<< Click to Display Table of Contents >> Navigation:  Forms and Sets > Long Form 3 > Frequently Asked Questions > How does Long Form Three fit into the American Kenpo system?

There are a few ways in which to answer this question, depending upon point of view.

 

From an overall curriculum standpoint, Long Form Three is an intermediate level form that is planned to be taught at third brown belt level, after the form Short Form Three. It is considered intermediate because of its focus on relatively rudimentary and/or non-sophisticated aggressions, and primarily focusing on reactionary and transitional maneuvers often from a non-combative stance (the horse stance), while incorporating the combination of lines and circles using the upper extremities.

 

From a more raw, systemic point of view, Long Form Three is part of the Basics division, part of the forms sub-section (a.k.a. moving basics), and located at the upper-middle (a.k.a. intermediate level) of that sub-section.

 

From a more conceptual perspective, Long Form Three is designed to help in the progression of the practitioner from simple definitions of motions (the ones' and two's) to a more complex comprehension of motion (encyclopedic). This is done by assembling information around the concept of applied (dead) aggressions (grabs, holds, hugs, chokes, etc.), often from a stance of upper-body isolation (the horse stance), and also highlighting transitional motions from linear to circular and vice-versa. Long Form Three is also considered the companion and continuation form to Short Form Three, which also primarily focuses on the same relative information and similar themes.

 

From an observational and external vantage point, Long Form Three is a more sophisticated, yet less flowery, form when compared to its shorter version (Short Form Three). It is the longest form up to this point in the system, and has a large number of maneuvers which isolate the upper body, compared to any of the other forms. Finally, it is obvious that Long Form Three is of direct relation to the previous form (Short Form Three), and yet is still very distinct from it.