Taking a hit!

This weekend we had our Tiger Challenge competition, a safe and friendly environment where you are able to stretch your comfort zones and face your fears.  I am still riding the emotional roller coaster with this years event.

Somehow I must have made the computer randomizer mad at me as I drew both gold medal winning opponents for point and continuous sparring.  Want to know the difference between point and continuous?  Point can be over very quickly but 1 minute of continuous is a LONG time in the ring.

This was the first year that I did continuous sparring and this is the event that continues to cause my emotions to swing.  Funny thing is that the last few months I’ve been thinking of talking with Sifu Brinker about learning to take a hit.  I’ve only had a few hits in sparring that were decent but didn’t really ring my bell.  That all changed on Saturday.  During the match, I clearly remember thinking “you need to use technique” as I was flailing about; receiving two good head shots; I almost took a knee twice when I got the wind knocked out of me but then I thought “it’s only 1 minute, you can hang on” ; and once when I knew I lost total control and needed to reset. Who knew a minute could last so long but it feels like forever when you are getting the stuffing kicked out of you, literally.  I left the ring with emotions swirling, glad I made it out but also wanting to cry because I hurt but the adrenaline wasn’t able to let my brain know where.

Afterwards, I had a lot of support and tips on how to improve which I am grateful for but as I sit here typing I know I have lost confidence and that bothers me more than I can express as I have always loved sparring. My ribs hurt so much I am not able to sneeze, my quad is so tight that I’m not able to bend my leg completely, and my abdomen is sore (but at least there are bruises o show for that AND my face does not hurt at all 😂).  I know the bruises will fade, the muscles will heal, and life will go on but if this wasn’t an example of being able to take a hit, then I wonder if this is really for me and that makes me the saddest of all. The competition is about creating calluses but this one felt like it created a blister (see my last blog if this does not make sense) so I need to figure out what to do next.

See you on the mats!

Calluses Verses Blisters

This weekend, Nate was in a Business Case Competition in Calgary and I had the privilege of being able to see their presentations.  The head speaker made a comment that you work hard to create calluses that are sustainable instead of blisters which are painful and can deter you.  Each kid participating in the competition gained a layer of skin to add to their calluses. Hearing this, I immediately thought of my current year in Kung Fu and the I Ho Chuan.

What is a blister and how does it form?  It's your bodies way of protecting itself when undue stress or friction is applied.  It is a pocket of fluid that is meant to buffer the stress or friction from your body.  Eventually, if you do not remove the stress or friction the blister will break, leaving a raw and open sore that is painful and if left untreated, can become infected and cause serious issues.  So how does this relate to Kung Fu and our normal lives?  Doing activities that cause great pain and stress will make the activity unsustainable and can even cause temporary or permanent damage.  This does not make the activity enjoyable and can make you want to quit.  As I look back, I see personal examples when I was training for my 10K run and wanted to skip a few weeks to get ahead.  Or when I tried to do the entire grading day excercises on my first attempt and could not get through the first third.  At work, I was finding myself working 3-4 hours at home just to stay caught up.  This is only a couple examples of many times this has occurred this year and the years prior.

What is a calluse and how does that form?  A calluse is a layer of hardened skin that occurs after periods of hard work.  This hard skin allows for increased stress or friction to occur without damaging the underlying tissues.  It builds up over time and allows you to do more and more each time.  I compare this to when I had to go back a week on my running program to regroup and then continue on.  For the black belt grading, I am timing how long it takes to do 30 kicks and then I will increase my numbers in a few months.  For work, it is now a balance of delegation, prioritization, and clear communication with senior management.  This blisters verses calluses analogy was just another way to make me be more aware of what I am doing and how I am getting there.

So now I ask you, is your approach to training or work or life causing you blisters?  If you answer yes, figure out what you need to modify so you can create calluses and sustainability instead.  If you need help, never hesitate to reach out.

See you on the mats!

Thank You Sifu Robinson!

I hate that my legs still ache

I hate that my shoulders are always sore

I hate that my stomach feels like I had the flu

I hate that I can't sit without feeling it

BUT....

I love that I want to push harder than ever

I love that my aches tell me I'm getting stronger

I love having teammates to work with

I love that our Sifus continue to help us grow

I love 5:30 morning workouts (at least this week LOL)

Thank you Sifu Robinson!

Being Thankful!

This weekend is Thanksgiving and we have celebrated it with family and friends.  It used to be the time to celebrate harvest but as snow covers most of Alberta and crops are lying on the fields, this would not be the year to celebrate that.  As a society in whole, we have removed ourselves from the struggles of others especially when it does not directly affect us individually.  Was I thinking of the farmers who are currently struggling?  We talked about it a bit but I was in my little bubble celebrating the family and friends that I have been surrounded with.   As we sat and chatted around the table (because Thanksgiving is all about food LOL) I tried to step back and really look at all the things that I was thankful for.


Now, taking this step back really gave me the chance to look at the things that I am thankful for around me.  I have been raised with loving parents, a father that has wrapped his arms around me and made me his little girl even though I am not his biological child.  A husband who has supported and loved me through good times and bad, and helped raise children who are confident, caring, and supportive as well.  Friends and family that have always been by my side.  As I sat back and thought of these things, it changed how I thought of situations around me.  I was not annoyed by the bickering of siblings, I was trying to help my sister in the kitchen instead of taking over, comments that use to bug me no longer did.  My attitude not only changed how I interacted with others, it changed how others interacted as well. 


While I was thinking of things that I am thankful for, Kung Fu came easily to my mind.  I could never have imagined that walking into the Kwoon years ago, trying to find an activity that would help my children with self confidence, has allowed our family to bond in ways that we have.  It has brought new and dear friends into our lives and training partners that I cherish both in and out of the Kwoon.  Kung Fu has opened my eyes to the struggles of those around me and helped give me the skills to be able to help. It has helped me REALLY look at my attitude and realize that there is so much more I can improve on and I guess that is another thing I can be thankful for.  The ability to live life and the ability to want to be better every day.


See you on the mats!