. But don't shoot the messenger. There's not many like you making connections for the drones. You obviously were smart enough, or were taught by someone smarter then us both to make the connections. Now w/ the internet and youtube it's a shit show. Most are sheep.
