September 29, 30, 2013

250 p/u
250 s/u
5 sais form
5 stick form
5 Dah Mu Sihn
5 Hung 1 & 2

Held the door for two people, listened to a fellow at work who is going through a tough time.

Went to class tonight and enjoyed it quite a bit. I want to get back into the routine of attending all the classes I can, now that I am working normal hours. You lose touch and discipline when you are away for too long. Well it is what it is and you can't change the past, only the future. I am going to ignite that fire again that was once there as aggressively as possible to get that boost and then roll into the calm once I am back to where I should be. Sifu Brinker mentioned to us on Friday the necessity and the benefits of short term goals to enhance engagement and reduce the stress of training. My plan is to learn Loa Gar before the tournament and compete. This form was supposed to be my hand form for the I Ho Chuan. I haven't learned very much of it so this would be a good goal and a great challenge. Conditioning for sparring through running and heavy bag rounds should help prepare me for sparring and a review of all combinations over the next while should be beneficial for point sparring. I haven't picked a song yet for my weapon form so this will be a challenge since I love all kinds of music. Although I'm sure it will be heavy, I need to pick a song that will go well with the form and offer an expression of some sort. I just need to figure it out.

One last thing that I forgot, or a person I forgot to mention a few posts ago was Sihing Choy. Sihing Choy is an inspirational person to others and myself on so many fronts. I read all your blogs and can relate to the excessive work loads and challenges you are facing. You are a great example for the community and to the students of Silent River by leading through example and showing everyone around you the possibilities that can occur when you believe in yourself and follow through on your goals. I have a great amount of respect for you on how you have faced and shared the challenges of your family and shared the experience with the team. If you need someone for anything, I'm sure anyone on the team, including myself would be there at the drop of a hat to help you. Just ask, we're here to help.

September 28, 2013

50 p/u
50 s/u
10 sais form
1 rep of five animal form (Qigong)

Made it to a dragon dance practice today and it was awesome. I can honestly say I have a lot of fun when I'm involved with either the dragon or lion. I want to get more involved with both dances and in order to do that I need to get back into the kwoon more. I doing my best and the way things are heading so far its looking promising. That rhythm you achieve attending regular classes and sticking with the I Ho Chuan requirements is the only true way to stay engaged. We'll see what happens. As alcoholic's say, One day at a time.

September 27, 2013

100 p/u
100 s/u
22 sais form
5 stick form
20 hidden leg technique

Bought a friend coffee, called up an old friend that I haven't spoken too in a long time, and picked up some garbage that was spilled over in the alley.

I really enjoyed tonight's I Ho Chuan class. One of my most favorite parts is to watch everyone do their forms. It's motivating and inspirational to witness. Its was also good to hear someone speak up in front of the team and share something that is bothering them. I also want to send a message to those that couldn't be there. Mr. Repay it will be good to see you again. Your positive personality is greatly missed and I am looking forward to training with you when you get back. Sihing Krebs I can really relate to how you must be feeling. I know you had the intentions to grade this year and life took you for a spin. I know you are not where you wanted to be, but when you get back let's hook up and make the best of what's remaining and get a good start for next year. You are greatly missed by many and you have my phone number and email address. Use it, as a team mate I am here to help or listen. Anything you need, anytime. Mr. Leung, are you dead? Mailed yourself to Siberia? What's your story man. Regardless of where you are, or what frame of mind you are in, please get in touch with someone on the team, anyone, and come back. You too are greatly missed. You have not failed, the year is not over. But it will be soon. So get your ass back to the kwoon!

September 26, 2013

100 p/u
100 s/u

Held the door for 1 person, told some guys on my crew I appreciate all they're efforts, offered to help my neighbor move in october

Didn't get much done today. I am fighting off a cold and don't want to get worse.

September 25, 2013

150 p/u
130 s/u
25 squat thrusts
60 thrust kicks
60 roundhouse
60 side heel thrust
60 spinning back kick
Hung 1& 2, 5 reps
stick 5 reps
sais 5 reps

Wasn't nice today.

Did some bag work tonight to do some different combinations and get a smooth flow for sparring. It would appear I'm out of practice. Worked on timing and a grounded stance with projection stepping followed with a strike and followed up with whatever came to mind. I changed up leads to train with all limbs and work on  flow and timing the rotation for a grounded impact. Crane stances need to come up a bit and work on some endurance. Did sais reps tonight full power/ full speed. I could feel while doing the form what was missed during a technique. But I didn't stop and think about. I did my reps back to back and I can tell doing the form slow for the last while has definitely helped. This also gives me too much time to overthink and completely mess up the whole thing. So I am going to change up the speeds and hopefully this gets me to where I should be at this point of the year. Once I can get the flow happening I can work on balanced endurance and grounded power with all techniques and actually visualize an attack and a defense.

September 24, 2013

100 p/u
100 s/u
5 stick form
5 sais form
Gave a homeless person my left over lunch, held the door for 2 people
Forgot to post last night. Not really much to comment on tonight except I had an awesome night with my little one. I took her to her running race and was able to watch her whole class. I'm so proud of her and how hard she works at things, smiling the whole time. I learn from Eva constantly. I also have to mention once again how great the black belts are with those kids. I am grateful for our school and the people that teach. Thanks.

September 23, 2013

150 p/u
150 s/u
20 squat thrusts
3 Stick form
4 Kempo
4 sais
Bought Erica and Eva surprise gifts today, held the door for 2 people, helped a fellow carry out a awkward box.

After doing a few stick reps I can see that it completely sucks ass due to neglect. I am going to start to do stick reps daily mixed in with my sais form. The different movements and techniques of the two should sharpen them both. Also I can use the stick as part of my weapon form maintenance. My wrists are welded together which makes articulation and completion of techniques difficult. So I will start to use the stick to try to open my wrists and learn more flow with a weapon by utilizing it to stretch. Although a tough day with a vehicle breakdown and a sick little one, and a bunch of little things that kept dropping from the sky, I still structured in some training. Things are starting to click every since I grabbed the wheel back and and now rolling with a nitrous powered chopper as my life ride, instead of an overloaded bagger. Its plain to see now that I look back I just piled on way, way too much. Can't help it though, I never back down from a challenge. But I may take a step back once and a while to learn from my mistakes and kick my egos ass.

September 22, 2013

150 p/u
130 s/u
18 Temple motions 5 reps
Sais form 5 reps
Bought Erica a coffee, held the door for someone, helped a guy that was out of gas.

Busy day today harvesting our peppers and tomatoes and catching up around the house and yard. Took the time to do some form reps in the grass outside. I like to do forms on different terrain to test the adaptability of a stance because the ground is never level. I find it works different muscles and points out all your weak balance points that you need to strengthen and be stable in your center. Thats my theory anyway.

September 21, 2013

50 p/u
50 s/u
Didn't really get much done today as far as training goes. I spent the day with my little one after I got back from helping at the kwoon. She is sick and needed some cheering up. So I guess overall this would be considered a rest day.

September 20, 2013

Fell asleep last night before I could post yesterdays training, so here it is.
100 p/u
100 s/u
15 sais form
Held a door for 2 people, told a person that doesn't work with me that he was doing a good job.

Attended practice last night and did my sais form so Sifu Wetter could time it. Don't ask me why but I can do my form over and over at home or even in the class with out too many mistakes or dropping my weapon. But once I get in front of a bunch of Sifus and others something always seems to mess up. I can flip my sais 100 times in a row at home without it hitting the ground, get in front of people on a dry demo run and bang, it hits the floor or a technique is not complete. To me it gives off the impression that you are not practicing and you are not demo ready. I am going to keep doing weapon forms daily, which really we should be anyway to stay on track for the requirement and to be ready. I think being away from the kwoon for a while has not helped either in regards to performing in front of others as well. I am going to be able to attend regular classes this week and am looking forward to it.

September 19, 2013

150 p/u
150 s/u
10 weapon form

Shared my lunch with a fellow worker that didn't have much, held the door for 3 people,   let a person through a busy intersection.
Still trying to get the motivation to do something as soon as I get up in the morning, not a morning person at all. But the sooner I can install this into some kind of structure the better. I was thinking today about how to get the mindset through my stubborness to create one that will work for me. I absolutely have to get this going but sometimes I am the hardest person to convince myself. If that makes any sense. I thought to myself a class is 60 mins long. Out of that 60 minutes, 45 of that is actual training. I have driven myself hard in that time in most classes. So 45 mins out of 24 hours shouldn't be that difficult to take for my Kung Fu in a day. But for some reason it seems to be a puzzle that I just can't solve. Although if I keep on top of my game , it will happen. Small steps I guess.

September 18, 2013

100 p/u
100 cantilever s/u 4 sets of 25
Long 1&2 5 reps
6 sais form
10 km biked
40 thrust kicks
Wasn't nice today I guess, I don't recall anything.

As I was doing sit ups tonight I was paying attention to what muscles were talking to me. This style of sit up I have been doing is working all different types of muscles but I really noticed three working areas, abs, back muscles, and the front of the hips. I have never really noticed this muscle (in the hips) area being worked before so I am going to stick with this style for the next while to balance and strengthen my core all at once,  better muscle building and time use efficiancy perhaps. We'll see what happens.
Still working on pieces of my weapon form and slowing down the reps to get it all to flow together now that I have disected a few areas.

September 17, 2013

150 p/u
150 s/u
6 weapon form

Held the door for someone, offered a person my chair, twisted over a piece of rebar sticking out of a parking curb ready to skew someone by the kwoon, took my daughter out to eat after her Kung Fu class tonight.

Worked on sections of sais form tonight. Trying to smooth out some parts that still have a little catch when trying to make things flow. Some tweeking. I am going to try to  use the hours of the day more efficiantly, like in the morning. This should be interesting thats for sure. Keep you posted.

Operation Restart under way

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend the I Ho Chuan class and although it was from the bench it had an impact. There was things mentioned that helped put some missing pieces back in they're place and create a better view. Another thing that really helped was to put down the axe and ask a friend to listen and to offer some words and a perspective other than your own that is straight up, no bullshit. I never like asking friends for help because I have always felt out of respect and being grateful for that person, you shouldn't, unless you absolutely have to. Well I had too, and I'm glad I did. Lots has been going on all over but things are calming down and its time to get back to where I need and should be at this time in my training. I am no good at all about recording my numbers consistently, completely suck at it. In order to help this I said a while back I was going to put my numbers on my blog and give a transparent view of what's happening. I dropped the ball on that one but I do have my reasons and there is a lot to it. But its also time to put my money where my mouth is. I do accomplish something everyday, but how would anyone know unless you prove it. Problems! A few yes. Some I will share on another blog, others, forget it.  But the main reason I let my training get so out of a control and sporadic was not to train without the mindset and the dumping of all other things and to take that time that everyone needs. Somewhere along the way I lost my way and then back on the path and then ventured way out again. So I am going to try it again and post my numbers daily and what I am doing. It worked very well last time so this is something I need to prove to myself that I can maintain. Also to everyone on the team.

One last note that I must speak openly about is the announcement by Sihing Lowery. I completely respect her decision and will stand behind one of our teammates solid, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. I also picture Sihing Lowery saying a famous movie quote from the movie terminator. I will keep that hope anyway.

100 p/u
50 regular sittups, 50 cantilevered style in two sets
15 sais form reps
biked 7 km
20 side heel kicks
10 squat thrusts

Let someone in traffic twice, picked up garbage in my alley.