Revisiting Sanda

I go back and forth about Sanda every week. 

There is a guy from Kung Fu I like. We've been out a few times, and I always ask him out. I decided to do the thing where I wait for him to ask me out. Gosh it was really difficult to be patient like that. But he suggested I come to Sanda with him. It wasn't a date but of course I said yes. 

So I skipped out on cake, (was a birthday party) and headed to Sanda.

One of the things that I feel uncomfortable about in Sanda as I girl, I feel like I just can't cut it...I mean I'm not a hard-nose feminists trying to eventually outdo the men. Just my weak arms, lack of testortone, little to none training...who wants to fight that lol?

So we start hitting the punching bags and my form was all off and the teacher "H" comes over, and all I can't think to say is "Sorry I'm kind of weak." 

I was partnered up with M, who I've worked with before, and did my best to take him down. I will say even though I wasn't that great SO MANY GOOD IDEAS FOR MODERN DANCE!!!! I was thinking lets all just stop, do some contact improv and dance :)

There was a lack of sparring equipment, "M" was the only one who had a helmet so the instuctor told us we all would take turns punching the crap out of him while he dodged our blows.

I felt like an airhead as the put me in...(weak arms + being a girl) I forgot that I was only supposed to be hitting him. He kept dodging my blows and ducking under so I decided to tackle my body aross his shoulders. He stood up with me suspended in the air and we momentarily has this beautful modern dance moment.

My second turn came and I remembered my Kung Fu trainig. Kung Fu and Sanda go hand in hand and I gave "M" several blows to head and recieved some "Nice Shot" comments from Sifu. 

I think I'm going to switch out a Kung Fu class for Sanda. 

(Video starts at 18 sec. Movement reminds of things done in Sanda.)

30 Degrees

Today in Atlanta the high was in the 30's.

The building in which we do Kung Fu is basically a large concrete and metal warehouse. It was a like doing Kung Fu in a giant refrigerator.

There is a women who religiously drives an hour and half to Fu 3 times a week. She has a teenage son, who Fu's as well and I always figured she was one of those "cool" moms. The other day she brought a 4 year old, and I asked if it was her daughter. Nope...her granddaughter.

Well, since I am fighting someone's grandma now, it kind of changes everything. I can't beat up a grandma, no matter how young and hip she is lol.

Well everyone is getting pretty comfortable and familiar with form lately and tonight, and R was overseeing the groups, and told me I should do this and then that, and the young, hip grandma and I hit shins together so hard. This is how I felt, and what came to mind.

I think that's it. Just wanted to let everyone know I was alive.
I guess I could make a list of my adventures.

-Bought my first thing off Ebay.
-Won "Dancing With the Stars" in Atlanta ;)
-Made Crepes
-Took a real Pilates job...terrified about it
-Went through a pair of red flats in one month
-And the Russians are begging me to resume my Argentinean Tango training.

And that's all I can think of at the moment. Because...well...this week actually was actually pretty (insert obscure, nondescript, negative adjective here). But there is only one week until Thanksgiving. And I cannot wait.

Tea and Tai Chi

There are only two things I enjoy waking up early for.

1.) Disneyland

During college I went to DLand A LOT.  J and I always wore the same outfits, Beatles and Black.

 2.) Kung Fu

I can't believe it took me 22 years to figure out my life's purpose...to do Kung Fu.)

Despite enduring an exhaustive weekend, I planned to arrive at Kung Fu for the 8am Tai Chi class. Usually I force myself to get up around 8:30, but 7am came and I was reared and ready to go by 7:20.

Now Tai Chi, or Taiji, is the master of all Kung Fu's so of course I wasn't going to pass up an opportunity to Fu, and what better way to start the day? They also offered tea after class, and I love tea!

I did not like Tai Chi. So slow. Tai Chi is like water bending (not my style at all), and is all breath dominated. We went through a form and Sifu told us it should be done in 28 breaths...and I said "We were supposed to breathe?" Though the tea was the best part. Hands down was the best part of Monday. Definitely will be going back for the tea...

Kung Fu Update- I know boring title

Last night I was fighting someone called Big Phil.  He hit me in the face by accident. I was careful to keep my arms up after that haha...my arms are so sore from blocking him. He's kind of a big guy. I feel like I am fighting the "Boulder" when we are paired up.

And I like the new form, even better than summer's form. It's coming along much easier (very dance like.)

And speaking of dance I have not taken a dance class in over a month. But here is a list of things I have done.

-15 pilates classes,
- learned to use a sewing machine,
- finally cleaned my room,
- traveled to Boston,
- walked my dog,
- pondered life,
- did some back handsprings,
- volunteered,
- made 3 great discoveries,
- tried prime rib (So GROSS),
- auditioned for a movie,
- leased a space for a business,
- researched woodworking,
- watched call the midwife
- played the african drum,
- and did Kung Fu.

September was the longest month ever. Here is 10 seconds of Kung Fu.

Kung Fu Anniversary

New interior of Kung Fu, like stepping into China.

The new season of Kung Fu has begun.  It was probably exactly a year ago I made my way in looking for a new start, something fresh, and authentic.

And today was a good class. Sifu really made it engaging but I was in a rut.

I was (am) very frustrated. I had been so one-sided with the Kung Fu I felt my movement pattern had changed. And I found myself miming the motions, and mildly upset they were so bound and grounded. Why couldn't Kung Fu be free flowing and weightless today, why couldn't it be more like dance?

I found the dance moments. Varying kinespheres within the form, contact improv with the applications, the silly fact that I have a hard time with upper/lower in applying the forms.

Then Sifu told us we needed to to put more force behind our movement into the form applications quote "Be more violent." So I tried to hit people with real intent. (Intent - just like in dance.)

Master Chan Tai San's Death Day

I arrived home from my Saturday job anticipating leaving for the weekend.  I discovered my siblings knee deep in mopping floors with no sign of imminent departure. I remembered that today was the Death Anniversary Chan Tai San, our school's most important ancestor.

 "We are going to Kung Fu, to have a cultural experience." I announced and told them we had to leave now. I have never been to a Death Anniversary, which I kept referring in my head as "Death Day" like in Harry Potter.

Death Day began with a lion dance. I wished it could have been longer. They played live the large Chinese drum (think Mulan), and the lion paraded around and it was just plain cool.

Next we all lined up to burn incense at the shrine of Master San. My sister G has an unsteady hand so I was nervous for her to stick the incense sticks into the flame. The sticks wouldn't light so I quickly moved her along, and stuck mine into the fire. I don't know what happened in milliseconds next but yeowwww! I burned my fingers! Feeling like an idiot I tried to copy Sifu's way of thanking the Master, which felt hasty and shallow, because I just wanted to run my hand under water.

Then Sifu explained in ancient Chinese religion they believed even though someone has died they still live in the next world. It is our job on earth to make burnt offerings to the person (Master San), of his favorite worldly pleasures. So we would be burning stacks of cash, cigarettes, and alcohol all in Death Day Fun.

So we now had a much larger open (indoor) flame going pretty strong as kids lined up to toss Benjamins (fake) into the fire. My siblings watched in mild awe. This was not your typical Saturday activity.  'A' was mildly nervous as my 6 year old brother took a stack of cash and inched closer to flame. Totally dangerous activity :)

Death Day ended with everyone eating a bite of Master Chan Tai San's favorite Food, "Fried Chicken", and watching Kung Fu demonstrations dedicated to the Master. I wanted to do a form but chickened out, pun intended.

Watching the forms was my favorite part. Kung Fu is so vastly different in its style and performance. It was absolutely stunning. So because you made it to the end you get to see the video of my favorites :)

Boot Camp Class, Kung Fu, and 5 pounds.

I cannot remember if I have ever detailed Kung Fu Boot Camp. I will express what took place through the medium of storytelling and vivid language.

I decided to take the Boot Camp class. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it's gruesome.

I jokingly told Sifu I wanted to lose 5 pounds that hour. He grinned and said, "Great, no problem, lets do it..." I weighed myself at this point and (Side note) -There was hint of "you have no idea what you just got yourself into" and I quickly said, "Oh no I'm just joking...kind of...I mean I would like to loose five pounds right now but I'm a little worried."

We started a jog around the building as our warm up. I don't run, but willed myself to run the length and thanked the Kung Fu ancestors that we were not running a mile :) We stopped at the designated point and started piggy back runs. I rock at those. (Thank You Kori Wakamatsu's Modern 241R class.)

Then things took at turn for the bad. Pacer runs. I could feel the heat from the asphalt in the soles of my black Nikes, into the stitching of my black socks. My black capris were soaking in the heat from the southern 6 o'clock sun and I began to regret wearing a 3 quarter length grey princess sleeve shirt.
I have never felt the urge to undress in public, but as I ran from line to line all I could think was tearing off my shirt and shoes, with no shame.

It was during those pacers that I developed the chills. Heat chills. Pretty sure I was having the onset of heat exhaustion. When we finally let up for a water break that noticed that I was past my usual red faced exercise complexion, and was settling into a nice face palate of puke purple.

Back outside. I was ready to surrender. Running, jumping, bigger jumping....run up the hill for push ups run down. (I told Sifu that I already did 14 push ups that day, so I didn't need anymore.) I had made a terrible mistake in coming. How was I going to make it through this class and onto my actual Kung Fu class after?

Surprisingly made a shameful finish at the end of 30 minutes later. Judging by my appearance I should have left after Boot Camp, but I stayed, in my gross mess of a state, and hoped we would not be doing fighting drills today. (Didn't want anyone to fight such a sweat soaked person.)

And drills began. Front stretch kicks, all the way through everything we needed to know for the upcoming test. There were so many drills. My Nike Air tennis shoes, felt like Nike Lead. I could barely lift my feet, let alone swing my arms. I was a hot mess.

And at the end of Kung Fu I weighed myself, I had lost 2.5 pounds.