Sipjin - from a Chang-Hon Perspective

The Covid-19 epidemic has changed the world as we know it...at least for now.  Martial arts classes are being held by video conference software and instructors are forming groups and sharing content.  Negatives about not being person to person, the way training should be done aside, the amount of content sharing and video posts are inspiring.  A few recent posts from some people I respect a great deal led me to scratch something off my martial arts career "bucket" list -- namely, learning a few forms from outside of the Chang-Hon that I have always loved.  The last time I thought about teaching myself a form from a different style, I asked an instructor at my school who knew the form I was doing how I was progressing.  This instructor kindly let me know that I was "not doing it right", and with only online videos to help me, I abandoned the form.  As I was doing this to honor that particular instructor for an event we were having, I figured this early thumbs down was not going to lead me to a place I'd have been happy with.  I'm a terrible perfectionist, so I abandoned the idea.  I figured I'd wait until I befriended an actual Shotokan practitioner and learn in person.  I actually had someone in mind, but let's just say it didn't work out either.  

Reluctant to ever try again alone, I was inspired by recent posts and ambitious self learning of my peers and started to consider teaching myself a form not from a different style of martial art, but a different style of Taekwondo.  Still wary of the process, I posted in an instructors group asking for opinions on how I should undertake this.  On one hand, I wanted to be true to the style I was borrowing from, but because of my past experience playing with the Shotokan form, I was considering just translating what I didn't understand from the borrowed art to what I believed its equivalent would be in my own.  Thankfully, I was talked out of this, by some of the most awesome artists in the world. 

I fell in love with Sipjin a long time ago.  As soon as youtube was founded, I started scouring it for different martial arts content, and I came across and watched all of the WT forms.  The video quality back then was terrible, and I assumed I'd have to wait until I met someone who know the WT forms to teach me.  Sipjin is cross shaped, and all of the videos would just show the back of the practitioner.  Since the vocabulary is radically different from my own, written instructions were not helpful at all.

Thankfully video quality has improved significantly since the early 2000s.  I was able to find a video where the person filming showed the front of the practitioner when they turned away from the camera.  Finding this video, and seeing my peers self teaching and experimenting I set out to teach myself the form.   

All in all, it took me about 2 hours from first watch to being able to do the form without referring back to the video. It felt very good to be able to learn a new form again.  As a self labeled "forms person", when I came out of my 6th dan test, and realized I was done learning new forms I felt lost.  This allowed me to fill a void I was currently struggling with.  

I'm not going to go too in depth with analysis as the form is not from my style.  While I can certainly emulate the motions, I'd be lying if I said I fully understand what is going on.  Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of opinions, but as I was not instructed on this form from an actual WT instructor, I am reluctant to talk too much about the technical.  

What drew me to Sipjin in the first place were the amount of slow to fast transitions in the form.  This is something that I love in forms, and I believe I am quite good at.  Of all the WT forms, this one seems to have the most Japanese influence, at least in its over all architecture.  Unlike the Chang-hon, I can't tie this form back to a specific Japanese form, most likely because it was designed without that direct influence.  

 

The opening sequence sees you throw what I would call a braced inner forearm block, slowly turning it over in what I would say is a reverse of a wrist grab, and then executing a fast flat spear finger and two quick punches.  This is done two more times in the form.  These slow to fast transitions allows a practitioner who is good at this to really show a great deal of contrasting technique, meaning the slow moves accentuate the fast moves to make both look super. 

 

The next aspect of the form I liked was the "pushing rock" technique or Bawi Milgi.  I could make a couple of guesses as to what it is for, but they'd be just guesses.  Although I loved the ascetics of the movement, I was pleasantly surprised at how this movment in particular along with the higher, narrower stances seemed to be working muscle groups that were under used in my training.  I was sore in places I was never sore after working on it.  This was truly enjoyable!

 

I did not film myself doing the form.  My basement is currently a mess, and with a new addition to the family in the form of my daughter, making a presentable video is very low on my priority list.   The form is easily found on youtube, and videos showing each individual movement from multiple angles are easy to find.  I'll never advocate going against school norms but if you won't offend your instructors by learning something outside of your skill set, this is a great form to learn.  I loved the form when I would watch it when I was younger, and now I appreciate the beauty and style the form presents.  Let's just say that if I had my own school or system, I'd likely incorporate this form somehow - that's how much I enjoy the form now that I sort of know it. 

 

 

Work From Home - Tips for Training During Covid-19

Greetings everyone.  Though I don't write here often, I figured now would be a good time to brush the dust away and start again, at least for a little while. 

It's a weird time we are living in right now.  As martial artists, we're unable to gather together to train, and most of our schools are closed thanks to Covid-19.  For many martial artists, this is going to be a very trying time, as I don't believe many train alone, or at home.  Without the formality of a dojang, and an instructor, it is understandable that motivation to train can drop.  The overwhelming nature of not only having to figure out how to train, but also how to train yourself, in a space that may not support it can feel daunting. 

As an instructor, self training is a bit of a double edged sword to me, and I find it hard to really parse.  On one hand, "practice at home" has been a mantra repeated to me since I first started training way back in 1994.  It was something I really took to heart and started doing when I was preparing for my black belt; and would eventually become a cornerstone into making me the martial artist I am today. 

On the other hand, as an instructor who has a very deep understanding of the students I see weekly, there are definitely bad habits and flat out mistakes that I would not want to see strengthened by unsupervised repetition.  Martial arts in the new school era take a much slower philosophical approach to correcting mistakes and eliminating bad habits.  To suddenly not have a guide to give those subtle nudges in the right direction could lead to very hard to make corrections for students down the line.  To that end, I'm going to write this with an underlying goal of preventing the pitfalls of self training. 

Know Yourself

If you read my blog, you know I am a huge proponent of noce te ipsum.  The best solo workouts come when you set out with a plan of what you want to get accomplished, and how you want to feel when you are done.  This goes beyond answering that two part question with "a workout" and "good".  If you are going to work from home, alone, you need to start thinking deeper than this. 

Recently, my answer to these questions would be "memory retention of my forms" and "satisfaction", as my situation as a practitioner now relies mostly on being an effective instructor.  For a student training for a test, I'd offer a much more nuanced suggestion of "Hitting every stance correct in X form" and "progress"

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, and how you want to feel when you get there, you can design your path.  Let's look at some of the ways you can accomplish what you set out to do. 

Basic Techniques

Though higher rank can find basic technique training boring and unnecessary, all you need is the mirror you look at every day before you walk out the door to go to work, combined with some patience to start a great workout.  The best thing about basic technique training is that you don't need a lot of space to do it.  Another great feature of solo basic technique training is that it can be as vigorous or as technical as you want. 

Many of us can't wait to "get moving" when it comes to martial arts, but with limited space, moving can be difficult.  Basic technique training is terrific because you don't have to move!  Every technique can be practiced stationary, allowing you to work in the most constrained locations. 

If you are looking at just "getting warmed up" pick a series of 5-10 techniques, execute them stationary in reps of 10-15 each.  I'd recommend going in a punch, kick, block cycle, so my self training may see me start with punches in a straddle stance, switching to rising front kicks in a front stance, switching back to straddle for inward-outer forearm blocks.  The beauty of this, is that if you are just looking to work off some energy, you don't even need a mirror per say.  Just rattle the technique off with some intensity.

If you are looking to work on your technique execution, slow it down, get in front of the mirror, go online and get diagrams of the techniques you want to work on and take it in parts.  Get in position, look at the diagram, look at the mirror and ask yourself "do I look like that"?  Take it one step further and find someone who can execute the techniques near perfectly on youtube (this is going to be highly subjective, to your style of TKD, your organization, etc).  After watching yourself in the mirror, and using diagrams, watch someone actually performing the technique at a high level and again ask "do I look like that"?  Finally, if you can't figure it out, record yourself, and send it to someone like me, who could help you break down the mechanics of why it isn't happening for you. 

Forms

Piggy-backing on the last part of the basic technique section, I would advise you to work with someone on forms and use technology.  I'd be very cautious of doing forms over and over with no one watching.  Although you can really work on memory retention this way, you can do more harm than good if you consistently do something wrong and strengthen that with 100s of reps.  Leverage technology.  Check in with a friend, or an instructor and get their feedback.  It is not how we do things normally, but these are not normal times.  Film yourself, watch the video, send the video for corrections. 

As far as space goes, your front yard, back yard, local park, driveway - all can all be fine places to do your forms. 

Pre-arranged

For those unfamiliar with the term, "pre-arranged" usually refers to one, two and three step training, as well as self defense.  All of these can be practiced alone.  Although having a partner is important for the timing and spacing aspect of these, you can strengthen your stances, power, and over all execution and all you need is some visualization to see in your minds eye the incoming technique you will be responding to. 

Bag Work

I use two methods for solo bag work.  If you have a standing bag, a bob, or a hanging bag, well...you are all set.  I have none of these.  So I use what I have on hand to get this training.  I have a front yard full of dead trees (sadly).  They make excellent heavy bags that I can use to good effect to work positioning, body control and mild power (I don't recommend blasting a dead tree with full force, it won't end well for you, and even if it does, in the long run you will hurt yourself more than the tree). 

You can also find traditional training designs and blueprints online if you are handy.  Makiwara boards, kicking boards, all of this can be found online and built with very low cost, if you are handy. 

Putting It All Together

In a word - don't.  I have found that one of the biggest secrets to self training successfully is to not try and have a regimented one hour karate class in your house run by yourself.  I'm sure it can be done, but it is not something I would try to do for myself unless I was really feeling it.  I'll usually pick one of these categories and work that in with treadmill work and weights.  My biggest reason is burnout. 

One to two categories per day will take you far, and allows you to maximize that category without succumbing to some of the more negative aspects of training alone.  Again though, it all comes back to knowing yourself.  If you are all about that training, then by all means, do it all every day.  If you are struggling though, try one of these options and see how you feel after.  I suspect it will be pretty good!