"In Improvisation, There Are No Mistakes" ~Miles Davis

Sigung’s Corner

by Sigung David Moylan
Fu For You Winter 2024-25

I recently had a great conversation with a friend who is currently working on her PhD in improvisation. This made me consider where improvisation applies in our Kung Fu journey.

In the early stages of your training (I would say from Novice to Orange in our system), you should be mainly focused on imitation. Follow your instructors intently, as they explain and demonstrate technique. Watch for classmates that are performing the forms, sequences and self-defence in a way that inspires and informs you. To achieve a strong foundation, copy the moves as they are taught and consciously repeat them with an aim for technical accuracy.

At our Academy, your first introductions to improvisation will most likely be shadow boxing and using setup/follow-up strikes in self-defence training. Both are early opportunities to somewhat spontaneously apply the techniques you are learning. You will inevitably make some questionable choices; however, this should be a period of discovery and is certainly part of how you hone your skills. This stage of the journey can feel awkward but be patient with yourself and know that in time, with practice, it will feel more comfortable.

Your next encounter with improvisation will be sparring. While this can be daunting, it is also exciting and invaluable for gaining experience around how to apply your technique.

As you mature at the rank of Orange and transition to Green, you are entering the Intermediate level of our system. The time you invested into repetition should be giving way to assimilation of the techniques. You will be required to perform freestyle moving drills. You will start to feel a confidence in your technique selection and a flow between your stance transitions, in short, the beginnings of fluidity. To be truly free in this improvisational requirement, don’t judge your movements – feel them.

Before transitioning to the Advanced Adult ranks (Blue, Brown, Black) our curriculum requires the presentation of a Homemade Form. This has been a long tradition in our system, and it is usually the highlight of our gradings. Bruce Lee described Kung Fu as “the art of expressing the human body”. The Homemade Form is truly a creative expression, ideally born out of the insights from improvisational training.

Side note: for some practical tips on creating your Homemade Form, check out this article from the archives written by Sibok Lloyd, Creating Your Own Form, Fu-For-You Spring 2019.

Practicing Kung Fu has many benefits, however, at the end of the day, it is a method of self-defence that could be life saving. A self-defence situation will be spontaneous and unpredictable. Your training will be called upon in many ways, one of which will be the need to dynamically react. The time you have spent imitating, repeating, improvising and improving, will hopefully lead to effective choices in a real-life scenario. Embrace our different methods of improvisational training; the personal insights and skills they teach will leave you better prepared should you ever face the ultimate test of your survival.