My experiences of Kung fu as of now
C.G.
Ever since I was about twelve years old I've been interested in martial arts. I liked Bruce Lee I read his books and tried to imitate his moves. When I was twenty I joined my first kung fu class. I previously studied Wing Chun for about six months. I enjoyed Wing Chun but it didn't seem to interest me as much then. Six years would follow before I would join another kung fu school. During those six years I didn't involve my self with much physical activity. For a period of about six months when I was twenty-one I started working out lifting weights I got pretty big muscles but I quit and quickly lost it all. I worked as a valet for several years that kept me in fairly good shape but I changed jobs and became a bellman. I now had very little physical activity. I felt slow and weak. Running up stairs was not something I would usually do. Walking up a flight of stairs was about alii would muster. My self confidence was nil. My balance was always off. If I stood on a curb I would lose my balance quickly. If I were to jump down three stairs I would probably say I'm not doing that again. I could tell my body was starting to slow down. I was eating late at night and slowly I gained about forty pounds. I realized during Christmas of 2004 when my family kept commenting about how much weight I gained that I need to make a change. I started eating better and slowly the weight started coming off.

Now that I lost about 25 pounds I was ready to start getting into shape. I wanted more strength, more stamina, and I wanted to look good. I was thinking of joining a gym but my best friend Eric was adamant about me joining the kung fu class he was in. I was interested but I was also lazy, I didn't know if I could fit it in to my busy schedule. I resisted his persuasion for about two months then finally I agreed to join the Northern Shaolin class. I showed up for class and began working out. I quickly realized how bad of shape I was in. But I knew this is exactly what I needed. The one hour workout went by very quick. I was sweaty and felt good afterwards. I was anxious to learn more. As the weeks progressed I was noticing higher levels of self confidence and I was still losing weight. My strength was also increasing. I was impressed how strong my legs where getting from the Shaolin. I felt lighter and faster than I had in a long time. I noticed when I would go dancing my moves seemed easier. My feet seemed to move faster. I didn't get tired as quickly. My increased confidence almost got me in trouble one night I was out with some friends at a bar and someone was starting some trouble. I was drunk and confident with my kung fu so I was antagonizing the situation. Luckily my friend diffused the situation before anything erupted. What I realize now is that I could easily have got hurt. I had never sparred which is what makes me realize how unprepared I was.

Taking Northern Shaolin was providing me with a great deal of benefits but there where still two other classes that I wasn't taking. I also thought a one hour work out wasn't quite enough. Eric was also influencing me to join the Wing Chun class. I had just broken up with my girlfriend so I figured it was a good time to join the Wing Chun class. Immediately I noticed that I was getting a much more thorough workout. The smaller class was providing me more one on one with Sifu. The more complex hand movements and drills of Wing Chun were also improving my coordination. I have taken Wing Chun before from previous schools and one difference I noticed was that Sifu Rene was not having me progress far with the form and sticking hands was limited to single hand. I did not have a problem with this because I thoroughly understood Sifu's reasoning. I understand that Wing Chun is an art that must be done very correctly or it doesn't work. If I were to be hurried along, learning the whole form in a couple of months and doing double sticking hands right off the bat I would basically learn a whole bunch of garbage. To learn the techniques correctly they require extensive repetition with precision. Every time I practice and every time I go to class I feel like I'm a little bit better than before.

By this time I was really starting to understand how great our Sifu was, both as a martial artist and a teacher. Over the last nine months I've listened to Sifu tell many stories of his life and past experiences. His experience has enabled him to teach what works and what doesn't work in a fight. He says a few good tools are better than a bunch of weak ones. He says doing things over and over thousands and thousands of times is the only way to drill the movements into your head so they become automatic. instinctual. I really like how Sifu conducts the class. The class is seamless because everyone can do the same thing. It works well with beginners because all the moves we do are simple enough that they can be understood with little instruction. I like how he never gets angry with anyone and I can see that he really wants us to get good. All of his instruction is well thought out and has great application. He always explains the purpose of what we are doing and its usefulness. Nothing is ever left to question. I've never been lost and Sifu has never said "You still don't know that" as our old Sifu would chuckle from time to time.

I wanted to learn everything I could from Sifu, so I joined the Tai Chi class. Tai Chi is so different than the other styles but it is so beneficial. It really slows everything down really making you analyze every movement. It really builds strength moving that slow. It feels like the energy in a rubber-band. you can pull it back real slow and then release the energy quickly and swiftly. I think it really has improved my balance. Eric had commented that my dancing had really improved since I joined the Tai Chi class. It seems like whatever foot I land on I'm never off balance. At work I enjoy doing the clouds hands and the Tai Chi walk. Most anywhere I am when I find my self standing around, I will automatically initiate some kind of Tai Chi movement. I think I do this because it is subtle and doesn't draw a great deal of attention. although people definitely notice and ask what I'm doing. Besides Tai Chi, I notice that everywhere I go I'm doing kung fu. especially at work. How I open doors. I do so in a kung fu way. whether it be with my finger tips, my fist or a palm strike. I condition my arms at work by banging them on the granite counter tops. When I pull the bell cart around I control it perfectly and forcefully.

About the time I started Tai Chi I also started sparring in the Northern Shaolin class. I always was excited to start sparing, I knew it would accelerate me quickly because it is the closest thing to actual fighting you can get. My first experience was good, I was nervous but I did pretty well. I was absolutely exhausted after a few minutes. One thing I can say about sparring is that endurance is everything. I quickly learned that I have little endurance so I started pacing myself. Going out swinging for the fence was bringing me to exhaustion in a hurry. I took a hard punch to the face one time when I wasn't paying attention. After that experience I started paying more attention to timing, looking for openings and striking with more precision. I have also noticed that as my endurance increases the better I do. I have started running outside of class. I noticed it has significantly increased my endurance. I've always wondered how I would do in a fight and it wasn't until now I could say I would do pretty well. I have learned enough in sparring to understand what can happen and how to deal with different attacks.

Sparring really tells you what you need to work on. For me I definitely need to increase my endurance. I was upset that my knees hurt when I run. There are many activities I can do to help my endurance. Besides endurance I need to work on my flexibility. I am supposed to stretch for thirty minutes a day. I still haven't started doing this regularly. I know I feel better when I do it but I still haven't conquered my laziness. I am however making progress. Sifu suggested that I give up caffeine, so I did immediately. It has been over a month since I consumed anything with caffeine. The purpose of that was to keep me from becoming so exhausted and nauseous after sparring. It seems to be helping. It was very difficult to give up caffeine. It took about three weeks to get over being tired all the time. But now I feel better, I sleep better at night and I don't get as grouchy during the day. I am also trying to eat better. I don't eat fast food much maybe once every two weeks. I still don't eat great but I avoid foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol.

There are many reasons I am taking all three Kung Fu classes. One of the biggest reasons is long term health. Our Sifu is about five years older than my dad and he is in way better shape than me. I want to stay younger longer. Sifu is a living testimony that Kung Fu will give you more healthy years. I have tried going to the gym but I have trouble sticking with it. I also have trouble motivating myself to get there. With Kung Fu I want to go every time, I'm always learning something new. It helps having somewhere to be at a certain tirne. If it were left up to rne to get to the gym in rny spare tirne between school and work, imagine I wouldn't go very often. I have really corne to understand the irnportance of Kung Fu in rny life. I am in better shape than I have ever been. I want to live a longer healthier life. I want to stay younger longer. I have decided to make Kung Fu a life long commitment. I look at Sifu - strong, healthy, agile, fast, motivated and happy living. Then I look at my dad and my grandpa - overweight, unhealthy, slow, have trouble putting on their shoes, ache when getting in and out of a car. Now because of Sifu and Kung Fu I have the opportunity to be in better shape when I'm sixty than I am at twenty seven.