Not just hot, hot-ER!

The last week or so has been a welcome break from the heat plaguing me at home and abroad. Unfortunately, in spite of lower temperatures outside, temple had still been stifling hot and the sweat was flying off my soaked robes. Last night, however, the cooler air finally made itself felt in the Temple, and it made a wonderful difference in class.

It’s amazing how much the heat and humidity can really sap your energy, even if you are well hydrated and rested and the rest of it. Being in that oppressive haze of heat makes your breath shallow and your body unresponsive no matter how psychologically you feel the chi. A sudden break of a mere 5 or ten degrees makes you feel like a new person. You can jump higher, kick more times, and explode more in forms.

Watching the weather report this morning, they’re forecasting another heat wave beginning this weekend. I can’t help feeling that the USA Shaolin Temple L.A., or some such place where it’s always 72 degrees, would be a really good idea.

Deep Clean

Last night was another chi-filled, sweat-filled, Level 1 class. Miraculously, I wasn’t too sore from Monday; and while my legs were a little tired, and the mugginess made it hard to catch one’s breath, overall I felt strong. After class, we did an intense cleaning of the turtle tank, which we’ve been putting off for way too long.

While cleaning out the hidden grossness that settles in the rocks at the bottom, I thought it was an apt allegory for this past week and a half. We change the water often enough, but there’s still lots of filth hiding in the bottom and the filter becomes clogged and the water becomes murky all too quickly; I realized the same sort of think with my training and my life in general. Breaks here and there are important for refreshing your body and mind, but if you don’t do a major overhaul every now and again, you miss stirring up and cleaning out the mess that settles and hides further down. You tidy your room, but you still need an intense spring cleaning. You take days off from training, but you need to also give yourself long breaks. So I guess I am extolling the importance of routine maintenance plus the 10,000 mile check up. You can’t only do one and not the other. And if you do neither, as sometimes happens to me… well... you’re gonna pay for it eventually.

Once we finished the tank, and it was shiny clean, the turtles were swimming around gleefully and there was a relief on all sides that there wasn't hidden dirt left hanging over us. So maybe that's why I've had trouble getting back into my groove. And also why I didn’t feel sore on the second day back (as one usually does after a week off). I was actually getting some necessary deep-healing done both in body and in mind. I thought I had it together but there was some unseen dirt clogging up the works. Now that it's cleaned up I can train harder!

Absence Makes the Chi Grow Stronger

I always start a post that follows a long blogging drought with, "I haven't been blogging but that doesn't mean I haven't been training..." But this time that's not the case. Today was my first class in *gasp* a week. Six days with no training may not seem like a lot to a regular, un-crazy person, but for me it's an eternity. Even in the past mad weeks of being all over the planet I was training at least three times a week. (And still feeling slacker-y.) I had really planned to take advantage of my newfound free schedule and get back in gear. But for better or worse I had a lot to do last week, a rough workweek, and I just felt... well... burnt out. And lazy. As soon as you have a few evenings off you start to think.. oh.. so this is what a normal life is like. Sure is nice. Doesn't hurt my butt sword...

But I knew that today I had to get back. Not training really wacked-out my body and my brain. Thing was, I had made plans tonight that I didn't want to break. So I got on the gun at work then slipped out for day class. It was quite a welcome back. I barely had a moment to warm up before I was speeding away at the front of the line with Randy. It was HOT. And definitely strenuous, but all the "resting" paid off because I had so much chi it was incredible. I know the first day back after a short break is the easy day, but I felt a mental and physical rejuvenation that were not what I was expecting. It's nice to take time off, but it's better to come back. Freak. Addict. Dork. Call me what you will. To quote my favorite bad western movie, "There is no normal life; there's just life." And my life involves multiple weeknights sweating caijiao - aaaaand a few week-long breaks every once in awhile.

No clever title - just glad I'm blogging

I almost didn't make it tonight. I hadn't been to L2 in a week and a half, and a riotous end to my workday made me feel more like finding the nearest bar and drinking myself tight (which at this stage would take approximately 2 1/2 beers...). I knew I would be sans most of my dorks as well, and even as I was on the carpet stretching I contemplated claiming illness and going home to pass out in the park. Around 6:50 Leo pointed out to me that I was essentially the most senior person present and that I would potentially have to lead class - Xu had already showered and changed, though I am fairly confident she would have thrown her robes on rather than the ludicrous option of having me to teach L2. Luckily, or maybe through circumvention, N'ou appeared at 6:55 to get us all sweating and panting appropriately.

There were only ten of us in class and a large proportion of newer L2 folks, so I think N'ou took pity on us/was appalled by our basics, because he spent a lot of time stopping/slowing us down to work on execution and technique for our basic moves. Funnily enough, this was just what I wanted. When the brief and unlikely idea was proposed that I might have to lead class I thought "what would I do?" I quickly decided that rather than act under the pretense that I was advanced enough to provide qualified corrections, that I would lead us all through basics and then spend the second half of class doing a "technique workshop" where everyone would have the chance to just pound away at various basic moves. Thankfully that task did not fall to me, but N'ou trained us in a similar vein. Level 2 is not like L1 where you spend a week learning one basic and you spend a year getting kicked back to KFK if you start messing up, so it was definitely nice to have a class where we were simply grilled through our sloppy habits and reacquainted with our pop and extension.

In the end, I was glad I came if only to get a two-in-a-row this week. I am trying very hard to get back into the correct training and blogging groove, but in spite of post-class happiness, getting myself there initially has been a struggle. I know once I get on a roll it will sort back out; starting the roll is the tricky part. Probably blogging at 1 am is not conducive to my rolling into class tomorrow though...

Many Happy Returns!

Last night was my Shaolin two-year anniversary. Hard to believe. I remember when I began and seeing the people who had been training for two years and thinking "Wow, I hope I can stick it out that long and be even half that good. They are so hardcore..." It's weird to imagine that I might now be that person in the eyes of people just now starting their training journey; I generally still feel like such a beginner. Last night, though, I felt everything come together in a remarkable way.

To begin with, it was a big class just like the good old days: 36 people! Maybe it was the size, because I felt like training was easier than usual. Or maybe it was the heat giving us a break, or that I was chock full of sugar. My endurance was up, nothing seriously hurt- anniversary chi? Certainly part of it was the great people training beside me. Not only were many of my fellow dorks there in force, but several of the old guard, who usually only show up to L2 were there as well. Xu was teaching, Han and Khalid both turned up, and I felt exactly in the right place: the middle.

Two years is no small feat for me, and though I hope to have many more ahead, in taking stock of my training I felt very satisfied. I could sit and list all the moves and forms I've learned, list my weight loss and muscle gain, tabulate out the total amount of $$ spent on tuition and uniforms and countless feiyues, the hours spent in Temple, but none of that would really convey what has happened in the last two years. Training has given me so much perspective on myself, taught me so many things beyond kicks and stances, and provided me with a new path in my life.

I like to think that even if I had to leave tomorrow I would be able to continue to cultivate what I've started there, but I know it would be hard. Coming off of several busy weeks of being in and out of town and having house-guests, I haven't been able to train my usual schedule, and it was hard to get my lazy bum to class last night. As soon as training started though, I felt 100% better and everything began to slide back into place. So maybe it will take a few more years before I am genuinely carrying the temple everywhere. Until then I am simply thankful for how much I've gained, the opportunity to gain even more, and for the ability to share this time of my life with all the amazing people I've met there. Amituofo!

More Chi! More Fun!

I would like to think that because of the last post, we had a lot of people showing up last night both for training and dinner, including a new student - Cyril - who just started training on Wednesday. Last night also marked a second anniversary of the our own super chi dork - Heng Cheng.

At the head of the lines, we had the old-timers Khalid, Han, Eric All Night, De, and Doctor Dan. Followed them closely with equal chi are (used to be) long hair Christopher, Leo, Cheng, Rob, Shi, Ellen, Ra (Jin) and me. The lines moved very smoothly and quickly despite a big class with lots of new students.

I love it. I love training. I love training with a lot of people. I love training with a lot of people with a lot of chi.

I'm so super happy. Can't wait to train again this Saturday!

the Importance of Being Oldest

At dinner last night after the class, we talked about how a lot of people don't show up to Level 1 classes anymore after they passed to Level 2. And how much more fun and more chi the class is when older (Kungfu age) people train.

I think with the style of Kungfu that we train, students become better, movements more natural, the more and longer we train.

This is why it's always a treat when people who've been training for a long time show up to train with us in the class. They are inspiring and full of chi.

But since we are not monks, living in the middle of nowhere, we have other obligations in life as well. Some of us physically moved. Some moved on. Some just have to deal with life vs. training schedule.

For those of us who are still training, I just quit my job and won't be working for a while. You'll see me more regularly at the temple. :)

June Finale

My family is in town; I haven't had a proper night's rest in two weeks; I've been traveling all over, gone to two weddings, and didn't get any food yesterday until 4:00. Whine whine whine whine. I didn't think I was gonna be training, THAT'S for sure. But when my siblings decided they wanted to just bop around the city this evening I decided to end the four day training drought and get my body and mind a step closer to normalcy. Maybe I would pass out/throw up/ really want to die, but I needed to do it.

Turned out to be a very hot, fast, and excellent class. I thought that the dehydration and exhaustion were going to be near-insurmountable hurdles. But while there were definite moments of dizziness and fuzzy brain, the 4-day-off-flexibility and healed joints counter-acted my tiredness and I had a lot of fun going down the line. My jumps actually felt stronger, my kicks were high, and mentally I was totally there, making myself laugh with silly training jokes. (At one point, I had a visualization of Eric having a fight with a giraffe.) Even at the end when I knew liyu dating was coming and I questioned my body's ability to make it, I was able to shake the cobwebs out and go for it.

I'm especially glad I returned to the groove because tonight my little sister will be joining me in class and I want to be back in gear. Good to know that reservoir chi is always there even when you least expect it.

Balancing Act

I’ve had some difficulty maintaining a regular blogging schedule in spite of my declaration to be more consistent. I guess I just don’t want to bore everyone with the same thing over and over or mindless filler blogging that hasn’t a real point. I’m usually so tired at night that when I blog, I wake up and find a whole mess of stream-of-consciousness writing staring back at me.

I’ve sort of hit an era of transition in my life, and I’m trying to let training carry me through it, but not distract me from it. This distinction was brought again to my attention over the last three days training. I was away for 5 days at a wedding so I was definitely suffering from withdrawal, but on top of the happiness in returning classes have been additionally great. N’ou has been back bringing extra chi to L2. Tuesday’s class was the most chi I’ve felt in a class possibly ever; there are lots of new people making classes bigger and Randy was there to help push me further on my handstands and straddle split. Last night, the demo team was in full force learning a sword form. It feels like the beginning of a new stage of my training journey, and one that I want to maximize and fully immerse myself in.

As I’ve said before, I am somewhere between wanting to be amateur and wanting to be a pro kung fu trainee. Do I want to be on demo team some day? That would be rad. But I don’t want to lose focus on those things I’m trying to sort out in my “real life” as well. Training is a big part of my life, but unless I’m angling to be a Sifu, it can’t be the only part. I’m trying to tell myself to balance the addiction with other goals. But then, if I had done that the last three nights I would have missed some great classes. It’s all about balance, but if you’ve seen some of my forms, you know that’s something I need work on both literally and figuratively…

Roller Coaster Chi

Last night was one of the most difficult classes I've had training. Not because of Heng N'ou who was teaching or the hot and humid air. It's this unbearable pain and pure frustration.

After each of the jump, I almost broke down in tears.

I guess it's time I admit my limitation.

I started hurting my right knee over a year ago. And just recently I felt myself stronger. I was able to stop using knee braces and go through classes without pain. I felt chi through the roof and I could train as much as I wanted!

But it came back - the pain - with vengeance. This time it moved to my left knee. What did I do? What should I do now? I want to keep training because it's one of a few things I have that keep me sane. But this pain and frustration is driving me even crazier. This is no-win.

I guess I'll just go insane for a few weeks until my knees heal then.