IHC Number Update - July 8, 2021

 My July IHC Update

✅ = achieving/exceeding my numbers or generally on track where numbers don't really apply.  

❌ = behind on my numbers, things aren't going well or I haven't taken any steps to complete the goal yet.

➖ = unsure of progress, the opportunity hasn't presented itself yet, it may take the full year to properly evaluate, or it's something I would need my instructors to determine my success/failure.  I've decided to still list these things here just as a reminder that they are still requirements.

Base Requirements

✅  Hand Form - Da Mu Hsing I-V  419/1000

✅  Knife Form - Goju-Shorei Talon  415/1000

✅ Push-ups  21655/50,000

✅ Sit-ups  21658/50,000

✅ Sparring  416/1000

✅ Kilometers 823/1609

✅ Acts of Kindness 417/1000

✅ Blogging/Online Presence

✅ Unexcused Absences

❌ Mastery by Stewart Emery...I've been neglecting this...

➖ Mend a Relationship - This is hard.  But I'm still working at it.

❌  Lion Dancing - haven't really focused on this recently

 ❌ Tiger Challenge

✅  Public Performances - Participating in virtual demo

✅  Core Curriculum - I'm assuming

✅  SRKF Projects and Initiatives - currently assisting Sifu Ward with virtual demo video.

Personal Requirements

✅  Weekly Dharma Talks - I'm running short on these.  I've substituted some reading of Thich Nhat Hanh books for this.

❌ Pottery - Not much happening hands on lately.  But my moms husband was here and got my kiln wired up properly so I should be able to do my first bisque fire!!!

✅  Box Jumps - This is proving to be very difficult.  I thought that after I worked past that first one it would be smooth sailing.  Not so.  I'm up to 3.  But progressing nonetheless.

✅ Learn how to change my car tires  - Complete.

❌ Learn how to change Oil  - I gave up waiting for Dan and took it in...lol.  This will have to wait until next time.

✅ Indoor Plant - I thought I was down to 1 lemon tree.  But I left the other (that seemed to be dying) and low and behold it suddenly had some new growth!!  My main lemon tree is doing very well (picture in comments).  Things were touch and go for a bit when Tank knocked my whole plant stand over and I even had to replant some things that were knocked right out of their pots.  But it looks like it's all survived that for now!  And my Kwoon spider plant is doing amazingly well and is producing all kinds of babies (picture in comments).

❌ Save for Family Getaway - I have to start over.  We needed a new roof.  😥

✅ Compliment Dan, Emma and Nathan at least once a day.

✅ Children's book - Complete.

Side Heel Month of June - Recap

I have completed my “Side Heel Month of June”.  I’m proud to say that I didn’t miss any days and I have another 3000 kicks under my belt.  

My main focus for this challenge was to identify major issues that are holding me back from improvement. The following are what I noticed,

1.  I need to keep my body more upright. I’m leaning far more than I need to and causing a disconnect. 

2.  I need to define my crane more, both initially and at the end.  Almost like I need to consolidate everything before kicking and then reconsolidate again before stepping back (controlled).

3.  I need to incorporate my arms.  It’s almost like they have nothing to do with this kick and are just an afterthought.  They tend to just flail and end up adding to the problem rather than helping.

4.  I need to really work on opening up on my left.  I think this is the major difference I’m feeling between sides.   When I kick with my right, things feel much better than my left, which tends to feel constricted and “tight”.   This is with all kicks and exercises. 

5.  I need to maintain that connection between my energy and intent.  Even when all the other things above are working, if I’m missing this, everything is just weak and feels sort of pointless...for lack of a better way to describe it. 

As I wrote the above, I was reminded of the 6 harmonies.  The connection between our upper and lower halves.  Our left to our right.  Hands-feet, elbows-knees, shoulders-hips, spirit-intent, intent-chi, chi-strength.  I’ve always considered my issue with the Side Heel as a problem with balance. Yes, I become off balance, but I think that’s a symptom, rather than the cause.  Now that I see these things in writing, I am noticing the correlation to the 6 harmonies and I think my main issue is having several disconnections at the same time.

I did take a video at the end and compared it to one from March.  You’d think after that many kicks there’d be something that improved, even if it was small.  Unfortunately I can’t say anything has improved.  In fact, the March one looks better.  

I’ll keep moving forward. Although right now I’m not sure what to focus on first.  There are so many things that need work.  And they all seem to be connected.  I'll likely focus first on the precision in my crane.  It's both the start and the finish to this kick, and others, so seems like a logical place to start.

Fitting It All In

I asked, in a one-on-one a few weeks ago, how you fit everything in...and the answer was "you don't".

And I get that.  It makes sense.  Although I hoped there would be some special secret, it was the answer I expected.  As a martial artist there are so many things we'd like to work on because we are dedicated to mastery and improvement.  But the simple fact is that we can't be working on everything at once.

So my next question gets a little more specific.  

How do I keep up with my minimum requirements of the IHC AND still move forward with the extraneous things I also want to work on?

The benefits of the IHC requirements are obvious.  As an example, the pushups and situps (or modifications of these) have become like making the bed in the morning.  Not only are they making me stronger, little by little, but they start my day with an accomplishment.  They set my day up for success.  So first and foremost, my focus starts with the IHC requirements.  They are the basis upon which I can build everything else.  

Having said that, it seems that by the time I complete my daily requirements, I don't have much time left over for some of the other things I'd really like to fit in.  Long I has been on a livestream video since February 19.  And although this is one that I really want to learn, and that I think would be really helpful with my breathing, I haven't even started.  Broadsword 3 has also been on video since March 26.  Again, haven't touched it.  There are various kicks and combos that rarely get practiced.  And my stick is starting to get cobwebs..and that makes me sad because my stick makes me so happy.

And when these things I've neglected come up in class...I feel guilty because I haven't spent any time on them.

So how do I make it all work?  I don't have a complete answer to this dilemma yet.  But I have come up with a few things.

One thing I've started doing is what I call "double dipping".  For instance, this past month I wanted to really concentrate on the Side Heel as an additional personal goal.  So on some days, I found myself incorporating this into sparring so that I could also count that time towards my sparring numbers.  Sparring has been a great way to "double dip" and get those kicks and combos in that have been demo'd in the livestreams.

I've also started implementing shorter "snip-its" of my forms throughout the day that I can apply towards my IHC requirements.  I previously viewed this requirement as having to be done in full, in order to count as a rep, but I've since altered my stance on this.  It's tough to complete a full Da Mu Hsing 1-5 (my hand form focus this year) at work.  For one, the space limitation is an issue.  Second, even just one full-on Da Mu Hsing leaves me somewhat sweaty.  But I can manage doing 1 section here and there, and I have started counting these as .2 towards my numbers.  Doesn't seem like much, but by breaking the pieces down, I can often end up doing 2 full sets throughout the work day.  These little segments tend to add up, and it leaves my morning training a bit more open for some of the "extras".

At the start of the IHC year, I had been using my One-on-One's to finish learning Da Mu Hsing, since it was my hand form for the year and I didn't quite know it in full at that time.  This seemed to work really well.  Although the videos were also available, the one-on-one's were great because I could also clarify the movements right away.  Since then I've mostly been asking questions that accumulate throughout the week.  As I've been progressing, I'm finding that if I give myself a bit of time, I can often answer many of my questions myself.  On top of that, the live classes now offer that opportunity for more questions as well (sometimes it was tough to ask questions online just because of the time factor with muting/un-muting/etc).  So I think, moving forward, I may utilize my one-on-one's again to learn and work on these new forms that I haven't been able to get to.

Another opportunity is while I wait outside the Kwoon during the kids' classes.  This could be a biggie.  I wish I wasn't self conscious about training in public and I wish I could just get out there on the grass and start swinging my stick.  But I'm just not there yet on a confidence level.  This is something I need to work on because it really is a perfect opportunity.  This would be another 2 hours of training every week!  I need to figure out a way to use this time more productively.

So although there is no way I will ever fit everything in, if I can get a little creative, I can at least try and keep those things that really feed my spirit and keep that motivation alive.

Why

Typically when I am corrected by a Sifu, I will take the information, make the correction (to the best of my ability) and move on.  Sometimes it's obvious why the correction is necessary.  Sometimes it's not.  But I've always had complete faith that these corrections are necessary, and that if it doesn't make sense at that moment, it will later on.  Primarily I've wanted to ensure I've got the steps right and that I'm doing the techniques properly.

Recently, my mind has wanted to venture a little bit further.  Instead of just making the correction and moving on, I find myself wondering "why".  I will often repeat the technique over and over, first the way I was doing it...then the corrected way.  Typically when I compare them, "my" way and the "right" way only seem to be a hair different.  But there must be a reason why I'm being corrected.  There must be a reason why these ever so slight details are important.

  

Why is the "right" way the right way?

Why does "my" way not not quite get me the result I want?

This has changed the game a bit for me.  I feel like I've hit a point where I'm starting (just starting) to see details in the details.  Simply correcting isn't enough anymore.  I also need to understand why.  Understanding "why" not only helps me reinforce the correction...because when I understand why I'm doing something, it's much easier to do it naturally and with consistency.  But I think the "whys" are also going to be integral with being able to make conscious choices in the moment...in being able to support my intent in order to achieve a desired outcome...in being able to change my intent a hundred times as a situation unfolds.

I'm not sure if I'm ready to start asking "why".  Blind acceptance is so much easier and hurts my brain much less.  But it's hard to hold back thoughts and this is where they seem to be going.

That's Not A Knife....This Is A Knife...

As part of my training with the knife, Master Wieczerza has instructed that I learn the Talon form with both a fixed blade and a folding blade.  A few weeks ago I received the folding blades that she recommended I get.  They are exactly the same except one is a trainer, which I will use while training so I don't inadvertently maim myself.  The other is very real, very sharp and somewhat intimidating.  But I'll tell you more about that one in another blog.

I'm having 2 challenges with the folding knfe.

Firstly, it's much smaller than the wooden blade I've been using for the past (almost) 5 months.  It's also much lighter.  It doesn't feel the same in my hand, nor can I hold it the same way.  I also can't release it the same way in the portions where I need to change my grip.  These transitions have become very slow and methodical once again.  Yet in the sections that require a single continuous grip, the blade just seems to fly.  It's so much lighter it's as if I don't even have anything in my hand.  It can seem almost invisible at times, except for the flash of the blade.

The other challenge is with the folding feature itself.  When using a folding blade, the form has portions that require me to open and close the blade, as well as open and close it one-handed.  These parts are intended to be quick and seamless.  Currently they are not.  And if not for the trainer, I'd have already lost some fingers.

I'll get there, I know.  Repetition and practice.  And when I do get there, more repetition and practice.

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 7 - My Favourite Thing

If I had to choose just one thing I would have to say stick.  It has become something I really enjoy doing. Not just the form.  But all of the manipulation techniques as well.  There something about it that just makes me feel in control.  Powerful maybe?  Not sure if that’s the word.  Either way, I already know what wearing I’ll be doing next year. 

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 6 - "Physical Challenge"

I think my biggest physical challenge, right now, would be my dynamic flexibility.  I think it lends to many of the difficulties I face with several techniques.  I'm working on it...and am slowly (so slowly) seeing improvements.  I think a root cause is hips.  My hip stretches really help.  Speaking of which...I've fallen off the wagon with those and need to get back at them.

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 5 - "Favourite Time of Day"

My favourite time of day is right when I finish my morning training.  Not because I'm finally done..lol...but becasue this is the single moment in my day where my mind, body and spirit are all in sync.  I feel energized and refreshed....calm, centered and grounded.  It's the one moment where everything just seems to be aligned. 

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 4 - "Dogs vs Cats"

Dogs vs Cats is essentially the greatest Good vs Evil conflict throughout the history of time.  Dogs are happy, playful and just genuinely glad to be with you.  Cats on the other hand...

My cats will often catch mice and leave them at the front door for me.  I'm told it's because they are giving me a gift.  I don't think so.  I dont' think it's a gift....I think it's a warning.

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 3 - "Being Back At The Kwoon"

Being back at the Kwoon is like coming home.  I love seeing everyone's faces...hearing everyone's voices.  The collective energy can't be replicated at home.  It's one of the biggest things missing from my home Kwoon.  I have a sneaky suspison that I work alot harder in person as well...

Are You There?

One of my personal goals was to write a children’s book. It ended up turning into something both very different than expected and very spiritual.  Although it was originally intended for children, I'm hoping others will enjoy it as well.

I ended up self publishing it, as I have no intention of selling it.  But I did get several copies printed and I do have one for each IHC member that would like one, as a thank you for being on this journey with me.  If you would like one, just let me know and I will get it to you.  If you don't, I take no offence whatsoever.

I’m not sure what else to really say about it except to just share it with you all.  

And you’ll finally understand what the water-colouring was all about!

On a side note, I'm trying to figure out how to publish this to ibooks but haven't quite figured it out.  I was able to publish it online through adobe (which is the link below) but it will only be available for a few days because I only have a temporary subscription.  Anyways, hope you like it.  😊

LINK TO Are You There?

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 2 - "Your Favourite Spot In Your Home"

I'm fortunate enough that I have alot of different spots in my home that I would consider favourites.  If I had to choose just one, it would be in my big cushy chair in front of my fireplace...with a good book....Tank snoring at my feet...kids playing.  Now that I think about it, it's more everyting around me that makes it my favourite spot....not so much the spot itself.  Hmmm....that was an interesting one.

2 Minute Blogging Challenge Day 1 - "Your Bucket List"

 I've never really had much of an official bucket list.  Throughout the years things will pop into my head that I would really like to do.  Sometiems I feel that a bucket list is more of a list of pipedreams rather than things I will actually do.  I suppose a person can do anythig, but there are alot of pieces that need to fall into place to make some things happen.  Off the topof my head, a couple things that I really think I'd like to do is swim with sharks and go to Paris.