It's in my head

 

Visions are in my head. Well, not the kind of visions that would immediately set off alarms. Visualizing your training is a great way to mentally train. I have found that by going over a slow form allows for a calming type of meditation, as when I need to de-stress, I can't just bang out a form. It forces me to breathe and to come back into the moment.

And going over a faster form in my head allows me to purposely occupy my mind in a good way when I am going for a power walk. Visualizing can help to prepare ourself mentally when you are to perform an event. I look back at my board breaking for my black belt test. On the drive to the Canada Day demo, I went over my breaks in my head, and each time, they broke. It helped to push aside the anxiety I had for both the public performance and for the breaks themselves.

Visualizing your Kung Fu can also help to stay engaged in your training when you are unable to train. It's not for everyone, but it has been a great tool for me.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

Time

Time passes fast. I had full intentions of blogging last week, and put it off. Well it's now a week later and I recognize how easy it is to procrastinate. It's easy to put off our training, and it is the little things that help to keep us engaged. Got to keep that in front of me as the approaching new I Ho Chuan year looms.

Blogging is huge when it comes to engagement. It forces us to reflect and to stay in the moment with our training. And that's why, even when I miss a week, I will continue to blog.

Now for next year. I have been working on my requirement list and refining it so that it isn't overwhelming later. Technically the next I Ho Chuan year isn't for 4 months, but time goes by fast. The tiger challenge is almost upon us, and then we will begin to prepare for our New Years banquet. It will be upon us in no time. And there is no time like the present to start prepping.

 

Posted with Blogsy

I should know better by now

 

 

For whatever reason, sometimes the lessons are hard to keep in front of me. The tendinitis in my wrists have been quiet for about a month now, so yesterday I pulled out my kwan dao and played for a while. But by last night I was paying the price. I should've wrapped my wrists regardless of how they were feeling. I'm a twit. At this point in my training, and with all the injuries and limitations I have built over the years, I should know better than to tempt fate by ignoring the obvious.

On a positive note though, I feel like I am making progress with my push-ups. They still suck, but not as much, so I think a little high five is deserved there. :-p

 

Posted with Blogsy

Forms sparring

I learned something this week, and it reinforced how forms training is really the base for our techniques and our sparring.

Wednesday was a sparring day, and I had the opportunity to spar with my daughter. She hasn't sparred in about 5 years,so I wasn't expecting what happened.

Keep in mind that while I am a bit biased in my opinion, I was truly impressed with her skills. She had some good combinations, and she made good use of her reach. She kept me on my toes, and we had a lot of fun.

Practicing our forms, mindfully and often serves as a great tool for our kung fu.

 

Posted with Blogsy

So proud

I am always proud of our students when they accomplish something. Whether it's an "aha"!" moment, a stripe earned, or a promotion, they are all made of discipline and hard work.

 

I had the pleasure of watching one of my students earn his blue belt yesterday. I have watched him grow, overcome adversity, and his journey has left a mark in mine. I am so proud.

 

It was also a learning experience for me yesterday - it pointed out ways I can improve myself, and was a friendly reminder that I will always be a student, and let me tell you that was exciting! 12 years in and I have barely touched the surface of what I have yet to learn. And most of those lessons will be from students, that I may not have even met yet. That's pretty cool...

 

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

A wee break

My family took a much needed holiday at the end of August. It was nice to get away briefly and getting back into things was a little more difficult that I imagined.

At any rate, while it stepped back from physical training during my break, I still managed to get some mental training in. This basically consisted of letting things go for a while, and being in the moment. I managed to do a little bit of walking meditation, and spent time in nature. It was good for the soul.

Now that school is in and our routine is taking its form once more, I hope to find a way to be in the moment more.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy

It's a new year

Tomorrow we send our kids back to school. On one hand, it will be great for them to get into a routine, but at the same time, I find myself a little sad. They grow up so fast - it feels like yesterday that would crawl into my lap for a cuddle or a story. Now we are in the last year before my oldest gets to high school. Yikes.

The summer brought way smaller classes in Kung Fu, and I imagine that this week will bring us up to our regular numbers. The summer was good for those who still came to class as they had more individual attention, and now we will see how many practiced these last couple of months.

Anyway, it's a fresh new year with boundless opportunities.

Welcome back!

Posted with Blogsy