Your rhythm when doing forms.

[hemi]

When doing forms if you have a slow rhythm then the form can tend to look monotone and boring to watch. But if your rhythm is too fast you get sloppy and may leave out or not do moves correctly. So how do you work on a rhythm that looks good but still allows you to correctly do every move and not get to monotone or so fast that you look sloppy in your movements?

I also notice when I work forms on my own I tend to stay at a steady rhythm. But in class especially during a belt test, I tend to start on my own pace but then speed up as I near the end or if I fall too far behind everyone else. What other than just time in class doing the forms will help to overcome this bad habit?

 

[ares]

I love doing forms. I like to use my breathing to regulate the speed of my forms. When you practice at home, you're relaxed and comfortable. Your breathing is slow and smooth and your forms follow suit. In class, use your breathing to keep the rest of your body in check. Before you begin, take a deep cleansing breath and begin. Keep your breathing smooth and all will be well. ares

 

[dubljay]

I don't want to get into sematics here, but the rhythm of a form should never change, and is (in theroy) the same for everyone. by definition rhythm is
[SIZE=-1]cycle: an interval during which a recurring sequence of events occurs; "the never-ending cycle of the seasons"
the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements; "the rhythm of Frost's poetry"
[/SIZE]
Tempo (defined as: the speed at which a composition is to be played; the rate of some repeating event) may very from person to person, or vary depending on a specific emphasis when executing a form.

Change the rhythm and you change the form.

 

[Touch Of Death]

Break up the rythm and do you form like a song that has fast parts and slow parts.
Sean

 

[Ray]

Sometimes I syncopate movements and sometimes I synchronize them.

If I'm contemplative, I'll do a form more legato. If I'm depressed I might do it "tai chi" fashion (which doesn't change the rhythm just the time for the quarter notes). If I want a good aerobic work out, I might go balls out.

Some times I mix them. Kind of like using crescendo and diminuendos (although they are volume, not rhythm).

Sometimes I will change the rhythms though. Like if you take a musical phrase that is straight quarter notes in 4/4 time, and play it as "dotted quarter" followed by an eight note, it is still the same song. It is still recognizable and the melody is still the same. While the rhythm of the melody changes, the beat of the song remains the same. Same with the form.

<<It's Friday, 5 PM and I must be out of my mind.>>

 

[jdinca]

A form is an expression of your ability. It will, and should, be different for each practitioner. Yes, there are certain parts that must be similar for everyone, otherwise the form makes no sense, but forms are a big part of the "art" of martial arts.

Someone who goes through a form at the same pace can be quite boring to watch. Someone who knows where to go fast, where to go slow, and where to pause, is truly putting on a "performance".

Do what works for you. Find the places where going fast feels right, and find the places where a pause may work well. Within those portions, it is also important to "group" your strikes, blocks, whatever, so that the movement makes sense and you show you know what you're doing, as opposed to just demonstrating a group of moves. There are many that do forms that look great but if you ask them what they are actually doing, they may just give you a blank look.

Above all, make sure you're enjoying what you're doing. It will definitely come across in your performance.

 

[MRE]

I have a hard time with forms. I guess I can't visualize the attacker in all scenarios, so it is often difficult for me to remember them. Therefore, I need to go slow in the beginning until I build up enough muscle memory and familiarity with the form to be able to go faster without sacrificing technique. Then, I just go as fast as I can without getting sloppy. While I am going slow in the learning stage, I still make sure that I snap all of the blocks and strikes.

 

[kosho]

Kata well here is a big ????
some like it and others hate it.
some learn and think kata is just movements with blocks and punches.
Others see kata as a learning tool. and fine the hidden TEQ. in them.
some people see kata as escapeing teq.
some as war teq.
some as controlling teq.
some as throwing teq.
some do kata slow with power.
some do fast for endurence.
some see kata far beyond what you should see.
some use kata for rooting. every movement.
some look for inbalance to balance.
I say yes to all I like kata and for what it can teach.
I like taking a black belt and asking what 1 pinion teaches.
and then teach then something they just did not know or see.
KOSHO

 

[marlon]

Change the rhythm and you change the form.[/quote]

I agree which is why i would love to see GM Villari do his forms in order to learn his form.
however, as we grow and develop one begins to demonstrate our understandingb through expression in forms. Generally slow movements indicate jujitsu moves and or grappling. Too much speed can make things sloppy and unclear not only to the observer but to our own muscle memory..i.e. learning. Ending a form completely out of breath would be a poor demonstration of control of self on our part. Each movement in a for should have intent not simply to move but to act otherwise our forms become empty. Balance and form (our bodies) must be maintained as well as good martial sense (eg. no turning without looking). Go as fast as you can while keeping all of this and the other stuff others will share with you.

Just some thoughts that may be way off or not

Respectfully,
marlon

 

[masherdong]

Go as fast as you can, but as slow as you need to.

 

[dragonrl]

A form is an expression of your ability. It will, and should, be different for each practitioner. Yes, there are certain parts that must be similar for everyone, otherwise the form makes no sense, but forms are a big part of the "art" of martial arts.

Someone who goes through a form at the same pace can be quite boring to watch. Someone who knows where to go fast, where to go slow, and where to pause, is truly putting on a "performance".

Do what works for you. Find the places where going fast feels right, and find the places where a pause may work well. Within those portions, it is also important to "group" your strikes, blocks, whatever, so that the movement makes sense and you show you know what you're doing, as opposed to just demonstrating a group of moves. There are many that do forms that look great but if you ask them what they are actually doing, they may just give you a blank look.

Above all, make sure you're enjoying what you're doing. It will definitely come across in your performance.

I totally agree. There are parts of the forms that are also transitions that look funny if you do them fast and techniques where the speed is important so you need to go fast in these sections. I vary mine depending on what I am doing. If you are having problems remembering what the attacker is doing, I would suggest spending some time to really learn the techniques within the form. This will give you a better understand of what you are doing as well as what the form actually means.