In a general sense, the forms are designed to teach, demonstrate, and enhance the knowledge base of not only the motions of the system, but also provide a mental framework for the practitioner to learn and use in understanding the art as a whole. As an individual form, every form of the system has a defined set of topics of information that it highlights. From a holistic point of view, the information is composed in such a way as to provide a structure on which subsequent forms can rely.
Due to the strategic nature of the design of the forms, every form can be said to have focal points. A focal point, from the perspective of this guide, are maneuvers (individual or a sequence) that can be clearly called out as specifically contributing to the understanding of the form. And, although every maneuver of a form has meaning and relevance within the system (i.e. there is no meaningless motion), these specific maneuvers are areas within the form that are somehow emblematic in this regard.
These focal points can be broken down into various groups, depending upon how one wishes to categorize them. For the purposes of this guide, the categories will be as follows:
1)Common - i.e., information that is generally known and taught
2)Less Common - i.e., information that is known and sometimes taught, but generally to advanced or experienced practitioners
3)Obscure - i.e., information that is often overlooked, forgotten, not taught, and/or obscure in nature
4)Speculative - i.e. information that is not universally agreed to be definitive in nature
And, although focus points are very insightful for understanding the information presented within forms, they are not intended to be a comprehensive type of analysis of the form. Instead focus points should be used in conjunction with a more complete examination into the information. In other words, focus points can be construed as an entry point into a more comprehensive analysis of a form's maneuvers and knowledge base.
Within this guide, the "Analysis" section is where a more comprehensive overview of said information is located. And as stated, this section should be used along with the analysis section as a way of learning and examining the form's information in greater detail.