Sunday, 31 March 2019
Fast week
I had this week off and it went so fast that it felt like a blink. The one thing that happened was because I was off my routine, my numbers suffered. If I can get 100 in first thing in the morning, then I hit my numbers. If I don’t, I seldom succeed even with the best intentions. So although I did a lot this week (skiing, painting, cleaning) my best intentions failed me, you think I would have figured that out by now. Here is to a new start!
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Vocabulary of Motion
What is motion? "The action or process of moving or being moved" It is something that we do as soon as we are born but takes a lifetime to master. Watch a toddler and you are amazed at how they can climb on couches that are at their shoulders. They are flexible and strong but they lack the stability and the experience. A teenage is flexible, agile, and fearless but they lack the wisdom. As you grow older, you lose the flexibility, the fearlessness, and bad habits have set in but you have wisdom and persistence to keep moving.
So how does Kung Fu help with motion? It teaches you proper techniques but it does so much more. It does not matter how young or old you are, Kung Fu gets you to start "feeling" your movements. It makes you realize bad habits and helps you work on breaking them.
Since the first day I walked onto the mats, I have been working on my stances, my transitions, my movements. It seems just when you fix one thing, there is something else to work on. Through the years, the process for me has changed from being told when something is wrong, then to "feeling" something is wrong but needing to ask someone to tell me why, to now where I am "feeling" and then trusting myself to make the change required until it is right.
This was very evident during my last ski trip. I have always been able to turn left easier than right but when I started to "feel" the motion, I noticed I did not bend my knees as much and my center was higher and more forward than it should be. I did not think of why this was occurring, I just made the modifications needed and focused on that. Within a few turns, I had improved those right turns drastically and had a great day skiing. Another example was during one of my recent jogging days. I noticed I was feeling jarring on my shins so I modified how my foot was hitting the treadmill, what leg and glut muscles I was engaging, and how much shock I was absorbing in my knees. That was the first time that I actually ran for 5K without walking breaks! Even at work, when standing, I will do a mental check to make sure my knees are not locked. This is my current bad habit that I am working on fixing. How are locking my knees considered motion? Motion does not need to be drastic, it can be very obvious as when you change your stances, but it also can be very minute like when you tighten your muscles before impact during a punch or not locking your joints.
Our motion in Kung Fu is also linked with six harmonies. In the above skiing example, the first three physical harmonies are easily identified: Hips and shoulders, Elbows and Knees, and Hands and Feet. The three spiritual harmonies of Spirit with Intent, Intent with Chi, Chi with Power are harder to identify but they are still there. Spirit with Intent is in my willingness to always improve and then making the change, Intent with Chi is being found in the "feeling" when I am doing the motion, and Chi with Power is feeling the earth when I am executing that turn with no hesitation and with confidence.
So do not think that your movements or six harmonies are things you only work on in the Kwoon. By taking them out of the Kwoon, you will start to see huge benefits. I know that it has improved my posture, I walk more confidently on ice, I have started running, I climb stairs easier, and it has improved my skiing just to name a few. So always keep moving and take the time to "feel" that movement!
See you on the mats!
So how does Kung Fu help with motion? It teaches you proper techniques but it does so much more. It does not matter how young or old you are, Kung Fu gets you to start "feeling" your movements. It makes you realize bad habits and helps you work on breaking them.
Since the first day I walked onto the mats, I have been working on my stances, my transitions, my movements. It seems just when you fix one thing, there is something else to work on. Through the years, the process for me has changed from being told when something is wrong, then to "feeling" something is wrong but needing to ask someone to tell me why, to now where I am "feeling" and then trusting myself to make the change required until it is right.
This was very evident during my last ski trip. I have always been able to turn left easier than right but when I started to "feel" the motion, I noticed I did not bend my knees as much and my center was higher and more forward than it should be. I did not think of why this was occurring, I just made the modifications needed and focused on that. Within a few turns, I had improved those right turns drastically and had a great day skiing. Another example was during one of my recent jogging days. I noticed I was feeling jarring on my shins so I modified how my foot was hitting the treadmill, what leg and glut muscles I was engaging, and how much shock I was absorbing in my knees. That was the first time that I actually ran for 5K without walking breaks! Even at work, when standing, I will do a mental check to make sure my knees are not locked. This is my current bad habit that I am working on fixing. How are locking my knees considered motion? Motion does not need to be drastic, it can be very obvious as when you change your stances, but it also can be very minute like when you tighten your muscles before impact during a punch or not locking your joints.
Our motion in Kung Fu is also linked with six harmonies. In the above skiing example, the first three physical harmonies are easily identified: Hips and shoulders, Elbows and Knees, and Hands and Feet. The three spiritual harmonies of Spirit with Intent, Intent with Chi, Chi with Power are harder to identify but they are still there. Spirit with Intent is in my willingness to always improve and then making the change, Intent with Chi is being found in the "feeling" when I am doing the motion, and Chi with Power is feeling the earth when I am executing that turn with no hesitation and with confidence.
So do not think that your movements or six harmonies are things you only work on in the Kwoon. By taking them out of the Kwoon, you will start to see huge benefits. I know that it has improved my posture, I walk more confidently on ice, I have started running, I climb stairs easier, and it has improved my skiing just to name a few. So always keep moving and take the time to "feel" that movement!
See you on the mats!
Sunday, 17 March 2019
Help is Always Around the Corner
This weeks blog is about the help that is always around us, sometimes it is obvious and other times we need to ask. This last few weeks there has been many times when I was given help from such amazing people. I would like to specifically thank Sifu Lindstrom, Sifu Hayes, and Mr. Sollinger for helping me with great strides in my Kung Fu and in my mental confidence.
I will start with Sifu Lindstrom. In the last few weeks, he has stopped by and helped me with Lau Gar, Tai Chi, but the one that had the most impact was helping me with my shoulder rolls. I have a shoulder roll in my dual knife weapons form. This should not be such a big deal but I can not do good shoulder roll. Initially it was a mental block (that floor is so far down...) and then once I injured my shoulders, I just could not do them without pain. First it was because of the injury and then later the injury became a good excuse. I had suggestions of removing the shoulder roll from my form and I could have done that but honestly, it would have just been another excuse so I decided to power through this. Last week I started to add them in my form but that did not turn out so good. I ended up with a bruised shoulder and hip. Hmmm, I must not be doing something right. So Thursday, I got rid of the weapons and started at the basics. I kept barrel rolling over and over and that was when Sifu Lindstrom came by to help. He did not judge me, he just started with the basics and helped to show me where I was going wrong. By the end of the night I was doing a shoulder roll instead of a barrel roll. They were not great but better. At least now I have the techniques so I can keep working on them until I improve.
In Lau Gar, Sifu Hayes showed me how the techniques could be used in real applications. That always helps me because I like to know the why. Mr. Sollinger has done the same with my weapons form (which he created, it is such an awesome yet challenging form!). This allows me to focus on intent when I am doing the forms. It is no longer just a block, but a "block the leg, use the momentum to follow through and strike the torso". Mr. Sollinger also helped me modify his form so I can do a shoulder roll on my good shoulder instead of doing it on the bad one. If I'm going to do this, I might as well be smart about it (and honestly, it still makes me scared but practice and time will help with that).
These are just three examples of help that I received recently. Sometimes I had to ask for it but most times it was "can I give you a suggestion?". If you ever hear those words, shout "Yes please!" and start to absorb the knowledge you are about to receive. I have singled out these examples but they were not the only ones that occurred these last few weeks. Things that were directly spoken to me and even more, the things that were spoken to others. There is always help around you, sometimes you need to ask for it, and then you need an open mind to absorb what is being given.
See you on the mats!
I will start with Sifu Lindstrom. In the last few weeks, he has stopped by and helped me with Lau Gar, Tai Chi, but the one that had the most impact was helping me with my shoulder rolls. I have a shoulder roll in my dual knife weapons form. This should not be such a big deal but I can not do good shoulder roll. Initially it was a mental block (that floor is so far down...) and then once I injured my shoulders, I just could not do them without pain. First it was because of the injury and then later the injury became a good excuse. I had suggestions of removing the shoulder roll from my form and I could have done that but honestly, it would have just been another excuse so I decided to power through this. Last week I started to add them in my form but that did not turn out so good. I ended up with a bruised shoulder and hip. Hmmm, I must not be doing something right. So Thursday, I got rid of the weapons and started at the basics. I kept barrel rolling over and over and that was when Sifu Lindstrom came by to help. He did not judge me, he just started with the basics and helped to show me where I was going wrong. By the end of the night I was doing a shoulder roll instead of a barrel roll. They were not great but better. At least now I have the techniques so I can keep working on them until I improve.
In Lau Gar, Sifu Hayes showed me how the techniques could be used in real applications. That always helps me because I like to know the why. Mr. Sollinger has done the same with my weapons form (which he created, it is such an awesome yet challenging form!). This allows me to focus on intent when I am doing the forms. It is no longer just a block, but a "block the leg, use the momentum to follow through and strike the torso". Mr. Sollinger also helped me modify his form so I can do a shoulder roll on my good shoulder instead of doing it on the bad one. If I'm going to do this, I might as well be smart about it (and honestly, it still makes me scared but practice and time will help with that).
These are just three examples of help that I received recently. Sometimes I had to ask for it but most times it was "can I give you a suggestion?". If you ever hear those words, shout "Yes please!" and start to absorb the knowledge you are about to receive. I have singled out these examples but they were not the only ones that occurred these last few weeks. Things that were directly spoken to me and even more, the things that were spoken to others. There is always help around you, sometimes you need to ask for it, and then you need an open mind to absorb what is being given.
See you on the mats!
Friday, 8 March 2019
Worst Day Ever?
“Worst Day Ever?” by Chanie
Gorkin
Today was the absolute worst
day ever
And don’t try to convince me
that
There’s something good in every
day
Because, when you take a closer
look,
This world is a pretty evil
place.
Even if
Some goodness does shine
through once in a while
Satisfaction and happiness
don’t last.
And it’s not true that It’s all
in the mind and heart
Because
True happiness can be obtained
Only if one’s surroundings are
good
It’s not true that good exists
I’m sure you can agree that
The reality
Creates
My attitude
It’s all beyond my control
And you’ll never in a million
years hear me say that
Today was a good day
*Now read from the bottom to
the top*
Your
attitude is all about your perspective. A friend recently sent me this poem and
I wanted to share its important message.
Chanie wrote this poem for a
school assignment when she was 16 years old. Her teacher had asked the class to
write about their ‘worst day ever’.
Sunday, 3 March 2019
Can one person change the world?
“We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.” – Mahatma Gandhi
I loved this quote and the more times that I read it, the more that I ponder its meaning. Sifu Brinker has stated many times "look in the mirror and see the REAL you and then let others see that you". Make sure the person you show others is the real you and then you can work on things that you want to make better. By changing ourselves to be better, to work on mastery, we become the person that others now notice and even may want to emulate.
One major thing that I have gained through Kung Fu is awareness. Awareness of things around me and the things within me. It has shown me things that I need to work on and it has made me a better person.
So can one person change the world? According to Gandhi, it all starts with one person. Will that one person be you?
See you on the mats!
I loved this quote and the more times that I read it, the more that I ponder its meaning. Sifu Brinker has stated many times "look in the mirror and see the REAL you and then let others see that you". Make sure the person you show others is the real you and then you can work on things that you want to make better. By changing ourselves to be better, to work on mastery, we become the person that others now notice and even may want to emulate.
One major thing that I have gained through Kung Fu is awareness. Awareness of things around me and the things within me. It has shown me things that I need to work on and it has made me a better person.
So can one person change the world? According to Gandhi, it all starts with one person. Will that one person be you?
See you on the mats!
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