Status Update

Training here has been pretty intense but I do feel like I'm getting used to the demands being placed on my body. I still feel really tired sometimes and fall into bed exhausted at night, I still get sore muscles and strange mystery pains, and I still feel discouraged when I can't do something but I can see the progress I've made so far and it pushes me to keep trying my best.

The other day we were practicing stances and I know that I've improved a lot but it seemed like all of the teachers were pushing me to go lower, punch faster, take bigger steps, etc and I was getting really frustrated. I was wondering why they were being so picky when I've already gotten better. It made me start to think about the way I train at home, have I just been pushing myself to reach a certain level of skill and then just staying there instead of continually striving for more? It really gave me something to chew on. I don't think I always did that but I do believe that in some cases I did. Here the teachers push us to always go harder, better, faster, stronger (like a Daft Punk song!) and I'm having to adjust my style accordingly. It's interesting.

We started learning a new form; Xuen Gong Chuan 1. I only know about 4 moves but it's really cool. Up to now we've only been practicing taiji and the basic form; Ji Ben Chuan. I already knew these forms but I wasn't very good at them so I've just been working on making them better but I was starting to get tired of doing just those forms over and over again. I was really excited to start learning something new and I really like Xuen Gong Chuan a lot, it reminds me of some of the hung gar forms I learned at home. I still have lots of stuff to work on with the other 2 forms too but now I can mix it up a bit more. sweet.

My Ubbt requirements are all over the place. The things that are a part of our daily training here like running and sit-ups, I'm way ahead on. The other stuff like grappling and such, I've made no progress on at all. I was hoping that I'd be able to train in that stuff outside of class but I pretty much just eat and sleep when I'm not training and I really don't have the gumption to ask someone to spar with me after a 10 hour training day. Maybe once I adjust more I can work on that stuff. We also found out that our month break starts Dec 20 so I can try to finish some of that stuff while I'm back in Canada. I'm hoping that others will be playing catch up too so we can help each other out. I'm really looking forward to coming home for our break.

Today is our day off and I'm psyched to just sit around, watch a movie, and slack off. YESSSSS!

So I'm almost through the second week of the program and I have to say that it's been waaaay better. My body is still stiff and sore but it's been greatly reduced. We do a ton of stretching which you would think would make it hurt less but when you do splits 8 times a day or so it only makes you more sore, at least at first. It is pretty exciting to see improvements so soon. The running is a lot easier already (I can keep up with the group now) and I think because of that my calves are getting stronger and consequently my jumps are getting higher. I still suck at jumping but there is hope for the future. It's crazy how high some people here can jump, especially the teenage chinese kids! I swear they could jump right over my head. I'm also practicing handstands and I can do a one handed one on the right hand. I'll take a picture soon and post it here. Once I can hold it for long enough for someone to get a good shot. haha.

Overall things are going a-ok. Mel and I are settling into being roommates and into the routine of daily training.

That's all for now, I'm going to get a friend to massage my hip for me.

It's only our second training day for the traditional program and I'm totally wiped.

We ran for 50 min instead of 1/2 hour this morning (the longest I've ever run by the way) and by breakfast time I was fully exhausted.

I feel a bit better after an afternoon nap and meditation but I am constantly going back and forth between feelings of excitement and utter discouragement (with the latter being much more common at this point).

When I'm not actually training I can see the bigger picture and I know that I'm going to improve so much, when I am in the midst of physical and mental exhaustion however, it's a different story.

Hopefully I'll feel better soon.

On the plus side I had a really weird dream with a beautiful knitted tunic in it this afternoon. My first knitting dream!

Yesterday was the official start of our traditional kung fu program. We started off with a meeting to discuss the details and last night we had a big celebration dinner with the whole school. Shifu also gave us 3 days off! It was a really awesome surprise. Sometimes he can be really generous, when he's not kicking your ass. haha.

So Mel and I are relaxing and resting our already sore bodies until then. I'm enjoying it a lot but I'm also really looking forward to getting started.

Our daily schedule will be as follows:
5am-wake up
5:10- run
5:40-stretch
6-qigong and tai chi
7:30-breakfast
8:30-morning training
12-lunch
Break (nap time)
3:30-meditation
6-dinner
7-9-evening training
10:30-lights out

Every saturday at 5pm we are also having a taoist philosophy, kung fu theory, etc class. It sounds like it'll be really interesting. Shifu said that if we want one he would also organize a chinese language class for us once a week or so which would probably be wednesday afternoon after our performance day. I guess we'll also be taking about 3 days per month for just meditation and cleansing practices with certain qigong exercises and herbs. I can't wait to blog about that!