amount of space needed to practice forms

[chinto]

Seriously... you need to be able to backstep as easily as front step on ANY kata/hyung/tao lu .... so in all honesty, you only need to be able to step x1 forward & x1 to the right.... at full speed.

Yes.. actually I am PUI (Posting Under the Influence) so I am not necessarily singling you out for commentary, just using you for commentary kick off.

yes but the kata Chinto with out modification of any kind can be done in 8X8'... no posting under the influence.. it causes others to fallow suit!~...

 

[clfsean]

yes but the kata Chinto with out modification of any kind can be done in 8X8'... no posting under the influence.. it causes others to fallow suit!~...

8x8 ... roughly the space an ox lays down in. hmmmm ... I wonder....

 

[TheArtofDave]

why not use your backyard or garage? should provide all the space necessary

 

[lavender]

I went ahead and got basic puzzle mats from Home Depot, like the ones for kids but grey and a different texture pattern. It was about $35 for 8 sections, so my space is 4 foot by 8 foot. Enough for me to practice most forms without squishing stances alot, and only backing up 5 times or less per form. They wouldn't stand up to hard practicing, and they aren't very cushioning over tile, but they are clean and warm, and I can practice barefoot comfortably enough. I could always buy another set and double up for something softer. For someone who trains rougher or wants to practice break-falls or grappling it would not be a good solution, though.

I haven't had any trouble with the mats staying flat where the pieces meet, or with the whole thing moving around.

I never said I was practicing for self-defense. I don't even know that I'd be especially effective. I'm not training specifically for self defense. I do tae kwon do because I like it. My goals right now are all class goals, not that other kind of serious stuff a lot of you mentioned. I am practicing forms for class, not for the self defense. I wouldn't do a form for my attacker if I ever had one, anyway. I'm just training for my class right now. Maybe to some people that makes me less of a martial artist. Whateva. Everyone has opinions and reasons for why they do martial arts. Sometimes they change over time or new ones are found.

 

[DennisBreene]

The only relevant point is that you practice. Ultimately, we each make a martial art a personal art and find what fits our needs. In that light there can be no lesser artist.