Monday, November 5, 2018 - 6:41 - Solo Practice. Shaolin 5 Animal. Adding a few more moves for the first time in awhile. 6:50ish - Fellow student asked me to practice 9 star two person form with her. I was happy to do it. Especially since she is one of my favorite fellow students. But I would have done it anyways even if that wasn't true. 7:00 - Stick fighting class. Yay! More practice of empty hand vs stick! Drills of defense moves from stick attacks. 7:30 - Solo Practice. Got stuff ready to do................. Ran through my 3rd TCC test format. Set up a chair, pretending Tai Sigung and GM and all were there. Also set the chair up to get a feel for how far back to start the forms. Also just other spacial/ positioning things to get ironed out before testing. Layed out all my weapons behind me like they would be in a test. Then ran through the format. Well, I had a false start. Did it and messed up really badly in my second form. Just spaced out and found I was randomly doing something? So I started again. The format ran 40 minutes long. Included everything but the one two person sabre form, which I need to get my instructor to re-show to me. Went better than last time, less hiccups (after the false start). But still a long ways from being test ready. I am glad I made the decision to start doing formats on my own now. After that, some CLF. The big room was empty, so I had plenty of room for the three section staff. Then, wooden dummy. Some stretching and then some TCC Small Circle Fast form practice. 10:02 - School closes 3 hours and 21 minutes
Tuesday, November 6, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person practice with Ms. B. Two person staff and Golden Leopard vs Tiger 7:00 - Forms practice with Ms. R and Ms. M. While Ms. M was getting her stuff, Ms. R and I went through the Hand Breaking Fan form. Then we all did the rest. Ping Kuen, Small Five Animal, Sup Ji Jit Fu, Formal Exercise. Staff, Spear, Stick Broadsword. Were doing Ng Lun Ma when we ran out of time. 8:00 Private CLF lesson. I started learning the Broadsword side of Broadsword vs spear. Ms. R was helping out with this during my lesson, as usual. Then review and corrections for Hand Breaking Fan. I started learning Sup Ji Kau Da. Then, review and corrections for 3 section staff. 8:30 - solo practice of what I just learned in my lesson of Sup Ji Kau Da and Broadsword side of Broadsword vs spear. 9:00 - School closes - 2 Hours and 30 Minutes Wednesday, November 7, 2018 - evening shift/ rest day Thursday, November 8, 2018 - I had to leave work early for a medical appt. Not enough time to drive to work at end of shift to make it worthwhile to work or myself. With Traffic there, I would have not gotten there until almost closing. As it was, I was on the road almost an hour from the Dr's office to the school. 5:45ish - Solo practice. Sup Ji Kau Da. Had. Ms. M help me with broadsword side moves in broadsword vs spear. 6:00 - TCC class. Nice to be able to attend the entire class! 8 Pieces of Brocade, 24, 40 and Gim. Then some pattern push hands at the end. There was a couple of minutes between these two classes. One either got out early or the other one started late. So I did a little more Sup Ji Kau Da. 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class. Forms today as we did techniques and kicks last week. This is the pattern lately. Formal exercise, stick, and 9 star. A drill of the staff followed by the form. 8:00 - Private TCC lesson. Continued working on corrections for the 48 combination form. 8:30 - Worked on corrections from lesson. Also a bit of Sup Ji Kau Da and Solo practice of beginning of Broadsword vs spear. 9:10ish? estimate - I know I left late, but forgot to look at clock. Still, a class ended that usually ends at closing, and I had some time after. That is how I know I had some extra time. 3 hours and 25 minutes
Friday, November 9, 2018 - 4:32 - Solo Practice . CLF - Wooden Dummy. 3 section staff. It was nice. I did these things because the big room was empty! Lots of room! That 3 section staff takes a lot of room. The little bit I know of Sup Ji Kau Da and broadsword side (solo) of broadsword vs spear. 5:30 - TCC class with Tai Sifu for certain type of membership. Had Tai Sifu observing and giving corrections on 32 gim. I mostly did pretty well, except my targets in some pokes were off. I was thinking throat and they were solar plexus. 6:00 - Weapon forms class. Spear. 6:30 - Techniques practice with Ms. B and Ms. M. The usual. All techniques twice with a few ones that gave one of us difficulties done an extra time or two. We got a bit of a late start. 7:30ish? - Two person practice with Ms. M. Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. Golden Leopard vs Tiger, Broadsword vs Spear, Two person staff, and 9 star. Now that we are getting the sequence down better on the new forms, we have time to go over our older ones too. Not that we have the sequence down perfect by any means. But we are making pretty good progress. Then we did a bit of Da Lu. We did the other side for the first time. And then did the whole thing changing sides like it is supposed to go. 9:03 - School closes. Man, I was there awhile, but the time went flying by! 4 hours and 15 minutes. (Taking a bit of time off for some talking that happened here and there.) Saturday, November 10, 2018 - worked all day/ rest day Sunday, November 11, 2018 - Rest day 2018 Week 45 = 13 hours and 31 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 588 hours and 46 minutes
Monday, November 12, 2018 - Day off work due to Veteran's Day Holiday. So I went in earlier than usual. 5:19 - Big room had lots of room, so I started with the 3 section staff. Spent lots of time on it. At one point, my CLF instructor saw and gave advice on that one flower- the overhead and behind the back one. Seems with my right hand, I am not twisting my hand fast enough to keep the momentum going fast enough. That would explain why I seem to lose it after a couple of successful rotations. He also said to master that move, I want to work to be able to do it like 20 times in a row. I was only trying for the 5 required in the form. Wooden Dummy, what little I know of Sup Ji Kau Da, Hand Breaking Fan, Ping Kuen. 7:00 - Stick Fighting class. some slow motion matches. Those still frustrate me, but I am trying to not be frustrated and learn what I am supposed to from them. Then some head movement drills - Fading back properly from a stick swung sideways at the head. 7:30 - More CLF solo practice. Ng Lun Ma, Ng Lun Choi, Shaolin Five Animal, solo practice of the little I just learned of broadsword side of broadsword vs spear, then whole spear side of same. Solo practice of Cross Pattern side of Cross Pattern vs Plum Blossom. 8:03 - TCC solo format. Well, most of it. I told a couple fellow students about how I set up chairs to visualize GM and Tai Sigung - pretending my solo format is a test. Talked about how I am preparing for the very intense stare that Tai Sigung has. And how they can break into heated discussion and one is to ignore it and keep going during the test. I told them it phased me in the past more than it should have and I was determined to not let it do so again. So they sat down watched me do my first form for this format. I thought they were joking at first, but they seriously did this. One gave me the serious stare, and they both started pretending to write notes, and then have heated animated discussions! They did it the whole form! I didn't think it would affect me, but it did. Staying focused while they did their thing, it was actually a great simulation! I really appreciated it. My fellow students are the best. Anyways, the form they watched was Buddha Palm. Then I did flute, Wind Chasing Fan, 9 Dragon Spear, 54 Gim, Double Gim. Did small circle fast form, but had to move to the next room as the instructor seminars started. So this is why I didn't finish the end of the format. I did the last two forms, but not exactly in format mode and with the break of moving my stuff to the other room. Still, got most of my format in. Finished small circle fast form and then 48 combination form. But not in format mode. Stopping and going over details several multiple times instead. Then some stretching and more work on Small Circle Fast form. 9:45 - School closes 4 hours and 26 minutes
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person staff practice with Ms. B. 7:00 - forms practice with Ms. R and Ms. M. While waiting for Ms. M to join us, Ms. R and I did the part I learned last week of Broadsword vs spear - with me doing the broadsword side. Then Ms. M joined us and we did............Ping Kuen, Small Five Animal, Sup Ji Jit Fu, Broadsword, staff, spear, stick & 3 Section Staff. We were doing Ng Lun Ma when time ran out. I have to add that Sup Ji Jit Fu felt short for the first time ever tonight. I thought I missed a section, but I didn't . Ms. R said that after learning Ping Kuen (and then Sup Ji Kau Da) that other forms would seem short! I seemed to have a sticking point in most forms tonight. Like one area where I got tripped up, but the rest was ok. 8:00 - Ms. R stayed and we reviewed and received corrections on the new side of broadsword vs spear. Then I learned (and she relearned) more moves. Then review, corrections and new moves learned for Sup Ji Kau Da. 2 weeks of lessons and I have just now learned the opening (Hoi Ma (sp?)). Then, review and corrections for Ping Kuen. 8:30 - practiced Sup Ji Kau Da. 9:00 - I actually could have stayed longer. The school wasn't closing up, but I left. Tired and hungry. 2 hours and 30 minutes Wednesday, November 14, 2018 - Evening shift/ rest day.
Thursday, November 15, 2018 - 6:30 - last half of TCC class. 40 and 32 Gim. Then some push hands. 7:00 - solo practice. I skipped Advanced CLF class today. Just feeling the need to do some solo work. TCC Wind Chasing Fan. CLF - Hand Breaking Fan. What I know of broadsword side of broadsword vs spear. Took my spear out to help figure out what is going on on both sides of some moves. Took a few minutes to talk to a fellow classmate. It was MA related. I did some other stuff I think, but I can't remember what. 8:00 - TCC private lesson. Review and corrections on 48 combination form and 54 gim. On the 48 combination, a lot of the corrections are on improving my timing on how I do some moves. 8:30 - Solo TCC practice of what was just reviewed in my private lesson. 9:00 - school closes 2 hours and 30 minutes Friday, November 16, 2018 - 6:30 - Techniques practice was delayed. Ms B's and my CLF instructor reviewed one side of our two person staff. Ms. M was kind to wait. Then we did our techniques practice. Because we got a late start, we did the usual 2 reps for the 4 most advanced levels, but did one repetition for the 4 lower sash level techniques. Then Ms. M and I did some two person stuff. Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. Started to do some broadsword vs spear. But it just wasn't going well. Just not working for my partner for personal reasons I won't get into. So I suggested we move to some TCC practice. 32 gim. Then Da Lu. Then pattern. We did some of the stationary, and then added some walking step pattern- the line one. Then we did some push hands play. She is a beginner at that, and I have permission from our TCC instructor, so I was going over- I guess sort of teaching?- some basics. It was good for me as I had to solidify my thoughts and knowledge to explain it clearly. 9:17 - school closes. 2 hours and 47 minutes
Saturday, November 17, 2018 - 9:31 - Two person practice with Ms. R. What I know of with me doing broadsword side of broadsword vs spear. Then we switched sides. Then Cross Pattern vs Plum Blossom, with me dong Cross Pattern. 10:00 - TCC class - Went over a good chunk of TCC Sabre. Then 40 form. Super detailing it out. 11:00 - sparring class. Started off with some bag work drills. Then drills with a partner. (I made a point to not partner with my last one- the one who was late to do drills because of taking selfie's but couldn't make it through the whole class. I was next to her, but moved myself in such a way to be farther away and sought out another partner.) Then some light power matches. Finished with a round each of holding the big shield and an everything goes full power round. I did lighten up some from last class due to my thumbs, but pushed it more than I have been doing months before that. Decent power level, but a bit below full power. We will see how my thumbs feel tomorrow. Just a bit sore tonight now as I write this. 12:00 - Advanced push hands/ moving step class. For the limited step part = Drills based on knowing when to shuffle and then moving in and doing it. Then some matches. Moving step class was practice and drills on how to fall correctly. I ended up doing shoulder rolls for the first time in my life! Didn't think I could do them, and they weren't pretty. But I did them! Then some matches. 1:00 - Stretching class. Regular instructor was back, so I went. In addition to the usual stuff, we did some shoulder stretches. 1:30 - I had a bit of a rest. 1:50 - Solo practice. TCC - Buddha Palm, 9 Dragon Spear, the part of the 48 combination form that I have gone over with with my instructor the last couple of lessons. Same with the 54 gim. Also some Small Circle Fast form. Rested a lot. I usually go pretty light at this point on Saturays- just tired out! 3:05 - School closes 5 hours and 14 minutes Sunday, November 18, 2018 - Rest day 2018 Week 46 = 17 hours and 27 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 606 hours and 13 minutes
Monday, November 19, 2018 - 6:30 - Solo practice. Can't remember what though. 7:00 - stick fighting class. Drills, but I can't remember what. Did both slow and full speed matches! YAY! for the full speed matches! Finally!!!! 7:30 - Was talking to a fellow student about gearing up quickly. She gets to the school from work and was worried about getting to stick fighting class on time, because she would be late due to taking awhile to gear up. I told her to join late, but to work on developing the skill of gearing up quickly. I told her that in the older days of my school, the instructors would time us and drill us on gearing up in less than a minute. They don't do that nowadays, I wish they did. I suggested she drill herself if she wants to get to class faster. But to not let taking time gearing up stop her from coming to class. Then more solo practice. Mostly I can't remember what though. Too confused with what I practiced the two days after this. I know I did some solo Broadsword vs spear. And that an instructor kindly went through it with me a few times as well. Did do some stretching though. 9:30ish - school closes. 3 hours Tuesday, November 20, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person staff practice with Ms. B 7:00 - forms class with Ms. R and Ms. M. Didn't get through as much as we normally do. Stopped and talked more about a personal matter with one of us. While Ms. M was getting ready to join us, Ms. R and I did broadsword vs spear, me doing the broadsword side. Ping Kuen, Ng Lun Ma, Ng Lun Choi, Small Five Animal, spear, broadsword, staff. 8:00 - Private CLF lesson. Usual pattern. Review, corrections, and learned more of broadsword side of broadsword vs spear. Ms. R staying to help out with my lesson. I am struggling with this form more than most others at this level. Also struggling with jumping high enough for when I am swept by the spear. Jumping high has never been a strong point of my martial arts, to put it kindly. Then, review, corrections and learning more of Sup Ji Kau Da. Rather cool, I learned more lineage differences today. I learned the Fut san way of doing Sow Choi's. Sifu Ben has talked about it here before I believe. The Sow is done with a Kup Choi position in this lineage. I am excited to learn this finally! Also I now know all three lineage ways of doing a Poon Kiu. I totally geek out on this sort of thing! It's just really cool to me! Finally, a review with corrections of the Hand Breaking Fan form. My instructor always crams a lot into a half hour lesson! He is very efficient! I appreciate that about him. 8:30 - A fellow student asked for me to work on Golden Leopard vs Tiger with him. So we did that. Then I went over what I just learned for Sup Ji Kau Da. 9:05 - school closes 2 hours and 35 minutes
Wednesday, November 21, 2018 - I got to work out today. My work was a day shift instead of my usual evening shift. Due to tomorrow being the Thanksgiving holiday. Good thing too as my school is closed both Thanksgiving and the day after. 6:30 - Solo practice. CLF - Ng Lun Ma and Ng Lun Choi. Focused on correction given by my instructor for part of Ng Lun Choi when he watched us practice yesterday. More body movement at the end. It's sort of hard doing that while in a crane stance, but I am working on it. Ping Kuen. Still a little stuck on the end of it. Get through it, but not entirely sure all moves at the end are correct. Shaolin Five Animal. Adding a couple new moves, but it is REALLY hard to get this one down from the video! More than the other forms I have done this with. Sometimes I want to quit and just wait until the time comes to learn it from my instructor. But I am not a quitter and I like challenging myself. Sup Ji Kau Da- what I know so far. The memory of this one is not as hard as some other forms. Working on more waist and body turning. My instructor said to really extra emphasize this. I mean one should always do this in everything, but apparently extra in this form. Wooden Dummy. Struggling with the end part. Particularly craning up high enough for a couple of kicks. I can kick that high, but I tend to come from a lower crane. But with the arms in the wooden dummy in the way, I can't do this. I need to talk to my instructor for drills to fix this. Hand Breaking Fan. Coming along. Still some sticking points in the memorization. I have to stop and think about some moves. 3 Section Staff. That last flower- the over the head and behind the back one is still a skill I am developing. Hard part is I can't practice it as long as I would like in a session, due to thumb issues. So maybe I need to do shorter spurts of just this, even on days where I am not practicing the whole form. Broadsword side of broadsword vs spear. I am finding this one harder to do solo- memory-wise than the spear side. TCC - Buddha Palm, 9 dragon spear, Double Gim, flute, Small Circle Fast form, part of 48 combination 54 gim and Buddha Palm. 9:00 school closes. 2 hours and 30 minutes Thursday, November 22, 2018 - Thanksgiving holiday/ rest day
Friday, November 23, 2018 - School closed (due to Thanksiving Holiday. They take two days off.) Rest Day. Saturday, November 24, 2018 - 9:35ish - Two person practice with Ms. M. For once, I was on time, but SHE was late! LOL! We did broadsword vs spear both side (up to what I know with me on the broadsword side.) I am struglling with the broadsword side some for sure. Cross Pattern vs Plum Blossom. Just one side as that is all i know so far. 10:00 - TCC class. Detailing out and practice of 32 gim and second half of 108 long form. Some push hands at the end. 11:00 - sparring class. Started off with some heavy bag drills. Kicking drills - really focusing on turning your foot out to get enough hip turning going on the kicks. I was glad it was all kicks so as to go easier on my thumbs. My thumbs have been hurting more from hitting hard the last two sparring classes. I am going to have to not hit full power yet. They are better, but far from ALL better. After that we did partner drills. Kicking drills, but with the other side blocking them. Then, doing the kick block and immediately moving into your own kick in response. Then some light matches, supposed to be light and not full speed either. We finished with power thrust kick drills. One partner holding the heavy kicking shield, and the other power thrusting across the room. Then where the partner with the shield comes at the person kicking, with the person kicking keeping the advancing person off them with a power thrust. Again done across the room. I am not very good at these drills. The instructor said that I should focus on distance. That if I am the wrong distance, it is affecting my power. Played with that and he was, of course, right. Something I need to work on for sure. 12:00 - Advanced Push hands/ moving step class. Advanced push hands was drills focused on getting people to read and act on a weakness you would feed them. Then we did some matches. When I was matched with the instructor, I told him something I was working on, a weakness in my game and he helped me. I wish I could explain it, but I am not sure how to explain it without being able to demonstrate it. Moving step had drills based on keeping at the optimum angle when your partner was moving around to get to a different angle. Then some hook, pull, push drills. Then some matches. 1:00 - Stretching class 1:30 - quick break and put sparring equipment in car 1:35 ish - Pretty tired as usual at this point. So, my workout was light and slowly paced the rest of the day. CLF - Hand Breaking Fan, Shaolin Five Animal. Asked my instructor for help with the new part I am adding right now. Also, practiced just the overhead and behind the back flower for the 3 section staff. Got 5 rotations one time. TCC - Wind Chasing Fan, 54 gim, the part recently reviewed by my instructor of 48 combination form, Small Circle Fast Form. 3:05ish - school closes. 5 hours and 20 minutes (Taking out some time for bits of rest time. Estimate of course) Sunday, November 25, 2018 - Rest day 2018 Week 47 = 13 hours and 25 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 619 hours and 38 minutes
Monday, November 26, 2018 - 6:37 - Solo practice CLF - Shaolin Five Animal. Added some new moves. To clarify, this is a Shaolin set, but it is part of our CLF curriculum, so I add it to my CLF practice list. It isn't CLF actually though. 7:00 - Stick fighting class. All drills. Started with defense against leg strikes, mostly the defense with moving the leg out of the way several ways and striking the opponent's head at the same time. Then some slight extension and fading back drills while the wrist is being aimed for. Then fading back and slipping slightly forward with a counterstrike. 7:30 - solo practice. CLF solo practice of spear vs broadsword, all of what I know of both sides. Still really struggling with the broadsword side. Glad I have my private lesson tomorrow to get my instructor's help with it. Then, helped out by being the sparring partner for a fellow student's test. This was stick fighting. Always glad to be part of a test. Eh, I wasn't happy with how I did, but it showed what I need to work with. Then, spent a few minutes watching my fellow student's sash presentation. Then I did some heavy back workout. When I did hand strikes, I did light power, but other hits were harder. I started with the kicking drills we are doing to start off sparring class on Saturdays. I want to work on these solo as well for awhile. (Which, of course, the sparring instructor encouraged us to all do.) Then a couple of rounds. Two rounds. First one was almost 2 and a half minutes. Second one, the timer didn't click, but I estimate the same time roughly. TCC - Lots of Small Circle Fast form. Just what my instructor has recently corrected in 48 combination form and 54 gim. CLF - Sup Ji Kau Da. Some stretching. 9:47 - school closes 3 hours and 10 minutes
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person practice with Ms. B. Two person staff and Golden Leopard vs Tiger 7:00 - Two person practice with Ms. M. Ms. R had a last minute lesson scheduled at this time. So Ms. M and I decided to work on Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. 7:30 - Ms. R 's lesson ended, so forms practice with Ms. R and Ms. M. Formal exercise, Siu Moi Fa, Sup Ji Jit Fu and Smnall Five Animal. Stick, Broadsword, Staff and spear. Yeah! We really turned it up a notch and fit a LOT in in a half hour! 8:00 - Private CLF lesson. Started with Broadsword vs spear with Ms. R helping out. I had a lot of footwork confusion, so my instructor helped with that. Only added a few new moves. Then review, corrections, and learning more of Sup Ji Kau Da. Ending with review and corrections for 3 section staff. 8:30 - review of things gone over in private lesson. 3 section staff. Man, I was practicing the oveheard and behind the back flowers. Got to 5 rotations then CRACK! Right on the forehead! Still sore the next day! Also, the new part of Sup Ji Kau Da. 9:00 - school closes 2 hours and 30 minutes Wednesday, November 28. 2018 - Evening shift/ rest day
Thursday, November 29, 2018 - 6:53ish - got to the school too late for last half of TCC class. Solo practice- not exactly sure what I did, but I think it it was Shaolin Five Animal- focusing on the new part. 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class. YAY! This class was great! Last few months, we have done a lot of formatting style, running through a lot with some details, but not a lot. THIS class was like it was awhile ago. The whole class was super detailing- super minute details- of one form. Siu Moi Fa and we didn't even get through to the end! 8:00 - TCC private lesson. Detailing out 48 combination and 54 gim. My instructor said my 48 was looking better, but that the 54 gim needs more work and we would be focusing on that. Which is exactly the opposite of what I thought! I thought my 54 gim was better than my 48 combination. Go figure! 8:30 - solo practice. I can't remember what. 9:00 -school closes 2 hours and 7 minutes Friday, November 30, 2018 - 6:35ish - Techniques practice with Ms. M and Ms. B. The usual. 7:24ish - Two person practice with Ms. M. We did a lot of broadsword vs spear. Me on the spear side as she doesn't know the other side yet. We also did both sides of Golden Leopard vs Tiger and 9 star. We were out back, and it started to drizzle, so we went inside, but there wasn't a lot of room in the big room as it was set up for the sale the next day. So we switched to TCC and went into another room. 32 gim, Da Lu, a little competitive push hands. Also some pattern. fixed and the walking pattern. 9:00 - school closes 2 hours and 25 minutes Saturday, December 1, 2018 - No practice/ rest day. Today was my school's twice a year sale day. I picked up an extra T-shirt for combatives classes and a spare 3 section staff. There are two types of ways a three section staff has the metal and chain parts that connect the wood. The better one is with a pivot type attachment. Apparently, usually my school has the set attachment way. When I got mine, a lot of people commented that I had the better one. And in the past, people have commented that 3 section staff are a weapon that breaks more than others. So, when I saw my school had only one in stock, and it also had the good attachment, I thought I should go ahead and buy it. Sunday, December 2, 2018 - Rest day 2018 Week 48 = 10 hours and 12 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 629 hours and 50 minutes
Monday, December 3, 2018 - Well darn it! Forgot to fill this in as I went this week. Now parts are going to be vague. The whole week runs together and I can't remember what I did when sometimes. 6:30 - Solo Practice (fill in later) 7:00 - Stick Fighting Class. Some footwork drills. And drills evading leg strikes with footwork. 7:30 - Solo practice (fill in later) 9:55ish? - School closes Can't remember exactly when, but pretty sure it went to almost 10:00. 3 hours and 25 minutes Tuesday, December 4, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person practice with Ms. B. Two person staff and Golden Leopard vs Tiger. 7:00 - Two person practice with Ms. M. Ms. R couldn't get to the school in time, due to a traffic jam. Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. Broadsword vs Spear. My instructor was close by at one point and helped us with some details. 8:00 - private CLF lesson. Corrections, details and some new moves for Sup Ji Kau Da. I really like this form a lot! Then some corrections and detailing of 3 section staff. 8:30 - Solo practice - going over what I learned in my private lesson. Also some practice of that one flower (over the head and behind the back.) 9:00 - School closes 2 hours and 30 minutes Wednesday, December 5, 2018 - Evening shift/ Rest day Thursday, December 6, 2018 - Well this is a bummer. Turned out to be a rest day. Because we had flash flood watches all over San Diego. I took my usual storm/ rain route, and it was super scary! Flooding in all the intersections, but I couldn't turn around. Going back was just as bad and there were tons of cars behind me. So I had do drive through water and hope it wasn't so deep I got stuck. I turned off for higher ground and it was coming down the whole street in a sheet of running water! I counted myself lucky to get home safely and didn't try to get to the school. The school is in an area where the streets flash flood way more than the route I took. The streets around my school are lower. So I decided to not be stupid and try to get there. Bummer, but I think it was the smart call. You can't tell me we aren't going through some type of climate change - whatever the reason. I have lived here my whole life and the regularity of these heavier storms is on the rise. But San Diego is not built for this much rain, so it gets bad quickly.
Friday, December 7, 2018 - 5:00ish - Solo practice 5:30 - Tai Sifu TCC class for those with a certain membership. We detailed the heck out of the 32 gim. Main thing for me is making sure my targets are not too high and watching my off sword hand position. 6:00 - Weapon forms class. Throat Locking Spear form. Passing along some new corrections from our GM's latest seminar. Whew! got some new things to work on for the end now! 6:30 - Techniques practice with Ms. M and Ms. B. The usual, going through most of them twice. Not sure when we ended. But after that........... ..............Two person practice with Ms. M. Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. Broadsword vs Spear. Two person staff. Golden Leopard vs Tiger. Then we did some TCC two person practice. We did a pattern that was added in the last curriculum change. I forget what it is called. I haven't done much of it. Then regular pattern with an emphasis on switches. 9:00 - school closes 4 hours Saturday, December 8, 2018 - Work all day/ Rest day Sunday, December 9, 2018 - Rest day 2018 Week 49 = 9 hours and 55 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 639 hours and 45 minutes
Well, I didn't fill things in as I went along this week, so some details are going to be more vague than I like. It was a rough week emotionally for a variety of reasons. I swore if this happened I would keep up the log. I want to skip things I can't get super detailed in, due to my OCD. Monday, December 10, 2018 - 6:35ish - Solo practice. Pretty sure I worked on Shaolin Five Animal. 7:00 - Stick Fighting class. Well, two things about this class. The regular instructor was out, so I had a lesson with an instructor that has not taught this class before. And it was a private lesson, as I was the only student who showed up. It was a great lesson. I learned some new footwork drills. And then the instructor drilled some footwork, evade and move in to strike moves. We also did some moves to bait a person, evade, then move in for a strike. Extra nice because some move were adapted specifically based on questions I asked. We ended the lesson with some light matches- just me and the instructor. 7:30 - Solo practice. Both CLF and TCC. But dang it, I am not exactly sure of everything. CLF - What I know of Sup Ji Kau Da. I think some Ping kuen? I also think I did some 3 section staff. TCC - spear. Worked on the recent corrections I have received on the 54 gim. Pretty sure I did double gim and Wind Chasing Fan. Same with Small Circle Fast form and 48 combination. Some stretches. 9:55ish - can't remember exactly, but I think it ran pretty close to 10:00. Rougher estimate than usual though. 3 hours and 20 minutes Tuesday, December 11, 2018 - 6:30 - Two person staff practice with Ms. B. We went through one side a couple of times. then it was weird! We BOTH got a brain lapse and suddenly got confused to one part! We JUST did it and both just forgot and got mixed up. The more we practiced, the worse it got. Luckily, our instructor came by and we asked him to get us straightened up. 7:00 - Two person practice with M. Ms. R had her lesson at this time, so we worked on our two person stuff. I think we did Broadsword vs spear? Me spear side as she doesn't know that side yet. 7:30 - Forms practice with Ms. R and Ms. M. Ping Kuen, spear, broadsword, staff and stick. I think we did Sup Ji Jit Fu? We were doing Small Five animal, but didn't get very far before it was time for y private lesson. 8:00 - worked on corrections and learning more of broadsword vs spear with me doing the broadsword side. This side of this form is a a struggle for me. But I am working on it! Then we did corrections and learning more steps of Sup Ji Kau Da. 8:30 - Worked on part I just learned of Sup Ji Kau Da. I may have done a bit of three section staff too? Maybe not. The days all run together by the end of the week. 9:00 School closes 2 hours and 30 minutes Wednesday, December 12, 2018 - Evening Shift/Rest day
Thursday, December 13, 2018 - 6:30 - Last half of TCC class. 32 Gim. Some hand form. Can't remember if it was the 40 or 24. Then some pattern push hands practice. 7:00 - Tai Sifu class. But the other instructor did take over and teach some of it. Techniques practice. We went over the first two levels of techniques as partner drills. doing the scenario's and moves on each other. Also practiced the kicks for these levels. We were holding the lock out, and I did terrible at this today! That is what I get for not focusing in kicks lately. 8:00 - Private TCC lesson. Corrections on the 54 gim. Lots and lots of corrections! And I am not even through it all! It is just what I want though. Peeling back the layers and delving deeper and more detailed with the forms. 8;30 - went over what I learned in my lesson. Wrote down the corrections. 9:00 - school closes 2 hours and 30 minutes Friday, December 14, 2018 - 6:40ish? - felt like we didn't get right to it. Techniques practice with Ms. M and Ms. B. Lots of stopping and talking about tests and stuff like that. We weren't super focused today. But we did our usual- two times for each one. We took a lot more time than usual for sure. Afterwards,Ms. M and I did two person practice. CLF - Broadsword vs spear. Me the spear side. Plum Blossom vs Cross Pattern. Some Golden Leopard vs Tiger. TCC - Pattern. The new pattern that I can't remember the name of. It was added after my last test. Then stationary pattern with switches. Then some walking pattern - just the footwork. 9:00 - school closes 2 hours and 30 minutes
Saturday, December 15, 2018 - 9:40ish? I was on time, but Ms. R was late for our two person practice. We worked on broadsword vs spear - me doing the broadsword side. 10:00 - TCC group class. Worked on the sabre form. Then the first half of the 108 long form. 11:00 - Sparring class. Started out with some bag workout drills on the heavy bags. This instructor gives some really good drills! I need to start doing them throughout the week. Still light power though with the hand strikes, due to my ever lingering thumb issues. Then we did partner drills based on the bag drills. Then some light power matches. Finished up with some rounds on the bags for power. Again, I have to watch the hand strike power level. Great class! And the turn out is building again. Even with Tai Sifu no longer teaching the class. 12:00 - Advanced push hands/ Moving step class. Advanced push hands - Some shuffling and uprooting partner drills. Then some matches. The instructor was talking about something I have long done. Think about one thing to focus on during the matches. One thing to improve on. When i played the instructor, I told him my thing lately was that I am weighted a tad too much forward towards my toes/ ball of foot. It is not a lot, but instructors can take advantage of it. He gave me a GREAT tip. I had been focusing on the weight distribution on my feet. But he said crunching my posture a bit. I fixed my posture and woila! The problem was fixed! I had no idea I was crunching a bit! I thought my posture was pretty good! It was a breakthrough I think. He gave me another tip that was great. It escapes me at the moment though. Hope I can remember it. Moving step - mostly matches today. 1:00 - Stretching class. I hit a wall during this class. Just got really jittery and felt weird and out of sorts. Class was fine, but harder than usual to get through and I didn't do as well as usual. Had to put my foot down for the kicking/ crane stretches a lot. 1:30 - rested. Still felt weird and not very good. 2:00 - very light workout with lots of rest time due to not feeling well. Mostly worked on the corrections for the 54 gim. But I worked on the 48 combination as well. A bit of stretching my quads. 3:00 - I left. I could have stayed longer. The instructors were deep cleaning the school. But I just felt done and not too good. (Took until the next day to really feel all better.) 4 hours and 50 minutes Sunday, December 16, 2018 - rest day 2018 Week 50 = 15 hours and 40 minutes 2018 Total Hours = 655 hours and 25 minutes
Monday, December 17, 2018 - 6:46 - (I LAGGED getting started!) Solo practice CLF Shaolin 5 Animal 7:00 - Stick Fighting class 7:30 Solo practice CLF - Ping Kuen, Sup Ji Kau Da, 3 Section Staff. Wow, I am learning one has to be very vigilant practicing this. People just walk into your practice space with NO awareness that it isn't safe to do so. TCC- Started in a format style, but didn't get through all the format before I had to go into the smaller room. Still, got most of a format in. Staff, Flute, Fan, Small Circle Fast form, Buddha palm. Then, after I moved I did 48 combination, & double gim. But it was not format style. Some stretching too. 9:52 (I think?) ish - School Closes 3 hours and 7 minutes Tuesday, December 18, 2018 - 6:40ish- Traffic jam due to an accident made me late for two person practice with Ms. B. Both sides of 2 person staff and both sides of Golden Leopard vs Tiger. We are starting to run through them one after the other, like it is in tests. That is, if they have you do both sides. Sometimes they only have you do one side. But it is always good to be prepared as if they will call out both sides for a test. 7:00 - Forms practice with Ms. R and Ms. M. Well, we didn't get as much as usual done. We usually practice out back of the school. There is a little sewer area with plants and stuff next to the back. Some homeless person was back there and getting angry. Ms. R was worried. I told her don't worry until you hear yelling and throwing things. A few minutes later the dude was screaming and throwing a chair all around. Tai Sifu was in a lot behind the school, across the street about to leave. He noticed the ruckus and asked us to let the instructors inside know to call the police. So we went inside, let the instructors know to call, and it took time to find a spot to practice. It was crowded, so no more weapon forms. So, all told, inside and out, we did Spear, Staff, Ng Lun Ma and Ng Lun Choi, Ping Kuen, Siu Moi Fa, Sup Ji Jit Fu. We didn't quite finish Sup Ji Jut Fu because my instructor came for my lesson. We had some real sticking points with Ng Lun Ma and had to ask an instructor for assistance to get all on the same page and on track. 8:00 - Private CLF lesson. Ms. R stayed to help with Broadsword vs spear. I am struggling with this one, so no new part to learn. I need to work more on what I have already been shown. Then review, corrections and new steps for Sup Ji Kau Da. I am now a little over a hundred moves in. Only about 150 more to go! At the end, we talked a little about tournament versions of forms and what techniques I do for this level. Tournament season is almost here! 8:30 - Practiced Sup Ji Kau Da to go over what I learned in my lesson. 9:00 - School closes 2 hours and 20 minutes Wednesday, December 19, 2018 - Evening shift/ rest day
Thursday, December 20, 2018 - 6:30 - Last half of TCC class. 24, 32 gim. A lot of talking by Tai Sifu about various things. Yay, Tai Sifu commented that my continuity is showing improvement. I told him I a working on the slow/ extra slow thing and he said it is showing that I am working on that. It always feels great when your practice is noticed. Validation that that hard work is paying off! 7:00 - Tai Sifu CLF class/ advanced CLF class. Written this way because Tai Sifu taught the first part of it, and the other instructor took over at some point. Forms detailing today. Formal exercise, Siu Moi Fa, Stick and staff. Some interesting history stuff by the other instructor. Also, got another progress report that felt good. A positive comment on the depth of my Bow stances by Tai Sifu. 8:00 - Private TCC lesson. Review, detailing and corrections of the 54 gim. 8:30 - practice and writing down of the corrections received during my private lesson. 9:07 School closes 2 Hours and 37 Minutes
