Cool looking kung fu weapon forms vs. what you really learn

Hi all,

I'm a fairly new student of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu who's just finished his first few sword/staff/spear forms.

From movies, documentaries and shows such as Extreme Martial Arts from Discovery Channel (I think that was the name), I got to see many cool looking weapon forms out there, particularly straight sword forms. These often involve a lot of "drawing circles" with the blades, spinning, twisting... stuff that's very attractive to the eyes. I was also told that most weapon forms that look like that have roots in Wushu/Long fist forms.

Well, I just finished learning my first few longfist weapon forms, and have had the opportunity to watch the forms that are to come. While they have moves and elements in the more "fancy" looking forms, they just don't seem very alike.

Is this difference because my school focuses more on "what's actually practical", because there's just more advanced stuff in my school that I haven't seen yet, because movies and such purposely add more gymnastics looking stuff for visual effects, or...?

I wouldn't take anything from the XMA to heart. They are all about flash. The majority of the forms you see in those type of competition are either exaggerated or completely made up in order to be flashy and catch the judges eye. Even their empty hand kata are altered or made up.

When it comes to weapons forms in the XMA there tends to be a lot of spin and release techniques. While they may be seen in some traditional Chinese forms, they aren't used to that extent and aren't practical.

I would stick with what your instructor is teaching you and take the XMA for what it really is, entertainment.

I'd love to loan one of those sword twirlers a Bugei Samurai or some other shinken in the 1300 gram range. That would be highly entertaining.