Of Course, the Tiger Challenge

    What else would this post be about other than the Tiger Challenge ( May 29, 2021 ). Sure it might be a mandatory requirement that we all agreed to when we signed up for the I Ho Chuan, but I would sign up regardless of it being a requirement or not. I absolutely love the Tiger Challenge. As nerve racking as it can be being put to the test , the sense of accomplishment and the pure thrill of "the moment" when your turn comes up and you strut your stuff cannot be understated, it is something you must feel for yourself.

   My first Tiger Challenge I was petrified, but I did it anyways. That was in 2014. Now I wouldn't miss it for the world. It tests you both mentally and physically. You cannot help but to grow from the experience. I find it takes me personally up not just 1 notch, but 10. I can feel my intensity ramp up to new heights as my turn comes. I can feel every move and instantly know whether I got it right or not. My body screams, my mind blurs, my heart races ( apparently my heart rate was at 180 for the musical form - wow ), but I savory every single moment. The sense of accomplishment when you know you tried your best and made it to the end, euphoric. 

   A big thanks goes out to all the judges, to all my fellow competitors, to all those who attended, and to Master Brinker for making this all possible. To be in Stony Plain Alberta Canada in 2021 practicing a 2000+ year old Martial Art from China is mind blowing. 

P.S. Mrs Ferris, that video rocked, you keep taking it up a notch for the rest of us, thank you.

  

Intensify the Intensity

    Level 10. That is where I need to be. Not coasting. Not holding back. If I am not exhausted after a class or a work out, I need to question why. With grading coming upon us very quickly, I need to push beyond comfort, no excuses. Finish my stances, kick and punch and block like my life depended upon it. My first big test on this is the Tiger Challenge this Saturday. Explode or implode, the choice is mine. Let's see what the day brings.

Potato is a Shape

    29 years old. Why do I bring that up? That was my magic age, my peak of fitness. But at what cost? Back story time.....

   Yesterday in our 2nd degree brown belt meeting we were discussing our fitness level. I knew the exact point in my life when I was at my "peak" of fitness. I was 29 years old. I went to Gold's Gym every morning for 2 hours before work and then for 2 hours after work, everyday. I had no life but the gym. I did cardio like I was running from a fire, I did Muay Thai kick boxing 3 days a week, I dabbled with free weights, so on and so on. I was 167lbs, 4% body fat, lean and mean. I ate food like it had no consequence. I was a vibrating ball of unusable energy, unable to focus that said energy. I was always on the go. I was not who I wanted to be, but I was fit. It wasn't good.

   Fast forward to now. I am 221lbs, 51 year old, body fat is like 346%, and I am shaped much more like a potato than Adonis. I look in my mental rear view mirror and I sigh, " I remember when I was (fit)(thin)(etc)...", but here is the thing, my "29" wasn't sustainable. I was always starving, I was always sore and injured, I had no use for any of my fitness. I was angry, directionless, everything annoyed me. My fitness obsession was burning me out. I was headed for both permanent physical and emotional damage. It was unsustainable! It had to stop. 

   Enter Deb. My partner into who I am now, my everything. My wife. My life.

   So here I am, on the road to grading in about 4ish months. Do I wish I was my "29" fitness, well of course I do. But that is totally unrealistic. All I can do at this point in my life is give my all, hold nothing back, but most importantly, make it sustainable! Eat properly, maintain a regular workout routine, look after my overall health, love my family and friends, and of course, savor my Kung Fu. 

   Grading is daunting, but so is life. Am I worried about grading, no. It is a gauge not a judgement. It is a tool not a hoop. I am actually really excited for it, I want to strut my stuff, full on peacock feathers! Not because of ego, but because of life. Grading is a pit stop on my journey, I will continue on regardless of the outcome. Bring it on, I'm not getting any younger you know.

Ahh the Classics

  "I hear what you are saying, but what do you have to tell?". H.G. Wells, The Invisible Man. 1897

   I am currently enjoying this classic novel by H.G Wells. I bring this up because near the end of chapter 18, this is said in the book. Of course there is a lot of context that should go with this sentence but I won't drag this on to long. This really struck me as a key to unlocking my Kung Fu. How you ask, bear with me as I muddle this out. 

   A summary of this sentence would be as follows... a story is being related to an old acquaintance by a fellow colleague, both fairly educated, neither one particularly cares for the other, one is trying to "pull the wool" over the others eyes by only giving a vague summary of the events that led them to meet. When pressed, the truth is grudgingly given. And it is an ugly truth. 

   Now to me. I try to think, live, breathe, enjoy Kung Fu to it's fullest. I like to think of Kung Fu as an ongoing saga in the story of Me. But what am I truley saying about me and my life with Kung Fu? Am I adding to the ocean of Kung Fu's legacy, or am I merely a spectator watching and cheering from the shore? Am I expressing my Kung Fu as a martial artist or as a pretender trying to fool others into thinking I am someone I am not. 

   I think that because this question bothers me so much I must look deeper into my commitment to the art, or lack of, and take some steps to engage at a higher lever. This applies both physically and mentally. 

   So right now I say to people and myself that I do Kung Fu, so now my actions must tell people, and especially myself, that this is true.  

   I hope this got my "feeling" across, I am going to go outside now and walk the walk. Let's see where this takes me, ugly truth or not, engage Mr Bjorkquist, engage.

What Did I Commit To? Me!

    Yesterdays 2nd degree brown belt meeting was, as always, great. It is always informative, supportive, and inspirational. The thing about yesterdays meeting was that there was a commitment made. In less then 2 weeks, we are doing a meeting/test on one of our requirements, kicks. I know that this is a preliminary test to show where we are at with our kicks and it will be immensely helpful towards our mastery of our kicks but none the less, I still want to do my best as though it was grading day. Speed, Power and Form. Bring my A game. Give it my all. Leave nothing on the table.

   I'm both excited and a bit freaked out. I must approach this golden opportunity with NO ego. I must be a sponge, absorb every comment, suggestion. Basics Don! Basics. No show boating, no assuming I know, listen to what is said, achieve perfection with correction.

   It's amazing how an opportunity like this narrows your focus. To me, it is like a giant magnifying glass has been put in front of my eye for detail. To say I am going to be working on my kick basics for the next two weeks would be an understatement. I am thrilled to get this chance, now I must not squander it.