Is there any practical reason for studying forms? Isn it better to practice sparring all the time?
The forms studied in Haidong Gumdo are very dynamic and grow more physically challenging with each rise in rank. The gradual progression of the patterns teaches understanding of how to combine various offensive and defensive postures with movement to create effective tactics. In one sense, forms are the historical version of multimedia presentations. They catalog techniques and stances, reveal body mechanics and strategies as well as fluidity of motion all in one easy-to-access location. The lessons taught must be learned well, both at speed and at a more meditative pace, for once real combat begins everything you thought you knew flies out the window – only what you truly know remains.
