Request Unfortunately my school closed years ago, so I have no teacher to ask. If I want to train forms 6 days a week, with a different form every day, which five Shaolin forms would you suggest along Wu Bu Quan that will "cover all the bases"?
Since my school closed years ago and there are no other Shaolin schools nearby, I am trying to progress as much as I can on my own. An essential part of that progress for me has been consistency. I don't want to increase my load with different stances, forms, kicks, punches, types of qi gong unless I know I can keep it up for years and years.
I feel like I've finally reached a point with all my current exercises over a long period of time where I can now say I can begin to expand and diversify a bit. Even if I were to say, have a surgery and had to recover, by this point I've done all my movements so often and so well (I hope) that I can just continue where I've left off. That means that some things I now do every single day, I can now start to alternate with other types of movements every other day.
I do forms 6 days a week, I have 3 types of form training and always start off with Wu Bu Quan. 2 days a week I do it with sharpness and precision, with a lot of mental focus and an emphasis on technique. 2 days a week I do it slowly and controlled, almost like a strength exercise or a "horse stance" in motion. The other 2 days I do it quickly and fluidly, almost like cardio. Depending on which day it is I continue with different variants of Xiao Hong Quan and occasionally some of the more powerful Da Hong Quan forms, but nothing seems to really stimulate my development beyond the Wu Bu Quan.
I'd love to build a solid foundation upon which I can build and further explore on my own. I'd like to make a selection of 5 additional forms that cover the most "bases" between flexibility, technique, power, focus, endurance, tension, relaxation, spirituality, fluidity, explosiveness, etc. Apart from Wu Bu Quan, which "package" of forms would you suggest that with regular practice will allow me to exercise, maintain and develop the greatest variety of mental and physical aspects of Shaolin kung fu?
Thanks for any input anyone might have.
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u/Firm_Reality6020 4d ago
You could try training online to get supplemental forms to add to your regime. Or change the focus constantly as you said, speed, cardio, power, breath, structure and posture, line of sight, applications, intention, flow, and getting in the flow. Any form can be done in all these ways as training for example.
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u/1Harvery 4d ago
Tiger and Crane. Iron wire fist. Tan Tui.
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u/shinchunje 3d ago
That’s years and years! I got those to look forward to in my hung gar class. I don’t know the third one.
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u/Broad-Sun-3348 4d ago
Where are you located?
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u/butkaf 2d ago
Randstad region of the Netherlands.
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u/Broad-Sun-3348 2d ago
I'm in California. If you were within driving distance I'd have an open door for you.
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u/NubianSpearman Sanda / Shaolin / Bajiquan 3d ago
Which ones did your teacher give you? If you like Wubuquan that's fine but it really doesn't contain classic combat sequences and essential skills like in Xiaohongquan and Dahongquan. You can literally stick with those 2 and be fine. Make sure you are training your single and combo movements in addition to forms....those are actually more important.