Form I: Shii-Cho

"It is simple, and its simplicity is strength."
-Kreia

Form I: Shii-Cho, also known as The Way of the Sarlacc, or The Determination Form, was the first of the seven forms of lightsaber combat.

History

As the weapons technology of the lightsaber was developed, the need for a form of combat arose. Thus Form I, also called Way of the Sarlacc, was born. Shii-Cho was the most ancient style of lightsaber combat, developed by early Jedi Masters to incorporate key principles of ancient -fighting traditions. Existing as the simplest form even four thousand years before the , Shii-Cho was among the many forms known to the Jedi, including Kreia and the . Due to its simplicity, it was often the first form taught, so almost all lightsaber duelists included some aspect of Shii-Cho in their swordplay.
Aspects of the style were adapted for the Medium style as well as the Strong style of the .

Grip

In Shii-Cho form, a lightsaber is held by putting one hand on the very top, and another hand on the bottom. On the top hand, pressure was applied to the 4th finger, 5th finger, and the thumb, as if one could fight without the 3rd and 2nd fingers. The bottom hand was maneuvered in a push-pulled motion.

Marks of contact

One of the marks of contact, sun djem, was a goal of early Form I duelists, as disarming or destroying the opponents' weapons could ensure victory without causing injury, which was always a Jedi objective. However, with the rise of Form II, sun djem became nearly impossible as Makashi duelists were well trained to prevent their own weapons from being taken or destroyed.
Form I, like its succeeding forms, included the following basic techniques and concepts:
attack, a set of attacks aimed at different body zones
, a set of blocks to thwart any attack in the specified body zones
body target zones (1 - head, 2 - right arm and side, 3 - left arm and side, 4 - back, 5 - right leg, 6 - left leg)
training drills called velocities
During the Old Jedi Order, Younglings started out by learning Form I before beginning a Padawan apprenticeship with a Jedi Master. It was done so, because, as Kreia commented, Form I was one of the easiest forms to learn, yet still powerful. Their training included learning to deflect plasma bolts from training remotes while being blindfolded or covered up by a practice helmet. Lightsaber instructors such as Yoda and Cin Drallig taught Form I to thousands of students during their Jedi careers.