Back to Normal

This week I passed my course. Now I must prepare for the test in November that will actually allow me to work in the pre-hospital field.

I have three months to study and review my material to prepare on my own time for this exam. The great thing about it being on my own time is it allows me to also focus more of my time back into kung fu.

I am looking forward to getting back into a solid routine of teaching and learning at the kwoon. The timing couldn't be better. With our annual kwoon maintenance week set to start tomorrow, it will be a great way to boost my engagement.

Chicken or Egg?

Did the lack of energy come first or the lack of training? Frequently when you hear the reasons why someone has not been training, lack of energy is up there on the list. They believe that they do not have the energy to do any training of any kind and that is that. What is the cause of this lack of energy? Did you change how long you are awake in the day? Did you add more commitments that use more mental reserves? Or is it because you chose to lessen your training first?

The past several weeks have lead me to believe I have found the answer to this "chicken or egg" conundrum. I admit, my training as of late has not been to the level and consistency that it usually is. I chose to slow it down to accommodate more time for my short term EMR studies, the idea was to save more energy and brain power.

Funny thing, the exact opposite occurred. Not only did I have less energy, but I found it more difficult to focus for any amount of time. Sitting at a desk studying for hours on end with few breaks to get the blood flowing has been counterproductive to my ability to retain any knowledge. Energy levels go down and I find myself staring blankly at the screen or book. I can say I spent x amount of time studying, but what was the quality of the studying? How effectively was the time used?

This past week I started to recognize this pattern and decided that something needed to be done promptly. Whenever I find myself losing focus, I get up and do a set of pushups or situps, a form or two, techniques, anything to wake my brain up and get me focused again. When I am tired, I sleep, simple as that. I used to stay up to all hours of the night, just to get more studying done, but what is the value in that? I am exhausted the day after and end up forgetting what I read anyway.

I found since applying these simple interventions, I am beginning to feel more energetic again and more focused, not quite where I was, but on the right track. When you feel a lack of energy, that is the best time to train. Training doesn't always draw energy away from you, if you do it right it can draw energy toward you. I feel this is one way to make your kung fu serve you.

Repetition

The importance of repetition is in the forefront of my mind.  In order to become proficient in anything, you must repeat the process. It is not just about repeating, but repeating correctly and consistently.

I have been having some difficulty retaining some of the information I am learning, I believe it is due to a lack of good quality repetition. I can't just read something in my head a few times and expect it to stick. Verbalising as well as back and forth discussion over and over solidifies the process.

This weekend gave me a chance to look back on concepts and review them in detail. Mel has been quizzing me with flashcards and giving me a chance to explain the material I am learning. As we all know, explanation and teaching helps you learn. I am so grateful for this support, I would not be as successful without it.

This being said, I am at a point where it is starting to make sense. At least as much sense as you would expect from 8 days of study and instruction.

Cram

The first week of my condensed EMR course is done. I must say even though I was preparing for a steep learning curve, I did not quite expect it to be as mountainous as this. The classes are interesting and the instructors informed and knowledgeable.

The unique thing I found here is all the instructors are actively practicing in the field. One person who is off shift one day will teach, the next day a completely different instructor will teach. This gives you a more broad view of the industry, several points of view, current points of view, not someone who did it 30 years ago and hasn't been keeping up with their practice themselves. 

Back to my point of this blog, the information required to absorb and retain is immense. Although it is a lot to process at one time, I enjoy this style of learning. The tight deadline forces me to learn the material and become to understand it on my own initiative. If I don't make the choice to study, even though there are other things I may wish to be doing, I will not succeed. With such a short timeline, even one day without review can be detrimental. 

This being said, I am confident I will succeed. This is the first time I have gone into a full-time learning program since starting kung fu. I must say it has done a world of good for my ability to be fully engaged in what I am learning, ask the right questions and have the discipline to follow through with my commitment to be the best I can.