Why you don't need forms...

[Samurai Jack]

well, not exactly what I was saying.

people get all caught up in the idea that forms are 100+move dance routines from given styles of martial arts.
there are very simple forms that have maybe 5 moves, albeit repeated that are merely "drills" of combination techniques.

when boxers do routines of jab jab, jab cross, jab cross hook uppercut etc etc and drill those techs, this is tantamount to forms with a limited variety of techniques due to the fact that those are the allowable techniques in the sport of boxing.

when you drill structure and technique together, you are working on teh shape of the technique, you are working on form.

whether or not you apply more is the only difference between schools.

everyone practices form no matter what the martial art. You cannot have technique without shape and practice of that shape whether its one move or 20.

Hear, hear. It's good to have gotten that out of the way. So often we get caught up in definitions that the original purpose of the discussion is lost. As has been said on numerous occassions, if you see a reason to argue about the need for forms, you don't understand what they are.