Home training:
Weekly totals
Drop Kick, back shoulder roll: 92
Sit ups: 140
Pushups: 1050
Squat Thrusts: 140
Cross stepping back kicks: 560
Round House kicks: 700
Inner quad repetitions from sifu Laurie's Shaolin fitness: 12 sets of 8
Slide stepping stretches from sifu Frietag's Friday night class: 100
2.5 km run: 1
As I perform my nightly kicks, I find myself analyzing what I'm doing. Thoughts this week were:
1. Board breaks: I'm thinking that for the test, a plain old side heel kick is an easy shot. But its not my most spectacular kick. Why should I not try to break the boards with my most spectacular kicks? By aiming to do this, then I am forcing myself to work on my strengths with same intensity as I work on my weaknesses. So I'm thinking that I should start home training in January with the reverse round house and spinning back kick: by doing 100 of these kicks per night, and then later I should start breaking a few boards.
2. Perfecting the kicks: I feel myself improving alot of techniques that go into each kick. But I also wonder whether I'm starting to incorporate some bad habits into my nightly repetitions. Is my timing correct on the roundhouse, what should a high rising kick really look like, what should I be doing with my guard as I move in and then move out from a cross stepping back kick? I need to get a reality check by having a sifu watch me perform 10 repetitions of the kicks in question. Then I can be told what I need to correct. I also had one crazy thought - cross stepping kicks performed on the balance beam: I wonder if there's any advantage to be gained by doing this?
3. Drop kick back should roll: This is a struggle. I know the repetitions are improving my ability to perform this technique - but so far, my progress is marginal. There must be something fundamentally wrong. I'll need to demo this kick to a sifu as well.
It was hard this week because I was unable to attend any of the classes. I managed to keep up my nightly training, but it led to alot of introspection and no input from outside. I can see that it would be very easy to get off track, or go in circles.
Home reading: I've made my boss my reading mentor right now. He doesn't know this, and, eerily, he is sitting right behind me as I type this in the St. Albert Library. So I'm in the middle of reading '3 nights in Havanna' which is about Fidel Castro's and Trudeau's relationship leading up to and following Pierre's historic diplomatic visit to Cuba in 1976. There's another book about Castro that Alex highly reccomends, and it will be next. Its hard keeping up to my boss - he's reading Gwynn Dyer's most recent book, "Environmental Wars" and I want to read that too.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
From My Journal: Oct 11-18, 2008
Home Training, Thursday October 16, 2008: Today I got home at 9:30pm, knowing that I had my regular nightly training to do, and that I was behind in my round house kicks for the 100 day Kwoon talk challenge. I needed to do 150 push ups, 20 sit ups, 20 squat thrusts, 80 cross stepping back kicks, 200 round house kicks, and 20 drop kicks. I also needed to throw a load of laundry in, see about the girls' homework, start the dishwasher, pack the girls off to bed, and chit chat with the husband. But I also wanted to be in bed and reading by a decent time, because I get up to go to work at 5:30am. There were so many reasons not to train, and I was tired, but I said to myself, "I will do this", and I got started as soon as I got in. Two things surprised me. "First, that I was confident that I could get my training done within the hour, when only a year ago, it would have been a struggle to get 150 push ups done within the waking hours of my day. The second thing that surprised me was the level of intensity that I achieved during my training. I pushed myself to get everything done in good time, so when I was catching my breath from the kicks, I was doing my push ups. My kicks had power, and I did them at a good pace. I got to wondering, "Does intensity take care of itself: is it a natural result of prolonged, focused, disciplined training with a purpose?". Furthermore, "If I am able to apply some of my energy to thinking about this question, whilst doing the round house kicks and the squat thrusts, is this really intensity?".
I think I got everything done within a half hour and this got me worrying - it's an achievement worth posting, but I run the risk of sounding full of myself, and so those I would hope to encourage by posting my observations may not even appreciate the message - it may even alienate the readers. I remember when Mr. Prince posted his 1000 push ups challenge - he stated that he got them done in 15 minutes. I thought, "Whatever". Unfortunately, his message was the exact opposite of inspiring or encouraging for me. One is tempted to think that he was exaggerating, he was only doing ladies push ups, he was born with special talents, or that his youth or maleness made it easier to do the push ups than for the rest of us. I'm sure that Mr. Prince was just trying to raise the bar, and push his fellow students but his message did not do that for me. Now I find myself in the difficult position of falling into the same category as I put Mr. Prince into.
My parents taught me, that people who achieve amazing things in life such as in sports, music, academics, career, or leadership, are talented. The rest of us can only hope to achieve mediocre results. I started to rebel against their message in high school by expecting to place high in academics and sports and by setting goals like going to university. As a parent now, I teach my girls that the difference between average, and amazing is merely the work, discipline, and dedication you put into your achievements. I taught this through their piano, homework, badminton, and volleyball. As the girls get older (14 & 16 yrs), and their goals become more long term and complex, I find that I often have to point to my current actions and achievements to make the message believable to them. The girls are both at an age where immediate gratification is the driving force. How to keep them focused, disciplined, and continuing to work towards their long term goals? I'm finding a measure of success in the fact the Jill and Janet see me in the basement, doing my kicks and push ups, they watch the progress that I am making, they join me when I run and train at Servus place, they ask for pointers and tips on training, nutrition, staying motivated, self discipline, and they apply what they see to achieving their own goals, in sports, school, and life.
This is why the 100 day challenge is so important. Different students at different stages and with different goals and hurdles share the details of their current struggles as they unfold. By witnessing each others' methods, pitfalls, progress and achievements, and by asking each other for pointers, support and motivation, we will all get a lot further than if we remained ignorant of the details of each others' endeavors.
Friday night Kung fu Class: led by sifu frietag. It was about lowering our centre. Slide stepping, horse stance slide stepping, pushed in horse stance, and low back stance with an exaggerated wide stance. This worked the flexibility a lot, and sifu frietag talked about having flexibility with strength. Moving from one low stance to the next should not require a rock or lean to get there; instead it should be smooth and a low centre should be maintained. This can be achieved by working on flexibility with strength, and the exercises we did in class will help us achieve just that. She also mentioned that flexibility with strength is required in Lung I and II. So next week I will practice all this at home.
Saturday morning Shaolin Fitness: led by Sifu Laurie. As promised to the 100 day challenge Kwoon talkers, we worked on exercises that will help prevent and heal knee injuries. Unfortunately, the Kwoon talkers were not at the class, so I will post my summary on Kwoon talk.
Saturday Open Training: Thank goodness Sihing Lilienskold made it this week. She helps me alot, as does Sihing Maitland. And I hope they think the same of me. We worked on Say Shen, in particular, the drop kick back shoulder roll, as my drop kick is abysmal. A lively debate was had over which shoulder we roll over, but Sihing Lilienskold ended the matter by dragging out Master Brinker. It turns out that most of us had it all wrong, and so there is a lot of work to be done here - because my back shoulder roll over the left shoulder is worse than abysmal. So next week I will continue to practice this at home. Sihing Kichko mentioned that she read my kwoon talk post about 'being on track' for the 100 day challenge. She said that she thought to herself, "Whatever".
Home reading: My boss at work is 82 years old and has a pacemaker. He exercises every morning on his stationary bike for 50 minutes, eats grits and a banana for breakfast, and swims once a week. He is an engineer, with a double PHD in economics and political science also. He reads alot (exclusively non-fiction), and so do I, so we are always exchanging our reading lists. He got me onto his favorite prime minister - Mackenzie King. Now he's talking about Fidel Castro. So I will have to get a book out about him - I've only read about Che. I'm in between book lists now. It happens regularly. I'll find a subject and go great guns - can't stop reading and exploring the subject. And then I'm done with subject for a while and there's this gap where I cast about looking at various subjects until something gets me going. Mackenzie King was OK. Fidel might be more interesting, but soon enough I'll chance upon a subject that generates a whole new list of 'must reads'.
I think I got everything done within a half hour and this got me worrying - it's an achievement worth posting, but I run the risk of sounding full of myself, and so those I would hope to encourage by posting my observations may not even appreciate the message - it may even alienate the readers. I remember when Mr. Prince posted his 1000 push ups challenge - he stated that he got them done in 15 minutes. I thought, "Whatever". Unfortunately, his message was the exact opposite of inspiring or encouraging for me. One is tempted to think that he was exaggerating, he was only doing ladies push ups, he was born with special talents, or that his youth or maleness made it easier to do the push ups than for the rest of us. I'm sure that Mr. Prince was just trying to raise the bar, and push his fellow students but his message did not do that for me. Now I find myself in the difficult position of falling into the same category as I put Mr. Prince into.
My parents taught me, that people who achieve amazing things in life such as in sports, music, academics, career, or leadership, are talented. The rest of us can only hope to achieve mediocre results. I started to rebel against their message in high school by expecting to place high in academics and sports and by setting goals like going to university. As a parent now, I teach my girls that the difference between average, and amazing is merely the work, discipline, and dedication you put into your achievements. I taught this through their piano, homework, badminton, and volleyball. As the girls get older (14 & 16 yrs), and their goals become more long term and complex, I find that I often have to point to my current actions and achievements to make the message believable to them. The girls are both at an age where immediate gratification is the driving force. How to keep them focused, disciplined, and continuing to work towards their long term goals? I'm finding a measure of success in the fact the Jill and Janet see me in the basement, doing my kicks and push ups, they watch the progress that I am making, they join me when I run and train at Servus place, they ask for pointers and tips on training, nutrition, staying motivated, self discipline, and they apply what they see to achieving their own goals, in sports, school, and life.
This is why the 100 day challenge is so important. Different students at different stages and with different goals and hurdles share the details of their current struggles as they unfold. By witnessing each others' methods, pitfalls, progress and achievements, and by asking each other for pointers, support and motivation, we will all get a lot further than if we remained ignorant of the details of each others' endeavors.
Friday night Kung fu Class: led by sifu frietag. It was about lowering our centre. Slide stepping, horse stance slide stepping, pushed in horse stance, and low back stance with an exaggerated wide stance. This worked the flexibility a lot, and sifu frietag talked about having flexibility with strength. Moving from one low stance to the next should not require a rock or lean to get there; instead it should be smooth and a low centre should be maintained. This can be achieved by working on flexibility with strength, and the exercises we did in class will help us achieve just that. She also mentioned that flexibility with strength is required in Lung I and II. So next week I will practice all this at home.
Saturday morning Shaolin Fitness: led by Sifu Laurie. As promised to the 100 day challenge Kwoon talkers, we worked on exercises that will help prevent and heal knee injuries. Unfortunately, the Kwoon talkers were not at the class, so I will post my summary on Kwoon talk.
Saturday Open Training: Thank goodness Sihing Lilienskold made it this week. She helps me alot, as does Sihing Maitland. And I hope they think the same of me. We worked on Say Shen, in particular, the drop kick back shoulder roll, as my drop kick is abysmal. A lively debate was had over which shoulder we roll over, but Sihing Lilienskold ended the matter by dragging out Master Brinker. It turns out that most of us had it all wrong, and so there is a lot of work to be done here - because my back shoulder roll over the left shoulder is worse than abysmal. So next week I will continue to practice this at home. Sihing Kichko mentioned that she read my kwoon talk post about 'being on track' for the 100 day challenge. She said that she thought to herself, "Whatever".
Home reading: My boss at work is 82 years old and has a pacemaker. He exercises every morning on his stationary bike for 50 minutes, eats grits and a banana for breakfast, and swims once a week. He is an engineer, with a double PHD in economics and political science also. He reads alot (exclusively non-fiction), and so do I, so we are always exchanging our reading lists. He got me onto his favorite prime minister - Mackenzie King. Now he's talking about Fidel Castro. So I will have to get a book out about him - I've only read about Che. I'm in between book lists now. It happens regularly. I'll find a subject and go great guns - can't stop reading and exploring the subject. And then I'm done with subject for a while and there's this gap where I cast about looking at various subjects until something gets me going. Mackenzie King was OK. Fidel might be more interesting, but soon enough I'll chance upon a subject that generates a whole new list of 'must reads'.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
From my Journal Sepetember 27- October 3, 2008
Saturday Shaolin Fitness Class: with Sifu Laurie. 13 fitness stations at 1.5 minutes each and then we did the agility fitness drill several times. My time was 6.3, 6.4, and 6.2 seconds. This is a rating of 4.
Early this summer, Sihing Langnor suffered a serious injury to her leg and was not able to walk for weeks. She still came to shaolin class and participated where she could, which was mostly by watching or by sitting down on the the floor and doing what we were doing or adaptations of it. Over the next few months, she began to participate on her feet, leaning on one leg at first, limping next, and now I thing she looks normal when she walks. She is even running. At first, when we ran the timed wind sprints, we all politely waited while Sihing Langnor gritted her teeth or pursed her lips and walk/ran the entire exercise. Her times slowly improved. A few weeks ago, we started the agility drill, and though she has to be careful, she has perfected her technique in pacing so well that her times are moving up the rating scale. This week I witness what has to be an even more inspiring achievement of hers. Sihing Langnor has the most beautiful and powerful round house kicks. Students in the shaolin class, as they were sweating and panting away at one of the 13 fitness stations, could not help but notice the power of Sihing Langnor's round house kicks as she worked the bags with intensity for the entire segment. Her kicks have to be better that they were before she had her injury. She told us that since her accident, she was forced to work on technique alone, without power or intensity. By taking several steps back in her training, she made amazing progress. This has to be the most inspiring thing I've witnessed in a long time. It's made me look at my weekly training and refocus on taking a step back to work on technique. And its given me confidence that the greatest results will come from practicing technique over and over.
Open Training: None because of Janet's volleyball tournament.
Home training: I decided to dedicate October to practicing all the Yellow/Orange belt techniques. This week, I picked 4 combinations, a sticky hands, and 4 warm up things. I also continued the Kwoon talk challenge of pushups, sit ups, squat thrusts, cross stepping kicks and round house kicks. I also practiced the 2k run twice this week by running 2.25 km. By the end of the week, I completed all the Kwoon talk challenge stuff, but only did 3 of the 4 yellow/orange combinations on two occasions. I felt bad about this, and wondered if my training plan this week is too heavy on the fitness and not enough on technique or bag work.
Friday Kung Fu Class: led by Master Brinker: we did round house, spinning back kick, reverse round house, straight pushing back kick alone, in combinations, with and without a partner holding a shield. And pushups in between. He talked to the class about making sure that our techniques look at least better than a green belt level. This is something to keep in mind at home training as I tackle each of the techniques in the curriculum. Then we had question period, and we did push ups in between questions. There were some very good questions but I forgot them all because I didn't bother to write them down in my book right away. My loss.
Home reading: Still reading about MacKenzie King's mother. What a dreary life of bourgeouise poverty she led! I've been thinking alot about my own life, and what I want it to look like after my daughters become more independent. Sometimes I think I want a little house in the country, with a woodworking shop for me and my husband, and my dog. I want to get rid of all the encumbrances I've collected during my parenting years, like the big house to clean, with lots of clutter in it. I want to move towards doing more, and having less. Or having more time, and less things. There's a lovely quote I've kept from a book I read last summer. It's a coffee table picture book about Clayoquot Sound and the people who live there. One old fellow who died recently lived in a shack on the beach for years, and people came from all round to take lessons from him on hand wood carving. His shack had a wood stove and a bed. He had a dog. He is quoted as saying something like: "You get a carpet, and then you need a vaccum cleaner. And then the dog can't come in."
Early this summer, Sihing Langnor suffered a serious injury to her leg and was not able to walk for weeks. She still came to shaolin class and participated where she could, which was mostly by watching or by sitting down on the the floor and doing what we were doing or adaptations of it. Over the next few months, she began to participate on her feet, leaning on one leg at first, limping next, and now I thing she looks normal when she walks. She is even running. At first, when we ran the timed wind sprints, we all politely waited while Sihing Langnor gritted her teeth or pursed her lips and walk/ran the entire exercise. Her times slowly improved. A few weeks ago, we started the agility drill, and though she has to be careful, she has perfected her technique in pacing so well that her times are moving up the rating scale. This week I witness what has to be an even more inspiring achievement of hers. Sihing Langnor has the most beautiful and powerful round house kicks. Students in the shaolin class, as they were sweating and panting away at one of the 13 fitness stations, could not help but notice the power of Sihing Langnor's round house kicks as she worked the bags with intensity for the entire segment. Her kicks have to be better that they were before she had her injury. She told us that since her accident, she was forced to work on technique alone, without power or intensity. By taking several steps back in her training, she made amazing progress. This has to be the most inspiring thing I've witnessed in a long time. It's made me look at my weekly training and refocus on taking a step back to work on technique. And its given me confidence that the greatest results will come from practicing technique over and over.
Open Training: None because of Janet's volleyball tournament.
Home training: I decided to dedicate October to practicing all the Yellow/Orange belt techniques. This week, I picked 4 combinations, a sticky hands, and 4 warm up things. I also continued the Kwoon talk challenge of pushups, sit ups, squat thrusts, cross stepping kicks and round house kicks. I also practiced the 2k run twice this week by running 2.25 km. By the end of the week, I completed all the Kwoon talk challenge stuff, but only did 3 of the 4 yellow/orange combinations on two occasions. I felt bad about this, and wondered if my training plan this week is too heavy on the fitness and not enough on technique or bag work.
Friday Kung Fu Class: led by Master Brinker: we did round house, spinning back kick, reverse round house, straight pushing back kick alone, in combinations, with and without a partner holding a shield. And pushups in between. He talked to the class about making sure that our techniques look at least better than a green belt level. This is something to keep in mind at home training as I tackle each of the techniques in the curriculum. Then we had question period, and we did push ups in between questions. There were some very good questions but I forgot them all because I didn't bother to write them down in my book right away. My loss.
Home reading: Still reading about MacKenzie King's mother. What a dreary life of bourgeouise poverty she led! I've been thinking alot about my own life, and what I want it to look like after my daughters become more independent. Sometimes I think I want a little house in the country, with a woodworking shop for me and my husband, and my dog. I want to get rid of all the encumbrances I've collected during my parenting years, like the big house to clean, with lots of clutter in it. I want to move towards doing more, and having less. Or having more time, and less things. There's a lovely quote I've kept from a book I read last summer. It's a coffee table picture book about Clayoquot Sound and the people who live there. One old fellow who died recently lived in a shack on the beach for years, and people came from all round to take lessons from him on hand wood carving. His shack had a wood stove and a bed. He had a dog. He is quoted as saying something like: "You get a carpet, and then you need a vaccum cleaner. And then the dog can't come in."
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