The boot camp this year was phenomenal! The seminars were either physically testing, mentally testing, or both. I always enjoy seeing what I can or cannot do, what I can improve on and what I excel at. The boot camp is a great way of seeing who you are.
It's very difficult to say what my favorite part of the day was, being that everything brought something neat and unique to the table. That being said I'll go over what I enjoyed about each one.
Starting off with the walking meditation and chi exercises was a good way of getting in the right state of mind for the rest of the day. I got a better understanding of how chi works and it was a good reminder of how important Tai Chi is to my progress through kung fu.
The fitness seminar sped the pace up. It definitely got the blood flowing. By the end I was sweating bullets! This may also have something to do with the temperature rising quickly outside.
The striking seminar was a good review of the combination we learned in Shaolin Combative class. I was working on my flow to make it seamless from beginning to end. This was interesting with new opponents!
Learning broadsword techniques that came directly from China was great! I found it interesting that even though the left hand wasn't holding anything, it was still just as involved in the movements as the right hand. To get a chance to learn from Sifu Beckett who trained fulltime in China was a unique opportunity.
I didn't realize what I was missing in my classes until Sifu Rybak showed us just how easy it is to get complacent. The tips and tricks to be completely in the moment are invaluable! I will be sure not to let my brain trick me into thinking I know what's coming next.
We learned some of the basic movements involved in Wing Chun. It seemed very different from our own style. A lot of close quarters and sticky hands practices were emphasized. It was awesome! This was a good chance to see what other styles of kung fu are all about. This was Bruce Lee's original style before developing Jeet Kune Do!
The flying kicks were something else. I honestly didn't think I would be able to perform spinning flying kicks like that, but Sifu Playter explained and simplified them in such a way that it made sense to me. It was a blast!
Grappling was intense! That and very tiring. Who would've thought rolling around on the floor used up so much energy.
Self defense psychology really got me thinking about how I act and how much I pay attention to my surroundings. It's scary to think someone may have been observing my actions without me knowing to determine whether they'll attack me or not.
Unfortunately due to the insane heat outside we ended up dropping the fitness test. This is alright though, instead we practiced some knife techniques. I don't ever plan on using them on anyone but it's good to know what someone might attempt to do to me.
Last but not least was the 2 Km run. The hot weather did not make this easy, but it wouldn't be fun if it was! It's a real test to tire yourself out thought the day then do a run like that. This was a great way to end the day, I'm glad we didn't forgo it.
The boot camp is not only at chance to learn different styles or techniques. It's also a great way to spend a day with a group of amazing, like-minded people, to create or strengthen bonds and to just have a good time. I know I did!
See you on the mats
No comments:
Post a Comment