▁of ▁applicable ▁techniques ▁that ▁students ▁could ▁extract , ▁test , ▁and ▁train ▁in ▁through ▁sp arring ▁sessions . ▁ ▁Today , ▁many ▁consider ▁ta olu ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁important ▁practices ▁in ▁Chinese ▁mart ial ▁arts . ▁Trad itionally , ▁they ▁played ▁a ▁smaller ▁role ▁in ▁training ▁for ▁combat ▁application ▁and ▁took ▁a ▁back ▁seat ▁to ▁sp arring , ▁dr illing , ▁and ▁condition ing . ▁Form s ▁gradually ▁build ▁up ▁a ▁pract ition er ' s ▁flex ibility , ▁internal ▁and ▁external ▁strength , ▁speed ▁and ▁stam ina , ▁and ▁they ▁teach ▁balance ▁and ▁coord ination . ▁Many ▁styles ▁contain ▁forms ▁that ▁use ▁weapons ▁of ▁various ▁lengths ▁and ▁types , ▁using ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁hands . ▁Some ▁styles ▁focus ▁on ▁a ▁certain ▁type ▁of ▁weapon . ▁Form s ▁are ▁meant ▁to ▁be ▁both ▁practical , ▁us able , ▁and ▁applicable ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁promote ▁fluid ▁motion , ▁med itation , ▁flex ibility , ▁balance , ▁and ▁coord ination . ▁Te ach ers ▁are ▁often ▁heard ▁to ▁say ▁" train ▁your ▁form ▁as ▁if ▁you ▁were ▁sp arring ▁and ▁sp ar ▁as ▁if ▁it ▁were ▁a ▁form ." ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁general ▁types ▁of ▁ta olu ▁in ▁Chinese ▁mart ial ▁arts . ▁Most ▁common ▁are ▁solo ▁forms ▁performed ▁by ▁a ▁single ▁student . ▁There ▁are ▁also ▁sp arring ▁forms ▁— ▁ch ore ograph ed ▁fighting ▁sets ▁performed ▁by ▁two ▁or ▁more ▁people . ▁S par ring ▁forms ▁were ▁designed ▁both ▁to ▁acquaint ▁beginning ▁f igh ters ▁with ▁basic ▁measures