Purpose

Forms are an efficient way in which past masters recorded their knowledge in order for it to be preserved and passed on to future generations.

Sah Poh Poo is the first empty hand form Nam Pai Chuan students must learn as part of the grading syllabus. It literally translates as “Three Step Form”. This preparatory sequence of combat based movements teaches the beginning student some fundamental principles on which to build.

The primary concepts introduced are :

1) Stance
2) Coordination
3) Weight Shift

Importantly the form should be practiced in a low wide stance. How low or wide exactly will vary depending on the individual’s body structure and flexibility, but the aim is to sit as low as possible while maintaining body mobility. The idea being to develop very strong legs from an early stage and to physically lower your centre of gravity, being closer to earth helps acquire a rooted feeling and increased stability. Initially this can prove difficult for beginners but through hard work and determination a low stance will become natural and comfortable. This conditioning will increase flexibility by gradually stretching out the tendons and the ligaments in the legs, connective tissue hardens and becomes more resilient to injury as a direct result.

Coordination in this case refers to the use of left and right sides. One of the goals in martial arts is to become ambidextrous, the state of being equally adept in the use of both right and left appendages. The form is therefore double sided, incorporating use of a basic “liak chiew”, or “grasping sequence”, which is performed alternating right and left side.

Another purpose of the form is to teach the principle of weight shift. Combining transfer of body weight between the feet with the movement of the arms allows the student to issue force more effectively. Initially people struggle to coordinate the upper with lower body, when disconnected you will not be able to incorporate whole body power into you blocking or striking techniques.

Correctness

Correctness of postures, stepping, and direction, is the main ingredient of early training. If the form is learned accurately in the beginning it will save much time later on when you reach a more advanced level.

Beginners often find it confusing when watching senior students practicing their forms because they can appear very unique when performed by different people. Nam Pai Chuan forms evolve to fit the individual’s physique, personality, and understanding at that particular point in time. This is the reason why it is so essential to learn forms through direct transmission from an experienced teacher. The way a form is taught at an introductory level can be completely different to the way it is played by someone who has specialised and adapted it to their own strengths. Copying forms from media alone will yield poor results and bad habits. Media aided learning with regular guidance and correction from a teacher works well.

Some basic points to self check when practicing the form :

1) Head and Coccyx
2) Hand Work
3) Turning of the Waist
4) ¾ Stance Structure
5) Knees and Feet Alignment
6) Stepping and Orientation

The first posture consideration is the suspension of the head. It should feel as if suspended by a thread attached to the crown, this helps ensure a straight back, proper head alignment, and a light feeling in the body. Once achieved this aspect should be maintained throughout the form. Directly related is centring of the coccyx. The coccyx is the small group of vertebrae at the base of the spine. It is necessary to consciously push these small bones forward a little in order to align the hips and create a dead straight line from the crown of the head through the perineum.

A lot of us have a tendency to look down either due to lack of confidence or to constantly check we’re actually doing what we think we’re doing. It is time well spent trying to avoid leaning too much. Eventually your head will coordinate with coccyx and you will feel the benefits of a more healthy vertical posture.

The form contains a number of obvious blocking, striking and grasping techniques, and many less obvious applications as well. It is not my intention to describe a detailed walkthrough as that is the job of whoever is teaching you the form. In terms of hand work correctness at beginner level my view is that the emphasis should be on precision. The best way to understand the techniques is by initially performing them in a staccato type manner, each move detached and distinctly separate. Not rushing allows you to observe and feel what is happening. Techniques should be clear, large, and extended to begin with, stretching and conditioning the arms, enabling full range of movement. Shortening techniques, fluid transition and increased speed comes after the beginner stage.

Rotation of the waist should drive the movement in the arms. If you feel the arms are moving in isolation it is incorrect. Turning the core of the body will cause the arms to move with less effort and more power, thus making you less reliant on brute strength. Try to incorporate circularity in all aspects of the form, even the straight lines.

Learning Sah Poh Poo is like learning to walk, again. But this time it’s tougher because the Southern Shaolin tradition, from which this from is derived is famous for strong stances. The main stance used in the form is “¾ stance”. It can take some getting used to. The ¾ refers to the angle relative to a square stance, basically ¾ of 90°. It offers a balance of offence and defence, not too square to your opponent, and not too side on.

¾ stance is similar to horse riding stance, the difference being that the waist twists to face towards the leading leg, and the direction of your imaginary opponent. This in turn creates a spiralling force down through the hips, legs, and into the feet. It should feel as if screwing downward into the earth. The controlled twisting motion will increase your grip on the ground beneath and progressively strengthen the joints. Unlike horse riding stance try to avoid being double weighted. The weight distribution should be between 60-70% on the leading leg, energy going forward.

You only get one set of joints, and knees are particularly vulnerable to injury so it’s common sense to protect them right from the start of your training. When young one can get away with poor knee alignment but it’s only a matter of time before problems arise.

Maintain rounding of the knees throughout your form, especially in the leg which is carrying the majority of your body weight. For example, when in your ¾ stance with most the weight bearing on your front leg, the knee should be above the ball of the foot. If too far back you’re probably double weighted, if too far forward you are at risk of injuring your knee. Also check the knee points in the same direction as the foot, if it drifts outward or collapses inward you are putting the tendons and ligaments under unnecessary strain. Pain or discomfort in the joints is bad, and a clear signal that your structure is wrong and needs adjustment.

Don’t offer a broken leg. This is most often evident during back stances. Don’t lock out the knee, it should always be slightly bent otherwise it becomes an ideal target for a low kick. Straight legs are also stiff and make stepping awkward and irregular.

A common error beginners experience is lifting the heels off the ground. Being unable to stay flat footed is a sign of instability or excess tension in the body. Become aware of when there is loss of contact with the ground, usually during weight shift, it’s then possible to self correct. The feet should also be parallel. This simply means that they shouldn’t be turned out or turned in too much, they point roughly the same direction.

The form travels four steps to the north followed by four steps south in a simple zigzag movement. The goal is to finish exactly where you started. As you step the foot very lightly skims the ground maintaining connection but without downward pressure. In order to step smoothly shift the weight away from the rear leg before stepping forward with it. As the feet come together make an effort to stay low, you will rise of course but attempt to keep the knees rounded even when in a narrow stance.

Practice

Hopefully these notes highlight that what appears simple on the surface is intricate and complex when analysed in depth. There is plenty to work on, always something to refine, whether junior or senior. My advice is be patient and take your time, work on one element at a time, this way you will notice mistakes by yourself. Watching other people helps too, we can learn much from each other.

Remember rules always have exceptions. There will be times when what is considered correct changes or evolves. Always ask questions to assist your understanding.

If you’re ever completely satisfied with your form you need to look again more closely, the chances are it can always be more correct. There’s no such thing as perfect.

Learning the form correctly is only the beginning. If you learn and then don’t practice, why learn in the first place?