The Little Things

    Cranes wings in Lau Gar. Specifically in II. In Wednesdays class we really worked on this. It is now Sunday and I am still playing with both their extension outward/sideways(?) and timing/extension with the kick. The more I extend, the higher my kick, the more compressed. the lower my kick. Funny how the body wants to control it's action when the mind is telling it to do something else. I can feel my center move up when I extend to far to compensate for the balance shift, and I can feel my shoulders hunch when I try to keep to tight/compressed. This is definitely a work in progress, and it really opens my eyes to the little things. Now that I can feel the move I am going to watch myself many time in a mirror to see if my mind and body are in harmony or both singing a different song.

Talk to a Pro

    The double kick. Front thrust kick forward, same leg side kick backwards. I have always envied (in a good way) those who could do this kick smoothly and with intent and power. I was struggling with this on Thursday in the IHC class. I just couldn’t get it right. So I called in an expert. Sifu Vantuil came over, watched and pointed out some incredibly obvious flaws in what I was doing. Such simple fixes, and I am already feeling the results. 

   The main problem is I am bullheaded. Ego centric. Male. I didn’t think I needed to ask for help. That I could fix it on my own. What an idiot. Hopefully this is a lesson learned for me. I don’t know it all. I can’t do it by myself. Time to go out of my comfort zone and seek help. So get ready world, here I come with a bucket load of questions I have been holding on to. I may not ask in front of the class but I will ask. 

Needed That

    Forms. I may have mentioned a few times in previous blogs that I love forms. Well this past Wednesday in class, Sifu Langner re-introduced me to my reason for my love of forms. This time it was my high back stance (or lack there of). I thought I was doing a high back stance, I was not. Again, my eye for detail was not as focused as I thought it was. I was doing what was easy, not what was correct. Since that time I have done repeated high back stances, and I am finding old habits are extremely hard to break. So all I can do is to take this one step at a time. First correct, not protect 😁. Then analyze, then correct again and so on. The high back stance is difficult but not impossible so I will work at it till I can look in a mirror and say “hey man. nice stance”. 

Oblivious to the Obvious

    I debated (and still am) how to approach this blog. It has to do with grading. One word, so many feelings. The most important thing right now is how sore my butt is from me kicking myself in it. Why,  because I should have been there this year, but I wasn't. And that is 100% on me. Mrs. Kohut said it perfectly in one of our meetings, the word was "dabbling". Again, one word with so many meanings. As I reflect back on 2020 then 2021, I must be honest with myself, I failed at my commitment to my path, I dabbled instead. I failed at reaching for the brass ring. I floated, hoping "good enough" was good enough. 

   Obviously it wasn't or this blog would be completely different. 

   Master Brinker makes it so easy for us to "get there". Just follow the path laid out in front of you (I Ho Chaun!!). It is obvious it works, just look at the over 100 black belts who have learned from him. Each name up on the wall is proof he knows what he is talking about. But noooo, Don's ego said otherwise. Stupid ego. 

   Will I continue on the path I am on? Will I adapt to the changes I need to make to "get there"? Will grow in my Martial arts of float along like a plastic straw looking for a turtle's nose to comfort me? 

   I know what I want to happen, I know the way to get there, but I seem to be oblivious to the obvious. 

P.S. I love turtles, and I don't use plastic strays, just wanted to paint a pic.

Busy Busy Busy

    It's that time of the year, everything happens all at once. I realistically don't have a free day till the 2nd week of January. And I love it!! I am going to squeeze every ounce of universe juice out of the next month, savoring it's sweet connection to the world around me. Christmas time with the family, traveling to Mexico Jan 1-8 (hopefully), Kody grading for Black Belt, a weekend trip with my wife, Grey Cup football, my dog Bailey, of course my Kung Fu, all of it sweeter than any candy. Even just sitting at home with the tree lit up and the Christmas lights on, I feel the warmth in my heart and it feels goooood. 

   I have so much in my life to be thankful for that I dare not complain, that would be a dis-justice to those whom my not have as fortunate a life. I have my health (asthma and all), I have an incredible family (best in the world IMO), I have a good paying job (like it or not), I have no reason to complain (even though I do - first world entitlement).

    So what am I complaining about? As I look inside for an answer, I realize, nothing important. Sure I could ask for more, but I don't need more to live a great life. I must live in THIS moment, enjoy it for as long as it will last. In fact, I am going to go do the first of the Christmas challenges by Mr Bauer and at the same time contemplate Sifu Cosgrove's "A Royal Path of Knowledge AND Tea With The Devil" , and I am going to enjoy each kick as though it is my last whilst making each kick as perfect as I can.

   Not sure this blog was what I intended but I just let it flow, almost no filter or correction, random. Sorry bout that. I would give it a 2 on the Sifu Csillag missile scale, bordering on a one.