The understanding of a form and (some of) its uses....

I have a penchant for trying to learn kata and forms both for mental stimulation.  I started to try to work out Ho Chien Wat out of curiosity, as I thought it was a beautiful form with definite elements of sharp contrast.   In doing so, I found that I was learning something that was both potentially good for breathing and, for me, good for exercise if performed as close as I can in the manner I originally viewed.

 

Where I am with the latter version of the form now is shown below.

Ho Chien Wat to the Best of my Ability

What I did find in the early stages though, was that although I studied the form many times and wrote down as much details as I could from what I had viewed (Anatomy of a Form: Ho Chien Wat), translating that into a decent approximation of the form.  Then I got a chat from my friend PJ Broomy about doing one of our occasional chats/training sessions.  I had an idea that trying to explain it to someone else from a similar background would help me work things out, so I asked PJ if I could show him what I was up to. 

 

The below videos were made after the video session and can be contrasted with those of the earlier blog.   As to how it worked, I broke the form down into the three elements: Salutation, Mid-Section (repetition) and Final Sequence. Then I showed PJ the movements to each part slowly.  The mid-section, was not as long as it looks here, as I just did the RHS then LHS progression once.   

Ho Chien Wat salutation

Ho Chien Wat middle section

Ho Chien Wat final sequence

Showing and trying to explain what I was doing I found helped my own understanding of the movements involved, and feedback received, helped me to do some fine tuning.   I spent four or five days taking on board the better understood version, and finally felt comfortable in using the form in the same manner I use Tensho, for slow, deep breathing connected to the movements.

 

Ho Chien Wat slow

Given that I sometimes don't have a lot of room to practice in, I had also worked out a static version of Tensho, for specifically just relaxation and clearing the mind.  I have now developed a version incorporating Ho Chien Wat with a part of Tensho.  As this requires more focus to perform than Tensho on its own, I find that this is even better for clearing the mind.  the exercise itself is shown below.

Static Slow Breathing exercise

With more confidence, I found I wanted to use Ho Chien wat more often as exercise, and with that came the quicker articulation of the form as shown in the first video.  I make no claim to understand the form as a tool for fighting, that I acknowledge would take years of work.  However, as a tool for deep breathing, mindfulness and exercise, I believe that there are clear benefits to the form, for me at least.

Hope you enjoyed reading.

Thank you to Russ Smith and PJ Broomy for their support and input.

REY 31/01/2024

Anatomy of a Form: Ho Chien Wat, Crane Battle Method

 

For the last few months I've been sticking to practicing the basics from the first two lessons of Russ Smith's five Ancestors lessons, as I have had other things on my mind.  However, a vide recently appeared in my FB feed of Russ executing the Ho Chien Wat form.  It immediately grabbed my attention as something I would have to take another look at.  So much so that I found myself taking notes on the form, as I knew i wanted to try it myself.

These are notes, along with videos of the first run through, for comparison with the notes.  It is very much a work in progress, but I thought it might interest one or two people, so I decided to share it.

Long Salutation

Step out with Left foot into opening stance, relax.

Move hands inwards, pointing flat, fingertip to fingertip, palm own.

Form fists, while turning hands inwards so facing thumb tip to thumb tip

Draw Right shoulder back, Right fist following upward to chest level. Left fist moves upward to chest level across the body.

Hands open rapidly palm up, then turn over and push down quickly with Right should moving forward so torso is front facing, hands open and palm down, pointing inwards.

Right shoulder moves forward, hands move upwards, fingertips up with arms bent at elbow to shoulder height.  Right arm in front of Left, Right palm facing outward, Left palm facing shoulder.

Hands sweep out rapidly to either side, arms bent at elbows, to head height.  Hands hook into Crane posture, arms angled outwards to approximately 25 degrees.

Hands open up, fingertips upwards, rotated outwards about 30 degrees at wrists.  Arms come down, elbows bent until forearms are parallel to the ground at waist height, hands rotate out to 45 degrees on descent.

Right hand rotates outwards and clenches into a fist, as Right shoulder is drawn back, Left hand moves upwards across face.  Right fist is pulled fully back to chest height and Left hand continues to cover with open palm.

Body rotates so torso is front facing, hands are extended outward together, Right first in Left open palm until forearms parallel with floor in front of body.

Right fist opens so fingers pointing outward, back of RH still in palm of LH. Open hands (thumbs out) move out to shoulder width, forearms slightly angled upwards, with hands at a slightly steeper angle. 

Body rotates to Right, Right shoulder back.  Arms maintain their position but move slightly downwards, so that when Right shoulder is drawn back fully both hands are parallel to the ground, with the Left arm being across the front of the body.

Body rotates so torso is front facing, hands rotate outwards and up (thumbs in), ending up with hands in front of shoulder line and forearms slightly angled up, hands about 30 degrees from vertical. 

Forearms drop slightly, until they are parallel with ground.  Hands tilt outward slightly to about 40 degrees from vertical, settling into Guard position. 

Mid - Stepping sequence

Right step forward (RL in front)

Right step forward, wide gaited stance, knees slightly bent, hands palm open (thumbs in) facing forward.

Hands turn in, palm down.  Right shoulder and arm pulls back, hand drawn up to chest level with the Left arm being across the front of the body, also at chest level.   

(*All sequences ) Body rotates rapidly, torso to the front. both arms push fully out in front, hands open and parallel to the ground.

Hands close to form One knuckle fist, index middle knuckle prominent. wrists rotate inwards, so backs of hands face floor.

Hands open out, and arms move outwards in a circular motion.  Hands rotate outward and move with arms until the circle is closed and arms cross if front of face.

Left hand moves in front of Right as they the cross and move forwards and down (back of hand to back of hand at moment of crossing).  Hands move into crane (hooking) hands as the come in line with the shoulders.

Hands pulled inwards and upwards, forming fists whilst elbows remain bent until fists reach above head height with arms fully extended.

Hands come down to head level, elbows bending slightly and fists turn inwards before opening up into splayed hands with clawed fingers.

Hands come down and inwards, in line with shoulders and level with chest.  Arms are bent at elbows and fingers turn outwards, closing with palms forward (thumbs in) and at angle and pushing forward at the same time.  Settle into Guard position.  (48 seconds)

Left step forward (LL in front)

Left step forward, wide gaited stance, knees slightly bent, hands palm open (thumbs in) facing forward.

Hands turn in, palm down.  Left shoulder and arm pulls back, hand drawn up to chest level with the Right arm being across the front of the body, also at chest level.   

Sequence repeats as from * above until next step forward.

Right step forward (RL in front) - repeat RH move sequence as for previous RL in front

Right step back (LL in front) - repeat LH move sequence as for previous LL in front

Left step back  (RL in front) - repeat RH move sequence as for previous RL in front

Right step back. (LL in front) - repeat LH move sequence as for previous LL in front 

 End Sequence

Right hand moves down and back, behind the body line.  Left hand moves upwards in line with shoulder with wrist turning inwards.

Right foot moves outward and forward, until toes in line with Left heel, Right arm continues moving in an upward arc with Right shoulder going back.   RH ends up alongside Right ear, fingers splayed and pointing forward, palm pointing away from ear.  LH continues moving up in line with face and pushing across open palmed an vertical, to outside the Right shoulder.

Weight moves onto Right foot, hands move up in line with top of head (finger tips LH, blade of RH), winding up for strike. Left foot drags inwards and back behind heel line of Right foot, shoulder width gap between, then pivoting to Left on balls of feet to 45 degrees off forward facing.   At same time LH sweeps down palm down to waist height, whilst RH strikes across at neck height, palm up, in a bladed strike.   Both strikes to 45 degrees in line with body.

Left foot steps out into wide legged 45 degree stance, knees bent.  LH moves down and back, behind the body line, continues moving in an upward arc ends up alongside Left ear, fingers splayed and pointing forward, palm pointing away from ear.  RH moves upwards in line with shoulder with wrist turning inwards then continues moving up in line with face and pushing across open palmed and vertical, to outside the Left shoulder.

Weight moves onto Left foot, hands move up in line with top of head (finger tips RH, blade of LH), winding up for strike. Right foot drags inwards and back behind heel line of Left foot, shoulder width gap between, then pivoting to Right on balls of feet to 45 degrees off forward facing.   At same time RH sweeps down palm down to waist height, whilst LH strikes across at neck height, palm up, in a bladed strike.   Both strikes to 45 degrees in line with body.

Right foot turns inward to face forward, pivot Left foot backwards to present a sharply bladed stance, with Left leg almost behind Right leg, but with Left foot angled outwards.  LH remains in place relative to the body, whilst RH moves across to under Left, in vertical line with Left shoulder.   Body weight shifts back onto back leg, which bends at knee to accommodate.  RH goes back under Left arm, RF drags back into Cat stance.  LH pulls back in line with L side of chest, R arm flicks out and up, RH is initially pointing down, but flicks up into ridge hand at the end of the arm extension.

RH moves in from should line to in front of face, LH draws across to RH side of body.   R foot takes long stride forward, RH pulls back in line with R side of chest, L arm flicks out and up, LH is initially pointing down, but flicks up into ridge hand at the end of arm extension.  So there is a counter point of RF going forward, as LHS of torso twists forward.

LF pulls up, LH comes back RH comes to front as torso realigns.  R Elbow bent and RH open at an angle.  Footing settles into standard stride length, L arm pulls back until LH in line with LHS of chest, R arm extends as elbow is straightened RH extends into a flat position parallel to ground, wrist bent slightly inwards.

L foot goes back half a foot distance, coming inward to give a more bladed stance, RH rises slightly to above height of LH. R foot pulls back into Cat stance, RH moves across and wrist tilts up so RH palm facing forward at an angle.  L foot drags back further into deeper Cat stance, R arm drops slightly and R wrist rotates so RH is pointing downwards.  At same time LH starts to move forward, with L wrist rotating so that LH palm starts to face forward with fingers pointing upwards.  RH stops at groin height on Centre line, facing palm out fingers down, LH stops at chin height on Centre line, facing palm out fingers up.

LH closes into fist, wrist turning and LH pulling back to RHS of chest, RH closes into  fist and R arm rises to cross over L arm, with RH resting to LHS of chest.  RF goes back to side of LF, standing straight.  Fists pull back to just under chest line either side of the body.  Hands draw back further and hands open, palm up, wrists rotate so hands facing palm down.  Then hands push down quickly, palms parallel to the ground, fingers facing forward  Knees bend slightly as arms extend to full extent.  Knees unbend, hands fall naturally by sides.

First Run Through

I tried my first end to end "walk through" of the form on 10th December.  Very jerky with some pauses and in a limited space (which meant stepping back and forth, rather than three steps forward, three steps back as the form actually requires), and I definitely ended up on the wrong foot (stepping through with left foot, rather than stepping up and pushing on with right).

Very much a work in progress and different to most Karate kata, but for me it's just the kind of form I find relaxing and will be a good addition to Tensho.

REY 10/12/23