Opinions on Open forms

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 9/09/2002 2:10pm

I know this isn't a great place to discuss tournament type topics, but I was curious about what people think of open forms or (gymnastics with kicks) in the tournaments. Coming from a traditional background I am not a very pro-open forms person, however I do admit those who do them are very athletic and talented in their styles.

Jeremy M. Talbott
http://www.homestead.com/koreanma/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/jns1994/MSA.html

Michael · Posted On: 9/09/2002 2:42pm

I'm going to lose my composer on this one so I appologize ahead of time.

**** open forms, what the hell is the matter with this ****. We're supposed to be doing fucking martial arts not some goddam gymnastics and screaming routine. Fucking 720 kicks and backflip kicks, mixing capoeira move into TKD forms. I was judging an open weapon form for god sake and the guy dropped his fucking staff (looks like a baton twirling contest), and two of the Judges gave him perfect 10's.

Okay got that one of my chest....cheers.

**ksmythe** · Posted On: 9/09/2002 4:00pm

Wow Micheal. Take a valium man. Audiences dig that sheeyat ... jumping, kicking and screaming and all. Makes little kids wanna be a power ranger. Show 'em a crazy kata and the little bass tirds will knocking on your school door. Then you can teach something worth while.

Michael · Posted On: 9/09/2002 4:16pm

Michael is coming off an ACL, MCL, PCL ligiment tear in his leg after demonstrating a 540 kick to those little bass tirds. (grumble grumble) Now I can't even roll in the grappling class and I'm fat now.........

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 9/09/2002 4:19pm

No, really, Michael, don't be so modest...tell us how you really feel. ha.haha.ha...

I would like to agree with Ksmythe that kids do like it and it does send some business. Once inside the school you can teach them the good stuff. However, the sad part is that you rarely see the schools that teach these type of forms, teach practical self defense. I liken them to that of the TKD tournament schools.

Jeremy M. Talbott
http://www.homestead.com/koreanma/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/jns1994/MSA.html

9chambers · Posted On: 9/09/2002 4:24pm

Why not go all out and pay for the helmets and power ranger suits and tell the kids someday they will get to shoot monsters in the ass .. if you are going to get all crazy, I say get ALL CRAZY. hhehehe.

**ksmythe** · Posted On: 9/09/2002 5:42pm

Dude.... you made me shoot hot coffee through my nose!!

**PeedeeShaolin** · Posted On: 9/09/2002 6:35pm

LOL

Well MOST of the crap in forms is just about realistic as the 720's man. Theres one side of me that says if your going to practice forms you might as well have fun doing it. Then the other side is that if your going to practice forms you might as well practice SOME techniques that are usefull even if there are much better ways to practice them.

I know a few Karate schools that hire students to dress up as power rangers and teach kids birthday parties. Its hilarious and sad all at the same time.

"Do not become entranced by impractical or useless movements. Do not be categorized as one who "Learns all there is to know about less and less until he ends up learning everything there is to know about nothing." -Ed Parker

**bhudhijeevi** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 9:21am

open forms?? i wouldn't waste time on learning anything that i can't use it in life...
flying kicks at 8 feet?? 360 turning flying kicks around 7feet??
we r martial artist not some movie stunt mans...
-Bhudhieevi-

**Miguksaram** · Posted On: 9/10/2002 9:28am

I guess my question to the schools that practice open forms is do they teach traditional froms and emphasize them. Or are they taught as one more requirement for the next rank and then discarded later?

Jeremy M. Talbott
http://www.homestead.com/koreanma/index.html
http://www.geocities.com/jns1994/MSA.html