Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

Hello, overall which Sword/Sabre form is more difficult, 67 or 13?, thank you

hello,

IMMHO To handle a sword is much more difficult than a sabre. Besides, the higher number of movements is also more difficult than the lower number. For instance, the sword 42 form has a higher degree of difficult than the 32.

The difference between the sword and sabre are the blades. The sword has two sharpen blades as opposed to the sabre. As a general rule, it was not recommended to run the sword blade over one's head. However, it is OK for the sabre to do so which makes it more flexible to handle. The practitioner may not touch the blade of a sword at any time; it restricts one to handle the sword, only, with one hand. In the contrast, the sabre only has one sharpen edge which allows one to touch the opposite side of the sabre to strengthen the hold for blocking. Unfortunately, one has to swing the sword much harder with one hand to block the weapon of the opponent. Hence, the one arm restriction is the major difficulty difference in handling between a sword and sabre.

Greetings,
Weight is also a factor. A proper sabre, not the thin flexi one used by some for performance purposes, is typically heavier than the sword. The sabre sets can be more difficult than the sword and vice versa, depending on the forms within the set. The sabre sets that I practice requires more nimbleness and agility than the sword set I practice. There is a lot more slashing, spinning and leaps. The sword set uses more slices and stabs. As previously mentioned, not one size fits all.
Take care.
Frank

fchai wrote:Greetings,
Weight is also a factor. A proper sabre, not the thin flexi one used by some for performance purposes, is typically heavier than the sword. The sabre sets can be more difficult than the sword and vice versa, depending on the forms within the set. The sabre sets that I practice requires more nimbleness and agility than the sword set I practice. There is a lot more slashing, spinning and leaps. The sword set uses more slices and stabs. As previously mentioned, not one size fits all.
Take care.
Frank

Greetings, Frank
The question was being addressed, in the OP, which is the difficulty difference between the forms of two weapons rather than the weapons themselves. However, my response was by comparing the weapons and the number of movements in the forms. In conclusion, I had given an indication that the sword form 67 is more difficult; and the weight issue was not addressed.

I'm glad that you had brought up the weight factor which make the discussion more interesting. There are two issues involve here. They are the forms and the weights of the weapons. These two things are to be mastered by the practitioner. To master the form, the practitioner should start off with a lighter weapon. So, the weight would not be a difficulty factor for a novice to begin with. In reality, to master a weapon is actually to master its weight.

There are many factors involve to master the weight of the weapon. Therefore, it would require another discussion to going into more detail.

Keep up with the practice!

TimjFlynn,
The weapons forms that you reference in your question are the Traditional Yang Family weapons forms, the 67 sword and the 13 Saber.
You ask about the relative difficulty between the two, however you don't really give a frame of reference for us to understand to what you would consider to make something more or less "difficult".
Having taught both of these forms for some time now, I will answer to the best of my ability from that perspective. If you have a different thought process then let me know and I will try to answer at that time.
From what I have seen and heard from my students learning these forms I would have to answer that the saber form is less difficult to learn. Mostly I say that because it is a shorter form, so it takes much less time to learn it.
From that perspective I tend to agree. I can teach most students the 13 posture (poem actually) saber form in about ten to twelve weeks.
The 67 posture sword form, being a larger number of postures, obviously takes a considerably longer time to learn. I have had students take anywhere from three months to a year to learn that form, depending on their free time and level of enthusiasm for learning it.
Remember, I say "learning the form" only in the context of learning the movements, or choreography, of the form. Not in terms of learning how to use the weapons. That takes a LOT longer time to learn.

If you have another measure of "difficult" that you would like to ask about just let me know and I'll do my best to answer.

Bob Ashmore
IYFTCCA Affiliated Director
Instructor at Everyday Taiji Cooperative, LLC.

Bob, thank you, your answer was exactly what I was looking for in a nutshell, I realize everyone is different but your examples gave me an effective answer and thanks to everyone else as well for their answers regarding weight and usage of the sword as opposed to the sabre, Tim

Tim,
Glad I could help.

Bob