One Cool Night

That way cool banquet lastnight was an incredible showing of where hard work, discipline, and adaptabilty can take you. Each candidate , with unique situations and outcomes, still forged ahead and represented determination right up to being promoted to Black Belt. I can honestly say I feel privilaged to have trained with each of you at some point, you guy's are awesome. Congratulations as well to our Black Belts promoted and our Sifus' and students being recognized for hard work and dedication to they're training and others.

Seeing and hearing our charity representatives and what we are able to do as a school instills pride for sure. It reminds you of where we come from, but also what it takes to create the opprotunity. A student body showing awarenes and earning support for others in need is a very solid example of true Martial artists.

The lion dance and dragon dance was incredible. You guys looked amazing and performed flawlessly. Nice work. Given the opportunity to be in a lion was a fun and a proud part of the evening, seeing little feet run beside you and guessing where our   next move is always keeps it fun. I felt very privilaged and proud to be of the I Ho Chuan team and it's demonstration a well. Seeing everyone from where  they stratde to where they ended for the year cannot be desribed but simply held with admiration and respect. You guy's looked great and displayed your skill to make a great demo, way cool.

The whole experience was incredible from the time we set up to the time we hung the last lion on the wall. The whole day was a calm atmoshere, I think the calmest I have ever seen anyone for that matter on a Chinese New Year Banquet. It rolled and moved along like a well oiled machine. It was also the one of those rare times when I was about do my weapon form and I was calm. The weirdest part though is where I went after the first block, I went into a battle zone and the only person there briefly was me, one of those very cool moments for sure.

It was good to see and talk to others I haven't seen in a while and to just be part of the whole thing. Bringing a close to the year of the sheep is filled with excitiement because  now we begin another year. I think the year of the monkey is going to be another great year training with awesome people and doing extrodinary things. Thanks again to the team and all of those involved that made the night spectacular.

One last note, I'm glad that a tragedy never occurred for a senesless and shameful act, I hope all is well.

Perpetual Motion

This kind of flow is what I hope to ultimately achieve over the next few months in my training. I hope to move forward not necessarily to the extreme or the relentless, but working towards the consistent and the effortless with lasting and steady improvement.
I spent some time again on the years plan and I am hoping this one will work out better than the previous. I honestly don't think it was lack of poor planning or intention on the previous thoughts. Nope, it was not only lack of discipline, but no consistent follow through either. Things look awesome on paper, but if you don't build and run the motions, it means squat.

I have a very basic, and I feel at the moment, an adaptable plan, just simply devise a training schedule and use the curriculumn as a guide. Between using the curriculumn as it is meant to be used for, the complete "How to become a Black Belt manual", and the I Ho Chuan process, it should work out awesome. I just need to remain consistant and be at the kwoon as much as possible.

I have days of the week designated to certain aspects, Techniques, fitness, form work, are all broken up and spread across the week. I will still have daily maintenance to keep moving forward, and numbers posted at the end of each week. I'm hoping soon to get off of this 6-10 schedule so I can attend fitness class and use the opening training time. These two classes, aside from Sihing class, are going to be a crucial part of this plan. Fitness class will tell me right away which areas of carrdio I need to work on and open training will offer a chance to work with someone, or for review, correction, sparring, etc. This will help if I get very busy during the week and because I will be left with something to work on or improve on.

Having said all of that, my greatest challenge at the moment is achieving a better self discipline, better at using training time efficiantly, and asking for assisistance when I need it. Keeping my focus narrow and changing my approach and follow through. I'm using the month of Febuary to experiment and begin training myself to what I have laid out. I'm hoping over the next few weeks things get better here. Time will tell. See you at the kwoon.

The Animal Transition

Well as of yesterday I have submitted my goals and training plan with the belief and confidence of a successful year in not only my training and it's advancement, but my approach and personal advancement in all aspects of my life. I am in a good place right now and there is that restoration of excitement and focus. I sorted a lot of things out the last while, completely deleting anything from my life that I don't need, and as a result my load is light at the moment with the exception of a hectic work schedule and a flu that just doesn't want to submit to my natural immune system. I'm not really fond of pills and such, as I prefer to suffer it out and let my body do the work. I do believe I am at the end of it though. I've left the cough and congestion stage and now in the no energy , body ache stage. Hopefully a good night sleep will give my body the final step it needs to irradicate this flu and I can continue on with my training and function as normal. As far as work goes, it is what it is. I'm just grateful to have a job... period.

I'm excited for the banquet coming up and can't wait to see some really awesome people that have had a very profound effect on my life be promoted to black belt. Working with the I Ho Chuan and soaking up that unexplained energy that fills the air that changes your life forever. Only to inspire one to charge into the next year fueled by that very fire that you see in the eyes of those being promoted. I couldn't more happy for them or grateful that I made their aquantance or gained some of their friendship.

As far as the rest of it goes, I was glad to make the meeting yesterday. It was good to spend an hour with my past teammates and meet some of the new. To those not returning I hope you have another great year, and to the newcomers, let's do this!

Getting back to my plans and goals this year, I really thought about doing this right. My plan is pretty straight forward and is laid out just like we are taught, set a goal, make a plan, get some solid success coaches, and engage that plan. Seems pretty straight forward right? It will be as long as I do a few very critical things. Keep my approach pure to myself and what I am doing. If I wander, it's my responsibility to get back on the path by reaching out to my coaches, that's what they are for. Remain accountable to the team and show the school what I am doing through pyhsical presence and my journaling. I can write down all the stuff I want and post it, but honestly if you never see anyone train, struggle, sweat, are you going to take them seriously and are you leading by example? No, your not. Writing down stuff, posting it and then prancing around here and there shows nothing. I mean sometimes that's all you have, and I'm not saying posting your numbers doesn't mean anything, of course it does and I will continue to do so myself. But when your at the kwoon your training should be able to back those numbers up and that is exactly what needs to be done. Especially if your grading. That will be my focus this year. To do my absolute best to be at the kwoon as much as I possibly can and not try to do this alone. This has always posed a serious challenge for myself and others and I'm hoping to break this personal cycle. Time will tell I guess. See you at the Kwoon.