The mighty little kettlebell

One of my favourite strengthening tools is the kettle bell.
I find its simple but effective for building muscle strength, explosive movement , cardio and most important to me... core strength.

The kettle bell originated from Russia in the 1700s. Apparently it was used as a scale weight for farmers to determine how much grain they had in "poods" (16kg increments) others say it was a cannon ball with a handle on it so it was faster to load in the Russian military.

Whatever the origin, I like how the exercises with the kettle bell use techniques that work more than one muscle group, incorporate body stability and depending on the exercise work explosive movement. This is perfect enhancements for the martial artist, especially working the core muscles and the posterior chain not to mention a strong grip!

We introduced them to the MAfit class recently and I would like to bring them in occasionally to add that advantage, however, I think I will need to get some heavier ones to challenge the male students and leave the "girly" ones for me:)!

Disruption

I am in Whitecourt for the week.
Not a big deal but its always a disruption to my training and routine.
Be adaptable right...

It seems to me that short frequent trips are more detrimental than the out of town for months. When you are gone for a duration of time you can settle into some kind of local routine but these one week trips here and there seem to be more challenging to me..
Easy to start telling yourself,".. I will be back on the weekend, then I will go hard!.."
That becomes a slippery slope.

Science to your fitness

Our core refers to the center of our body. Not just our outer abs but the inner muscle group that connects upper to lower...essentially our torso.  There are groups of muscles deep within that serve  our stability and our transfer of movement and energy from one area of the body to another.
Our core strength interconnects the upper body to the lower body and is our stability.

My plan is to train smarter, expose the science to our fitness and focus on the concepts above.

Join us during the Martial Arts fitness class Saturday morning as we focus on the different aspects of our training.

If you plan on grading next year...up your game....this is for you.
If you don't plan on grading next year.....up your game...this is for you!;)

Really!

you gotta luv this...

Sweat alittle

Our health is fundamental to everything we do. That is something we are reminded of when we get sick, really sick, and the basics become a challenge.

Same concept could be applied to our kung fu.

Staying fit, in shape, is fundamental to our marital arts. Bruce Lee was a very outspoken advocate of exercise to enhance his martial arts.
Exercise to increase muscle strength, increase cardio vascular ability and maintaining flexibility. This is the building blocks or the foundation to a skilled martial artist.
Bruce Lee preached it and lived it.

I agree, and we sometimes ignore that aspect. Actually, I don't think we mean to ignore "staying in shape" but the challenge becomes making the time. We are busy learning skills and practicing them but forget to pay attention to the foundation that makes us better at it.

I have  reminded myself that I need to make the time. I would like to be in as good of shape as I was in my twenties. And why not? its not impossible it just means I have to work harder and smarter at it in my older years.

San shou and Martial arts fitness class are two classes that offer just what I need. A little creativity with my forms and applications can muster up a sweat as well. Not to mention, just get out, and run.
It doesn't take an expensive gym membership, it just means, look for opportunities to sweat!

Travel and a Heating Pad

Stiff and sore , unable to move quickly.. I have been like this for about a month and I am getting tired of it.
You would think this is due to some injury but it is not.
I have been bogged down at work with managing a large workload and a team of people. Between the lack of training and the accumulation of stress it feels like my body has aged 25 years in one month.

My sister is a Massage therapist and a Yoga guru. She has told me numerous times that people store stress in their body and it transmits into physical pain, typically in muscles and joints. I usually tell her that 's a bunch of smoke and mirrors but maybe she's right and there is something to that.

Anyways,  I'm back from being on the road for a while and very glad to have left Yellowknife.
Yellowknife is one of those locations that seem to exhaust me for some reason.

It starts off feeling like this ....

                                              (tourist picture)

but , by the time I leave , it feels more like this....

                                          (not tourist picture)
                                       
Anyways...time to stop blaming Yellowknife for my Woes:). Time to get back to training, getting my mobility back and looking forward to helping out with the Dragon Dance if the I Ho Chuan can use me!:).

Traditional Martial Arts vs MMA

The age old debate...which martial art is the best?

are the traditional martial arts antiquated?

Is all about the MMA now?

The general public now looks at MMA as THE martial art.

It seems to be an unfortunate situation where the martial arts community has turned on itself. Instead of the MMA circuit, primarily the UFC(ultimate fighting championship) advocating the positive aspects of Marital Arts , it has set some bad examples and misconceptions that the public has embraced.(blood, money and glory) Further to that, the so called"traditional martial arts " community has lashed back in a way that only embarrasses itself and validates comments and behaviour from the MMA crowd.

From the schools of martial arts and the pro-fighter community...this can become a heated discussion, some to the point of hostility from different  perspectives.
There is resentment towards MMA as it misrepresents the martial arts and at the other end of the spectrum ... the opinion of traditions in martial arts to be useless and the training ineffective.

Somewhere in the mix is  truth and somewhere all of this has become distorted and misleading with the facts hidden in opinion.

Somewhere in the mix people have also confused self defence tactics with skill in sport fighting.

I have to admit, I find value in the MMA training and enjoy watching the strategy that unfolds within the ring, however, I also feel disappointed in the superficial and shallow character that it promotes. but you could say the same for some traditional martial arts schools , depends how a school of traditional martial arts is run.

I am lucky enough to be part of a traditional school that addresses the martial artist for what they should be. Someone who develops not only body with skill but character of the individual through training and practice of all three aspects ...Body, Mind and Soul. Our Silent River Kung Fu strives to practice what it preaches.

Not all martial arts schools that boast traditional training embody what they advertise.

All that being said, the current day thinking or bold statement is... the ultimate martial artist or "fighter" is the practicing student of an MMA school.

Ultimately  I feel it is not a logical comparison.
The way I look at it is this...

MMA and the traditional martial arts(kung fu, karate, etc) The two "systems" do not parallel each other but instead the MMA fighter is a branch from the traditional martial arts or at least they should be a branch of the traditional martial arts. If they choose to bypass the foundation that martial arts philosophies and training provide then what they have become is a short term ring fighter with a finite life. They are missing out on the lifestyle, the character building, the ability to endure, adapt, and embrace all aspects of life. This foundation, which some individuals in the MMA circuit started from utilize this to become successful in their professional fighting careers.
The training that is the corner stone for a traditional martial art is to master the basics so you build a foundation that is solid and from there you can specialize.
You can see the foundation in some of the fighters by way of their solid foot work, stances, balance etc. ,(the part that becomes boring and looses its luster for the impatient student).

So bottom line for me, of course kung fu is valid in the ring, but lets think how this would work.
Anyone who chooses to compete must focus on some pointed training aspects to achieve a win.
Kung fu has laid out the foundation , the platform from where you shall choose pieces of your training to focus on and practice relentlessly for a fight or competition. Centering, mental focus and the discipline to train and respect your opponent come from your practice of the traditional martial art, although we may not train on a day to day basis to fight in pro -competition the pieces are there within our lessons to specialize if we so choose.

Again, in summary, the MMA is the collection of specialized pieces of the martial arts. It is about  creating a fighter for sport, who can apply certain aspects to dominate an opponent who does not see it coming...

The argument is illogical...Traditional Martial Arts vs MMA, but the question is a baited question that fires up an emotional defence.

As for our kung fu, the fighting skills are there, riddled throughout our training, the focus is up to us, but we have the benefit of the foundation it provides and the lifestyle it advocates.

Thankful

Lucky enough to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Campbell River , BC.

Great weather, lots of friends, fishing and celebrating. In the early morning you could catch a spectacular sunrise while looking over the Ocean water at the mountains in the distance. Nothing but nature to wake you up...well,.. the float planes and a 8 year old son were minutes behind with their own method to break the silence!

 It was a nice break and I did get a chance to slow down and be thoughtful and thankful.

To health and and contentment.

Training Partners

Learning any Martial Arts means practice...lots and lots of practice. and with that,  practicing with a training partner is critical. But how do you find a good training partner? 
First , you have to know how to be one yourself...

Good training partner
listens to the instruction and demo  then goes slow with intent to ensure both have the right idea

Bad training partner
comments during instruction, becomes a distraction, then full of ego, speeds through technique.

Good training partner
allows for repetition and analysis of technique before stopping drill to ask questions

Bad training partner
quick to critique and find fault in the technique without thought

Good training partner
gives feedback when asked

Bad training partner
constantly corrects their partner regardless of their own mistakes

Good training partner
keeps their uniform clean, nails trimmed, removes jewellery and knows what a shower is!

Bad training partner

well ...you know...


Pretty lucky with Silent River Kung Fu, over the years I have had great partners and still do. The higher ranking colored belts are good to set an example and it makes for a great learning environment. For that I am thankful.

If we all show consideration for one another and work to have our partners succeed along with ourselves, it becomes a "'win win" situation!
See you on the Mats!

And yet another day passes by

I find myself without any clear direction these days. even when I sit down to Blog I have incomplete topics and thoughts to share.
Part of this scattered direction is too much on the plate without a plan of attack. Trying to accomplish too much at once. This is not Mastery..it is the practice of trying to be a Jack of all trades(before November) and of course, how the saying goes...you become a master of none.
People always say...if I just get this out of the way, I will be able to go back to that. With the exception of a life crisis, this way of living becomes unsustainable.

Maybe a goal or an achievement was not meant to happen in a short period of time , maybe the slow methodical process of incorporating bite-size pieces in your life is the way to sustain, manage and balance so everything you do has quality in it.  Everything.

 If its rushed, if its a panic, something must be compromised.

Maybe Mastery is not achievable but getting closer to it is.

A mentor of mine from years back always used to say '...You have to be Flexible and Versatile...".
We used to laugh at him all the time because that was his answer to everything.
Another one he always used "...Don't forget the basics...".
Again, his reply to complex problems. He laughed at himself for all his sayings too, and we would jokingly call him Mr. Motto.
Years later, I have not seen him, but his words come back to me almost every day. There was truth to his Words, in how you think and how you act out.

Haven't forgotten you old friend!

A Weekend with Crazy People!

This weekend was Awesome!

I was invited to be a part of the Krebs/Regier Death Racing team some time ago, and I will not lie, I have been anxious for months about it. I am not a runner and this race put me way out of my comfort zone!

Anyways, I managed not to throw up, pass out, fall down or injure myself…actually I did fall down, 50ft from the finish line coming out of the woods after staying upright for 18.9999kms! Ms Krebs was good enough to catch it on camera too!

I was certainly not fast but I was very happy to finish and not let my teammates down.

This Canadian Death Race is something else…full of crazy people, but the good kind of crazy. The “why not, lets try it! Kind of crazy!  You push yourself and you look for a personal best with support from friends, family and strangers.

Each leg of the race had its own excitement..

Sifu Darcy Regier took up Leg 2 with the sun shining only to find himself battling a freak thunderstorm that pelted hail and then ice cold rain down on his run(some runners were brought down off the mountain due to threat of hypothermia) he continued on and made his way to the exchange hardly looking battered at all! His white shorts were still white…or maybe that was the hail that battered the mud off! Anyways,  Sifu Leitz was on his way after snacking on many hotdogs while waiting for Sifu Regier. Thankfully Leg 3 was not too long because by the time Sifu Leitz had made his way into the exchange finish line he was down to his last snack in his pack!(I have never seen anyone eat a meal as  they ran a relay race...where does that boy put it!). Then there was the Machine! Sihing Krebs…he  took off up Mount Hamel,Leg 4, 36km, like he was going out for some milk at the corner store…this man has run the race solo in the past! Science should study him…. Last but best…Sifu Alana Regier was off into the night for Leg 5. A black trail full of rocks, mud, bears, rivers and one mouse! I think the mouse is why she came in an hour earlier than we were expecting her!

What a great time, a  personal accomplishment for me and I got to hang out with some really great  people - even if they are a little crazy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting to get why people run so long and so far. For the first while its just you and your thoughts. Moving mediation. Until your muscles remind you they are still there and interrupt the calmness.
So, I think , the more you train, the more the muscles allow your mind to relax...maybe...work in progress.
 9.5km in 66 minutes ( still not a marathoner!)

Happy Canada Day!

Nice Work Guys!

 

 

7 km in 45 minutes.
Slow but steady said the tortoise..slow but steady...

Hello I T Band

I have been running but I am a terrible runner.
But I guess that's why I thought I would hit this challenge head on. In the past, I saw no reason to run unless it was a sprint to win or pass a grading.

Long distance runners amaze me. A friend of mine talks about the runners high and how she uses it to start her day.

I think I get bored or have no destination so therefore.. why am I doing this?
Well this year I would like to break through,  but in doing so, I have discovered new challenges and temporary limitations(I hope!).

Enter..the I T Band. I can hardly stand or walk when it flares up.
I went to the Chiropractor for some "active release" and he pretty much said "suck it up" you are not stretching properly so this is the result.
Bottom line ...if I want to run for longer than 20 minutes there is going to have to be some preparation and attention to leg muscles that I took for granted.

Now its the hunt for some good runner stretches!!

Waiting to be Inspired

"Don’t wait for inspiration to strike — you have to meet it halfway. If you want to be hit by lightning, go out in a thunderstorm with a metal rod"...

It’s the Do-ers not the Say-ers that inspire me. They follow thru. They walk the walk.

They don’t just tell me how its done…they show me , and they are good at it.

People who inspire become leaders.  People are not necessarily a leader because they are the boss, received a promotion or because they own the place or they had the great idea. True leaders...they act on their passions. They are the first to pick up the shovel and start to dig, roll up their sleeves and start to work, get on the mats and drill it out. Whatever it is they do, they do it with passion, in front of everyone, at anytime. There is no act. They make sure the job gets done…they are there to make sure it is complete and help those along that they mentor.

I think lately, I have been sitting around waiting to be inspired and the result has been a lack of motivation. 

  I forgot it’s a two way street. You have to be around the potential, look for the opportunities, you cant sit at home and wait for Motivation and Inspiration to call you on the phone, you have to get out there and be there when the moment of inspiration happens. 

 I have noticed the separation from the I ho Chuan these past few months have fed that sluggish feeling. But its made me realize you should not rely on others to drag you along to your goals, at some point you have to contribute and inspire by your own self propulsion.

Individually and Collectively you can inspire...you can effect change.

Just give me an hour

Sometimes all it takes is one hour. One hour of "give it everything you've got'...sweat till you drop, "leg shaking" training to put your head right again.
I have been bummed out a little bit by the amount of time that my job has consumed since I came back from holidays but today I feel like I put myself back on track by simply applying my self to train intensely.

Of course, this doesn't mean I can relax tomorrow!.. but I sure feel like I have my momentum back again.
So, if you are having one of those weeks where you cant train everyday, try cutting out an hour here and there during the week but make every minute count, it could do wonders for the head space!

Feels like a Tidal Wave

Our vacation seems like a distant memory now (sigh).
I came back and hit the ground running at work but that was no surprise.
It seems to be in our nature, when we get busy, to push so much to the side and focus on just one thing that ends up consuming most of our time and perhaps burning us out.
I did just that this week. I neglected my training, physically working out even, did not eat well and probably because of that did not sleep well.

Spent most of the days trying to catch up at work and put out "fires".
So here it is Friday, I'm tired, didn't practice anything martial arts wise and I feel like crap.

A person needs to remind themselves , when we neglect or push to the side the things that act as the foundation to our well being the "work" that we put as a priority suffers as well too. It becomes more quantity than quality, in my opinion.

If we are balanced at the foundation (diet, sleep, physical activity) our mind can only benefit. Our decisions are more clear, we become more productive in what we are trying to accomplish.and there is a sense of balance as opposed to feeling overwhelmed.

I am pretty sure , everyone understands this concept, but today, I needed to put it into words in front of my eyes to remind myself and to adhere to my on advice.

Surfing has been a blast so far, I wish I could do it more but its all about location! The photos are  day One of surfing in Maui. The weather was actually not that great for our first day of surfing . It was overcast, cool and the surf was down, but...since it was our first crack at it....it was still great!
The Instructor for my lesson of surfing was from Mexico and had been surfing for 20 years. She was excellent, all you had to do was listen to what she said, and it worked. She said teaching had its challenges when you are only with someone for 2 hours and they decide they have it figured out in 20 minutes. I could understand that.
We did really well with our first day of surfing, I am quite confident my years of training with center and balance with kung fu played into my success. Of course, for some who are 8 years old , some things just come naturally(I hate 8 year olds!! :))

Once I  was left to my own devices I realized the true challenge of surfing. 

Its the Ocean. Its unpredictable. The experience of reading it, knowing when the right wave is coming, knowing the timing to catch a wave, knowing when the wave is more than you can handle or maybe its just a dud.

Its very addictive, always saying to yourself ...OK ..one more wave and then I am going in. Next thing you know, the morning is gone and your arms are tired of paddling.

Talking to some of the locals, you realize its a hobby to some, its a lifestyle to others and you see how its yet a religion to the dedicated.

It  reminds me of the marital arts. 

Very cool.

On the List

        Its on the list...surfing, that is.

Family vacation right now, we are in Maui and its the perfect place for beginners of all ages.
I made a deal with Raymond and he promises to try it as well. He is reluctant to try as he thinks a shark will get him! (I suppose there are no guarantees but surfing guy told him all the sharks around here sleep during the day)

So off we go, I should look like the dude in the picture in about five days...no problem!

San Shou

I am going to follow on with Sifu Lindstrom’s blog a little bit here.

Last night during San Shou we had a pretty good turn out…of Blackbelts that is!

Only 3 students but a great class regardless.

It was Sifu Princes class last night and he did a great job putting together some progressive drills and skills.

Here's the thing…

To be a martial artists encompasses more than the fighting skill. We know that …it is at the core of Silent River Kung fu philosophy, in our code of ethics and how we conduct ourselves.

However, the fighting skills are the tools we use to help develop the character traits that make a great martial artist.

We speak of putting ourselves out of our comfort zone. If something causes you great anxiety, of course the best way to deal with it is to confront it, and confront it wisely.

When it comes to sparring, a lot of people feel great anxiety towards the thoughts of physical contact of this nature. If this is you, then , logically, conquering your fear is what you need to do . There is nothing more liberating, and growth inducing then conquering a fear.

I had the same fear as a green belt and over time and with good instruction and a safe environment, the fear has disappeared….that doesn’t mean I ‘m any good at sparring!! (insert smiley face)  it means I enjoy sparring as a fun challenge instead of  something I dread.

I would love to see more students involved in the San Shou, especially some female company!

So think about it,.. trust in your instructors that you wont be left out to the wolves.. come on out and work on  improving your physical skills as a martial artist.

checking your spelling is part of being professional...:)

Can you call yourself a Professional?

Holding ourselves to a level of professionalism.
Tough thing to do sometimes.
This becomes more of a challenge for me in my career than at the Kwoon. There is an atmosphere at the Kwoon that supports respect for your peers and leaders. This atmosphere is not always apparent in a work environment where people come from different mindsets and the potential for conflict is more frequent.
I find myself  resourcing from my martial arts background and "up bringing" to resolve issues in a professional, logical  and reasonable manner.
Its a challenge to take emotion out of discussions and try to empathize, compromise without jeopardizing the best outcome.
Level of Professionalism...another quality and tool towards Leadership.

In the eyes of a young girl

This weekend some history was made, a precedent was set and in my mind, another step towards positive role models for young women.
You see, this weekend was the first ever women's match in the UFC and it was the main event.
As well, in the NASCAR circuit, was the first time a woman took the pole position in the Daytona 500.
It was refreshing to see crowds on their feet cheering in support and excitement for the first time events.


Now whether you are a fan of the particular sport or of the individual ladies, or not, that discussion is irrelevant. It is overshadowed by the fact that these ladies in the sports spot light have taken an important position and responsibility as inspiration for women to follow.

My hope , is that they will continue to hold themselves to a higher standard and realize the positive impact they can have.

The responsibility is to hold yourself to your professionalism, skill and quality in what you do.
Too often, a sexual spin is the overtone for women role models, whether is self-initiated or promoted  for marketing reasons, this always takes away from the hard work they have put into their chosen craft. Our  society seems to allow, encourage and expect this too often.
It bothers me and worries me for the upcoming generation of young ladies whose majority of role models seem to continuously be pop/film stars of both scandalous, demeaning and ever lowering standards of conduct, dress and image.

We speak of 3rd world countries or the middle east where young girls struggle for an education but here we are, the "civilized" world setting up young women to aspire to nothing more than shallow, plastic  throw away dolls.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for looking good and having all the feminine qualities but we have lost the important part for any human being. Self esteem and character that goes beyond our youth. Building strong, moral, confident leaders for the future and that can be said for both genders.

If we lack leaders in the future who posses quality character its because we continue to idolize the wrong role models for our children, girl or boy.
Its time to become more aware of the true accomplishments in our society and hold that in the forefront of our children to aspire to.

Kudos, to these women that have made history this weekend. I  applaud their accomplishments.
I encourage us all to look for those people , men and women, who have made positive accomplishments in our society (sports, medicine, politics, whatever) and bring that to the attention of the youth around us.

Silent Reflection

where did the year go?
I am sitting in a hotel room in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan wondering what just happened?
I'm supposed to be focusing on tomorrows work plan and how I am going to deal with an aviation company in the morning but my heads just not in it.
Instead, I find myself reflecting on the past years worth of work in the I Ho Chuan.
It seems surreal, it seems lonely now... but its just the silent reflection.

I now have to shift my focus, I have a plan to accomplish and learn some specific skills this year or at least esatablish a solid base.
I plan to stay near the I Ho Chuan group in hopes that their positive energy keeps me on track, inspired and motivated.

I wish the team great success for the year of the Snake and look forward to supporting them anyway I can.

Foot Work and Flow

We have heard this many times before from Sifu Brinker, the importance of foot work. Basically, putting you in the right place at the right time.

  Footwork…we practice this in our forms and our applications relentlessly but sometimes we overlook how critical our base is and the location of our base. I am guilty of getting caught up with the flashy hand application of the form or technique and forget where my feet are. Is my base assisting me or resisting me?

If our base is off (our stances) then we find ourselves disconnected from the hand application, this can translate into not being in the right place to attack our opponent or a balance issue in our forms.

If we are off balance , out of range or unable to execute the first technique efficiently our flow becomes non-existent.

Enter Tai Chi – the perfect tool to slow it down, observe your body alignment, work on 6 harmonies and allow yourself to move as one continuous body of water.

Now that’s Flow…and as Sifu Dennis says “Relaxed Flow”.

This is in the forefront of my focus now, as I have realized with the help of my Instructors how badly my body alignment (speaking from a skeletal perspective) is interfering with flow and harmonization in forms and application.

The good news is..once you discover a fault, an oversight, a problem  you have now  identified the problem and can challenge yourself to resolve the issue.

On the path to improvement and mastery…(words that grow more meaningful to me as time passes)

I'm glad I'm not a zebra

There I was , all four legs knee deep in mud and unable to get out. I could see the rest of the herd leaving off in the distance and as hard as I tried I was losing site of them. If the heat didn't get me , the jackals would!

Gladly, I am not a zebra on the African Savannah, I have two legs, I'm human and surrounded by support.

January has been a dismal month for me.  Plagued by injury then viral infection, I cant say good-bye to the month fast enough. There is no denying it has set me back,  however, before I start feeling too sorry for myself, one only needs to take a moment and realize things can always be worse. There is nothing that can't be fixed, or changed for the better, so long as you give it time and your perseverance.

The great part about being on a team, being part of a group of human people who are little extra special, when you drop the ball, someone else is close by to pick it up for you. Although you might not feel the best about not being able to do your part, the reassuring and relieving part is knowing that all is not lost.

Thank you Sifu Dennis and what a terrific job by everyone at the Horizon Stage!

My Old Book of Kung Fu

I have been doing alot of reading this past week. I dug up my Old Book of Kung Fu, as I call it and plopped it on the night stand. This is where I kept all my curriculum sheets, notes, clippings and photos  of years gone by.
It was kind of fun to go back in time. I kept everything, including my very first hand out sheet from 1999 when I started. I went page by page thru all my belts and all the years. There has been lots of changes over the years. The printed requirements changed, the belts had changed to sashes, the way students were striped had changed, some things went back to the way they were and some of the Forms had a major overhaul,(probably a few of you remember the Da Mu Hsing form of earlier years  and the Sashes) it was fun to go back and look at that stuff, like an old photo album.
The Theory questions, however, seemed to always be there in the background. Different formats but always the same theory questions. As a coloured belt, I remember finding the answers writing them up and answering them for my Sifus. Another stripe on the belt.
I looked at them again, those questions, like

• commitment
• the Void
• leadership
• patience, trust and progressing wisely
• truthfulness and purity to the art

They are not words on a page anymore, Instead , in the I Ho Chuan, I have been practicing them.

For me, they no longer are questions you put some thought into then explain it to your Sifu and check it off your list. Those theory questions are now embedded and actioned within the I Ho Chuan. For me, this is where you can explore, experience, demonstrate and put those questions to the test with heart.

Even the Food Blog challenge speaks to our anatomy/physiology theory question. In the I Ho Chuan, after tracking your food, I found myself thinking of the effect it has on your health and your output as a martial artist. How you are fuelling your anatomy.

When it came to  the Void, for me, probably the closest was the Demonstration at the Seniors Facility, something clicked there that day for me, just you and your weapon in that moment.

Of course Commitment, every day in the I Ho Chuan bleeds commitment! but I mean that in a good way. Too often, like a cheezy New Years Resolution, the commitment fades away unnoticed. You live Commitment as a I Ho Chuan member. Commitment to your requirements and commitment to your team.

Leadership for me was in the background , admittedly. I found some creative, ambitious people emerging in the group. Group discussions were vibrant and engaged, I never felt "not included" so I suppose I didn't feel the need to take the reigns so to speak. (speaking to the last part of the year, I don't think anyone got the leadership capacity till then) . As far as Leadership goes, I think we have some real successes this year.
Patience, trust and progressing wisely, that one I did not take advantage of enough. Sometimes I was not patient enough with myself. If my weapon form was not where I wanted it, I lost patience and lost out on creativity as a result. On the other hand , I trusted the insight of my peers and coaches to unlock some  walls I was hitting with my Sai form.
Truthfulness and Purity to the Art- where did that fit in? There were days when I had enough, I had other things piling up and sometimes just tired of being at the Kwoon but the commitment brought me there and I would ask myself "why, why are you doing this? no one is holding a gun to your head, what makes me come here all the time?" What are my reasons for being a student of the martial arts?

Because there is something more, because there is something to the Art.  After the hard work, its like a cleansing, like you can think clearly about other life questions and challenges., like you are recharged again and able to deal with the "outside " world.  Its not about feeding the ego its about nourishing the soul.
So as I read through my binder, these were some of the thoughts I had about the Evolution of the new I Ho Chuan.
 Its only in its infancy but its like it was always there, in the pages of Silent River Kung Fu waiting to sprout.



Sorry for the long blog, for anyone who has made it to the end!

Tiger Challenge

The Tiger Challenge yesterday made me proud and grateful.

Proud of my son and grateful to the wonderful group of people known as the Children's Instructors.

You see, about 5 months ago I was about to pull him out of the Black Dragons. Lack of interest, attention and even respect but he insisted he wanted to stay. I instead, removed myself from the floor and let the other Instructors do their  thing.

Where my son lacks focus and attention he makes up for in energy and personality so I was not sure how he would improve so i would wait and see... but I would have to say that yesterday was a direct product of his Instructors’ hard work.

Yesterday started out rough for my son, he lost out on a competition that brought him to tears as he tried to hide in the corner. A few consoling words from mom brought him back but now he was visibly upset and unsure of himself.

I let him be and he continued on.

Two Divisions later, I saw something in him I had not seen before. He pulled himself together, his determination and focus came from someplace I didn't know he had and he preserved to do his very best for his next competition.

He won a gold.

It came from him and him alone. It was his hard work and it was his focus.

I could not have been more proud, not because he won a medal but because he grew 10 feet tall that moment.

I have been struggling with his ability focus on school work and other skills  for some time now  but these moments of focus and calm seem to come more frequent now and for that I am excited.

Strictly speaking as a mom, as a parent, in only a few short months the lessons taught in his class are starting to emerge. I’m not talking about the kicks and punches but the life skills.

The Tiger Challenge was a great opportunity for me to witness those skills that are blooming within him.           And for that, a thanks to all. 

What is stronger the "will' or the body?
Hopefully the Will.
The body can fail, get injured and sick but the Will is always there.
Nourish the Heart and Mind and the body will follow...or at least you can drag it along:)

Who isn't hurt?

So who isn't hurt right now??
I look around and we have alot of bumps, bruises, sore backs, knees , wrists, shoulders.....
Is it the season of injury?

We are going hard, trying to keep track of and keep on top of practices , training , gradings , tournaments and performances.
Its exciting and exhausting but everyone is digging deep for the final weeks of preparation.

But take care. As we pile on the preparation we tire and sometimes get sloppy with our techniques. Leaving ourselves vunarable to injury. We go home and forget to stretch, ice, heat and rest as required.

I am finally able to do break falls again and I want to keep that ability. I have had to make time for extra stretching and physio drills to get me there. I know I am tempted to bypass that sort of stuff when I don't feel so bad and there is so much on the plate to get after and practice instead.

So take care my friends, make sure after our sessions we are tending to ourselves properly.
Eat well, stretch well, rest well.
Almost there, lets not lose anyone!

The Best Answers dont come from Questions

We are a social animal, interactive, knowledge seeking, inquisitive and curious.

All good of course, but we have lost patience. We want instant answers.

We ask before thinking. We ask before trying. We don’t want to wait for the insight found thru the experience…it just takes too darn long. Tell me what I need to know, answer my questions so I  can shorten my path to the goal I seek.

Sometimes the best answers don’t come from questions.

When the apprentice is shown by the journeyman how to assemble the machine sometimes listening then doing are the best methods of learning. Try before asking, do before questioning. Learn the qualities of trust, patience and focus. The questions that come after the attempts are far more valuable and meaningful. (this comes from my earlier days on the shop floor working under the guidance of an older Japanese mechanic, he spoke very little english, he would only show you once, I had to make sure I paid attention and my questions had to be very pointed- he turned out to be one of the more influential people in my life, still have a friendship with to this day )

Challenge yourself to come up with the answers to your difficulties by doing and trying  then doing again. Absorb yourself in the moment and look for resolve independently.

Once you have taken action the questions that follow have more value to you.