I was wondering about this and didn't see any obvious thread about it on a quick search of the forum. It's not really style specific, so I figured I'd post it here.
One of the things I've heard/read or been told is that one aspect of martial art forms is that they often simulate combat sequences. So when you're practicing, you're supposed to keep this in mind and imagine there's an opponent you're fighting. Well, sometimes I think about this for forms I know. I try to figure out how the moves might be used in actual combat sequences. I have a bit of a problem/concern though. Sometimes changes of directions in the form don't seem to make sense if you have a single imaginary opponent. Say you finish a sequence in one direction, then make a half turn for the next. Did your opponent run around you really, really fast? I don't think so, that doesn't seem reasonable. Is there supposed to be a second imaginary opponent then? That seems plausible, but I really have no idea of how to keep track of when the form is using opponent A or opponent B. And just how many imaginary opponents are forms designed to include? As many as necessary to fit the direction changes and stuff? (Possibly assuming that you've dispatched one for the remainder of the fight before you take on the next one.) Or are you sticking to one opponent with unusual direction changes (say) just part of training for fast turns, keeping balance, or whatever? Or does it depend on the form?
This is a concept I've heard of before, the imaginary opponent in forms. But I don't know if there's just one or many. It would be easier to think of one, but some parts don't seem to work if there's only one. Can anyone provide some additional information about this? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.
One of the things I've heard/read or been told is that one aspect of martial art forms is that they often simulate combat sequences. So when you're practicing, you're supposed to keep this in mind and imagine there's an opponent you're fighting. Well, sometimes I think about this for forms I know. I try to figure out how the moves might be used in actual combat sequences. I have a bit of a problem/concern though. Sometimes changes of directions in the form don't seem to make sense if you have a single imaginary opponent. Say you finish a sequence in one direction, then make a half turn for the next. Did your opponent run around you really, really fast? I don't think so, that doesn't seem reasonable. Is there supposed to be a second imaginary opponent then? That seems plausible, but I really have no idea of how to keep track of when the form is using opponent A or opponent B. And just how many imaginary opponents are forms designed to include? As many as necessary to fit the direction changes and stuff? (Possibly assuming that you've dispatched one for the remainder of the fight before you take on the next one.) Or are you sticking to one opponent with unusual direction changes (say) just part of training for fast turns, keeping balance, or whatever? Or does it depend on the form?
This is a concept I've heard of before, the imaginary opponent in forms. But I don't know if there's just one or many. It would be easier to think of one, but some parts don't seem to work if there's only one. Can anyone provide some additional information about this? I'd appreciate the help. Thanks.