We are often told on the I Ho Chuan (IHC) team that we shouldn’t just be trying to get numbers in as though checking off tasks on a task list. We are supposed to be fully present, paying attention, doing things with intent… You get the idea, I hope. Yet, as I do the push for achieving the number goal for my sword form I’m finding that I’m still noticing things that I might not have before.
· Should I make the “sentence” (phrase?) end here or there?
· Can I, should I, deepen the stance(s)? Which ones?
· Should I speed up or slow down in this part?
· Am I swinging the sword on the correct planes?
· Am I getting the slicing action right, everywhere that there should be one?
· Am I blocking with the right part of the sword?
· Am I blocking in the direction where my opponent would actually be?
· Am I looking where I should?
· Are things working independently, together?
· Am I keeping the sword close to my body in the parts of the form where I should?
· Am I facing the blade in the right direction (rather than risking cutting myself if I was using a sword with a live edge)?
· Am I holding the sword like I would hold a bird; tight enough not to let it get away but not tight enough to harm it? Maybe that’s not right in Kung Fu, I don’t know, but it was drilled into me in fencing, where it could mean the difference between being disarmed or not.
· Is my heel down when it’s supposed to be?
Numbers:
Pushups: 3822
Situps: 2923
Weapon Form: 624
Hand Form: 365
Random Acts of Kindness: 111
Sparring: 245
Kilometres: 1405
Memorize “Mastery”: Nothing to report
Nuture Relationships: Nothing to report
Blogging: 41
Declutter my life: Continues
Greatcoat project: No progress since last blog
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