
Moderator: Megan Lieff
The admonishment "don't change the kata" only works if you understand the jitsu behind the do of an empty-handed form. If the function is unknown then change is inevitable
jorvik wrote:Quote
"But even if the function IS known, why not change it if the change it self is better or more versatile. Often the same function is repeated agian and again in many different forms. "
Well as you quoted
The admonishment "don't change the kata" only works if you understand the jitsu behind the do of an empty-handed form. If the function is unknown then change is inevitable
IMHO folks only changes things that they don't understand or when they have a small information base to work from...I've seen this with some of the Wing-Chun folks that I've trained with. One of the hardest skills to acquire is the sticking hands ability.with my Sifu he can always answer my questions based on a good understanding of the style....I know of other folks who have changed things around to accomodate a lack of understanding................but there are many variations of Wing-Chun, and they are all Wing-Chun, just done a bit differently.................that is why the Chinese are so keen on knowing your limeage or giving name to a style.Fon Shan Wing-Chun is still Wing-Chun.but it is not the same as Yip Man lineage or the Ving Sun of Leung-Ting...similarly there are many different styles of Tai-Chi.............the thing is to show some integrity and honesty and just give the style a name or lineage.then folks won't get confused..and can judge you honestly
jorvik wrote:Some of the styles are pretty scientific in their appraoch, they adopt a strategy, find principles that embody that strategy and techniques that apply to both.then they run with that.it can be closed minded, but it is usually pretty effective, because you don't have to think, you just react, and you react correctly because it has been drilled into you and you know the counters if you do it incorrectly...however if you have never seen this approach then you won't understand it, very often this type of style will have taken generations to develop, it is never the province of just one man.......if somebody is good at this approach.....such as Sensei Kuroda then he will strike you down in a second and you will never know how he did it.
If you don't belong to a school like his then you will not understand that type of approach..........you see folks taking a bit of this and a bit of that ....talking about wrestling or weapons etc.but never too specific, and never to detailed that is the common approach.been there ,done that...and now I've moved on, but not to the point where I think I know that much, but just that I am aware of this different approach.........I think that you would benefit with some Tai-Chi instruction from Joseph Chen........do it for a year ( I always give folks that long )..trust what he says.and after that year see where you are and if your thoughts have changed...if not, move on and reject all that you have been taught...if so.buckle down for the journey and stay with it
Return to Women and the Martial Arts
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests