Shaolin, the Original B-Boy

(Reblogged from Angry Asian Man, who grabbed it from here).

Strawberries & Cream

I've been to a few Level 2 sessions now, and want to post my few early observations. It obviously is a new game with new moves to learn and the bright orange uniforms, but there are so many intangibles as well.

- The overall level of chi is elevated. Maybe it's partly due to the orange that makes the room sunnier, but it seems like all the players involved are more energized. The Level 2ers are generally people who've been training for a while and have manifested a long-term commitment to kung fu by virtue of them being there, so the chi is not necessarily greater, but of a different quality. There is a greater sense of group dynamic whereas in Level 1, a lot of newer people are still figuring out their individual energies and abilities to commit. During my short while in Level 2, I've heard a lot more laughing and seen many smiles. People are more relaxed, yet more intense at the same time, if it makes any sense. I really like this feeling of being the newbie again, and hearing every one else who knows me giving me encouragement so that I don't pass out.

- Speaking of passing out, I am finding myself struggling while doing basics in Level 2. Conditioning my body will be even more important, and I'm hoping that my attending Level 2 a few times a week will push it in ways I have yet to see. After being in Level 1 for so long, I kinda fell into a groove in terms of pushing myself due to the overfamiliarity with how class was run. Now that it's new all over again, I have to learn a different way of pacing. For example, basics generally run close to an hour in Level 2, and that also means no walking time! Awesome!

- In the three Level 2 sessions I've attended, I've had three different great teachers -- Han, De and N'ou. Back when I first started training (at the old Temple) we would occasionally have different senior students leading Level 1 class (Jie, Gu, N'ou, Zhou, Tiao, etc.), but in recent times, at the current location, Shifu and Xu teach most of the Level 1 classes. So it is wonderful to have this rotating cast of teachers. They each infuse a different style and energy which really keeps you on your toes, so to speak. This probably means very little predictability, so you really have to be AWAKE!

- And because these senior students are leading class, this gives Shifu the opportunity to really watch what we are doing. I've often felt his gaze, but am even more aware of it now. As I've been stumbling around at the back of the line, I'm partly worried that he's watching me and thinking, Did I make a mistake in promoting her to Level 2? but I gotta just ignore that thought and run with it all. And not collapse.

- I also love that with Level 2 comes a new sense of adventure. For example, I am now committed to the idea of trying straddle and side splits which I had never really done prior. Yeow! Also, before and after class, I watched my friends pull out the mats and trampoline and do all kinds of jumps and flips with varying degrees of success. In particular, after class I found it inspiring to see Leo, Richu and Han working on butterfly twists. It was great to see them keep trying over and over, despite tumbles and face plants and talk of strawberry bruises. People are learning to fly higher and want to help each other soar.

- Speaking of strawberry bruises, this morning I woke up and looked down at my ankle and saw I grew one of my own, probably from all the lunbi caijiaos N'ou had the newbies do on the side for a while. Love it!!! Evidence that I'm growing again!

- Oh, and can I say, handstand pushups?!!?!?

I know Level 2 is a whole different challenge. I am excited and honored to finally be part of the process, and I can't wait to express my chi at a whole new level!

Sources of Inpiration

Thanks, Cheng, for your inspired call to action! I've been half-writing this post in my head for a bit now without committing any words on my keyboard, but now your poem compelled me to push it out... :)

Anyway, now that I've been training for a bit over 2.5 years now (and still stuck in L1), I am not learning anything "new" per se, so I strive to improve what I already do know by trying to make things sharper, doing actions faster, and so forth. Something that has been sort of a nemesis to me is trying to avoid taking steps in between kicks. Shifu has called me out on it so many times, and it really hit me hard this past Spring. I think I've made some progress in erasing this terrible habit of mine through a long process of almost having to re-learn by observing others, by changing my sense of balance, and by reminding myself that it's not about doing it fast, but doing it correctly. Constant evolution!

Recently, at the 100 day ceremony for Heng Ju, I saw Niederwelt's 5 year old niece Nina spinning cartwheels like it was nobody's business -- she effortlessly did one after another without any pauses or steps across the green carpet much to the amusement of herself and others. It really was ceshou-fun!

The next week I attended a day class and while we were doing ceshoufans during basics, I heard Xu call to me not to take extra steps. Buoyed by my memory of Nina a few days earlier, I tried it out, and wheeeee! boy, did those ceshoufans come whipping by faster! In fact, I felt like I was moving so much quicker that I almost lost my sense of balance and came tumbling down. I guess like with everything, I'm just gonna have to readjust and recalibrate. Oh, and maybe attempt ceshoufan again from the other side...yeahhhhhhh.......

Speaking of observing others, in recent classes I attended, I have noticed a new young fellow who has yet to learn all the basics, but does the most wonderful tenkong fanyaos. I don't know his name (yet) but I am inspired by how fluidly he leaps into the air and rotates. He is gazelle-like and strikes me as a dancer. I shall have to study his movements more and hopefully something will seep into my own labored tengkong fanyao.

It goes to show that you never know when you'll find something from which to learn.

"metaphorical title here"

Yesterday while In line I noticed one of the turtles working hard to hauuuuuuuuul himself out of the water onto the sun rock. He was moving sloooowly, (he is a turtle after all) and was about to make it when I guess his legs got too tired and he fell back into the water. I really wanted him to go back and try again and make it so I could have a metaphor-tastic post about success after failure and training harder and all that. But he (or is it she? Mo?) decided the rock wasn't worth it and spent the rest of class swimming around with his buddies. So no symbolic inspiration from the turtle today. Or maybe it's not-so-subtly symbolic of my need for a metaphor in order to post.

I guess I wanted something to be representative of what a great class we had last night. After a period of pain/struggling/lost xuanzis, I really felt good and had a lot of fun. Han was teaching and set the tone by starting us off with forward rolls instead of caijiaos. The rest of class was all mixed around with different combos (one a xuanzi into zuopan into kip up) that really shook off any lingering brooding. My legs felt light again, my kicks not only didn't hurt but felt stronger than they have in ages, and even doing the dreaded mopan saotui didn't kill my spirit. At the end of class Han blazed us through some more xiaohongquan which helped me realize we are a lot closer to the end than I thought. All in all, it was a very affirming bit of training; if only the turtle could have co-operated then I could have had a nicely packaged metaphor to boot. But I guess one can't have everything.... :D

You can dance if you want to...

Instead of training tonight I went with a friend to see the Paul Taylor Dance Company at NY City Center. As you may or may not know my background is performing arts so I always enjoy the chance to see some, even if it means missing some KF. :D We had a lot of fun, but I must admit, I spent a lot of the performance, (which was very good), thinking about the dancing in terms of kung fu. In the various pieces I saw elements of one handed ceshoufans, the staff form sacrifice, modified versions of tengkong fanyaos, head flips, mabus and a multitude of other moves. I have always respected dancers, and even more since I started training because they combine all the strength, flexibility and power of kung fu with the added necessity of making it look graceful and effortless. No panting, no unconscious sound effects, no pained faces. Everything perfectly controlled. I don't think I will ever be a dancer, but kung fu is still, as Sifu says, a way to "express yourself." Tonight definitely left me inspired to train harder and strive for more control, elegance and expression. But not forgoing the fun of some explosive chi sound effects...