Are Taolu (forms) Useful?

Taolu, translated as forms, or sequences, are choreographed martial dances or movement routines that are often used as a training method in traditional martial arts. Are they useful? That's an important question for Traditional Martial Artists for whom Taolu are often considered a core part of the training...
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[@rojcewiczj]

In my experience, forms are only as useful as the body mechanics that you are training. I think the key body mechanic that remains the same between shadow training and working with an opponent is that of balance/weight shifting. I've found that the more Ive focused on balance shifting, the more directly applicable my shadow work is to an opponent. Constantly coordinating the body is the main focus while limbs remain relaxed. When you meet an opponent resistance you continue to shift the balance using your body movement until you gain the advantage. That's how I apply forms. Thanks for the video/ talk.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

I agree with you in that focusing on the balance shifting aspect of movement has been very good for me as well... thanks for watching my vid!

[@mushinwarrior]

I like the energy feeling and trying to apply is fun .

[@arbogast4950]

Im not terrific at Taolu either. That being said, they helped me get in shape and lose a lot of weight. What they do to your brain and body is almost indescribable. After finishing the advanced forms, it was easy to get the body mechanics of other styles. Not just other kung fu styles either.

[@kristianmckenzie8365]

Have you thought about doing videos on the grappling techniques in the 12 tan tui form? I originally leaned it at a Chin Woo but later was shown how a lot of the movements are shuai jiao techniques and not punches, blocks, etc. I saw that you did a good video on gong li quan like this, and think people would be interested in seeing one on tan tui. Anyway, I enjoy your videos, keep up the good work.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

Yes Tantui material is on its way!

[@jimmylin7233]

These days, I like to think of taolu as analogous to the holy scriptures of any religion. You learn to read and recite the scripture. But that's not the same as understanding the meaning of your holy text, much less practice your faith. As you and I have discussed, taolu are compendiums of knowledge intended for an audience that was not necessarily literate. As a pedagogical tool, it has certain benefits and disadvantages. But I still like practicing and analyzing my taolu. The more I box and do shuaijiao and judo, the more I discover "encoded" in my baguazhang and xingyiquan taolu that helps me figure out new things and way to drill. One must actually "use" their martial arts in order to get the full benefit of taolu, and the safest ways to use a martial art are to spar and compete. The majority of kung-fu people have it backward: one should "fight" (or spar or compete) to understand their taolu, not the other way around.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

Agreed

[@indefenceofthetraditionalma]

Love this

[@18Hands]

Agility, balance, mobility are amazing benefits from forms.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

I attribute my ability to quickly pick up new types of movement and technique from both overall athletics and forms training

[@roebloxy9986]

To be good at fighting, I believe that you should know about these 3 things: 1. The goal in fighting to offend is to put the opponent to the ground (Wrestling/grappling) and Finish him like Wusong finishes the tiger (UFC in a nutshell). Sometimes, on the ground the opponent won't let you beat him so you must disable him with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Dishuquan and some School of Shuai Jiao) BJJ's origins are traced back to Japan and Jiujitsu, Karate, Judo are descendants of Kung Fu and notice how BJJ's moves ressembles the movements of a snake strangling and locking a prey. 2. In kickboxing, you must protect your center-line by moving out of it as he strikes, because by being face to face, you guys are at the most vulnerable angles so the fastest and strongest of the both of you will have the upper hand. You should move out of the way of something that doesn't directly attack your center-line, use footwork and walk around. If you're in a sideway guard to his face, your center-line becomes your leg, arm and head, you're protecting them already so the opponent will go for your head, back, leg, and front upper body therefore, get back or use fast kicks from that position if you want to attack. By the way, when defending, I recommend going around rather than moving backwards in a straight line, if he runs while striking, he will catch you when you're moving backwards in a straight line but if you're moving around and he runs towards you, move, block and dodge as if you were playing American football and you had the ball. 3. Yin and Yang Theory: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p2XdoHifZtd8ibssi=FoI0SY-HIRkbOM5_

[@LouisMcK]

Just got to say great outfit man, that shirt is sick

[@the.wandering.warrior]

❤️🙏

[@zetareticulan321]

In my opinion, Taolu is just a way for students to remember the techniques. Think of it as living notes.

[@cpa314]

So kind of akin to how a boxer would do shadowboxing I guess?

[@the.wandering.warrior]

Yes and no.. it's got certain elements like shadow boxing but it's choreographed, so it's more like going through combos that you're told to do

[@cpa314]

@@the.wandering.warrior I guess you could say they are similar in the way they allow you to practice technique and form in a solo manner while also working on visualizing application of said techniques.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

@@cpa314 yes

[@roebloxy9986]

I wrote this before the video began: Personally, I believe that Taolu are useful, because it registers in your muscle memory as you practice it daily. In a real situation in which you have to fight for your life, you don't think. Unless you're a UFC fighter or Wrestler that's comfortable with full-contact and violence, the situation is too stressful and uncomfortable therefore, out of instinct, you might use some moves from your form. You also need to take in consideration that you need to train the form until you understand it, you can't just train Chen Taijiquan and expect yourself to use some of its flowing moves when someone is kickboxing you meanwhile, Taijiquan including most of the empty-hands forms are about Grappling and Wrestling. Short story: I've already been in stressful situations in which these were my first time sparring and out of instinctively used moves from forms that I never practiced which catched the opponent off-guard. It was just until I see forms on KZbin that I remembered what I did. Forms are 100% useful, it's not dancing for health. It's always good to practice moves that you know you can do and practice forms for situations in which your spirit mind changes and you don't think but feel.

[@the.wandering.warrior]

Interesting you mention that, I had one situation in the street where I got grabbed and stabbed at and my instant response was block grab (knife hand) and elbow to jaw, just like out of a form. Afterwards adrenaline hit all at once and I was screaming and yelling like an ape and grabbing my own knife out but looking back it was a cool moment to feel muscle memory just kick in... so I know it's in me for sure, and that's partly from taolu..

[@roebloxy9986]

@@the.wandering.warrior DAaaaAAAAAaaAmmmmnnn...🤯 This video wouldn't be posted if you were dead, God didn't allow it to happen. Keep on training bro!

[@the.wandering.warrior]

@@roebloxy9986 thanks, will do. I think an important part of the forms training is the visualization that goes along with it and of course actual sparring drilling and fighting to contextualize it all

[@user-ravehitarot]

我看到 彈腿一路 不過用勁方法跟我學的不一樣👍👍👍

[@thescholar-general5975]

I am also not that good at taolu. I much prefer partner exercises and sparring

[@noiseworks]

I think you can call Wushu a Martial Art. Indeed, "stopping the spear" is embodied perfectly in the formalisation of 1949. Fighting is something different, and requires active learning/testing (reverse engineering techniques observed in various contexts and mapping them to established martial arts vocabulary) to develop a coherent system of movement you are happy with.

[@mushinwarrior]

Very different done from older methods thats another thing forms that left china are very different done . More details and fighting spirit.

[@watermelonprom7197]

@the.wandering.warrior a good way that I like to think about forms is like Meditation but for fighting :]

[@watermelonprom7197]

Also I would like to add something I agree with your thought process that Kung Fu fighters need to spar more but the only problem is that there is no real place for these fighters to do so safely I mean you could try MMA but the ground fighting kind of messes with that quite a bit so I would suggest creating a universal Kung Fu Combat Sport :D if I were to have a crack at creating it I would base it off of Sanda & Shuaijiao but add in Duanda & Qinna so it would take place on the Sanda Platform both fighters would wear Shuaijiao Jackets, custom Shorts that you can grab, MMA Shell Gloves, & Wrestling Shoes. You can pretty much do whatever you want even headbutts but no mayheming & no ground fighting that way it not only keeps the spirits of Kung Fu but Emphasizes it :DDD there would be some stuff to work out but I believe that this is a very promising idea & would be so useful for every kind of Chinese Martial Artist :]

[@the.wandering.warrior]

@@watermelonprom7197 I've had very similar thoughts myself though this gets into the realm of marketing, fundraising, and logistics which I'm still learning, but we shall see!

[@user-wf7gp4es5i]

Is that ok to show us the technics of Grappling???🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏