A shovel and dirt

In the last few weeks I've struggling with injuries that prevent me from practicing all I plan to. Every week I feel like I'm taking a shovel and digging deeper and deeper. Making it harder for myself to get out from. I keep pushing myself and maybe I should stop, think and start digging in the right direction. Maybe carving some stairs that will help get out... I got a book that has "simple" core exercise routine. I read it all and I want to start implement the exercises. It takes more time as I'm not familiar with the exercises but I hope that within few weeks I can do them without looking at the book. I'm re-evaluating my goals for this year and I think that core and flexibility are key for me.

Maintenance Week

Like most things in life, if you don't maintain it, it will not run in top shape, it will tear and break. It is true for our cars, houses, our bodies and it is also true for the kwoon. Every year, on the week kids return to school, we take a break from classes and embark in kwoon maintenance. This year the maintenance week is from August 31st to September 5th.

As I said, it is important to keep the kwoon in a top condition and this week allows us to do so. Some years we have bigger projects and some years we focus on cleaning.

However there is another aspect to this week that can even have a bigger impact on us. Taking care of the kwoon will also enhance the connection to the place. It will make you feel you belong, that this is your home. It is also a great time to interact with fellow students (and instructors) in a more informal matter.

I highly encourage everyone to participate. You will not regret it.

Is it worth it

Endless hours of packing, a loooong drive, grumpy kids in the back of the car... Well we made it to Goodsoil Saskatchewan. 

Now it is time to relax, enjoy some beach time, cabin time, camp fire. 

Was it worth the long drive? Definitely. 

Hard work, sweat, challenges. It is all worth it when you have a good goal as getting your black belt, better yourself and your surrounding. 

As hard as it has been in the last few weeks, I'm not forgetting why I'm doing this and why it is worth it. 

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

If I train and no one is around to see it, am I getting better?
If I care about others and their training, can they see that I care and want to help?

There is no doubt in my mind on the integrity of why I train and why I teach Kung Fu. I'm not sure that I always convey it in the best way. I truly want to better myself and my surrounding. Sometimes when I train I can be seen as sluggish, grumpy. Sometimes when I teach I can be seen as indifferent, disconnected. But I'm not. I do have my own struggles and time limits but when I train or teach Kung Fu I'm truly there in the moment. 

Environmental Guerrilla

I was just sitting down to write my blog and then the call came in. It was on. The mission had began.

I sneaked out of the house, grabbed the wagon and walked around the neighborhood. After about 5 minutes of walking I was there standing in front of the 3 stranded trees. The 3 trees were pulled out few days ago for road construction and no one thought about planting them back. They were drying up and 2 of them without much dirt. I picked the 2 into the wagon and carried them to their future home. Then there was the third tree. Still with a big bulb of dirt. After reducing its size to a weight I could carry, I hauled it with the van close to the new planting site and then carried it in. It was all dark and I was trying to be as quite as a ninja could be.

I don't know if the trees will survive but at least I tried instead of letting them dry up.

The Domino Affect

Hard week. I missed 3 of my morning workouts. Felt exhausted for most of the week. And then one after the other, like domino pieces - low back pain, shoulder injury, upper back, right calf muscle spasm, left hip, left knee. At the end of Friday practice I was hardly standing.

Saturday we went to a 5 Peaks race in Camrose. Sharida and the kids were racing and I was supposed to only run 3 km with the kids. Boy, those were the longest 3 km I ever did. I was aching and hurting. But you know what? this was also the turning point. I LOVE going to the 5 Peaks races. Not because I love to run. I actually don't and I'm pretty bad at running. I love it because everyone who is there has a great attitude. They are all there to have fun, to be healthy, or whatever their reason is, The place is filled with positive energy. People are there because they want to be there.

Motivation is back on track. I need to work on healing few body parts but that is OK as long as I have the right attitude.

Time, Boards, Crabs and Spear

Back from 6 days of vacation makes me wonder if it was worth it... I was back for hectic time at work. Catching up and starting new projects as well. Between Kung Fu, the Tri-Leisure and work, the days started early and ended up late. Saturday we spent most of the day at the kwoon and then the rest of the weekend we were moving stuff before the mud person is coming tomorrow.

This coming week is not going to be any easier and we are also going to live in a cloud of drywall dust.

Back to Kung Fu  matters, I was working with Kobe on his board breaking. Helping him believe that he can do it. I'm so proud of him and want him to do well. This weekend I also had a chance to work with the 2 girls and when one of them told me she wants to play crab soccer, I've arranged for a game during open training. I think we all had fun. Thanks for everyone who participated.

I'm also making progress with the spear form although I'm having a little block because I know the next step is the jump and I'm a bit nervous because of my knees. I do like the spear form. So far it has been a motivator for me.

See you on the mats.