Need the Challange

    1000 front thrust kicks in 11 days then 1000 side heel in 12 days. I  love these challenges. I have learned so much about my kicks and stances during these 2 challenges. Normally I would practice a few kicks here and there, never with any real purpose or goal, but the 1000 in "X" days I find to be a real personal motivator. While not many students have chosen to partake in these challenges, those who do participate, and post their results, inspire me to try harder, to NOT quit. Thank you for this.

   The one that has been an eye opener for me is the side heel from different stances. I love the flexibility of this kick. While the goal of the kick is the same regardless of the stance, the path to finishing the technique varies based on that stance. From a bow stance, I have a ton of "snap" at the point of impact but my speed between kicks is marginal, from a horse stance I have way more speed between kicks but the power at the point of impact diminishes. I am still playing with the cross step (thanks for that Mrs Ferris!), 

   I also find that with each stance, my body "hurts" in different places. My knees from a bow and my ankles from a horse. This has forced some reflection on why there is pain    ( good pain = learning pain ), and I now see that the pain is pointing to where I am doing the technique wrong. Like a big neon sign saying "eliminate your pain now with a few doses of eye for detail". When I am in a bow, I am not pivoting my rear foot enough to relieve the stress on my knee, solution, pivot more ( duh ). When I am in a horse, I am to tall in my stance and my center  makes me unstable in  the lower extremities putting extra stress on my ankles, solution, lower my center ( double duh ). 

   I doubt I would of had there revelations if not for these challenges, or at least not in as short a time frame. WE ALL NEED MORE CHALLENGES to achieve mastery. Are we saying "good enough" or are we saying "good, enough" in our training? The first is mediocrity, the second is the path to mastery. I know which path I want to follow, do you?