March 2006 - Form Of The Month - Short Form 1

[Rob Broad]

This is side one only

OPENING:
1. Attention Stance
2. Bow.
3. Signify.
4. Step your left foot to a meditative horse stance.


1. Start from a meditative horse stance facing 12 o’clock.

2. Drop your left foot back to 6 o’clock, into a right neutral bow while simultaneously delivering a right hammering inward block and a left back elbow strike.

3. Drop your right foot back to 6 o’clock, into a left neutral bow while simultaneously delivering a left thrusting inward block and a right back elbow strike.

4. Turn to face your next imaginary opponent at 9 o’clock. Step with your right foot to 3 o’clock, into a left neutral bow, while simultaneously delivering a left outward block and a right back elbow strike.

5. Drop your left foot back to 3 o’clock into a right neutral bow while simultaneously delivering a right outward block and a left back elbow strike.

6. Turn to face your next imaginary opponent at 3 o’clock, moving your right foot forward to "cover." Settle into a left neutral bow while simultaneously delivering a left upward block and a right back elbow strike.

7. Drop your left foot back to 9 o’clock into a right neutral bow while simultaneously delivering a right upward block and a left back elbow strike.

8. Turn to face your next imaginary opponent at 6 o’clock; step back with your left foot towards 12 o’clock, into a right neutral bow, while simultaneously delivering a right downward block and a left back elbow strike.

9. Drop your right foot back to a 12 o’clock, into a left neutral bow, while simultaneously delivering a left downward block and a right back elbow strike.

10. Step clockwise with your left foot to 12 o’clock, returning to a meditative horse stance, thus returning to point of origin.

Attention Stance.

Bow.

[hemi]

Wow, you posted one of the few forms I do know, sometimes being new is hard. I try to overlook a lot of the posts on the more advanced forms since I have not yet been taught those. I try to avoid a situation where I am trying to run before I can walk real well.

[Rob Broad]

So lets rip this form apart, discuss what it teaches, when is in your schools curriculum, and ideas or questions you have about it.

[gimpat01]

This is in our Yellow Belt test. I am sure when I tested on it, I looked like someone having an seizure. I decided to keep working on it along w/my other curriculum and now it feels really good to do. It's a basic, but it sure helps me with my foot work and my blocking.

(edited to add) It also helped teach me about the clock principle and start learning about protecting yourself from many angles.

[michaeledward]

Here are the first few thoughts ......

The theme of the form is: 'Retreating, with a front hand block'.

In this form, we face all four walls.

In this form, we never move in front of the 3-9 line; making the footwork an 'L' shape, rather than the commonly assumed '+' sign.


Maybe we'll have more later.

[amylong]

I have the students add inward blocks during all of the transitions. This additionally teaches the importance of covering yourself during transitions.

The upward block, for instance, starts and finishes essentially as an inward block.

I have them train to do upward blocks by throwing an overhead attack followed by an immediate punch with the other hand.

Upward, inward, upward, inward, so they get the rhythm of how the upward block moves.

For the downward block, I show them the universal block. The left hand is a guid for the leg and the right hand slides it off for the block.

So I call out "Left Guide - Right Slide"
Step back with a right guide, left slide,

It rhymes nicely and it teaches the covering yourself concept.

--Amy

[Rob Broad]

What is the signifigance of this form? There hasn't been many ideas shot around yet? there has to be more.

[Chronuss]

being the first form we learn, all the movements are defensive and retreating. we never cross ourselves nor step into a blind spot (Zone of Obscurity). as learned in Blocking Set, it keeps steady with double factoring each block with a rear elbow strike. teaches newer students proper timing of all four limbs as well as keeping the head level when transitioning into stances.


that should get the snowball rolling.

[Celtic_Crippler]

This from introduces students to basic footwork used in conjunction with the use of blocks. It reinforces what is taught in Blocking Set 1/Star Set and shows the student how to apply those principles while moving around. In Blocking Set 1 the student is static, in Parker Short 1 they must move.

When we teach it, we throw a right step through punch followed by a left step through punch to show the application of the form. We continue to execute attacks from 9:00, 3:00, 6:00 to reinforce the application of the maneuvers.

[Maltair]

Yellow belt Form
great for learning how to get into and out of stances. Practice blocks.
We found if you always practice facing the same direction, and then you change the starting direction, 9 x outa 10 they would mess it up the first time usually at the first downward block. So once they get the form, we do it 4 times in a row, starting at 12, then 3, then 6, and 9. Fun stuff.

Later, when the instructor really wants to mess with you, he will be counting 1, 2, 3, then switch it and say 2, we would have to go back to that step, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 6, 5, 6, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 4, 5, 6....
Its maddning I say!!!

[Bob Hubbard]

Where are the offensive movements in the form? At the earlier stages of training it is usually promoted as a defensive set (blocking and retreating, as Chronuss said), but I've discussed this form with a couple of mid-ranked black belts and they've indicated that it is just as big on offense as defense. Thoughts?

[michaeledward]

I would say, Bob, that the offensive moves are, at best hidden.

As we move through the form, the hand that is not executing the block, is re-loaded, or cocked, back at our hip. As a student progresses in his learning, this "never cock as a separate move" action is shown to be a rear-elbow strike. A rear elbow is clearly an offensive weapon, but as the student learns Short Form 1, the focus is on the blocking hand and the proper stance.

Another place where an offensive move can be interpreted, is in the block, itself; "Make every strike a block, and every block a strike".

• One definition of a block (defensive use) is : 'used against a weapon in motion, with no intent to hurt'.
• One definition of a strike (defensive use) is: 'used against a weapon in motion (or not), with the intent to hurt'.

An example of 'making a block a strike' is found early in our curriculum, with the technique 'Sword of Destruction'. The attack is a right roundhouse punch. The defense is to - step back to a right neutral bow while executing a right, extended outward block. When we show this technique to new students, first they learn the defensive side. Then we have them execute the offensive attack. The harder they throw the roundhouse punch, the more hurt inflicted with the extended outward block; the block becomes a strike.

So, there are offensive actions in Short Form 1, but they are 'hidden'. New students have many un-hidden items to focus on as they learn this form. As the student progresses, that which is hidden becomes visible.

[Seig]

Where are the offensive movements in the form? At the earlier stages of training it is usually promoted as a defensive set (blocking and retreating, as Chronuss said), but I've discussed this form with a couple of mid-ranked black belts and they've indicated that it is just as big on offense as defense. Thoughts?

Are you referring to the leg checks and sweeps that are contained in it?
Or were you referring to "Every block is a strike and every strike a block?"

[Miyu]

Ive mentioned to Bob that there's a couple of arm breaks in there. I know some folks do an outward block when they turn to 9 oclock, but I was taught to do it as vertical blocks, the thinking being if they grab your shoulder with their left hand, then your double factor vertical block becomes a pin and a hyper-extention/arm break.

[hongkongfooey]

The form also teaches the use of torque, both direct and indirect, which is one of Kenpo's primary power principles. How many people do the mirror image side?

[amylong]

I don't push the other side so much because long one covers it. Long one has short one on both sides built into it.

It's like doing short 2 on 'both sides'. I don't see any point.

Once you really have the kata down, doing it on the other side is not necessary.

--Amy

[hongkongfooey]

I agree Amy. In Short 1 tself, all of the moves are done on both sides. That is why I asked about mirror image. In my school we don't do the mirror image, either. In my prior school we did. Do you do the salutation for the first 4 forms? My last school did, my new school does not. I was told that because the first forms are basics and exercise forms the salutation is not needed. We don't start the formal salutation in forms until Short 3.

Later
Back to work.

[amylong]

I agree Amy. In Short 1 tself, all of the moves are done on both sides. That is why I asked about mirror image. In my school we don't do the mirror image, either. In my prior school we did. Do you do the salutation for the first 4 forms? My last school did, my new school does not. I was told that because the first forms are basics and exercise forms the salutation is not needed. We don't start the formal salutation in forms until Short 3.

Later
Back to work.

We are in total agreement. I only do the salutation if I'm doing it in a tournament. Althought, the last time I did long two in a tournament was about 25 years ago, give or take. My yellow belts sort of know the salutation, but I'm not worrying about it until later.

I had one school that did forward bows for the second block of the three in long one. That was a little awkward.

--Amy

[Rob Broad]

Since we have ran through all the EPAK Forms it is time to bring back this form as our March 2007 Form of the month. Since we have a lot more members we should get more insights and replies into this important form.

[Billy Lear]

Here is what Short Form 1 Teaches:

1. Stay down while in stance.
2. Erect posture.
3. Increased peripheral vision.
4. Always look at your opponent.
5. Never expose your back unnecessarily.
6. How to cover into a neutral bow.
7. Constant head level while changing stances.
8. How to retreat from an opponent when turning to face the unknown.
9. Basic timing of the hands and feet.
10. How to block while retreating. (Opposite hand, opposite foot)
11. Relax and tense at the proper moment.
12. Angle changes in preperation for a mass attack.
13. How to use the opposite arm as a hidden weapon.
14. How to move up and down in an "L" shape pattern.
15. Repetition of the four basic blocks while retreating.
16. To have you block make contact at a distance from you so that your opponent's punch will be greatly diverted.
17. Crisp moves with snap and torque.

Here is what Short Form 1 Contains:

1. Moves that are strictly defensive.
2. Stances: Attention, horse, & neutral.
3. Blocks: Inward, outward, upward, & downward.
4. Double blocks (double factor): High & low.
5. Four basic angles of attack.
6. Back elbow strike while blocking.
7. Nineteen moves including both sides and close.