A perspective and maybe a touch of analogy

TEAM. Total energy amongst many. In one way or another everyone is awesome in their own way, a multitude of gifts and strengths can smash all obstacles and is an extraordinary and lethal display of power and beauty. A group of people or a group of inanimate objects work as many to become one. The higher the number, the greater the efficiency. There is no weakness when an effort and dignity is practiced on a professional and committed basis. There is no reason to hide or think things will just go away when you are part of group that operates in a non judgemental and helping way. Because it won't go away and when you have many eyes looking for you, you will be found and you will have to stand up and take responsibility for your actions and speak up to what exactly the problems are. You will not be forgotten until you put your puzzle in the middle of the room and let  many hands help put it together and bring closure to the outline of what the picture is supposed to be. You won't be removed due to other people, That is a responsibility that will and should not be made by others . But by you. Regardless of what one might think, this challenge can be done by anyone and its never too late to pick up where you left off,  because its your challenge. But don't forget you also committed to 21 other people that you are ignoring. 21 other people that are covering your ass and carrying your weight and not even getting as much as an email or post. We have highly committed members that have spent most of this challenge out of town and away from the kwoon and their families and we know where their at and what they are doing and we have their backs. Where the heck are the rest of you and what are you doing? We have members that live a stones throw away that I haven't even seen or know if they are still participating. I'm not perfect nor have I lived up to all the commitments but I am maintaining an online presence and doing everything I absolutely can to finish with some dignity and respect to the challenge and the I Ho Chaun. Most people know where I am at and what I am doing and I refuse to slap them in the face. Tonight after class Sifu Brinker spoke to us and said something that hit home. He said "I'm the one who has failed" Now that really pissed me off alot because thats how deep the man cares for his students, and thats how much he wants to see all of us better ourselves. Thats how much he has offered to help. Well I'm not going to kick him in the nuts and walk away. And no, this is not a ass kissing statement, I don't roll like that. What you see is what you get, I call it like I see it, and my word is my signature. I will be at that meeting tomorrow and I will also use every available moment I have to work and help with anybody that wants to hang and do some Kung Fu. I will post whenever I can get away and train and will accept any offer I can participate in.  Some may feel who the heck does this guy think he is? Well I'll tell you, I'm a student that trains at silent river kung fu, I am a brown belt and I made a commitment to 21 others that I care about and a challenge I intend to honour.
 A part of a machine that fails can be compensated by others for a while until a quick maintenance can be performed. A part that refuses to fit due to improper composition or is not structurally sound or perhaps the partsman won't even take the order or call you back is going to cause a major breakdown that will require many replacements and in some cases severe mechanical failure. Then a major rebuild is required. Everyone of us on this team is responsible for a part of the I Ho Chuan machine. Think about it.
Brian  Chervenka

Looking up a steep mountain

Here we are in August already and it has come down to crunch time. While I was on holidays it gave me a chance to reflect and collect exactly what needs to be done to finish this challenge in a full filling way and with some respect to those that created it. It also gave my badly sprained foot some time to heal up. Back in May while trying to earn my board breaking stripe, I fired a roundhouse kick and hit the bottom corner of a black board.  I knew right away that something was wrong about 2 hours later when throbbing pain began. It proceeded to move around from the bottom to the top various areas and different pain sensations. I knew I should rest it and I did use ice, heat, a dump truck load of ibuprofen, oil of oregano, and other remedies. I couldn't stop training, not being this close to completing my brown belt and the motivation of completing a goal. Plus I have bills to pay and mouths to feed, so it is what it is. I will keep going and hopefully it will heal on the fly. Some times I have a very stubborn streak and sometimes just plain stupid. I refuse to stop and pain only hurts if you let it. I did go see a doctor and x-rays where taken and there was no signs of a break or fracture, nothing but some swelling. I have never had a injury like this before in my life, I just don't know.

Moving on though, I will be focusing on completing my goals of 5000 kicks and 1000 stretching minutes this month. I plan on trying to complete a couple goals a month until the challenge is up, its all or nothing at this stage. My kicks need major work and I struggle with flexability issues. Lack of flexibilty is a deterant for me because it takes a long time for me to gain any and when I do if I slack off on kicks or stretching I'm back to square one. So like everyone in some way I get discouraged and pout instead of continuing as diligently as I should. This is why I chose these two goals to do together. What kind of example am I setting to lower belts when I do warm ups and I can't execute a decent kick. What message am I sending to my Sifus when I have been training as long as I have and I still have major work to do on my kicks. Not a very good one in my perspective anyway. So I am hoping to kill several birds with one stone. Improving my kicks, flexability and building muscle and endurance in my legs is the focus. Come September I should have some better kicks and better flexability and a far more stable center. Thats the plan anyway.