a thought that could help instructors everywhere.

[KamasandSais]

I was going through my forms as usual and on my first form kicho ll bo,

I remembered how hard it was to remember the turns as a white belt. Then for once in my life i had a good idea....Form Mats! Someone could get a lot of big poster paper and with a friend, one of you do the form and the other person would put line your feet ( but just shroten the stances for the white belt kids). And the person drawing should also put an arrow from the foot that turns to where it would be in the next stance.

I hope this helps

Edited August 7, 2006 by KamasandSais

[parkerlineage]

Think I've seen it somewhere before.

I like the theory, but I think it may get ridiculous, depending on how many steps your form involves.

[jaymac]

Think I've seen it somewhere before.

I like the theory, but I think it may get ridiculous, depending on how many steps your form involves.

I agree, it may get too confusing.

[bushido_man96]

You would need a different mat for each form, otherwise one piece of paper would get confusing.

Incidentally, the ATA's form system follows a star diagram, called the Songham Star. In the ATA videos, the people demonstrate the forms on the star, so you can see how they all fall together. I think it is a good training tool.

[KamasandSais]

it was more in general like a form mat made out of about 20 poster board papers thats like taped together and could be folded. And I was only talking about white belt becuase usually most people figure out the turns after white belt.

[Rateh]

hm....

I've thought of something like that. But the main problem is stances overlap once you start turning. For instance an I pattern form, when you look at the exact foot placement on the floor, involves a lot of stance overlap. First the person goes left, then they go back over the same area, but in different stances facing right. Etc...

[KamasandSais]

Oh.. I see

[KamasandSais]

ok

[Jiffy]

Good idea in theory, but I don't think it would work in practise due to the huge amount of steps in some katas/forms, the huge amount of different katas/forms and the difference in size of all the practitioners.

[lordtariel]

I did something relativly similar when I was helping teach in tai chi. I would take a piece of sidewalk chalk and draw a giant compass on the ground. I had the student stand in the middle of it and perform their form. It helped them enormously for keeping track of how far to turn and where they should be facing. It's a great method to use to get beginners to learn the basic footwork of a form. I would say it works for helping memorize the form, but not for learing the form.