New weapon, kind of.

I have been working with and practicing with nunchucks for the past three years.  I started out with a single foam chuck then progressed to a foam covered wooden stick chuck then to a live wooden chuck then ultimately two live wooden chucks.  My progression has been good and I have come accustom to using nunchucks with chains and ball bearing swivels.  However I have never found a pair of nunchucks that I was totally happy with.  Some had handles that I felt where too thick some where too heavy, some felt unbalanced etc.  I also didn't like how the chain wrapped around my hand and torqued my wrist at times.

Then I stumbled across Master Lee Barden and his Prochux.  Master Barden hand makes each set of chucks and the craftsmanship is outstanding.  However these Prochux are very different in that they don't have chain and ball bearing swivels.  They have a one inch length of cord attaching the two sticks.  As a result the balance of the Prochux is very very different that what I'm used to.  In fact they feel like a brand new weapon that I have to learn how to use all over agin.  What I love about them is how they feel in my hand.  The sticks are octagon in shape, they are the perfect diameter for my hand.  They also feel incredibly balanced (once I learned where the balancing point was) and a sheer joy to use.  What I like about them also is that because there are no chain and ball bearing swivel that the weapon is connected from one stick to the other.  This means that when I spin and roll them I feel the other end more than I ever have.

It is going to take some time to get them where I was with the other chux's, but this is a pair of chux that I am going to base all of my forms and learning around.


Ian Repay

Student of Silent River Kung Fu
ianrepay.blogspot.com
www.silentriverkungfu.com

Third degree brown belt & teaching

I want to publicly announce my goal to achieve my third degree brown belt by June 1st of this year.  This has been a goal that I have had since the start of last year.  With my training in South Carolina and my struggles when I got back I was unable to realize this goal.  However listening to Sifu Brinker talk with the team last Saturday and Mr. Fuhr's goal I felt it was time to set my goal in stone by announcing it publicly.  I have struggled with doing this and spoke with Sifu Playter this past week.  I decided that in order to reach my goal I have to put a date to it and announce it to the world.  These two things will hold me accountable and help motivate me to reaching that goal.

I am asking my team mates to help me by looking at my forms, my techniques and where I am right now.  Help me by being brutally honest when I am right now and what I need to improve on in order to achieve my goal.

Teaching - I have been allowed to help teach some some portions of the white/yellow belt class in the evenings.  I really really enjoy doing this!  Not only is it fun to get in front of the students and help them grow in their Kung Fu it helps me re learn some things that I have forgotten.  I welcome more opportunities to teach and would encourage others to come to these classes and lend a hand.  I know as a student, getting instruction from many different people has helped me learn in ways that I couldn't have from one single instructor.Both the students and the teachers benefit greatly.   

Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

Shan Shou class last night.

Last night we had a great turn out for the Shan Shou class.  It was so great to see so many people including Miss Gibbons!  Sifu Lindstrom ran a great class and I learnt a lot from it.  I really like the new format of class as it promotes learning more so than winning at all costs like in the past.

I hope more students come out to class as they would see huge improvement to their sparring abilities and confidence.

Ian Repay

Chinese New Years Banquet

Wow what a great evening last night!  Last night was the culmination of a whole year of training.  The whole school comes together on Chinese New Year to celebrate the past years accomplishments. It was truly inspiring to witness the promotions of both Sihing Czilag and Sihing Langer.  I have known both of these men for the better part of four years.  I have watched and helped them (in a very small way) on their journey to get their black belt.  I have seen the struggles both have gone through but they have persevered and got to where I want to be. It was very cool to see the current black belts get their next degrees.  Over the past year I have gotten to know them in a way that would have been impossible without the I Ho Chuan.  I have great respect for them and have developed great friendships because of the team.  So congrats to Sifu Tiffany Playter, Sifu Beckett, Sifu Wetter & Sifu Bryant.  You all are amazing people and we are so fortunate to have you as leaders within the school.

This year was the first year that I was very involved with the Chinese New Years dragon/lion dance as well as the demo and the black belt candidates performance.  It was a lot of hard work and a ton of commitment but it was so worth it.  In the past I helped out as much as I could with the set up and preparations of the banquet hall.  But this year was sooooooo much better.  Looking back only a couple of months I can clearly remember that we didn't have the dragon dance figured out.  In fact we didn't have a dragon dance at all.  In only two short months we pulled together the very best dance I think the school has ever done.  That is a testament to everyone who came out and committed to it. The demo looked AWESOME!  Everyone worked so hard on their piece and you could see that it paid off.  I think everyone that was watching the performances of all the demos could see the commitment that every student gave.  I was amazed at the skill of the younger kids classes.  I was watching them from the sidelines with other team members and we all were amazed at how good the kids skill level was.  You could see that the kids and the instructors really worked hard to get ready for last night and I must congratulate them all for an amazing performance.

Waking up and reflecting upon last night has motivated me and inspired me.  I am looking forward to the year of the Horse and spending a great year with some very amazing people.

Ian Repay
Student Of Silent River Kung Fu.
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada

Snake team - Final post

This upcoming week is officially the last week for the Snake team.  When I look back on the year I see some very big highs and some lows.  My first half of the year was fantastic.  I had a lot of momentum and my kung fu was was getting better and better.  By July I had three demos in the book and I was flying high.  Then came a turn for my training.  I took a new job and was required to spend three months in South Carolina.  This is when my training took a nose dive.  I was doing pretty good for the first month down there.  I was keeping up with the basic requirements.  However as the pressure mounted from my training I turned away from my kung fu instead of embracing it and using it to help me.  I came back to Kwoon in mid October and I felt a big disconnect, I felt it very difficult to get back to my training and fit back in with the team.  I even felt like quitting at my lowest point.  What helped me overcome that was talking with the team and in particular Sihing Tymchuck, Sihing Chervenka and Mr. Fuhr.  We had some open and frank conversations that helped me realize that I should continue on and keep pushing.  Without these team members pulling me along I think I may not be here training at the Kwoon right now.  I can't stress enough how important the team is to each other, we have to be there and support each other in order for the team to be successful.

So has the team and myself had a successful year?  I think the team has succeeded, we pulled together and did some great demos, organized some great events and really gelled as a team in the end.  Did I succeed this past year?  Overall no I didn't.  I didn't come close to meeting my numbers, I didn't achieve some of my personal requirements.  But I did succeed in realizing finally that the I Ho Chuan is a tool and not a hoop.  I realized for the first time that this year has been about mastery.  I realized that in order to keep improving my kung fu but more importantly myself, then I have to accept the process for what is.  It is a tool that when approached with the right attitude and outlook is there to sharpen and hone our skills not only as martial artists but more importantly as genuine human beings.

This year I failed in reaching my "numbers" but I succeeded in realizing where the path toward mastery is and how to use the I Ho Chuan as tool for success.  I am looking forward to year of the Horse.  We have a great team assembled and I can't wait to get started.

Mr. Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu.
Stony Plain, Albert, Canada.

I hate getting thrown

I have never admitted this to anyone and I think most people can empathize with me but I hate getting thrown.  I know and understand that this is a integral part of our style and most martial arts or self defense in general but I really don't like it.  I have never been very good at tumbling or falling.  I have improved a lot since I started but that feeling of being out of control and falling is terrifying to me.  Maybe its my fear of heights, I don't know but this part of my training is very difficult for me. 

Can anyone relate?

Mr. Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta.

Under the weather

With Chinese New Year so close this is a terrible time to get sick.  However I have been battling a cold for the past couple of weeks and now it has caught up with me this weekend.  It sucks as the dragon dance team is relying on me and I have let them down by not being able to practice this past Saturday.  I have taken the time to rest this past weekend and I hope to be back to training this week.

Ian Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu