Traditional martial arts detractors often say the forms are useless, that you should spend more time doing combat and applications. They’re wrong with the first statement and partially right with the second. Forms have their uses. But there’s one criticism that’s true. Sometimes learning the applications from the forms is not easy. There’s a translation process of sorts involved. And that is a bit of a pain but it also has its reasons. So what I’ll try to argue here is why those reasons exist and why some of them are valid.
Why do forms exist?
A form is basically an extended drill or shadowboxing exercise. Maybe a superset of those. If a drill is a set of moves you practice on repeat, a form is, in a way, a set of drills. As a boxer might do a combination drill of jabs and hooks a form is just a longer version of that. Forms, patterns, taolu, kata, pumsae (among other names) are a method of passing knowledge. Generally consisting on the repetition of techniques mimicking a combat against one or multiple opponents. Solo forms are also a method of keeping the knowledge acquired, when a teacher or training partners aren’t available. If a martial art or combat system is a sort of unwritten manual then the forms are the chapters. And I put an emphasis on unwritten precisely because they helped a lot in contexts were people weren’t as literate as today.
Bear in mind, forms alone aren’t enough. Never were, never will be. You can’t learn how to fight from a form and you still need someone to teach you, someone to spar with. Forms must come with an
But not every form is made equal
Context is another keyword here. Not all pre-modern societies were the same event though they shared this idea. That’s why different societies, or cultures, even within a larger context, do things differently. For example in Chinese there’s a divide between northern and southern styles. Northern styles are generally referred to as long fist while southern styles tend to focus on closer combat. Northern forms tend to be longer, more flashy, southern forms kinda the opposite. But even within those categories there’s variation. And that’s in one country/larger region. Japanese traditional martial arts emphasize two-man forms instead. And each society or culture has their own thing.
Applications
In summary, forms are a way of transmitting and retaining martial knowledge. They help teach and by practicing them they help you retain that knowledge. But a form is a set of moves and techniques, which you have to practice with a resisting opponent to learn how to use them. Nowadays we call those moves form applications because we tend to learn a form first. A lot of those applications are fairly obvious. A punch is a punch, a kick is a kick. But sometimes it isn’t so evident. Which brings us to our main topic.
What are hidden Applications
As a famous Karate sensei and youtuber says “a block is a lock is a blow is a throw”. One move can be many things. Even a punch can sometimes be more than a punch.
Hidden applications are, as the name implies, applications that are not visible or evident. Now this can refer to a plethora of things but mainly it implies one move can have several applications. A block could be a throw, what looks like a knife hand could be a grab. One of the most famous hidden application that comes to mind is the hikite from Karate but also found in Chinese and Korean martial arts (I’m sorry I don’t know the names for it in those languages).
What is the hikite? In many traditional styles when you do a punch or a hand technique with one hand you pull the other to your hip. That in Japanese is called hikite (引手), literally pulling hand. On the outside it just looks like a way to learn balance and focus on the acting hand. But the hidden application is, as the name implies, a pull. So sometimes when you are using one hand you’re also pulling your opponent or freeing yourself from a grab.
Another even less obvious move with hidden applications is Karate Kid’s crane kick. In Chinese martial arts there’s a similar move called jin ji du li, or the golden roster stands one leg. It’s a very common move in Tai chi chuan though it looks very different from the movie. Sure it can be a kick, but it can also be a knee strike. Furthermore it can be a throw, you grab your opponent, lift your leg up then pull it down with your whole body and drag your opponent to the floor.
Why are they hidden?
This is the question you, my dear reader, have probably been asking all this time while reading this. To my knowledge there are two possible reasons.
They’re not really hidden
It’s impossible to show every possible application or combination in a set of forms. Because a form is a finite set of moves, and a style contains a finite set of forms. It’s quite hard to show a throw or a lock on a solo form. So it’s not really hidden, it’s just not as evident as a punch or a kick. Also each person has their own way of seeing things. So what might be obvious for whoever created the form, could be an impossible deduction leap for someone else. Think of the hikite or jin ji du li, not obvious at a glance, but quite logical when you think about it.
They’re more advanced techniques
This is kind of a derivative of the first one. Nobody hid the technique on purpose, it’s just not as easy to see. In this particular case add the difficulty for the practitioner. A beginner loves flashy or complicated techniques, and those are harder to perform. As the student progresses in their training, they learn more complex stuff. But also they start to notice things that they didn’t before.
Also some techniques require more skill to perform safely. A choke, an eye gouge, even a sweep or a throw can all be dangerous even in a controlled environment like a gym. An advanced student has more control, and tends to be more careful. Not only with their fellow students but with themselves. A complex technique can harm not only a sparring partner but also the one who applies the technique.
There could be a third reason, related to the second one. Some moves might be too dangerous. Sometimes, a teacher might want to withhold some knowledge from some of their students. Most people I know become more humble trough their practice. People who can’t control themselves, are either too aggressive or just too full of themselves don’t last too long in a healthy environment. They either learn to be better or leave altogether. I’ve seen it happen a few times. So it’s logical that a teacher won’t teach them some specific stuff.
Conclusion
In traditional martial arts forms not everything is evident, there’s always more than meets the eye. And that’s perfectly reasonable. It’s highly likely any student of traditional styles sees this kinds of things. If you are one of those people (like me), I hope this reflection helps you and I’d like to hear (or in this case read) your thoughts on the matter.
- Hidden applications in traditional martial arts - October 30, 2023
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