Control

Practicing my five techniques repeatedly yesterday was a great way to practice consistent control and purity of my techniques. It does not translate as well if I just pull my strikes short. I also can't strike with full power as it would not be conducive to multiple practices as my partner would not appreciate it. This is where striking without penetrating is so important and the control to do so. 

This is the difference of a black belt, not only to have the skill behind the technique but also to have the control and mindfulness to avoid doing anything by accident. This is the difference I am continually striving for in the final weeks of my grading. 

It is easy to get carried away when you are tired, there is music and people are watching, but this is where consistent practice comes in. Slow down and take the ego out of the equation. 

Different Partners

Since the grading and with demo practices underway, I have been encouraged to practice my 5 personal applications on different partners. I feel that my applications have improved greatly because of this due to a few factors.

In demonstrating and explaining a technique to someone new, I am forced to evaluate the intent of the move and the efficacy of it. I found new ways to execute the same technique to produce a better result. Much like in writing, by verbalizing what I intend to do I find potential flaws or weak spots in my technique that I did not even realize were there. Teaching is the best way to learn.

New partners do not react the same way because they don't know exactly what to expect. Even after a few repetitions the reaction is still different. This is because of the fact that their bodies are not the same. Different heights, different ages, flexibility, injuries, etc. No two people are exactly alike and it really shows in how they react.

It also forced me to slow down, something that I need to work on across the board in terms of my kung fu, perhaps with everything in general. By slowing down, I can make better use of my eye for detail, further finding pros and cons. Digging deeper into what I am doing and why.

The Christmas break has begun and this will hopefully give me time to practice more and reflect on this. Have a great Christmas everyone, enjoy the time with your loved ones!

Reality

My brother recently purchased a VR (virtual reality) headset. Of course I had to give it a try and I found that it was very interesting and quite immersive. The one thing that struck me since trying it out was how amazed I was with the environment around me. This got me thinking, why not be amazed by the world around us in NON virtual reality? I am not entirely sure why this thought came to me, but I'm thankful it did.

This was a reminder for me. We need to remember just how fortunate we are to be alive in the first place. Our planet is in a "sweet spot" in the universe. Close enough to our solar system's star that we do not freeze yet far enough away that we do not burn up. Life flourishes on our little blue planet, our little spot in the vast universe. How many other planets have the same very specific environment?

Part of being mindful and present is allowing yourself to amazed and grateful at the miracle that we are here today. I have a proposition for anyone reading this, take a moment and just look around you. Feel where you are with all your senses, soak it all in. Breathe in the air, touch where you are sitting right now, listen mindfully to everything around you. We are very lucky to be here.

This is one of the many gifts I have received from Kung Fu and the I Ho Chuan. The ability to cultivate and analyze these thoughts and share them.

Personal Journeys

When training, we can get caught up on how well we are doing in comparison to those around us, sometimes to the point where we become discouraged. As a society, we put a lot of stock in how well someone is doing relative to the next person. After all, competition is what drives innovation and gives us a base of what is to be expected.

This being said, when you are training, you need to focus on what you are doing, do not become preoccupied by someone else's progress. Their journey is different than yours, their experience is different than yours. The more you focus on your own progress and what you can do to improve yourself, the better you will develop as a martial artist and as a person in general. You will strive to improve for the sake of improving, not to attempt to shoot ahead of someone else. 

However, with competition comes inspiration. Be aware of where others are around you and draw inspiration from them. Rather than comparing, take what you see or hear as a way to possibly better yourself. Use their success as motivation to succeed yourself. It can become very easy to begin resenting yourself or those who are more proficient, but you cannot take their success personally. They are not succeeding just to put you down, they are successful because they are focused on their goal and have a tangible plan to make it a reality. 

Great Day

I had an amazing day yesterday. The grading is an experience like no other. I learned so much about myself, my strengths and weaknesses. The day was full of good insight and self reflection. How we were by tested by each master instructor was unique and exciting, it was a look into their own viewpoint and their approach to teaching and evaluating kung fu.

I am happy with how the day went, I enjoyed myself and took in all that I could, keeping as positive and receptive as possible. I wanted to miss out on nothing, remaining 100% engaged and present. There were high points and low points in my performance, which I have a plan to rectify and will be following through. I have much to work on still, but with the insight I received and some further guidance, I will correct my errors. 

I want to publicly thank all the black belts who took the time to make this grading possible. You took time out of your busy lives to help us. You were there simply for Mr. Ward and myself. I cannot express enough how grateful I am to have mentors that are so dedicated to their students.