Question Your Techniques

Kung Fu practitioners are taught forms that they practice in a particular sequence. Instructors teach these forms to the students and in most schools also teach the proper use of these techniques. After a while the students know enough to make assumptions about the techniques such as the purpose of a punch. What is probably not taught enough is that students should understand more than the end result of a technique. Students should question the techniques further to get full value from their training. I do not mean to flood your instructor with questions (especially if you are one of my students), I mean to ask yourself why certain things happen in your forms. Some examples are:

• Why do I throw a punch from the waist in one part of the form but circle my arms prior to punching in another part of the form?
• Why do I start my block on the outside of my arm when I turn?
• Why do I use different stances for the same technique in different parts of my form?
• How would I get into position to execute this technique in a real encounter?

Whoever created the style put certain elements into the form for a reason. These reasons are now sometimes lost in the teaching of a style if a student is pushed through a system too quickly or if an instructor is only focused on teaching form rather than technique. One thing that Fut Gar practitioners are taught is to consider how techniques can flow together once you understand the reaction caused by the previous technique.

Even if the instructor of a particular school is not focused on teaching to this level of detail, the student is still able to formulate ideas in their own mind. Try questioning yourself the next time you are training. The results can be very interesting.