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Ed Parker Forms - a Personal Rant
By Kenpodoc - Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:38:18 GMT
Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk
====================
I?ve been watching a lot of Web based examples of Kenpo forms in recent weeks. They are fast and fluid, there is upper body power and in the best of the forms good targeting. What I don?t see is good lower body execution of the forms. Mr. Parker moved with great power and even in 50s (perhaps especially in later life) he always moved with his whole body. He showed grace, power and speed but never moved faster with his upper body than his lower body could support the movement. We are fortunate because he left us with a series of forms to help us learn to move more like he did.
Now a brief history of my Kenpo forms. I started Kenpo in April 1997 with Steve Hatfield a student of Mr. Lee Wedlake. I dutifully did the forms since they were requirements but in reality just went through the motions. They bored me and I couldn?t see their purpose. This was my fault, not Mr. Hatfield?s, the techniques and sparring were fun, Forms were not. I got my first black in June 2002 and virtually went into a Kenpo coma. I resisted learning anything new, I went through the motions but I?m sure Mr. Hatfield regretted giving me my black. Over the next two years I regained my interest but I just barely learned form 5 for my second Black in June 2005. I?ve been to seminars with multiple lineages and can competently do the techniques with my fellow Black belts but I still hated forms.
Mr. Wedlake did a seminar the day after I tested for Black II and started by warming up with Forms 1 to 4. It felt as if he was moving like lightening throughout the forms and yet when I reviewed the forms on video I noticed that he never hurried and never really moved with lightening speed. Every movement however was precise, his targeting was focused and I would swear that you could see a virtual opponent with every move. It was beautiful. This started my mind thinking about forms and while it didn?t change me immediately it started an evolution in thought for me which culminated when he returned in June 2006 and spent 2 hours going through Form 4. During this same period I was reading Dr. Chapels rants on the importance of indexing positions and learning precision not just in targets but in the entire coordinated movement of the body. I?ve also read a lot on the body?s response to stress and the loss of fine motor control and reversion to more primal movement in times of stress. But there is also evidence that people can learn with repetition new responses when stressed but that it?s a slow process and not quickly engrained. When I was little I could not ride a bicycle but after a childhood of riding I can still at 50 get on a bike with minimal thought and just ride. I?ve come to realize that forms are my opportunity to learn how to move effectively with total body coordination. Forms allow me to learn without the distraction of another body, I can move as slowly or quickly as I wish but no quicker than I can retain that coordination. Forms are my opportunity to engrain fully coordinated motions without the shortcuts that people add when dealing with competition. Yes you can strike hard with the rear hand without a full change to a forward bow, thousands of boxers have demonstrated that, but Kenpo allows you to learn how to continue to do so long after your youth and physical prowess begin to fail you and shortcuts are no longer an option.
When I watch the competition forms posted on the net these young men are good athletes. They are quicker and smoother than I have ever been. I admire their skill. I?m sure that they are doing what is required to win a competition but perhaps this just means that even Kenpo competitions need to divide into classic and extreme sections for forms. The stances are shortcut, I see horse stances with the toes pointing out, neutral bows with the rear foot pointed to 3:00, forward bows with heels up and pointed to 1:30. The hand movements are very quick but even in the best are not quite coordinated with the lower body. Frequently the hand motions are so fast that the (imaginary) opponent could not have had time to be properly positioned for the follow up move. The head bounces with movement and the stances are higher than I would say is ideal. The Flash is there but these are not really Kenpo forms, there is Bling but the substance is lost. I am reminded of a story I once heard about Mr. Wedlake performing Form 6 (in the early ?80s I believe.) He finished and was not scored particularly well. When he came to the side Mr. Parker said, ?That was the best I?ve ever seen that form done.? Whether this story is real or apocryphal is perhaps not important but maybe we should be judging Kenpo forms in Kenpo competitions by Mr. Parker?s standards and using them to learn what he meant for us to learn.
Now for what I learned watching Mr. Wedlake do his forms. His stances are low but not forced; his power comes from his legs but is transmitted efficiently and fluidly through his body. His footwork is precise. No extra foot movements. He completes each positional change more quickly than I do because he just does it once without the adjustments that have crept into my Kenpo. His stances are textbook with no excuses for increased speed or depth of stance. His head floats through the air as if suspended from the ceiling. Head height changes only occur purposefully with marriage of gravity moves. His speed comes from efficiency not from forcing speed. You can visualize an opponent at all times and they are normal sized. He seems to be aware of where his entire body and balance is at all times and not just the flourish called for by each technique. He is relaxed where he can be but shows power and strength where indicated. He is fluid and continuous but has half beats and quarter beats and syncopations as appropriate. He can vary those syncopations appropriately when he wishes.
When I watch Lee Wedlake I realize that faster is not better but that fluid efficient control is wonderful. I finally realize that the forms have been given to me as a way to learn at least partially some of that efficiency and control. I don?t believe that you can be a good martial artist unless you practice at least some on other bodies. Imaginary people are just too easy to control. At the same time short cuts to control other people before we learn proper mechanics can lead to bad habits that serve us well when we are young flexible and strong but which will fail us as we age.
respectfullly.
Jeff
Read More...
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KenpoTalk.com Post Bot - Kenpo Feed
By Kenpodoc - Fri, 15 Sep 2006 18:38:18 GMT
Originally Posted at: KenpoTalk
====================
I?ve been watching a lot of Web based examples of Kenpo forms in recent weeks. They are fast and fluid, there is upper body power and in the best of the forms good targeting. What I don?t see is good lower body execution of the forms. Mr. Parker moved with great power and even in 50s (perhaps especially in later life) he always moved with his whole body. He showed grace, power and speed but never moved faster with his upper body than his lower body could support the movement. We are fortunate because he left us with a series of forms to help us learn to move more like he did.
Now a brief history of my Kenpo forms. I started Kenpo in April 1997 with Steve Hatfield a student of Mr. Lee Wedlake. I dutifully did the forms since they were requirements but in reality just went through the motions. They bored me and I couldn?t see their purpose. This was my fault, not Mr. Hatfield?s, the techniques and sparring were fun, Forms were not. I got my first black in June 2002 and virtually went into a Kenpo coma. I resisted learning anything new, I went through the motions but I?m sure Mr. Hatfield regretted giving me my black. Over the next two years I regained my interest but I just barely learned form 5 for my second Black in June 2005. I?ve been to seminars with multiple lineages and can competently do the techniques with my fellow Black belts but I still hated forms.
Mr. Wedlake did a seminar the day after I tested for Black II and started by warming up with Forms 1 to 4. It felt as if he was moving like lightening throughout the forms and yet when I reviewed the forms on video I noticed that he never hurried and never really moved with lightening speed. Every movement however was precise, his targeting was focused and I would swear that you could see a virtual opponent with every move. It was beautiful. This started my mind thinking about forms and while it didn?t change me immediately it started an evolution in thought for me which culminated when he returned in June 2006 and spent 2 hours going through Form 4. During this same period I was reading Dr. Chapels rants on the importance of indexing positions and learning precision not just in targets but in the entire coordinated movement of the body. I?ve also read a lot on the body?s response to stress and the loss of fine motor control and reversion to more primal movement in times of stress. But there is also evidence that people can learn with repetition new responses when stressed but that it?s a slow process and not quickly engrained. When I was little I could not ride a bicycle but after a childhood of riding I can still at 50 get on a bike with minimal thought and just ride. I?ve come to realize that forms are my opportunity to learn how to move effectively with total body coordination. Forms allow me to learn without the distraction of another body, I can move as slowly or quickly as I wish but no quicker than I can retain that coordination. Forms are my opportunity to engrain fully coordinated motions without the shortcuts that people add when dealing with competition. Yes you can strike hard with the rear hand without a full change to a forward bow, thousands of boxers have demonstrated that, but Kenpo allows you to learn how to continue to do so long after your youth and physical prowess begin to fail you and shortcuts are no longer an option.
When I watch the competition forms posted on the net these young men are good athletes. They are quicker and smoother than I have ever been. I admire their skill. I?m sure that they are doing what is required to win a competition but perhaps this just means that even Kenpo competitions need to divide into classic and extreme sections for forms. The stances are shortcut, I see horse stances with the toes pointing out, neutral bows with the rear foot pointed to 3:00, forward bows with heels up and pointed to 1:30. The hand movements are very quick but even in the best are not quite coordinated with the lower body. Frequently the hand motions are so fast that the (imaginary) opponent could not have had time to be properly positioned for the follow up move. The head bounces with movement and the stances are higher than I would say is ideal. The Flash is there but these are not really Kenpo forms, there is Bling but the substance is lost. I am reminded of a story I once heard about Mr. Wedlake performing Form 6 (in the early ?80s I believe.) He finished and was not scored particularly well. When he came to the side Mr. Parker said, ?That was the best I?ve ever seen that form done.? Whether this story is real or apocryphal is perhaps not important but maybe we should be judging Kenpo forms in Kenpo competitions by Mr. Parker?s standards and using them to learn what he meant for us to learn.
Now for what I learned watching Mr. Wedlake do his forms. His stances are low but not forced; his power comes from his legs but is transmitted efficiently and fluidly through his body. His footwork is precise. No extra foot movements. He completes each positional change more quickly than I do because he just does it once without the adjustments that have crept into my Kenpo. His stances are textbook with no excuses for increased speed or depth of stance. His head floats through the air as if suspended from the ceiling. Head height changes only occur purposefully with marriage of gravity moves. His speed comes from efficiency not from forcing speed. You can visualize an opponent at all times and they are normal sized. He seems to be aware of where his entire body and balance is at all times and not just the flourish called for by each technique. He is relaxed where he can be but shows power and strength where indicated. He is fluid and continuous but has half beats and quarter beats and syncopations as appropriate. He can vary those syncopations appropriately when he wishes.
When I watch Lee Wedlake I realize that faster is not better but that fluid efficient control is wonderful. I finally realize that the forms have been given to me as a way to learn at least partially some of that efficiency and control. I don?t believe that you can be a good martial artist unless you practice at least some on other bodies. Imaginary people are just too easy to control. At the same time short cuts to control other people before we learn proper mechanics can lead to bad habits that serve us well when we are young flexible and strong but which will fail us as we age.
respectfullly.
Jeff
Read More...
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