Tonight’s Class

 Things I learned in blackbelt class tonight:

1) it is valid to have your intent be “to have fun” while running through a form! For so long I have been working on always having a reason or some focus when I’m going through a form, I’m working on my horse stances, I’m working on this particular technique, I’m trying to understand this motion, I’m trying to feel my energy, but tonight Sifu Hayes reminded me that every once and a while I need to do my forms for the sake of enjoyment. To remind myself why I love them so much. To feel the joy of movement that inspires me to do each form again and again in the future. I have been too focused on developing knowledge, and skill and I have been neglecting deepening my passion.

2) I have been doing the high-rising-block-palm-heel part of Mlong Kuen AND LAU GAR WRONG THIS ENTIRE TIME?! So, it’s nice to have that straightened out.

3) I also had my arms reversed (left hand was on the bottom, right hand was on the top, and it’s actually meant to be opposite) again in a certain section of Mlong Kuen (I had fixed them somewhere along the way after I first learned it but somewhere between then and now, they have reversed themselves back to the original wrong way I was doing it and I didn’t catch it until Sihing Lindstrom pointed it out (thank you!) 

4) there are a LOT of different ways to do that spinning jump in Mlong Kuen, much to play with, much experimenting to be done! (Yay!)

5) there are EVEN MORE ways to do the cannon punches in Mlong Kuen, much MUCH more to play with, a mountain of experimenting to be done (Yay!!)

6) In the “throwing the ball” part in the beginning of Mlong Kuen I learned all the ways I’m doing it differently than the true intent of the form, how the angle of my hips, the focus of my power generation, the pivoting in my feet, and the type and depth of the stance are slightly different than in the actual form, but are still a valid way to move because of all the small changes I made. Relearning the idea of staying true to the form versus making the form your own, through the perspective that each differing way to do it has something different to teach me. Making the form my own teaches me about how I am able to generate power. Doing the form true to its original intent teaches me other avenues of power generation that I can achieve if I take the time to understand them. 

Absolutely fantastic class that is going to drive forward my training for a long while to come! 

Current Total

Should Be At

Push-ups

19739

24531

Sit-Ups

19955

24531

Hand Form

126

454

Weapon Form

146

454

Blogs

12

23

Sparring

71

454

AOK

358

454

Steps

1417

704

Repair Relationship

13

23

Mastery Blogs

2

11

Digital Journal

3956

Words

Jaw Exercises

212

35

1-on-1's

15

23


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