Towards a new balance

[Tkal]

I need grounding. Few months ago I started a hormonal treatment which is changing a lot my inner balance. It is a good change, but still it puts me out of balance. And for a monk balance is everything . I still aim to become a fully fledge assassing one day, but for the moment I go back to my roots, and since I have been a monk all my life before I joined the rebellion, for this challenge I am back here.

Grounding is a continuous exercise, a state of mind, so also my goals will be "continuous", more on building the daily habits than doing some heavy training few times. I'll check my "done" on this spreadsheet

Seeds
My Sensei died last May. After that I formally joined a new school where I have been training randomly for the past 8 years. I am learning the new style. I also have 2 brand new sort-of-students, two colleagues who discovered that I used to teach karate and asked me to teach them something. They are my "guinea pig" to whom I am teaching the new style. And yes, they agreed on that
We work on technical stuff, nothing strenuous, just half hour before work or after lunch.
My goal for this challenge is to dedicate at least half hour to them every day. Part of the task is also to keep them motivated so they are also willing to keep training. I take a partial break from the challenge while I am on vacation (15-18 November and 12-16 December)
+ 2 CHA, + 1 DEX

Daily rain
New style means new kata to learn. My challenge will be to practice at least 3 kata each day. I could be the same repeated 3 times, or 3 different ones, depending on the feedback I get from the sensei. Since in the school there are also many drills for kyu ranks that I have to learn, I can swap 1 kata with 3 drills.
+ 2 CON, + 2 DEX, + 1 STA

The roots in the sky
A couple of weeks ago there was a post on the blog about learning to do a handstand. I joined the 28 days program last week. My goal for this period is to keep my 5-10 minutes of daily practice. Good to work on a different kind of balance (plus, I think it is a cool skill to have)
+ 2 DEX, + 1 STR

Life quest: talking sticks
I should go to the dentist for a checkup. And I must speak with a local lawyer to get some documents recognized in the country where I live at the moment. The difficult part for me is to pick up the phone and call them. So my goal is to get an appointment with my dentist and with the lawyer
+ 4 WIS (2 point for the dentist, 2 for the lawyer)

[Kishi]

You can get that balance back for sure. We'll be glad to help you with it.

 

What style of karate is it?

[Tkal]

You can get that balance back for sure. We'll be glad to help you with it.

 

What style of karate is it?

The one from 25 years ago was Shito ryu. The current is Shuri ryu

[The Shogun]

I love the fact that you're taking time of your life (and a goal of your challenge) to help others. Also, I'm sorry to hear your sensei died. =( 

[Radulf Wilhelmson]

One of the multiple benefits of being a monk also in real life - i.e. practicing a kind of -do - is the fact that you are able to recognise if you're out of balance and to know a way back to your center.

As you seem to be very experienced in your -do I'm pretty sure you will find your balance back. And also to manage the handstand

 

All the best

 

Miyamoto

[Tkal]

I love the fact that you're taking time of your life (and a goal of your challenge) to help others.

I am helping myself more than them

I could think to know something, but as long as I cannot explain it to others I do not really "own" it. So in the end my students are helping me getting strong basis more than the other way aroun.

 

Also, I'm sorry to hear your sensei died. =(

It wasn't unexpected, he was ill for some time. Plus, I moved far from his country about 10 years ago, so the contacts were sporadic. I had his "blessing" to join a different dojo already many years ago, but it never felt right until now

[Cheechoe]

Sorry to hear about you Sensei.   That's rough.

 

Welcome to the Monestary - looks like you have good, clear goals!

 

Katas and handstands, here we come!

[Zuel]

Hi Tkal! Good to have you!

 

Hope you achieve your goals. Specially spreading the seeds of knowledge!

 

Cool spreadsheet by the way. =D

[Tkal]

Verschrikkelijk begin. Well, not so bad. But this morning they kicked us out of the parking lot were we usually train. It seems we have to go back outside, where it is freezing (literally). Tomorrow I must check with the TaiChi guys if they got some special grants or simply never encounter the security guards.

 

For the rest, done my three anaku today. My handstand is slooowly improving and I am close to 1 minute of the weird plank against the wall of Salvato's method. It feels like my arms are made of jelly!

[Teirin]

Fantastic looking challenge, good luck with your treatments and practice.  I hope it brings your balance back.   

[Kishi]

Training in the cold is a great way to build some memories. You know, if you don't die of hypothermia first.

 

Also, yes, I know that method. It's a tricky one. Your arms will grow in strength first, and then your shoulders. But it's a solid method and it works.

[Tkal]

Security kicked out also TaiChi guys. So, tomorrow we are out. It will be cold, but no rain and no wind expected.

One of the colleague involved in this challenge will be on a business trip until winter holiday, so I will miss the 2 sessions per week with him. I have to re-plan a bit my "seeds" challenge. Since the time with the now traveling colleague overlap with TaiChi classes @ work, I plan to join that instead of teaching.

Now is one kick combination as "form" and handstand and then sleeping time

[Cheechoe]

Do you train in shoes, then?

 

 

 

(Wow, only in a monastery would you encounter such a question)

[Tkal]

Training in the cold is a great way to build some memories. You know, if you don't die of hypothermia first.

Half hours is not enough to die especially after 30 minutes on the bike

But an extra layer was a good idea

 

Do you train in shoes, then?

It depends. I do not like going barefoot in the parking lot, but I use a pair of soft star at work which give protection without loosing the "barefoot feeling". Sort of fivefingers but looking more like regular shoes.In the park or gyms or at home I go barefoot. But it is just a matter of comfort.

I think much depends on your goal. For me efficiency in a real life situation is more important than scoring points. So it is good to practice in heels+skirt or some other uncomfortable/tight/not-really-sporty clothes&shoes. At least time to time. You discover immediately that Jakie Chan was really wearing a special tuxedo. No idea on how to put a video here, so you get the link

And you start wondering how comes that Buffy never splits her trousers while kicking major evil asses...

Anyway, summary of the day: done a couple of toedochi this morning, kicking routine for me tonight after school and handstand before bed. That is, now.

 

Tomorrow half day of work, then pick up my wife at the airport and I'll be back next Tuesday

[Kishi]

I'm thinking I kind of need some shoes like yours, where you have that barefoot feeling without the toes. I don't mind the looks and all, but there's something to be said for being able to blend in.

[Zuel]

Personal Note: Before starting to fight crime, get super stretchy clothing.

[Tkal]

there's something to be said for being able to blend in.

What I like the most is that I can wear regular socks

Anyway, back from my short vacation. E from a bad cold that hit hard the entire team at work. Practicing the handstand with a running nose is annoying... Ok, I do not manage to be upside-down and hold my breath for 1 minute. So, that practice has a big hole in my spreadsheet now.

With K (the student left) I manage to recuperate a missing lesson during the weekend. I think at this point she is more motivated than me to train in the cold. Which is good.

Nothing to say about my daily practice. Last Saturday I spent 3 hours with Sensei cleaning up my side kick (no put intended). My legs still hurts like hell. I love it!

On a much more personal side, the therapy is giving me some annoying side effects, so today I swallowed my pride and had a serious talk with my boss and I "demoted" myself to less challenging tasks at work, at least for the coming 3-6 months. I am lucky to work in a great company where I can do this step back without repercussions on my future

 

[Kishi]

Mm, I was wondering when the therapy issues would come in. I have a friend who's in transition herself, and while she wants to train and exercise, she's afraid of the hormonal effects that testosterone would have on her at this point in time. It's a tough spot. But like you said, it's good that your company's got your back on this one.

[Teirin]

Agreed, glad your company is cool about it and that you're taking care of yourself and backing off when you need to.

 

Congrats on your side kick work!

[Zuel]

Wow, your company is great indeed!

 

Hope you get back to your normal performance soon!

[Tkal]

a bit late, but let's clos this

 

I called the dentist, appontment in January, +2 WIS bt no call to lawyer. Something for next challenge

 

For the rest:

• seeds: 63% --> CHA +1.25, CON +0.6
• daily rain 100% --> CON +2, DEX +2, STA +1
• root in the sky 54% -->1 DEX, 0.5 STR

In the meantime I also went through a bronchistis. Stil coughing, and that was the main problem with the handstand practice.

 

The seeds part was depending too much on other people aviability. It ws nice, but I should change the way to count the points. If I count all the miss depending on me, then that is also a 100%

 

Not the best challenge ever, but I am happy with it, my kicks improved, Senseiis really happy with the work I am doing with my student and I stay upside down against the wall. So, now update the signature and prepare for next challenge, after the festivities.

 

See you all next round!

[Kishi]

Progress! The challenge was a good one, then. Hopefully, the lessons that you learned, you can apply to your next challenge.