Week 23 Time to reflect

Our UBBT meeting this past week really got me thinking. I have to admit I have been doing well in some things, ok in others and just coasting along  at times as well. When Sifu Brinker said we should be putting about 2.5 hours per day into our Kung Fu, I have to admit my mind went "but how". But upon reflection I realized maybe I can't do that much in one bunch but little packages throughout the day. Even while at work.

I do get my push-ups and sit-ups in each day, for me in the last hour before I go to bed is what is working for me at this time. I get up at between 4:30 and 5:00 each day for work. I make my lunch, have some breakfest then drive 40 minutes to work(longer with construction delays). My morning routine helps me prepare for the day and get ready and organized to set my crew their tasks for the day. I would like to try doing my pushups and situps in the morning but that would mean getting up at 4:00 am roughly.  I have to admitt part of me balks at that idea. But I am going to give it a shot for a week at the end of the month or beginning of July.

I have been focusing so much on my physical status( how I feel, weight I have lost, strength, flexibility) that I don't think I have been as aware of the mental training I have been doing as well and need to do, to grow as a martial artist. Time to get some reading in and to ask more questions in class each day. There are so many great people full of knowledge in the kwoon, I should be accessing that knowledge more readily.

This past week and a bit has been great for achieving my goals that I set a month back. I have gotten all my stripes to be able to test for my orange belt. I'm excited and nervous all at once. I know that the next level is going to be a huge learning curve and challenge. I want to do well and truly absorb as much as I can while still remembering to keep doing the basics I have learned so far. That's the one thing I have to do more of in my training at home. I do the forms alot( love them still, I know crazy), but even just practising slide stepping etc is very important and I have to figure out a good and balanced practise schedule for myself.

Almost half the year has come and gone and I need to rededicate myself to my goals, the Sifus at the Kwoon, the UBBT team and to the journey I began 7 months ago. I can't allow excuses to get in the way of growing as a better human being. So here's looking forward to an amazing second half of the year.

week 22 gaining confidence

This week I have been gaining alot more confidence in the forms and technigues I'm doing. The practise I have been putting in is definately paying dividends.  I have really been working on the last 3 stripes I need to test for orange belt. One of them happens to be my blue which is centering(power and speed). It has been a real struggle for me to be conscious of my center and how I'm moving as I kick, push and block. But the last few weeks have been much better, mainly due to my attitude change. I have been trying to be much more positive about everything I do, and it is making my days much more enjoyable and fulfillling. Instead of getting down on myself or being negative about something, I look for the silver lining as they say. Even a few people at work have commented that they can't understand how I can be so upbeat and chipper. I just reply that I am trying to enjoy life and only concern myself with the things I can improve for the better. It has definately lifted a ton of stress from my shoulders. Now I can say my grey hair makes me look distinquished and not just old hehe. Small steps and progression. But so important to the overall goal I believe.

week 21 cool tournament

This week was short with only one class(due to the holiday)  and no fitness class, but it was eventful nontheless. I have been working alot on my center and keeping relaxed in my body between technigues. I feel I'm getting there but still some work to do.

Saturday was the Tiger Challenge. I didn't enter due to having to buy a new vehicle as my wifes van has gone to the big wrecking yard in the sky( or is that city  hehe). But I did go to help out with munchkin rangling and timekeeping etc. I enjoyed myself completely. This is the first time I have seen the tournament and I learned alot just helping out. I am so looking forward to next year.

Sihing Kichko totally made my day when see broke all 4 of her boards. I know how hard she has been working and preparing for it and the look on her face when she completed her feat was so inspiring. Seeing eveyone doing their best and enjoying themselves, spending time with friends and family made time fly bye and it was a thoroughly awesome day.

We really are one big extended family at Silent River and I feel very honoured to be apart of it. Everyone cheered each other on and helped out each other. I didn't see one negative reaction or outburst the entire time. That is truly a testament to the kind of character building that is happening in the Kwoon.  Congratulations to everyone who took part, I hope you enjoyed yourself as much as I did.

week 20 yikes the stomach flu

This week was a total health meltdown for me. I caught the stomach flu that has been making the rounds and it decided to kick my butt. 5 and a 1/2 days of feeling totally and completely yucky. I wont go into details, they arent pretty. Suffice it to say that I wouldn't wish that flu on my worst enemy as the saying goes.

This has sure been a nasty winter for flu bugs etc. Here's hoping next year is flu and cold free( yes I have a dream, its a big dream and its not likely, but its a nice dream nontheless)

week 19 there's goals in them thar hills

This week Sifu Playter asked us to set some goals for ourselves and show them to a Sifu that would act as a mentor to us. I set the goal of achieveing my orange belt the month of June. Now I will admitt this will take some doing as I still need my Blue, Green and Red stripes. I have been asking more and more about what it is each Sifu thinks I need to work on to progress and this is really helping me work on bettering my Kung Fu. Even being told I did one thing well and that another was close but could be improved with certain things like keeping my shoulders down and relaxed. Or working on getting my center more down into my hips really helps me. I find at times that I think I'm doing a technigue fairly well but because I dont have the knowledge base and cant see myself as I do some that technique. That I may not be doing it as well as I should or could be.

I am trying to take one thing from each class and really work on it for the next class and ask the Sifu's present if I am improving. That way I know the practise I'm doing at home is working and positive in nature. I dont expect perfection( is there such a thing). I just want improvement and a better understanding of what and how I do things. I'm trying to be more aware of my total body as opposed to just the part of my body thats blocking or punching.

Lots of work to go but I feel I making progress and that is very encouraging.

week 18 Forms workshop was amazing

I finished week 17 with a forms workshop on saturday. 5 hours of doing Kempo1 and learning about 2/3's of kempo2. I so enjoyed this. It was hard and I managed to get some of the worst blisters I have ever had on my feet. But I learned so much about the form and what I needed to work on. I can't thank Sifu Wonsiak enough for putting up with this old fart for that whole time. As they say the devil is in the details. And there are so many little things that I will aways be working on to improve my forms. Good thing I enjoy doing them so much.

My classes this week were a little off due to the blisters that tore open right at the end of the workshop (who knew a hardwood floor was so much tougher then my feet). I'm gonna have to start going barefoot more often I guess to toughen up the bottoms of my feet. My feet being a bit tender made doing some of the techniques in class a bit challenging but I soldered on and did the best I could.

I beginning to realize that for me learning Kung Fu isnt just about reconditioning and learning the techniques. But also how to work through the aches, pains etc that are naturally going to occur.

week 17, no excuses, just getting behind

Sorry I have been so long getting my weekly journals out. I do keep a daily log and i use that for my weekly stuff. I have just been remiss at getting on the computer at home and doing my journal. So no more slacking.

This week was very rewarding for me. We were doing shoulder rolls in the black dragon class I help out with and one of the young ladies approached me and said she was having alot of problems doing a forward roll. So we went to the side and with some encouragement and lots of practise she was doing really well. To see the smile on her face at the end of class just totally pumped me up.

I am getting so much enjoyment from helping with this class that even when my son progresses to his orange belt, I am going to continue coming and helping out with the kids classes. I get as much out of the classes as the kids do. I don't think I would make a great schoool teacher but helping with the kids in Kung Fu I am completely enjoying.