I just thought I'd include an update on the glute strengthening program I started almost a month ago. Originally, I started researching how to strengthen my lower back but I came across a really interesting article which said that proportionally weaker gluteus muscles could contribute to lower back pain and also knee pain (both of which I have suffered from on many occasions) along with lots of other problems. Here is the link to that article:

http://functionalresistancetraining.com/articles/re-activating-and-strengthening-the-gluteal-muscles

So after reading that I scoured the internet for exercises I could try that would strengthen these muscles. I read a lot. I tried a lot. I noticed a difference after the very first day. My knee pain was gone almost immediately. My lower back pain was gone quickly too. I embarked on a quest to learn how my glutes worked, what it felt like to use them, and try to correct a long time imbalance. I practiced walking slowly, doing tai chi, and climbing stairs while engaging my gluteus muscles, I became obsessed and talked to anyone who would listen about it. I was so excited to finally have found a solution to not just one problem, but many!!

Here's my favorite of all the exercises, I do this in 3 sets of 12 or 15 twice a week:

http://www.inspiredfitstrong.com/2012/blog/the-single-leg-deadlift-why-to-do-it-and-how-to-do-it/

So check out the first article and if it sounds like you, give some glute strengthening a try. It could be life changing!

Sometimes I run out of stuff to say and then I want to blog but sit here staring at the screen blankly first.

I was talking to my mom today about our family trip to Thailand in September, I'm very excited about it. We're starting to research places to go and such, which makes it seem more real somehow. One of my classmates is leaving a little early since he starts school in the fall and he says it feels really weird to be so close to leaving here. I can only imagine how that will feel, I'll have to wait a few more months though. I'm really looking forward to starting a new life again, it's still pretty far off though.

This week I did some spring cleaning and went through my cupboards and gave some stuff away. It feels so good! It's gone remarkably well, but I'm really looking forward to not having to share a room with Mel. I'm 32 years old, a little too old to be sharing a room with my sister. I really don't act my age in a lot of ways though, so I guess this is no stranger than most of the stuff I do. Sometimes I wonder how bizarre I must seem to family and friends at home. haha. I have a feeling that won't change too much after moving home either, I'll always be a bit of an oddball. I'm totally ok with it though.

We got back from our short class trip to Xi'an on Tuesday evening. It was a really fun and relaxing time. I barely thought about kung fu at all, never mind talk about it, which I think is a really great way to re-charge. They say a change is as good as a rest, and I had both. I got a fancy new paintbrush and it was so much fun to test it out yesterday, I fell in love with it as soon as I tried it in the shop.

If you're ever in China, check out Xi'an, it's the coolest city I've been to here...so much history.

Oh, and while we were there, guess who else was there to see the terracotta warriors? Michelle Obama! They shut down the entire exhibit just for her. I didn't see her or anything, it was just a weird coincidence that we happened to be staying in Xi'an at the same time.

So back to training tomorrow and I am renewed and filled with vigor!

Tomorrow we leave to go to Xi'an for 4 days, our last class trip. We've already been there but we didn't have the time (or funds) to go on a bigger trip so this place is easy to get to and we know it's  a lot of fun already. I'm already really looking forward to the food, it'll be so nice to eat something different! The hostel we're staying at has this pesto chicken sandwich that is to die for....yum! It'll also be nice to take some time off of training, I'm enjoying doing my own thing more now but I'm pretty sore after this past week. Some of my classmates have been here since the start of December and they really need to get out of here for a couple of days, they're starting to lose it.

So in my next post I can write all about the delicious food I got to eat. Yay! FOOD!

It's been sunny and lovely all week so everyone is much more cheerful in general. I don't really mind cloudy weather but a month straight, with rain, is a bit much.

I went through all my forms videos to pick out some of the things I want to work on during class time. The main flaw I saw was that my side kicks were too rushed, I hadn't really finished the kick before I was on to the next movement. I'll be working on really defining those kicks. It actually ties in well with something I've figured out this week: I have an imbalance between the strength in my quadriceps and the gluteus muscles. I've been relying too much on my strong (and tight) thighs and it's caused some problems. For a few months now I've noticed some weakness in what I thought was my lower back and I've been having periodic knee pain for a really long time. I thought these were unrelated but apparently they're both symptoms of underdeveloped glutes. So, guess who's going to be doing lots of deadlifts and leg extensions? This gal. It should also give me more power on those sidekicks too so it all goes together quite nicely and now that I'm doing so much individual practice, I should really get a chance to fix this stuff. It's gotten me all jazzed up for the next week of training!

Today is the first sunny day we've had in weeks and you could really feel the difference in the mood of everyone here. The simple things really make a huge difference sometimes, don't they?

Before the afternoon class today I happened to look out the back window of the school and into a little park area that's back there and I saw one of the new students maybe 12 years old or so back there practicing some moves, fighting imaginary enemies, and what looked like pretending to be Bruce Lee, sound effects and all. It was so cute and funny but it also made me feel really happy and reminded me of something very important that I sometimes forget; Kung fu is fun! Thanks kid, you made my week.

So we had a talk with Shifu 2 days ago and asked him about our last 6 months here. It went a bit badly at first but eventually we came to an understanding and I think everyone felt better afterwards. I said I'd really like to practice on my own more and focus on myself more than the group stuff and really just try to enjoy the time we have left here and he gave me the go-ahead. He said he wanted us to be happy and healthy. So now I have a whole 6 months to devote to my own training goals and I'm really excited. I may still have a few questions I need to ask him but I'll be left to figure a lot out by myself. I think this will be an important step on the road to becoming a master myself. I'm really looking forward to it, it's been a long time since I felt this positive about being here. It's such a nice change.

Yay!