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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Hypersmurf" data-source="post: 383392" data-attributes="member: 1656">You know, I'm not certain I agree.For the most part, I tend to equate "textbook" with "formal".  We (ITF) have a literal textbook - Magic Rub is probably intimately familiar with it - General Choi's "Taekwon-Do", the Condensed Encyclopedia (frequently referred to as the Bible), or the more detailed 15-volume Encyclopedia.I'm personally far from a hard-core pragmatist.  I fit much better into the "artistic" category.  My own specialities are Patterns (tul, our equivalent of forms or kata) - particularly the teaching thereof - and Taekwon-do's forte of fancy multiple flying kicks (ridiculously impractical for self-defence, I'm the first to admit, but fun nonetheless).  Which is not to say that I eschew practical self defence, or breaking, or sparring, but formal technique is what interests me most.But the formal method is not what I'd use in a self-defence situation, particularly for hand techniques.  I agree with Wolvorine that a formal punch, textbook stance, off-hand returning to the hip, etc, is somewhat impractical.I do feel, however, that the formal technique is vital... especially for a beginner (no matter how talented).  To me, the formal technique is... an exaggeration, I guess you could say, of the important principles.  The use of hip, or body, or the off-hand, which are all directly linked to the effectiveness of a 'practical' technique, but which in that practical technique are incredibly subtle, can be far more easily demonstrated, taught, and corrected in the formal technique.As a fourth dan, I'm still finding how subtleties in formal techniques apply differently to patterns, to sparring, to breaking, or to self-defence applications.And I have to agree with Tacky's baseball-swing analogy, with apologies to Wolvorine - you may know your body's natural positions, but a lot of the subtleties that do increase effectiveness of technique can feel decidedly unnatural until they've been practised for some time... and they are finicky enough that a green belt partner could miss their rpesence or absence.As with Barsoomcore, I'm not defending the teaching ability of an instructor I've never met... but I am defending the value of formal movements that, in their pure form, have no direct "street" application.-Hyp.</blockquote>

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