So I'm back in Canada.
It feels really weird to be back actually. In some ways it's so nice to be breathing clean air, enjoying peace and quiet, spending time with loved ones, and resting. On the other hand I feel very out of place sometimes. It feels like China has changed me in some imperceptible way and that I no longer "jive" with Canada the way I used to. Reverse culture shock is all it is I guess. A few people have mentioned similar experiences they had after returning home from both China and other trips. The other night we went out for a nice family dinner and I felt really strange inside the restaurant. It was so clean and tasteful, there was so much expensive food, and I really felt like I didn't belong. I'm sure it'll just take time to get readjusted.
I've been home for 4 days already but am just getting over the jet-lag now. I even got a bit of a flu for a couple days but I've managed to recover quickly. However my training has really suffered. In fact with traveling, jet-lag, and the flu, I've hardly done any push-ups in the past week. I was ahead on sit-ups so I'm probably alright there but I've only done about 3 miles since returning home on Thursday. I've definitely got some catching up to do.
I do feel really good physically though. Now that I'm healthy and rested I feel strong again. Like I can do anything. I'm going to have to see if I've lost anything since leaving Wudang.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
I'm coming home!
Back in Shanghai. I can't believe it's been 4 months since I was here last. It seems so strange to be here I can't imagine how it's going to feel to be back home!
I didn't want to leave Wudang at all but now that I have, I really can't wait to get home. Partly because It's really hard to fit in time for training while in transit. Mostly though, I'll admit I just can't wait to see my family and friends again. I know I can make up some push ups and sit ups so I'm not too worried about it. I finished a lot of my goals while I was in Wudang. Not UBBT goals but ones that I had set previously. 250 reps of tai chi- done, 20 hours on closing the distance- done, reps of kung fu forms- done. I'm making pretty good progress on the miles and stuff too. The things I'm behind on are sparring and grappling. I'll have to train extra hard at those when I get back to make up for it.
All in all though, I'm feeling really positive. I've improved a lot already and I'm excited to see what I look like in a years time. I think everyone will be wicked awesome and I can't wait to check you all out soon!
I didn't want to leave Wudang at all but now that I have, I really can't wait to get home. Partly because It's really hard to fit in time for training while in transit. Mostly though, I'll admit I just can't wait to see my family and friends again. I know I can make up some push ups and sit ups so I'm not too worried about it. I finished a lot of my goals while I was in Wudang. Not UBBT goals but ones that I had set previously. 250 reps of tai chi- done, 20 hours on closing the distance- done, reps of kung fu forms- done. I'm making pretty good progress on the miles and stuff too. The things I'm behind on are sparring and grappling. I'll have to train extra hard at those when I get back to make up for it.
All in all though, I'm feeling really positive. I've improved a lot already and I'm excited to see what I look like in a years time. I think everyone will be wicked awesome and I can't wait to check you all out soon!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
SORE
I am so sore!!!!
I haven't been this sore in about 2 months. After our 3 days off for Chinese new year we trained for 8 days straight, the last day being today. I thought I was getting really fit but just those extra 2 days this week pretty much killed me. I'm completely exhausted and sore from the waist down. I woke up with intense pain in my legs for the past 3 nights and had a hard time falling asleep. So I've decided to take today and tomorrow off for push ups and stuff and make it up later. On the plus side I'm ahead of the game on some of my other UBBT requirements so I think it'll work out ok in the end.
Enough with complaining. We're leaving Wudang in 4 days and though I'm sad to leave it'll be really nice to see my mom and dad again. I really miss all my friends and family. I certainly don't want to go back to work. I don't miss struggling to find time to squeeze training in between work and other obligations.....oh well. gotta make money I guess.
I haven't been this sore in about 2 months. After our 3 days off for Chinese new year we trained for 8 days straight, the last day being today. I thought I was getting really fit but just those extra 2 days this week pretty much killed me. I'm completely exhausted and sore from the waist down. I woke up with intense pain in my legs for the past 3 nights and had a hard time falling asleep. So I've decided to take today and tomorrow off for push ups and stuff and make it up later. On the plus side I'm ahead of the game on some of my other UBBT requirements so I think it'll work out ok in the end.
Enough with complaining. We're leaving Wudang in 4 days and though I'm sad to leave it'll be really nice to see my mom and dad again. I really miss all my friends and family. I certainly don't want to go back to work. I don't miss struggling to find time to squeeze training in between work and other obligations.....oh well. gotta make money I guess.
Monday, January 26, 2009
New Years Push-ups
I rang in the Chinese new year with 1000 push-ups.
Actually all my teammates back home rang in the western new year the same way but by the time I'd read about the plan I'd already missed it. So I decided that since I was in China anyways, I'd just do it on Chinese new year instead.
It kinda sucked that I didn't get to do it with everyone else but with the time difference that would have been the case either way. I have to admit that it did take me just over 24 hours but I did complete the push-ups in the end. It was actually easier than I'd expected. The biggest challenge was just finding the time. Luckily everyone pretty much just hangs out and eats to celebrate over here so we didn't have training. I feel pretty good that I got them done even though I didn't really feel like pushing myself on one of the few days off I've had since coming here. It's something I can be proud of and now I can take a couple days off from push-ups and still be ahead.
People really know how to celebrate here. There's been fireworks and fire crackers going off day and night. It's pretty loud too, they set them off literally right on the doorstep sometimes!
Actually all my teammates back home rang in the western new year the same way but by the time I'd read about the plan I'd already missed it. So I decided that since I was in China anyways, I'd just do it on Chinese new year instead.
It kinda sucked that I didn't get to do it with everyone else but with the time difference that would have been the case either way. I have to admit that it did take me just over 24 hours but I did complete the push-ups in the end. It was actually easier than I'd expected. The biggest challenge was just finding the time. Luckily everyone pretty much just hangs out and eats to celebrate over here so we didn't have training. I feel pretty good that I got them done even though I didn't really feel like pushing myself on one of the few days off I've had since coming here. It's something I can be proud of and now I can take a couple days off from push-ups and still be ahead.
People really know how to celebrate here. There's been fireworks and fire crackers going off day and night. It's pretty loud too, they set them off literally right on the doorstep sometimes!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
My stances still suck
Well I'm still working on my stances. I think they've improved a bit but there's still a long way to go. Every Wednesday is a half day and in our morning class we have a big demonstration where we all take turns getting up in front of the class and performing our forms. This week I got my sister to film a couple of my forms so I could see how they looked. It was pretty disappointing. My sword form had improved from last week, I've really been concentrating on lowering my stances in that form and I think it's helped a bit already. Another form I did was pure crap though! My stances were way to high, I had no power, and my movements were not clear enough. Everyone else seemed to think it was alright but I was not impressed with myself. It's certainly encouraged me to practice that form more though so in the end it's a good thing. That's what I like about videotaping forms. You either do them well and feel good about yourself or you don't and then you are inspired to practice harder.
As far as my UBBT student requirements, all is well. Push-ups are on schedule. It's been really easy to do certain requirements here where others have been more challenging. I'm hoping it'll all even out once I get home.
Only about 2 more weeks to go. I still have lots that I want to learn and improve on. I hope that I will be able to get it all done.
As far as my UBBT student requirements, all is well. Push-ups are on schedule. It's been really easy to do certain requirements here where others have been more challenging. I'm hoping it'll all even out once I get home.
Only about 2 more weeks to go. I still have lots that I want to learn and improve on. I hope that I will be able to get it all done.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
mmmmmmmm
January 16th already?
It seems like I just got to China but my time here is almost over! In about 3 weeks Mel and I will be home in Canada(Jiananda)again. I feel like I've learned so much and improved a lot but at the same time there's still so much room for growth. My stances especially could be lower. I had a dream the other night that I was in class and doing forms and our instructor gave me a hard time for not having low enough stances. He asked 'how long have you been training for? your stances should be perfect by now'. I'm not exactly a dream expert but I figured I would take it at face value and work on my stances anyways.
As far as the UBBT goes, I'm doing fairly well. Keeping up with my push-ups and sit-ups. I'm already ahead on the mileage and I get some more running in almost every day. I'm looking forward to being at home and sharing the experience a little more with the other members, sometimes I feel a little out of the loop over here in China.
I'm interested to get home and see if my improvements are noticeable to my classmates. I wonder if our one hour classes will seem strange after training for 2-3 hours 2 times a day.
I'm also really excited to eat western food! I like Chinese food as much as the next guy but I get bored of eating it 3 times a day every day. Can't wait for spaghetti, salad, burritos, bbq'd veggies......mmmmmm.
It seems like I just got to China but my time here is almost over! In about 3 weeks Mel and I will be home in Canada(Jiananda)again. I feel like I've learned so much and improved a lot but at the same time there's still so much room for growth. My stances especially could be lower. I had a dream the other night that I was in class and doing forms and our instructor gave me a hard time for not having low enough stances. He asked 'how long have you been training for? your stances should be perfect by now'. I'm not exactly a dream expert but I figured I would take it at face value and work on my stances anyways.
As far as the UBBT goes, I'm doing fairly well. Keeping up with my push-ups and sit-ups. I'm already ahead on the mileage and I get some more running in almost every day. I'm looking forward to being at home and sharing the experience a little more with the other members, sometimes I feel a little out of the loop over here in China.
I'm interested to get home and see if my improvements are noticeable to my classmates. I wonder if our one hour classes will seem strange after training for 2-3 hours 2 times a day.
I'm also really excited to eat western food! I like Chinese food as much as the next guy but I get bored of eating it 3 times a day every day. Can't wait for spaghetti, salad, burritos, bbq'd veggies......mmmmmm.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A New Year
Christmas didn't seem like Christmas and new years didn't seem like new years. Things like that feel strange here, just like any other day. The only real difference for me is that I've been doing a lot more push-ups. I was already tracking them but now I'm being much more diligent and forcing myself to do more. Since there's no indoor heating here it's also a great way to stay warm!
I used to be able to get to the UBBT website easily but the Chinese firewall has caught up with me and now I have to go through a proxy site. I had to email my mom and get here to register me because said proxy site would now allow my to view the entire registration screen. Once I'm registered though I believe everything will be more straightforward.
Something I've learned now is not to get bent out of shape when things don't work out the way you expected them to. Being here and dealing with China's unique challenges has made me better able to deal with minor setbacks I think. I used to get frustrated with stuff like that really easily but I'm noticing that change already. Like when I logged onto our schools google group on Jan 3rd and saw that other students were starting off the new year by doing 1000 push ups and sit ups and that I had missed the entire thing. Normally I would be really upset but now I've shrugged and decided that I'll do the same thing on Chinese new year instead. There you go, problem solved, no need for any drama.
On a side note, training is going well. I'm learning 2 new forms right now and they're both awesome! Did some sparring the other day and got punched in the nose. It hurts a bit to blow my nose but it was a lot of fun and I look forward to gearing up when I get home.
I used to be able to get to the UBBT website easily but the Chinese firewall has caught up with me and now I have to go through a proxy site. I had to email my mom and get here to register me because said proxy site would now allow my to view the entire registration screen. Once I'm registered though I believe everything will be more straightforward.
Something I've learned now is not to get bent out of shape when things don't work out the way you expected them to. Being here and dealing with China's unique challenges has made me better able to deal with minor setbacks I think. I used to get frustrated with stuff like that really easily but I'm noticing that change already. Like when I logged onto our schools google group on Jan 3rd and saw that other students were starting off the new year by doing 1000 push ups and sit ups and that I had missed the entire thing. Normally I would be really upset but now I've shrugged and decided that I'll do the same thing on Chinese new year instead. There you go, problem solved, no need for any drama.
On a side note, training is going well. I'm learning 2 new forms right now and they're both awesome! Did some sparring the other day and got punched in the nose. It hurts a bit to blow my nose but it was a lot of fun and I look forward to gearing up when I get home.
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