The Great Lion Project

 As it has been dubbed the great lion project, the IHC team are each building a lion for our youngest students. It is proving to be a great team building event, as it was meant to be. There are some very crafty and talented people on our team, and those of us that aren’t have great leaders to learn from. 

This project is meant to bring us together as a team, but also to be able to showcase our own creative ideas. There has been some fantastic ideas so far, and I’m really looking forward to seeing the final completion of everyone’s ideas. I’m also very much looking forward to seeing the youngins with the lions, and what creative ideas they come up with to complete their lion. 

Injury update - I had a surgery consult last week, and it seems the best solution for a more normal path forward. He will go in and remove a part of the meniscus tear that is pinching. I also have early onset arthritis, which he advised he will scrape what he can, to hopefully help with constant ache. I will most likely have cortisone shots in my future. The tear and the arthritis will never go away, and I will never be 100% again, but at least I have answers, and a direction of how to proceed. After the surgery and healing period, we will have a better idea of how much mobility I will have. There may be more adjustments, and some limitations in the future, but there are always ways to progress. 

Push ups (most modified) - 28709

Sit ups (most modified) - 23,332

Form reps - Hand 537, weapon 314

AOK’s - 1225

Sparring (modified) - 269

KM’s - 2150

Blogs - 32

Thankful

First, Happy Thanksgiving team 🦃 I hope everyone gets to share special time with their families this weekend. 

 This time of year brings reflection of the year thus far, and everything I am thankful for. I am thankful for my family, my health, SRKF, each and every one of you for being a part of my life, my career, and even my injury. My injury has taught me a lot this year, about myself, my limits, and my ego. 

I was a little apprehensive of the new IHC requirement changes, as I’m hearing a few people were. The more I reflected on them though, the more I am grateful for the changes. The changes help encompass what the IHC is about. One of the most important to me is being accountable.  And this includes not only our numbers, but our presence. Not only online, but in class, and publicly. The IHC is about mastery, living our lives in the best way we can, and being better everyday. 

It’s been a year like no other for me. Learning to deal with an injury that effects everything I do, not only in Kung Fu, but in everyday life. Sometimes walking is a challenge, and there is always discomfort, and most often pain. I’ve learned new limits with this, and everyday brings a new limit. It hasn’t stopped me, only made me adjust, and find a way possible. But due to this my numbers with certain aspects of the IHC requirements have suffered, and have been modified. My numbers are not where they should be, but I am still proud of continuing to push everyday, and continue on the journey of mastery. I’m now waiting on a surgery consult, so this journey is far from over. I will continue to adjust, rest when needed, and always push the limit. 

I am also quite excited for our new team building project. I’m looking forward to seeing what the team comes up with, and the joy it will provide to our youngest students. 

So here are my numbers to date - 

Push ups (most modified) - 27,234

Sit ups (most modified) - 21,970

Form reps - Hand 512, weapon 310

AOK’s - 1114

Sparring (modified) - 257

KM’s - 2107

Online and in class presence ✅ Blogs - 31

Accountability - always doing my best

Public Performance - attended all, participated when able

Tiger Challenge - ✅

Projects - ✅

Zero inexcusable absences - ✅

Mend a relationship - this has fallen away a bit, as what had been previously on the mend, has now gone backwards again. Work in progress. 

The other requirements would be for my instructors to evaluate. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Unplug

 At our weekend in Banff last weekend, I was part of a workshop with a key note speaker about Digital Wellness. In todays world we spend a lot of time connected to a computer, or a smart phone. The premise of this workshop was how do we unplug? 

In my employment I spend about 6-7 hours in my 10ish hour day on a computer. It can be hard to unplug, and we talked about ways to take a break, reset, and find digital wellness. I had to chuckle as the speaker talked about physical activity breaks, and how this actually helps us reset our minds. It allows us to more productive. We then proceeded in doing 25 push ups on the floor of the banquet room. It was great!

I’ve blogged about this many times before, and my routine at work to reset. You’ll find me under the back stairs pumping out push ups and sit ups several times a day, and sometimes the occasional form with the limited space. This not only helps me reach my IHC goals, but actually helps me reset, and be more productive. 

Where am I, and what am I doing comes to mind. I can find myself easily wrapped up in something for hours at a time, so I needed something to settle me, and bring back focus. I’ve built this routine, and rarely stray from it. This works great for me, and apparently something my company finds to be a benefit for everyone as well. While this was not a surprise to me at all, I was surprised at how many people had never thought of this. 

Another way Kung Fu is not only in the Kwoon, but part of my everyday routine, and life at all times. This is also nice to see that this type of physical activity is being recognized in a corporate view as well.