A Little Background

TRADITIONAL FORM COMBINING

As the art was brought over from China, it underwent some changes to make it more palatable to Westerners. Traditionally, San Soo forms were longer than the 26 move forms we do today. Grandmaster Jimmy H. Woo (often “Jimmy”) decided to break the originals apart into smaller pieces to suit the Western audience. He also showed a way to combine our short forms together to recreate the original long form style of practice.

It is not known if combining forms together in this manner recreates the actual, original long forms, but it is a way taught by the Grandmaster to practice doing long form. What follows is the original pattern of combining five forms together, completing one long form consisting of 102 total moves: 100 fighting movements and two salutes.

Description:

All forms are to be done facing the audience (West).
Begin with the Jeng Hao of form one, with the salute.
Do moves 7 - 25 of form one (all but the closing salute).
Hop and spin, moving your base two full paces behind you (East).
Do moves 7 - 25 of form two.
Move your base forward one pace (West), and to the left one pace (South).
Achieve this by moving diagonally as shown, using a hop-and-spin.
Do moves 7 - 25 of form three.
Hop and spin, moving your base two full paces to the right (North).
Do moves 7 - 25 of form four.
Hop and spin, moving your base one pace to the left (South).
You are now at the center base, in the middle of the diagram.
Do moves 7 - 25 of form five.
Close form five with a salute to the West.

Combining forms in a graceful manner takes some creativity and practice. Form combining can be a way to extend the meditative quality of form practice for a longer duration, and provides a challenge to those who want to advance in their form training.

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