UBBT 8 Kick off

UBBT 8 Kick off

These past few weeks have been the start of the biggest and longest test I have ever been involved in. 

I kicked off the test like every other UBBT 8 team member with 1000 push ups and 1000 sit ups.  When I looked at the number as a whole it looked HUGE and I honestly didn’t know if I could get them all done in one day as per the challenge. 

However, Sifu Brinker teaches this concept in class called “incremental progression”.  When I first heard it, it didn’t sink in and I couldn’t really relate to it.  With out really connecting the dots between this concept and what I was about to undertake I decided to break up the 1000 repetitions by 10 (my goal was to complete the challenge in 10 hours).  By my calculation, that is 100 of each every hour.  When you look at that smaller number it doesn’t look that daunting… I started the day at almost exactly midnight on January 1^st and did 50 push ups and 50 sit ups and then I went and got some well needed rest (a few to many New Years evening libations).

I sort of slept in and slept off a bit of hang over and really didn’t get started in earnest until about 2:30 in the afternoon.  The first 500 of each went fairly smooth and I was feeling pretty good.  I realized that I needed to break down my 100 reps per hour into even smaller goals.  I ended up doing 50 pushups and 50 sit ups every 30 minutes.  To even break it down further, I would do 25 push ups, switch and do 50 sit ups and then back down for the remaining 25 push ups.  This “incremental progression” soon added up and I started to see my numbers grow.  I also decided that I would record the time of day I did each set and how many I did.  I found by doing this I could really see the “incremental progression” and it gave me something to look back and reflect upon.

The hardest thing about this challenge was the last 100 sit ups and push ups.  My arms where burning my chest was aching and my abs where screeming at me to stop.  About this time I was thinking “900 of each is enough, that was good enough right?” and then I heard my wife tell me to keep going and “you can do it, just 100 more!”.  I realized then and there that with out the support of your family this challenge would be more than impossible to accomplish.  You need to have people around you that believe in you when you don’t and that person is my loving wife Kristy and my two children Scott and Haleigh. 

One other thing that really helped me accomplish this goal was my Kung Fu family and the support that we all gave each other during this challenge.  We all posted our progress on line for everyone to read.  We encouraged each other when we faltering and congratulated each other when we accomplished our goal.  The one thing I looked forward to all day was the post that I wrote when I met my goal.  It was amazing and I was on such a high. I am sure that every other person who undertook this challenge felt exactly like I did when they pressed send on that email.

I now understand what Sifu Brinker was trying to teach us when he talked about “incremental progression”.  I now understand what it means to break something that is so huge into smaller pieces that are achievable over a period of time.  I have taken this learning over the past two weeks and have applied it to my personal life.  There have been things in my past that have plagued me to this day.  I knew that they needed to be addressed but I thought I could never take care of them as they seemed so large.  Well this past week I addressed two of them and have about four more to go.  I am applying my Kung Fu into my life and it feels great.  I have found that through my Kung Fu, life is not easier than it was in the past just easier to manage.  I don’t know if this makes sense but this is what it feels like to me. 

“Out of the Kwoon and into the world”, this has never rang truer to me until now.

Mr. Repay

Student of Silent River Kung Fu

Stony Plain, Alberta Canada

Puppies

This fall my family has been blessed with a litter of border collie puppies.  In fact this is the very first set of puppies the lord has blessed our family with.  I remember the day they were born like it was yesterday.  That day my wife was working evenings and our female dog was busy trying to find a place to "nest".  We finally realized what was happening and made her as comfortable as possible in our horse trailer.  Later that evening (I think about 1:00 am the next morning actually) my wife came home and woke me up with "Mia is having her puppies!!!".  Naturally I jumped out of bed and went outside to witness the birth of seven beautiful little puppies.  It was amazing to see them grow from what my wife like to call "little sausages" to these magnificent 12 week old puppies!  It was just amazing to watch these puppies grow and it reminded me of watching my children grow.

Well today my wife and I drove to Red Deer to meet with one of the last puppies owners.  It was a sad time for us but as soon as you saw the faces of the new owners you couldn't help but feel happy as you just knew some ones day was just a little bit brighter.

When I look at my training in Kung Fu it reminds me of the the experiences above.  We all start out as white belts (new born puppies) and then step by step, moment by moment we grow in our Kung Fu just like these puppies have grown in life.  I look at my Kung Fu differently now than when I started.  I look at my training as a process.  One step at a time just like these puppies taking their first step on the path of their life.

Ian Repay

Adaptability....Real life Kung Fu

This week at the 9 am class, Sifu Brinker talked about adaptability and style Vs function.  What never ceases to amaze me is what we learn in the Kwoon is so useful in real life.  I think so many people look at martial arts as either just self defence training, kicks or punches.  I also think for some people that is just fine if that's what they want to get out of their training.  However if you really embrace Kung Fu and what our school really teaches then you are going to not only improve your kicks and punches but you are going to improve your life skills as well.  What I love the most about our school is this aspect of training.  The aspect of taking what we learn out of the kwoon and into the world.  However this is not for everyone and I have spoken with people that don't like to have to do this and only want to come for the work out.  I guess that is fine but you are not really going to get the most out of your training in my opinion.

I rambled on a bit there and never really talked about what motivated me to write this blog.

In my work life, I am the regional sales manager for most of western Canada.  We have a major distribution center that we just built in Calgary and I have a small sales office in Edmonton.  Here is where the adaptability comes in.  The GM in Calgary has instructed me to shut the sales office and move to work out of our house.  I have two reps including my self that share the office in Edmonton.  I find that by having a common space it allows us time to meet as a group in a private and comfortable setting.  This allows us to share experiences and ideas and grow as a team.  With the shut down of the office I am fearing that we are going to lose that connection. 

I have just realized that my fears could be justified if  I don't adapt.  I could work from my home and become bitter and disconnected from my team in Edmonton or I could embrace this change and adapt.  Before Kung Fu I am pretty sure that I would have gotten bitter with my company and resisted the change.  Now I see things more clearly.  Why put so much negative energy into something I can't change?  Why not take the negative energy and circle it around (Kung Fu again) and put a positive spin on it by adapting and embracing this change?  That is what I am going to do.  I am going to find creative ways to connect with my team such as weekly breakfast meetings, perhaps do some hands on baking training with a customer with my team present which is a win win for the customer and my team.

There are so many ways to adapt to this change and this can only happen if we are in the right state of mind.

Thank you Sifu for continually training our minds and showing us how to take our skills "out of the Kwoon and into the world".

Ian Repay

Attitude

I would like to share with you a bit about attitude.  My 90 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip about two months ago.  This is pretty tough on anybody and at that age most people could throw in the towel and say why bother any more.  However, my grandmother has about the most positive attitude that I have ever seen.  Not only did she not give in she stayed positive and kept smiling.  She is now up and walking and pretty much looking after her self just two months after a complete hip replacement!  Come to think of it I have never seen her angry anyone (other than my grandpa)!  She is always smiling, helping her neighbours and and her family.  It is amazing to see and she sets a great example for people with out even trying!

I believe that she is the way she is because she is so positive.  She has and continues to live her life the way she wants to and does it all while smiling.  I think we all need to do our best to look at life with a positive outlook and stop getting down on ourselves.  I know that I tend to "sweat the little things" a bit to much.

Now when we look at our lives and think we have it hard and life looks so daunting, keep in mind the following thing about my grandmother that I haven't told you yet. 

She has lived all 90 years of her life with out the ability to hear, she is deaf.  What an amazing mother and grandmother and I am so thankful to the Lord above to have her in my life. 

Ian Repay

I HATE MONDAYS!!!

What a day this Monday was!!!  When people say "I HATE MONDAYS" I can relate!!!  From the time I left the house for an early meeting with a customer, I realized that I had my keys and my wife's keys in my car.  I had to turn around go back home and then rush back to the city for my meeting.  Not a great way to start the week.

The meeting did not go well.  The relationship I thought I had (both personal & business) was not as solid and meaningful as I once thought it was.  Because of what happened it will never be the same.....which had first upset me and now saddens me......  The rest of the day spiraled down from there.  It seemed that I could not get my feet underneath me at all today.  A lot of reps needed my time across the region, insane amount of email and just a huge demand for my time.  I really think I got a glimpse of what Sifu Brinker must feel like at the Kwoon.

I did take the time to check Kwoon talk (where did that time come from???) and saw the post by Sifu Brinker on "Effortless Effort".  That five minute clip was great and it seemed like he posted that just for me and was talking just to me even though I know that it was meant for all of us.  Sifu is exactly right in the fact that we need to take the time to train (even a little everyday) and apply our Kung Fu in all aspects of our life.

How could I have used my Kung Fu today other than put my customer in an ARM BAR????  The meditation and breathing would have helped me catch my breath and regain my composure.  The breathing techniques we learn in class can be used in real life situations to help control anxiety and help calm our selves so that we don't let emotions dictate our responses.At the end of the day we need to keep our wits about ouselves when other are losing theirs......this is where my Kung Fu and my training steps in.


Ian

Family

I am sitting here in front of my laptop reflecting on something as simple and sometimes as complicated as family.  We all have families and they all come in different shapes and sizes.  Some like my wife's are HUGE and some like mine are small.  There is something to be said about a close loving family that I hope we all have the opportunity to feel part off.  What I l like most about families is that you can just be you, no pretending, hopefully no show boating and especially no COMPETING with each other!  Just you and your family.

I have over the past four to five months become part of another family, my new Kung Fu family.  When I joined Kung Fu I didn't join it hopes of becoming part of a new family but it just kind of happened.  I don't really know how to explain it.  I have read many blogs from various Sifu's, Sihings and students and they all talk about this thing called their "Kung Fu Family".  Until recently, I couldn't relate........
However there is such a positive energy with in the Kwoon that it is hard not to become enveloped in it.  This positive energy is a large part because of this family.  Families look out for one another, help each other in times of need, laugh, cry and are there for each other.  I recently took part with the Kwoon renovations.  I helped paint the ceiling and I can tell you (and my wife) that there was more paint on me that on the ceiling.  Sifu Brinker was right about the fact that by helping, you would feel like the Kwoon was now a part of you.  I feel that way every time that I walk in now and glance at the ceiling!!

I feel extremely happy that I now have a new family, my Kung Fu family.

Ian

Eating right

When I was a bit younger, I could eat anything I wanted and I seemed to LOSE weight and had energy to burn.  Now let's get one thing straight right off the bat, I don't think I am fat nor do I think I have a weight problem.  I do think eating right is so much more important that losing weight.  There is a common saying that goes like this "garbage in, garbage out".  It is so true when you think about what you are putting in your body.  If you eat a bunch of junk food you are going to feel very sluggish and your body won't perform that way it should. 

Now consider a formula one race car.  Do you think it would perform at it's peak with regular 89 octane fuel from any corner gas station?  I don't think so.  These cars are highly tuned machines much like our body.  They require premium gas to perform at their optimum peak efficiency.  So do we need quality fuels like fresh veggies and fruit, whole grains and complete proteins.

It is not easy eating the right foods as we are all so busy with our lives.  It requires care full planning to insure that we eat the right food but also to eat them at the right times of the day and in the right amounts.  It makes no sense to skip breakfast and lunch only to eat a huge meal at supper.  I believe our bodies are meant to eat a bunch of smaller meals all the time.  This will help keep the blood sugar levels in your body at even levels with out that horrible spiking.

Ian
Student of Kung Fu @ Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta