Becoming one function

Its kinda weird moving to another level of Kung Fu. As you work through the curriculum your training matures to different levels. Once you grade and pass, there is the excitement of a new challenge and another group of forms, techniques, and fitness levels. Now you have gone through all the colours and you are now able to prepare for your black belt test. I have to admit as I reviewed the curriculum there was quite a bit that I don't remember. But there is also quite a bit I do remember. I am glad that from blue belt up until now I attended as many of the other classes as I could, because it kept me engaged. Also the importance of doing your homework on all the forms or techniques I didn't understand or it took time to learn. Those repetitions installed muscle memory that stayed in my thoughts and body. Things I have forgotten come back naturally after a brief review, others I don't have a clue. I don't carry any doubt of whether or not I have earned my stripes or belt levels because I have faith in all of my teachers, If I wasn't ready they would not have advanced me, end of story.That in itself can be intimidating and install doubt, if you let it. I started to think of how I need to do this and I need to do that, and holy #@%& I have lots of work to do and...... Stop you idiot! I have this year to complete first in the I Ho Chuan and that is the focus. People are counting on each other for help and completion. I don't want to slip back into the "blinders on" mode and be completely self centered and hog this tool to myself again. Because that will happen if I don't stay focused on the team and what WE are trying to ALL accomplish here.The engagement and discipline that the I Ho Chaun has installed in our training is cutting the path and making things on all sides alot more managable. The hardest challenge I have now is getting to the Sihing class. I know I am missing out and this bothers me alot. Which is why staying engaged is imperative and just how can I make this work. I just want to tell my boss to pound this job you know where. But then what have I learned and how am I going to excel in my career. Well I put forth a proposition on our scheduling and it sounds like it is a go. So thats one down. The other is the segregation of work, Kung Fu, and family. This is something I have been working on the last few weeks and what I have done is put my work and my Kung Fu together. I ended up working a 12 hour day yesterday and was becoming irritated as I knew there was no way I was going to get a single class in as I was stuck working under the Dawson bridge. So do you pout and be mad because you have to train at home and still eat etc. or do you walk and negotiate steel and bracing to the center of the bridge and do 100 p/u over the water as the sun shines down and the water is calm. If your going that far why not lock your legs under the wind bracing and do two sets of 50 s/u on the bottom chord with no ground to rest your back on. Those where cool and what a burn! After that why not do some form reps under the adbutment after you wrap up for the day and head home.
The point is I took advantage of a break and applied my Kung Fu. Family and Kung Fu are coming together also as my little one now trains at Silent River and we did p/u and s/u together tonight. When I get the chance I run with my wife or go for walks or bike rides my girls to rack up some kms. So we'll see how this works. Also things are now getting alot easier to manage now that everything is slowly becoming consolidated and its just fun dammit!

Brian Chervenka

A new level

My training as a whole has come to a rough patch of road and many blind corners that I will have to circumnavigate to remain on the path. Blind corners such as how I am going to attend Sihing class and remain true to my goals and accomplishments. I have taken on another job with another contractor that specializes in many technical and challenging aspects of my trade. There is also another aspect that I have not yet ventured. I have been given the responsibility of general foreman position on an up and coming job. This commitment and challenge will be alot of hours, like 7 days a week and 10-12 hour days. The good part is that it will be in the city, not in Ft. McMurray. Which really has no relevance because I don't believe in the oil sands or the destruction of the environment it causes, not too mention the shallow attempt to de skill tradesman by corporate greed so anyone can do anything and work for alot less money. In the corporate mind, we aren't worth a descent wage or conditions of dignity. I like to call these sort "sheeple" and I refuse to share or practice any of my skills that have been passed on to me from excellent tradesman that I have been trained under. I refuse to work up there, period.

The challenge of staying on track and getting to train has to take on a new or redefined discipline because once you are promoted to Sihing your on your own. You have to take the reigns and figure out how you are going to prepare for one of the great moments in your Kung Fu. How you are going to apply and memorize all your forms, techniques, and theory. Planning 5 techniques with a reliable partner, board breaking, and of course completing another year in the I Ho Chuan. I have started to prioratize certain aspects and I think I have a way I can attend Sihing class. One thing I know that is going to be hard is seeing the requests come on kwoon talk and not being there to help. Demo practices, monthly meetings and I Ho Chuan class. But really after trying my first attempt in the I Ho Chuan and in some ways failing and in others growing. I know it will all work out the way its supposed too. The challenge of balancing work, training, and family is pretty common for most of us and I witness success in many different ways on the team and learn something from each and everyone of you that has made a great impact on my life and my training and there is always someone to help you or needs help and I think perhaps this is why I am not really worried( too much!) about it.
But I have to step back and figure out which road to take and why.

Brian Chervenka

Two black stripes and the I Ho Chuan

Its been two days since my promotion to Sihing and I still have a plethora of mixed emotions. There is a presence of accomplishment, reflection, and the excitement of a new beginning. That night I stopped and reflected on memories of when I first started and to where I am now. Wow, what a trip its been. The demands of physical and mental loads, the awakening of awareness and the depletion of some of my stubborn ways and my lack of empathy for people I thought were at the end of their gene pool and not long for this world because the evolution for them is over. Training at the hall, doing forms and kicks in my basement or garage or wherever. The discipline of doing my homework, because I knew the minute my next class came whoever the Sifu was that was teaching at the time would know right away if I did or not. The attention to detail of our black belts is infallable, they know whether you did your homework or not and that kind of discipline for me was what I was trying to source at that time in my life when I first set foot in the kwoon and met Sifu Brinker for the first time. Kung Fu has given me so many tools to improve and has shown me how to completely utilize some I already had but not using to their full potential. Attending boot camps, throwing kicks and punches to the point of exhaustion. Introductions to many kinds of weapons. This is something I have always wanted to do but never followed through. But the best part of it all is the people I have met and trained with. Students I have watched and admired, respected and learnt from. Witnessing students go from Que belts to Sihings, to Black belts. Watching some of my teachers earning their second and third degree rank, seventh degree, was just plain cool. People at the kwoon are all from different walks of life and everyone is unique. I don't find shallow politics, self entitlement or judgemental practices. The ones I have seen with this sort of mind set usually don't make it period or realize it won't fly at the kwoon and evolve into something spectacular.

One of my personal goals this year was to achieve Sihing rank and this was accomplished by participating in the I Ho Chuan. This has done a huge amount of things for my training and I really didn't notice just how much until now. My ability to adapt to almost anything life throws at me and still get in something pertaining to the art and the huge amplification of engagement. Engagement that has matured my training past the point I thought was ever possible. I don't look at my training as rungs in a ladder that I am trying to climb. I see a long road ahead but can envision all my goals in the distance, all the way to grand master. I have a busy year coming up and I plan on grading next year. This is going to be a tough one due to a promotion and the hours that will be coming at me. Trying to make my class on fridays is already going to be a challenge, but I will figure something out. The attention to the mechanics of every technique, form, kicks, and fitness has given me a deep perspective to my Kung Fu. What exactly I'm doing and why. Why something sucks and how to fix it. The awareness to all the things going on in the world and what I can do to at least try to help and make other people see whats happening. Pulling me out of my privacy and share with others what I am thinking. Helping me realize its okay to ask for help and work with others. That it is not a sign of weakness, but an excellent opportunity to evolve into a better martial artist and person. As I look back and see how far I have come, and look ahead to where I am going. I know I will full fill my goals as I look down at two black stripes.

Brian Chervenka