The Workout I Almost Missed!

Today, I really didn’t want to go to my exercise class. I’d had two long, exhausting days, and all I could think about were excuses not to go — and I thought up plenty.

Work ran late, so I logged in five minutes late. But I figured, okay, I’ll at least show up.

The first set of exercises was brutal — three different moves, two sets each. I told myself, I’ll just do one set, then I’ll find a reason to leave. Oh look, dishes to put away. Fine, one more set, then I’m out. Why is my kitchen suddenly so dirty?

Then came the cardio portion. Okay, I’ll get through this, and then I’ll stop. Cardio ended, and the next set began. Alright, just one more set.

This little internal negotiation went on all the way to the stretching portion — which, honestly, felt amazing. And just like that, the class was over.

Every minute of it felt like a chore, but it was so worth it. I felt really good afterwards — and now, I’m even looking forward to my next class. Time to head out... for Tai Chi.

NUMBERS

Pushups (modified): 8291

Situps (modified):  5820

Sparring: 65

KMs: 1149

AOKs: 1013

Blogs: 26

Mastery byu Stuart Emery:  Incomplete

Relationship Mend Status:  Complete

Da Mu Hsing: 217

Weapon Form: 137

Germain: 4330

Meditation: 670

Tai Chi: 903

Decluttering: 540

Yoga, Stretching, Exercise: 1020

Days of Zen: behind 

Back in the Dragon Demo After Five Years

Saturday was my first Dragon demo in over five years. I was definitely nervous being back — after such a long break, I wasn’t sure how it would go. But I was surprised at how calm I felt once the demo started.

It’s funny how much you remember — and yet how much you forget. There was so much to take in again: positioning, spacing, cues from the head, increased cardio demands, and more.

Even with all that, I was really happy I got the chance to assist and felt good doing it — especially with only two practices under my belt.

Another aha moment came during my weapon form. I missed the catch when transitioning my nunchucks to the other hand. Instead of stumbling to recover, I should have just flipped them down and reset for the catch.

In training, I’d been avoiding this adjustment so I could focus on doing the technique “correctly.” But now that part is solid — and I need to remind myself it’s okay to improvise during a demo when things don’t go exactly as planned.

If you’re coming back to something after time away — whether it’s martial arts or any other skill — don’t expect perfection. Focus on presence, not perfect performance. And when things go off-script, adapt and keep moving. That’s often when real progress happens.

NUMBERS

Pushups (modified): 7741

Situps (modified):  5520

Sparring: 65

KMs: 1138

AOKs: 986

Blogs: 25

Mastery byu Stuart Emery:  Incomplete

Relationship Mend Status:  Complete

Da Mu Hsing: 217

Weapon Form: 137

Germain: 4180

Meditation: 660

Tai Chi: 903

Decluttering: 540

Yoga, Stretching, Exercise: 970

Days of Zen: behind 

Tracking My Journey: From Kayak Adventure to Blogging Consistency

Sunday, I sat down to write a blog post about the kayak trip Mike and I took from Devon to Edmonton. It was a journey that left me feeling both nervous and exhilarated. I’d never kayaked such a long distance, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but in the end, I loved every moment of it. Not only did I add 32 km to my total distance, but I also realized something important: the unexpected moments were often the most rewarding. But, as usual, I hit a roadblock—I couldn’t finish the post.

Week after week, I’ve struggled to publish a blog, mainly because my tracking numbers are hard to pin down. I have a tracker, so my numbers are there, but it takes me time to tally them up. Because I haven’t been consistent with this, I often find myself missing the blogging deadline and falling behind. This has led to more frustration than I’d like to admit.

We’re now over seven months into the Year of the Snake, and I can see that it's time to regroup. I need to find a way to improve my tracking, to make it simpler and quicker, so I can stay on top of my blogging. I’ve made a small but important change: I’ve updated my tracker to automatically keep a running total of my numbers. That should make things easier going forward.

But the bigger challenge is consistency. Tracking is one part of the equation, but the bigger piece is showing up regularly in my writing. So, this is me, making my comeback. I’m committed to improving my consistency, and I’m starting with this post. Below, you’ll find my current totals. I’m excited to keep moving forward and share the journey with you.

NUMBERS

Pushups (modified): 7530

Situps (modified):  5414

Sparring: 64

KMs: 1087

AOKs: 875

Blogs: 24

Mastery byu Stuart Emery:  Incomplete

Relationship Mend Status:  Complete

Da Mu Hsing: 206

Weapon Form: 131

Germain: 4030

Meditation: 645

Tai Chi: 823

Decluttering: 480

Yoga, Stretching, Exercise: 900

Days of Zen: behind 

Tai Chi Workout

Today, as I worked on my transitions in Tai Chi, I found myself sweating hard—and I was reminded of something Sifu Brinker had told me during a recent one-on-one session: there’s noticeable weakness in my small muscle groups, especially during those challenging transitions in my forms. He suggested focusing on them, and wow, did it make a difference.

In addition, Sifu Dennis noticed I was leaning forward during some of those tough transitions in Tai Chi and reminded me to keep my core strong and not worry so much about going as deep. As I worked on this, I realized that I’d been locking my back leg—using larger muscles to compensate for the weakness in the smaller ones.

So, is Tai Chi a workout? Absolutely. And if it’s not for you, I’d suggest taking a step back and evaluating your practice. There’s more to it than just slow movements; it’s about muscle engagement, control, and balance.

See you on the mats!

Thankful

I can’t believe summer is almost gone.  The leaves are changing and nights are cool.  I have had the opportunity to do a lot of canning this year.  Most years I will only do a bit but this year with our trip to BC, we were able to bring home so much produce.  During Tai Chi, I have been thanking Mother Earth for this bounty as I have been trying to be more aware of the struggles happening around us.  People who do not have this opportunity to enjoy fresh food much less an abundance of it. 

Last week I helped make 250 meals for the Edmonton vulnerable.  We then handed the meals out with bottles of water.  The majority were openly grateful for these items that we take for granted.  This opportunity is headed by an Edmonton local restaurant owner who runs Padmanadi.  Kasim wants to give back and uses his restaurant to do this.  He does this silently and by word of mouth.  Having the opportunity to be meet others who were also helping was a great experience.

So this week I am thankful.  I’m thankful for friends who included me in this venture.  I’m thankful for Kasim who spearheads this opportunity.  I’m thankful to live in a country that is at peace.  I’m thankful for family, friends, Martina, being alive, a job, a house, food on the table, and being able to surround myself with like-minded people.  I’m thankful for Kung Fu, knowing that it is Kung Fu that has opened my eyes and allows me to take advantage of opportunities around me.  I have so much to be thankful for!