Even if you don't like doing forms, I strongly suggest you read this newsletter.
It could change the way you workout.
The reason I said "Even if...
" is because I know many martial artists think form is a waste of time.
Do they think practicing punching is a waste of time? No.
Do they think practicing kicking is a waste of time? No.
How about shadow boxing? Do they think that's a waste of time? Of course not.
But if you put those three things together in a routine and call it a form...
suddenly you're wasting your time.
Hmmmmm.
When I practice form I sweat and breath hard and end up with sore muscles.
My balance, flexibility, agility and timing improve.
Now keep in mind, I'm not doing beginner level forms for preschool tots.
I'm doing traditional, hardcore Tien Shan Pai empty hand and weapons forms.
Form doesn't just get you in shape either.
I've had people join my school or get my DVD specifically because they felt they had two left feet, and wanted to gain coordination.
Now then, could you get all the benefits of form just by doing some bag work, taking a break to do some kick combinations across the floor, adding in some punch combinations, throwing in a few jumps and deep stances for leg strength, maybe some floor sweeps for flexibility, and finishing with some hard fast shadow boxing? Yes, you could.
And if you put the routine together just right...
it would be a form.
So what I do is, instead of adding punch/kick drills to bag work, I add bag work to my forms.
Do a form, hit the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, kick the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, knee and elbow the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, work combinations on the bag for 30 seconds.
Do five forms that way.
I mean hard and fast, with furious bag work in the intervals.
Do it at least 3 days a week for two weeks and then see how much your combinations, agility, flex, and stamina have improved.
For people who enjoy it and work it, form isn't a waste of time, it's a highly structured skill and conditioning drill.
And it has many uses.
You can do a form very slowly and call it a great warm up.
You can do it hard a fast and call it the best shadow boxing you've ever done.
You can do it super slow with each move synchronized with your breathing and call it tai chi.
However you do it, the rewards are yours for the taking.
It could change the way you workout.
The reason I said "Even if...
" is because I know many martial artists think form is a waste of time.
Do they think practicing punching is a waste of time? No.
Do they think practicing kicking is a waste of time? No.
How about shadow boxing? Do they think that's a waste of time? Of course not.
But if you put those three things together in a routine and call it a form...
suddenly you're wasting your time.
Hmmmmm.
When I practice form I sweat and breath hard and end up with sore muscles.
My balance, flexibility, agility and timing improve.
Now keep in mind, I'm not doing beginner level forms for preschool tots.
I'm doing traditional, hardcore Tien Shan Pai empty hand and weapons forms.
Form doesn't just get you in shape either.
I've had people join my school or get my DVD specifically because they felt they had two left feet, and wanted to gain coordination.
Now then, could you get all the benefits of form just by doing some bag work, taking a break to do some kick combinations across the floor, adding in some punch combinations, throwing in a few jumps and deep stances for leg strength, maybe some floor sweeps for flexibility, and finishing with some hard fast shadow boxing? Yes, you could.
And if you put the routine together just right...
it would be a form.
So what I do is, instead of adding punch/kick drills to bag work, I add bag work to my forms.
Do a form, hit the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, kick the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, knee and elbow the bag for 30 seconds.
Do a form, work combinations on the bag for 30 seconds.
Do five forms that way.
I mean hard and fast, with furious bag work in the intervals.
Do it at least 3 days a week for two weeks and then see how much your combinations, agility, flex, and stamina have improved.
For people who enjoy it and work it, form isn't a waste of time, it's a highly structured skill and conditioning drill.
And it has many uses.
You can do a form very slowly and call it a great warm up.
You can do it hard a fast and call it the best shadow boxing you've ever done.
You can do it super slow with each move synchronized with your breathing and call it tai chi.
However you do it, the rewards are yours for the taking.
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