5 Finger Exploding Heart Palm Technique training.

[Foo]

"Your so-called kung-fu... is really... quite pathetic." - Pai Mei

 

Not really sure what to put here as my goals are about being balanced.  I know, I know, extremes are en-vogue, but I've got a list of things I think I should be able to do at the same time.  Perhaps after those, I'll dig deeper into further stages in each thing's progression.  Mostly, I just need the wood to fear my fist and not the other way around.

 

1. Master Tai Chi (no big deal...just, uhm....master it, right?  Ok, let's settle for just learning the form and not being yelled at for it being really bad.  That seems like a good starter point on the road to 'Master.'   )  {focus: consistent practice}

2. Be able to bust out 20 pull-ups anywhere I can get a grip. {focus: strength/endurance}

3. 5 one-armed push-ups on either side with my nose gently kissing the floor on each. {focus: strength/control}

4. Touch face to knees in Uttanasana. {focus: flexibility/composition}

5. Sub 10% BF.  {focus: composition}

6. Pistol Squat {focus: balance/strength}

 

So, I'll probably simply post up what I'm doing every day and which of these goals it relates to.  If I had on over-arching goal, it's to still be able to spar with my grandkids should I ever have them.  That's a pretty non-SMART goal, though, so I'll just keep digging deeper into minor goals that I think will lead me to that point some day.  Seems like a bit of a conundrum to put a taoist style in line with clearly linear goals, as most of the time I'm looking at how to most smoothly reverse energies...but I come from a hard-style, so it's not like "MY kung fu" is that philosophical yet.  I still have trouble not using direct force, so I'll just face-punch goals for now.  Ok, so, day #1.

 

- Did form up through White Crane Spreads it's Wings, and worked trying to find the balance for the toe circling in greater depth.  Time involved: 45 minutes, Goal #1.

 

- Did Vinyasa flow with my wife's teacher, focusing on lower back.  Time involved: 30 minutes, Goal #4.

 

- Ran through a pre-programmed cardio circuit for 15 mins.  Time involved 15 mins, Goal #5.

 

- Decided that every time I get out of my chair at work, to only use one leg, alternating legs.  It's a little habit that I'm hoping works like greasing the groove for better side-to-side squats and the lower kung-fu stances.  Maybe I should use a sticky-note to keep track of how many I do in a day.  Need a better plan here to keep up with them.  Time...dunno.  Goal #6.

 

This may be an odd log, that goes all over the place.  Probably need to track my food more carefully for goal 5 as well.  I'll hopefully get this down a bit better by writing it down every day.

 

So, let's try to make this fit the system:

 

Main Quest.

Be a master monk, pass CMC Tai Chi instructor exams while <10% BF and able to do a hand-stand pushup, muscle-up, pistol squat, 

Pick 2 - 3 SMART quests

Pull up x 20 , OAPush-ups x 5, Flexibility (forward fold with head on knees)

Choose a life quest if you'd like to do one (completely optional). 

Reach full financial independence so I can afford to teach martial arts full-time.

Choose a motivation.

Nothing would be worse than growing feeble in my old age and not being able to still play with my children's children...and I play hard.

[Foo]

Today, much more simple direction:

5 sets of 12 Push-ups, goal #3

5 sets of 3 Dips, Goal #3

 

Worked a transition between white-crane/brush knee.  (Time involved, 45 mins).  Goal #1.

Ashtanga (Time Involved 15 mins, Goal #4)

[Foo]

...today, it is my knees that fear the horse-stance {馬步}....not how it should be.

 

Qigong

 

Dynamic Stretching Warm up

Ma Bu:  45 second hold x 2

Jumping squat into Ma Bu, with double punch.  5x20

Fu Hu Bu (Tame the Tiger) as sqauts: 20 times, each side.

Changquan (Long Fist) class: 55 mins

 

Run through my Tai Chi form, trying to move in ways that wouldn't disturb the water if I was submerged.  10 times total, no time...I tend to pay more attention to how each step feels than a time or anything.

 

Ashtanga (strength yoga day): 23 mins.

 

My knees are glowing like tomatoes right now, and you could possibly cook an egg on them.  Cheng Man Ching's form has a bit of a history for being rough on the legs because of the more pronounced 90-degree foot placement...but...I'm pretty sure I can't blame today's soreness on that, though, as Ma Bu left me shaking like a chihuahua in the snow.  I struggled with my tai chi forms after changquan was over, just to keep some depth to my knees.  It's hard to relax when you feel like you're going to fall, so maybe I should give it a bit longer between skills practice.  Also, finally weighed myself.  Sitting at 212 @ 5'11".  I figure a good deal of that weight needs to come off.  I'm going to start recording bodyfat, as one of my goals is directly measurable there.

 

Also, going to stop drinking wine.  What good is eating salmon and steamed veggies just to turn around and drink 2-3 glasses of carbs?  Probably not the best way to lean up. 

[Foo]

Mini-post, tiny internal battle. <Nerd Powerlevels called into question>

 

To be totally honest with anyone reading this, while I was/am totally ready for the physical challenges and a fun place to keep up with some really strange progress, I've been totally intimidated with Roleplaying IRL.  I watched bad Hong Kong cinema while I guess everyone else was playing D&D, so I was really struggling with how to do it "right."  For instance, I want to be a reclusive kung fu artist in real life, and literally have visting Wudang Mountain as a life goal.... but how do I RP?

 

So I spent a while reading other people's battle logs and challenge logs.  I was blown away with some of the story-telling, and have hopefully decided on a way to tell the story of a novice monk on his quest to enlightenment, and I think I have how that should work into the rest of the challenges here.

 

This may not seem like a big deal for some of you, but was harder than 200 push ups for me.  

[Foo]

 

In preparation to pit smoke a pork shoulder and whole turkey, still did today's routine:

 

Pull Ups - 6 sets of 3

Rear Lat raises: 30x5x10

Upright Rows: 30x5x10

Changquan drills (bow stance, to punch + sweep + punch): 15 mins (very intense, out of breath...even though these were divided into smaller sets)

Changquan drills (twist step practice) 5 mins.

Tai Chi:  Worked through the form, noticing that I needed to swap weight balance in white crane -> brush knee.

Vinyasa: 45 mins

 

My wife (Sarai) made me a set of Mala beads, which is pretty awesome.  I plan to use those in my meditation before I go to bed.  I need a good mantra still, but for now I'm sticking with "I was meant to thrive, not just survive."

 

Namaste my friends.

[Foo]

"Yay, footwork!"

Took about 15 hours to smoke all the food for tomorrow's meal.  I was/am a bit tired from that, but managed to get in some solid work anyhow.  I watched professor Cheng lecturing on push hands a few times, and then ended up watching him do the form in a video I have of him as a younger man.  Noticed a few things where I could apply some of the things I miss...and I'm in a perpetual state of realizing how little I know.  Every time I really watch him, I pick up something new.  

 

37 Form, 10 full sequences with focus on being non-linear with my "fair lady" wrists.

Zuo Pan Bu drills.  5 sets of 10 (Left Zuo Pan Bu, Ma Bu, Right Zuo Pan Bu = 1)

Vinyasa 30 mins, 15 mins of just breathing into a few stretches afterwards (Goal #4 nailed!!!)

Bent over DB Row #30x5x10

DB Clean and Press #30x5x10

 

...I am looking very forward to the next 6 week challenge.  I want to start playing now.

[Foo]

 
 
...this Santa art exists....I'm so thankful for such an artist.

 

Anyhow, Merry Christmas everyone.  Today will be light as I've got family to be entertaining.

 

37 Form = 5 times, more for flow than looking into individual postures

Ashtanga 15 mins

BW Squats 5x20

Xuan Ji Bu as a squat to 90-degrees x 10 per side x 3 sets.

[Foo]

37 Form, 5 times.   Sinking into each posture with head up in focus.

Swiss Ball suspended leg raise, 3x20

Hanging Leg raise, 5x10

Changquan practice 15 mins.

Ashtanga 30 mins

[Foo]

Class change probably incoming.

^  "I mean look at this druid's single-whip!!!"

 

Today, did some form work, and then went to spar with the Wing Chun guys.  I learned some things, like "Wing Chun guys don't like it when you stick to their arms and keep them from regaining their center-line."  And "They're also really fast, so be aware of how they can trap when you try to trap...it can quickly become a bad spot to be in."  Still, I had a good run, and held my own just fine against a very external kung fu style.

 

Form work: 30 mins

Sparring: 50 mins (not consecutively, obviously)

 

I guess I'm going to be a druid, because according to the descriptions, that's exactly what I am.  I guess it makes sense.  Still not totally sure how the new system will work out, but feel like I'd be a better fit there despite my previous experience in external arts and my Changquan currently.  

[Foo]

Thinking a bit Session #1:

 

Push-ups: 5x12

DB OHP: #30x5x10

Dips: BWx5x3

37 Form: 5 times through

 

 

So, got to thinking about "What does a druid do?"  Well, despite the fact that I played a druid quite a bit while I was playing WoW, I forgot a HUGE part of it:

 

-Shapeshifting-

 

So, in order to try to make my practice reflect a bit, I'm swapping out my normal warming up with the "5 Animals Frolic" Qi Gong.  It's something I'd done before, and I loved it.  Seems like an appropriate way to get a bit of 'druid' in my daily routine.  I'll be back later with today's Session #2 probably.

[Foo]

Session #2:

Chin Na practice: 1 hour

Ashtanga: 30 minutes

 

...I really set out with this to be a fun way to keep up with my workouts, but I'm starting to think I'd be better off just tracking everything in a big notebook and ignoring all the guilds/RP/etc.  I spend more time reading posts about those than is probably productive, and I've not posted on social media for a long while for this very reason.  Sitting down pushing buttons is perhaps motivational for someone else, but I feel like this place may be far better tuned for someone else than myself.

[Foo]

Today's Summary:

 

Wudang Qigong:  Did the forms 3-times through, once immediately upon rising, again before tai chi, and last, right before work.

Tai Chi: Walked my form through 5 full times.  I keep going back to trying to make "Carry Tiger to Mountain" a bit less abrupt.

Changquan: High Kick Drills 10 Minutes, Lian Bu Quan

Vinyasa Yoga: 1 hour.  Took up doing my wife's practice, which is highly challenging.  I enjoyed it, and have it as a part of my upcoming challenges.

 

 One of the bigger parts of my upcoming challenge is to correct impurities in my own diet.  Today, I ate 3 whole raw carrots.  They're actually very enjoyable, and I didn't miss the flour-based snack foods that I'd normally reach for at all.  I'm assuming that in the upcoming weeks that I'm going to hit a point where a "fast" is in order to really feel the cleansing of my body, but I'm playing it by ear for right now.  No alcohol was consumed for the past week.

[Foo]

I <3 My knees circuit:

20 Burpees, 20 Walking Lunges, 20 Jump squats, 20 Jumping Jacks

3 rounds, 30 seconds rest between

 

Vinyasa 1 hour

37 Form, 5 times through

5 Animals Qigong, 5 times (did right upon waking, as per challenge)

Golden Rooster/Mid Kick/High Kick drills, 5 mins.

 

...legs are a bit sore.

[Foo]

More circuits:

Ice Skaters x 30, Mountain Climbers x 30, Squat Jacks x 30, Plank for 45 seconds, 30 seconds in Child's Pose (active rest)

3 rounds

 

Vinyasa: 1 hour

Tai Chi: 45 minutes

Wudang Qigong: 5 animals, 5 times through

Lian Bu Quan (Changquan) 1 time for practice.

[Foo]

Rest day:

 

Tai Chi: CMC 37 form, ~10 very contemplative times through.  Working on "swimming in air."

Deep Passive Stretching: 15 minutes, hamstrings

Wudang Qigong: 3 times through

[Foo]

....so cute.

 

Today was great.  Vinyasa teacher had us just play with Surya Namaskara for the entire class, and just find ways to vary it.  Interesting for sure.

 

Wudang Qigong: 5 times through (once upon waking, as per challenge)

Tai Chi, short form: 5 times through (still working "swimming in air" as focus)

Vinyasa: 1 hour

Changquan: Double leg jumping kick drills (aka pop 360 feilong): 5 mins.....5 brutal minutes

 

Circuits -

Push Ups: 5x10 supersetted with....

Shoulder Push Ups: 5x10 (get to downward dog, roll elbows out, push with just triceps)

Chin Ups: 5x5

Plank: 45 seconds, x 5

[Foo]

Wudang Qigong 5 times (once upon waking, as per challenge)

Vinyasa 1 hour (deep stretching day)

Tai Chi short form 5 times through

BW squats 5x20

One Legged BW Squat (1x10)

[Absolutezoe]

"Your so-called kung-fu... is really... quite pathetic." - Pai Mei

 

Not really sure what to put here as my goals are about being balanced.  I know, I know, extremes are en-vogue, but I've got a list of things I think I should be able to do at the same time.  Perhaps after those, I'll dig deeper into further stages in each thing's progression.  Mostly, I just need the wood to fear my fist and not the other way around.

 

1. Master Tai Chi (no big deal...just, uhm....master it, right?  Ok, let's settle for just learning the form and not being yelled at for it being really bad.  That seems like a good starter point on the road to 'Master.'    )  {focus: consistent practice}

2. Be able to bust out 20 pull-ups anywhere I can get a grip. {focus: strength/endurance}

3. 5 one-armed push-ups on either side with my nose gently kissing the floor on each. {focus: strength/control}

4. Touch face to knees in Uttanasana. {focus: flexibility/composition}

5. Sub 10% BF.  {focus: composition}

6. Pistol Squat {focus: balance/strength}

 

So, I'll probably simply post up what I'm doing every day and which of these goals it relates to.  If I had on over-arching goal, it's to still be able to spar with my grandkids should I ever have them.  That's a pretty non-SMART goal, though, so I'll just keep digging deeper into minor goals that I think will lead me to that point some day.  Seems like a bit of a conundrum to put a taoist style in line with clearly linear goals, as most of the time I'm looking at how to most smoothly reverse energies...but I come from a hard-style, so it's not like "MY kung fu" is that philosophical yet.  I still have trouble not using direct force, so I'll just face-punch goals for now.  Ok, so, day #1.

 

- Did form up through White Crane Spreads it's Wings, and worked trying to find the balance for the toe circling in greater depth.  Time involved: 45 minutes, Goal #1.

 

- Did Vinyasa flow with my wife's teacher, focusing on lower back.  Time involved: 30 minutes, Goal #4.

 

- Ran through a pre-programmed cardio circuit for 15 mins.  Time involved 15 mins, Goal #5.

 

- Decided that every time I get out of my chair at work, to only use one leg, alternating legs.  It's a little habit that I'm hoping works like greasing the groove for better side-to-side squats and the lower kung-fu stances.  Maybe I should use a sticky-note to keep track of how many I do in a day.  Need a better plan here to keep up with them.  Time...dunno.  Goal #6.

 

This may be an odd log, that goes all over the place.  Probably need to track my food more carefully for goal 5 as well.  I'll hopefully get this down a bit better by writing it down every day.

 

So, let's try to make this fit the system:

 

Main Quest.

Be a master monk, pass CMC Tai Chi instructor exams while <10% BF and able to do a hand-standpushup, muscle-up, pistol squat, 

Pick 2 - 3 SMART quests

Pull up x 20 , OAPush-ups x 5, Flexibility (forward fold with head on knees)

Choose a life quest if you'd like to do one (completely optional). 

Reach full financial independence so I can afford to teach martial arts full-time.

Choose a motivation.

Nothing would be worse than growing feeble in my old age and not being able to still play with my children's children...and I play hard.

You have a variety of wonderful goals. How do you enjoy Kung-Fu? One of my friends does it and he suggested it to me, as I'd like to learn a form of martial arts that is good for the body and the mind, but also provides self-defense techniques (which I hope never need to use.) How long have you been practicing?

 

I have knee problems so I am looking into Thai Chi. I bought a simple video and I may do that next challenge. I am curious to hear your advice? Do you think that is a better way which is easier on the joints? I really hope to strengthen my body so that I can go forward with more in depth exercises.

 

I imagine the Vinyasa classes can help with flexibility and possibly your form with martial arts? Keep up the excellent work! 

[Foo]

I've been practicing some form of martial art for about the last 20 years, although I stopped actively practicing for around 5 years.  My first foray into martial arts was Isshin-ryu Karate and Jujitsu.  Converting to Chinese martial arts has been really interesting, and I've been doing Tai Chi for about the last 2 years and picked up Changquan (Northern Shaolin Long-Fist) only recently.

 

My thoughts are that your teacher for tai chi will make all of the difference in how martial (self-defensive) the art is.  Tai Chi Chaun actually looks a great deal like boxing with low kicks once you get into how it will be applied, but that isn't at all how the forms appear.  Your sifu (instructor/teacher/etc) is often hard to pick, as a lot of people are there "for the good vibes" and couldn't care less about the history of how it's a very alive kung-fu style.  I could rant about this for hours, but I'll avoid that for now.

 

Tai Chi videos, especially those by Paul Lam, would be a wonderful way to get a light introduction to Yang-family 24 Form Tai Chi and shouldn't stress your knees badly at all.  Most of his students are elderly or arthritic, so he always provides good detail about how to make the movements work comfortably.  I personally do a much lower-stanced Cheng Man-Ching form which appears different from what he teaches at first, but it's still technically the same art.  Over time, it all starts to make sense how they're the same thing, and that one is not objectively better or worse than the other.  Just different stages of learning.

 

If you have knee problems, I wouldn't suggest Changquan at all.  It's very hard on the lower body, as there are lots of super low stances and jumping kicks.

 

I hope that helps Absolutezoe.  Thanks for chiming in!

 

========

 

Today's Practice:

Vinyasa 30 mins

Tai Chi  30 mins

Qigong 5 times (once upon waking)

Changquan Drills (ma bu) 5x45-seconds.

 

DB Curls #30x5x10

DB Tricep Ext #30x5x10

[Foo]

 

Today's Practice:

Vinyasa 30 mins (another "Find someone to follow on the Television" day, real class back on tomorrow.)

Tai Chi:

1.Reeling Silk 2 sets of 15 mins

2.Form Walking, 5 times

Wudang Qigong, 5 times (once upon waking, as per challenge)

Changquan,

1.Ma Bu -> Deng Shan Bu (each side with punches), 10 mins

2.Ma Bu -> Double Fist, 10 mins

3.Form work (Lian Bu Quan), 10 mins

[Foo]

 

Today's Practice:

Vinyasa 1 hour

 

Circuit #1:  3 times through

-Sprint 10 secs + Burpee x 3

-Jumping Jacks 30 seconds

-High Knees 30 seconds

-Mtn Climbers 30 Seconds

-Plank Jacks 30 seconds

-rest 30 seconds

 

Circuit #2: 3 times through

-Push Ups x 10

-Pike Pushup x10

-Bench Dips x10

-Crunch x 10

-Side Crunch (each side) x 10

-Rest 30 Seconds

 

Tai Chi:

- Reeling Silk, 15 mins

- 37 Form, 5 times over

- Wudang Qigong 5 times (once upon waking per challenge)

 

Changquan

- off today

[Foo]

 

Today's Practice:

Vinyasa - 1 hour

 

Circuit #1: 3 times through

-Jumping Squats x 20

-Walking Lunges x 20

-Leg Raises x 20

-30 Second Navasana

-Jumping Jacks x 20

-30 second Uttanasana (rest?)

 

Changquan:

-Walking Lunge to Crescent Kick x 20

-Ma Bu, 3 x 60 second holds

 

Tai Chi:

-15 mins Reeling Silk

-37 Form, 5 times through

-Wudang Qigong, 5 times (once upon waking, per challenge)

[Foo]

 

Today, Rest-ish Day:

 

Yoga:

-Ashtanga 30 Mins

 

Tai Chi:

-Reeling Silk 15 Mins

-37 Form, 3 Walk Throughs

 

Changquan:

-Gong Bu sweeping punches (form practice) 50 times

 

Pull Ups:

-10x3

[Foo]

Today's Practice:

 

Vinyasa 1 Hour

 

Circuit #1: 3 times through

-High Knees x 20

-Butt Kickers x 20

-Frog Squat Jumps x 20

-Mtn Climbers x 30

 

Tai Chi:

-Reeling Silk 15 Mins

-37 Form, 3 Times through, DEEP stances

-Wudang Qigong 5 times (once upon waking, as per challenge)

 

Changquan:

-Crescent inside->outside kick drills, 10 mins

[Foo]

Today's Practice:

Vinyasa: 1 Hour

 

New Circuit: 3 Times through

-Push Ups x 5

-Chaturanga Push Ups x 5

-Wide Push Ups x 5

-Pike Push Ups x 5

-Dips x 5

-Tuck Rock x 5

-Tuck Ups x 5

-180 Squat x 10

-Plank lever up x 5

-Plank Elevators x 5 (left first)

-Plank Elevators x 5 (right first)

-Dolphin Press x 5 (like a plank lever up, but from a Pike position or Dolphin pose)

-Lunge Walk x 5 (each side leading)

-1 minute rest

.....brutal by the 3rd round

 

Tai Chi:

-Reeling Silk: 15 Min

-37 Form: 3 Times through

-Wudang Qigong: 5 times through (once upon waking, per challenge)