Back in the physical game

What a fantastic week!!!

I began the week by taking it easy and testing what I could do, it felt a bit like dipping my toe in the water to test the temperature. Each day, I felt like I could do more and more, by the end of the week, I felt like there were no limits. Friday and Saturday consisted of hours on end concentrating on Kung Fu, forms and techniques. The coolest part is that I don't feel like I missed anything. I stayed engaged in my kung fu throughout my illness by focusing on Tai Chi and keeping up on my reading and writing. Another thing that I did different was to attend class and dress for it. Usually, I go to the kwoon and sit on the bench but instead, I put on my uniform, even though I couldn't participate 100%. I am still immersed in my training and moving forward.

I am looking forward to the Chinese New Years Banquet that we are having next weekend. It will be a bit different this year as we usually celebrate the promotion of some people to black belt. This year there will not be any new black belts, so we can focus on the celebration of the new year. I have gotten a peek at some of the performances that will happen and they look pretty cool. It should prove to be a great time. As a sihing, part of my responsibilities next weekend will be to make sure the whole thing runs smoothly, luckily I am part of an amazing team. This begins with greeting the guests and continues throughout the banquet as we clear the tables and get the kids ready for their demonstrations. I love doing this as it gives me an opportunity to visit with people that I don't usually see and hang out in a different setting with my training partners.

I will do 1000 push ups and sit ups on the first day of the New Year, to start the year off with a bang.

I continue to work within the limitations of my illness. I finished the meds the doctor gave me and the infection came back, so I am on a different med. It seems to be helping so I am trying hard to keep my end of the bargain by resting and not over doing it. I am really challenged to take it easy when I am at the kwoon because I feel fabulous when I am there and rarely feel like I have any limits.
I have had three major ah-ha moments this weekend while working on my Tai Chi. I am really enjoying working on it everyday and I am really grateful for this goal. I am feeling more and more aware of how I move and how to move from one move to the other. It feels like it is really coming along.
I have also made some head way with my form, while slowing it down, it became glaringly apparent that I was not sure of some of the moves. I did it wrong throughout my workout the other day, and it felt wrong but I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. Once I got straightened out, it felt much better and I am pretty sure that I will not forget that sequence.
I have not done as much work as I would have liked on my meditation and I am not totally sure what is going on there. I got my book off the shelf to read and haven't read it yet. I keep promising myself that I will make time later for some meditation but I don't. I clearly need to explore why I am avoiding this goal so I can move forward. I usually avoid things that I am afraid that I won't be good at, so I think that is a starting place for exploration.
That was my week in a nut shell,
Robyn Kichko

Good for your soul

I love music in many shapes and sizes, it has a very positive affect on my mood. I love to listen to it loudly and feel totally immersed in it. I think that I could express myself musically if that was my chosen venue of expression. I admire people who can play musical instruments and who can sing, I possess none of those skills but I admire them greatly. I like old music,new music, fast or slow music and any way that I can get it music. I love it. I like serious, send a message songs, I like silly, fun to sing along songs and I like songs that tell a story, inspire, brighten and encourage everyone. I rarely go anywhere without music, I have an ipod that I put as much music on as I can. I believe that music is good for the soul and good for what ails you.
I use music in my work outs to help me push harder, some songs make me run faster! I also enjoy quieter, softer music to cool down to. I attend a fitness class that uses music to help get us pumped up and it works, I can feel the beat with my whole body. I always have music on in my house, it is not always loud but it always there. I could not imagine my life without background music.
My training this week was pretty slim, I am still recovering from bronchitis so I don't have a lot of wind. I am working on my form very slowly and this is helping me pay close attention to each and every detail. It is helping me realize that I don't fully understand all the moves which is exactly what I was looking for, now I have something to hang onto and sink my teeth into. I look forward to figuring this form out.
I did have an opportunity to train at the kwoon with a whole bunch of people. What a rush! There was lion dance practice, small groups practicing forms, stretching, chatting, there was so much energy in there that it was incredible. I totally thrived in that environment, I stayed focused, working on my techniques, I stayed totally in the moment. It was a fabulous training session.
I just completed my 1000 push ups and sit ups and I feel fantastic.
Have a great week everyone!

Using opportunity that arise

I was so excited last week to start a new year of goals,and now I am sick with bronchitis. I am still excited but I can't do many physical things this week. I did start working on my loa gar form and received some excellent feedback from some of my training partners. I like to let stuff like that soak into my brain, so I guess that it is blessing that I am not able to do anything physical, I can just let my brain soak it in. I also have some research and written assignments that I can work on while I am convalescing (is that a word?). I will not let this opportunity to work on my written assignments pass. I am not sleeping all the time now so I don't have any excuse to not get it done.

Live in the present

New me?

New year, new me? Probably not but I can improve on what I am. I think that is why I pour so much into being a martial artist, to be better. I am often asked why I do some of the things that I do, 1000 push ups, boot camp, forms marathon. I usual answer because I can. I think the real answers is because I love the feeling of accomplishment, the feeling of being part of something bigger than me, and I love doing it. It doesn't matter what part of kung fu it is; sparring, forms, fitness, tai chi, kicks, techniques, combinations, I love it all. I know that I always say this, only because it is true. I am blessed to have found a home for my passion and a cool group of people to share that passion with.
Some of the things that I am going to focus on this year are; improving my forms (sounds suspiciously like last year's goal, it is, I now think that I actually know how to do it.), improving my kicks (accuracy, speed, timing - sound familiar?), I will continue to work on me (does that sound vague? - it seems like a lot to explain in a list of goals - the short version - I will be more assertive and stand up for myself and face adversity), I will continue to focus on acts of kindness with a twist ( I will spread the word, helping others is cool!). I am very excited about starting a new year with refined goals, I grew so much last year that I can hardly believe it, I can't wait to meet the challenges of this year.
Until next week, work hard and have fun.