This description of our forms is intended primarily for the experienced practitioner. If you are a beginner, you very likely have little or no idea what forms are. For you, let me say simply that forms are choreographed shadow-boxing and leave it at that. If you are an experienced player you may have an opinion of forms training that leaves you, shall we say, less than enthusiastic at the prospect of studying and practicing forms. For those seeking rank in our system, forms are a required part of our curriculum. Knowing something about the forms we teach, then, will likely help you in your study.

Advancement from white belt to black takes approximately seven years (depending on the individual's dedication and talent). One of the requirements for advancement is the learning of six forms (one per belt). What follows is a list of the forms for each belt and level. (The M and T in the Basis column stand for Movement- and Technique-based, respectively.)

As you can see, we teach a mixture of Chinese and Indonesian forms. The kenpo² form taught can be called technique-based. By this we mean that such forms teach primarily through specific techniques. Movement-based forms, on the other hand, are not so clearly defined. When we teach movement-based forms, we make up techniques to fit the movements shown so that you can see a movement's potential application. However, the technique is only one of many possible applications or examples of what the given movement can be.

Forms contain a wealth of information, and we are wise to study them seriously. However, contrary to the way most forms are taught, memorizing and preserving every detail is discouraged. We prefer to return to each form, again and again, with expectation – drawing from what we already know, but with our eyes wide open, looking for what we may discover anew – or rediscover something we forgot or simply did not previously understand. This way forms practice remains fresh and its knowledge potential inexhaustible. But enough about forms training in general. Here are some specifics about each form we study and why it is taught at its particular level.
 

Elbow Exercise
Kuntao-Silat: Required for advancement from white to orange

This short kuntao-silat form with a very strong pentjak silat focus, developed by George Morin, a fellow student of Willem de Thouars, introduces the student to movement-based training and study. Much like learning the alphabet and grammar, the movements and motion in the form are much more important than the techniques used to exemplify them. Techniques are necessary to teach any form, but only as tools to help the student understand the underlying principles of movement. The form's focus, as you might guess, is elbows, and although it is a short form, in terms of the student's learning, it is much, much more sophisticated than one might expect for a beginner-level form. In fact, we teach this form first because its movements will lay a strong foundation for ALL the forms that follow. George put together a great form.

Small Hokkien Tiger
Kuntao (Shaolin): Required for advancement from orange to purple

This Shaolin-root kuntao form was received from Willem de Thouars, in January 1990. At that time it was taught privately to Mr. Stewart Lauper and Bob Orlando. This form is preferred as the second form shared in our forms training curriculum for two reasons: First because it is relatively short in length. The second reason is because it builds well upon the principles taught in the preceding  Elbow Exercise.

O Tsung Ee Chuan
Chinese kenpo / kung fu: Required for advancement from purple to blue

With this form, we turn to a technique-based Chinese kenpo / kung fu pattern. Our focus here is on moving quickly from opponent to opponent with practically no pauses in the action and little blocking, per se. What might be interpreted as blocks are actually setups for strikes. "No pauses in the action" means this form is devoid of places where the defender backs up or stops, assumes a ready posture, and waits for the next attack – all action sequences move directly from attacker to attacker. This is a good form that is both technically potent and aesthetically pleasing.

Leg Maneuvers
Pukulan Pentjak Silat: Required for advancement from blue to green

This form, also developed by George Morin, is exclusively movement-based and incorporates movements primarily from Dutch-Indonesian pukulan pentjak silat. It is called Leg Maneuvers because although there are numerous hand combinations in it, its focus is primarily legwork (it really is tough to train one without the other anyway).

This is a very sophisticated pattern whose introduction is timed to reinforce the lessons learned from the previous movement-based form before moving into the higher level forms that follow. It is ill-suited for competition because very few judges are able to recognize the action that is taking place (unless you've had some of this stuff done to you – or taught to you – you really have no idea what is going on).

Enam Matjan
Kuntao-silat: Required for advancement from green to brown

This kuntao-silat form is one of our favorites. It was developed as a collaborative effort taking the first form/jurus received from Willem de Thouars, Juru Satu, and combining that with careful analysis and the knowledge received from other respected Indonesian players. The end result is a form that is both combatively potent and esthetically pleasing.

Enam Matjan is well-suited for competition at even the highest levels. However, since few judges recognize the action taking place, it is best performed as a two-man set. With each player facing off and fighting their imaginary opponents as a team, the form is dynamite (and, again, without compromising its effectiveness for entertainment and public consumption). Like Elbow Exercise above, this form is shown in detail (including practice as a two-man set) in our  Fighting Forms of Kuntao-Silat video.

Wah Kua Kuen
Honan kuntao: Required for advancement from brown to black

This form was received from Willem de Thouars in 1989. At that time it was taught in private session to Mr. Stewart Lauper and myself, Bob Orlando.  Admittedly, we still strive to fully understand Wah Kua. Although taught with minimal interpretation, as martial art diamond diggers, we at least recognize that what we have is indeed a rare gem, and we will not be satisfied until we discover and polish all of its facets, bringing out its unseen beauty and full combat potential.

Fung Ling
Chinese kenpo / kung fu: Also required for advancement from brown to black

We teach weapons (primarily baton and knife), but this is our only weapon form. This technique-based nunchaku (flail) pattern draws from its Chinese kenpo and kung fu origins. In words of high praise, a respected Okinawa te player said of it, "Hmmm, Chinese feet, Okinawan hands."

Using a real weapon (not one made of lightweight rattan or hollow plastic), the student is taught to use the weapon practically and realistically (for example, holding the weapon near the end of the baton rather than nearer the cord). Despite this "no compromise" approach, the form is still an excellent competition form. It demonstrates dexterity with the weapon, versatility in its variety of striking methods, and exceptionally smooth flow from opponent to opponent. This form is one of the ways we get to enjoy the truly art side of what we study, practice, and teach.

1. Both Enam Matjan and Elbow Exercise are available on video from Paladin Press (see Fighting Forms of Kuntao-Silat)    [Return to reference point]
    
2. By  Chinese Kenpo we do not mean mainline kenpo styles like either Kajukenbo or Ed Parker's American Kenpo. Both mainline styles are excellent, but this form of Chinese kenpo was developed under teachers who taught arts combining primarily Chinese kung fu and Japanese arts – the combination of which they called  Chinese Kenpo.   [Return to reference point]