A work in progress

I'm sitting in my hotel room in Fort McMurray and not in the kwoon training.  It seems like such a long time ago that I had any consistency in my training.  It seems all that I can do these days is get a couple of days of training at the kwoon before I'm called away by work. It's not the ideal situation but I'm trying to take it in stride as best that I can. 

I'm looking at this as an opportunity to train differently.  I'm training on my own and am getting my form reps in.  I have even started to run (anyone that knows me knows how I hate this!) every couple of days I to try and get some cardio in.  In the past I would have become very frustrated with this and would be in a very low place.  However this time around this isn't bothering me near as much as it used to.  Now I am looking at things differently, I am looking at the opportunity that is in front of me. 

The one thing that I still struggle with is sharing what I'm doing.  I have a hard time with as I'm a very private person.  I always felt that what I do with my life is for me and me only.  I'm now realizing that my failures and or successes affect those around me such as my family and my team mates.  I am starting to realize that by sharing these things with others is making me a better person.  A work in progress.

Can't wait to see everyone!

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

Golf & Kung Fu

I was reading Mr. Sands blog regarding golf a couple of weeks ago.  It was an interesting read and this year I have played more golf than I have ever played in the last couple of years.  However this past Friday was the first time that I realized the connection between the two.

First off to be really good at either you need to practice and or train a lot and more importantly consistently.  Secondly both require a large amount of mental training/discipline.  Many times have I said "nine holes aren't enough and 18 is too many.  They need to make a 13 hole course".  The reason that I have said this is not that I'm tired physically but it's the mental side of the game that is hard to maintain through 18 holes of golf.

Finally the last and the most important similarity would have to be the six harmonies.  Shoulders & hips, elbows & knees & hands and feet all are important in both golf and Kung Fu.  I played with a guy that was the same size and make up as me but he could consistently hit the ball far and straighter than me.  What I noticed was how effortlessly he hit the ball.  Some guys use all shoulders and arms when they hit the ball and it's very easy to see.  The guys that can hit the ball far and straight with out too much effort are the ones that are employing the "six harmonies" and most of them don't even know it.

This past Friday was one of those moments when you realize what you are learning in the Kwoon is applicable in other areas of life.  When I slowed my swing down and really focused on the six harmonies the ball traveled farther and straighter and there was much much less touqure in my upper body.  I really noticed that when my hips where moving in harmony with my shoulders that I really felt a nice swing.  It's moments like this, that's gets me more and more excited to keep coming back to the Kwoon!

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

Lineage

Had a good I Ho Chaun meeting yesterday with the team and our team's mentor's.  Very candid discussions surrounding lineage in the martial arts and what it means to be a black belt.  Not only to be a black belt but to live a black belt life.  My goal is still to attain my black belt and when I do my further goal is to live the life of a SRKF black belt.  Lineage has always been important to me especially in regards to family.  This is how most of us can relate to lineage.  Who is in the family tree is important to me and it represents who came before me.  There are always individuals that are are in the family tree that perhaps we are not the most proud of.  The same can be said in the martial artist lineage.  Whatever your opinion is of these individuals they are still part of who the family is and who the martial artist is.

I am proud to be part of my families lineage as well as SRKF's lineage.

Ian Repay
Student Of Silent River Kung Fu
ianrepay@blogspot.ca

Mumble jumble and everything in between

This is a tough blog to write.  When I joined SRKF I joined because I wanted to get into shape and to become a black belt in kung fu.  When I think back what I thought a black belt was or what it represented is very interesting.  I can honestly tell you that I thought a black belt meant that you could fight and that you had "arrived".  There was ego in my mind when I think back to that time, "look at me, I'm a black belt thus I'm better than you".  Wow has a lot changed in the past four years.

I no longer think that earning a black belt means you have "arrived" rather it means you have reached a starting point.  A starting point for the rest of your life. 

This brings me to where I'm now.  I'm not sure where I am to be completely honest.  I have almost lost faith in what I am trying to achieve.  What I mean by this is that I'm no longer motivated by achieving my kung fu black belt.  I'm no longer wanting to work as I have in the past years to get to that point.  Why is this?  I don't really know and I can't put my finger on it.  However I do think that I haven't fully recovered from my failure last year.  I know that I haven't come to terms with where I am physically and where I was before I left to SC.  They may seem trivial to some but I know how difficult it was to get to that point and what I have to go through again just to get back there.  I know that I have not mentally prepared myself to want to go through that again. 

When I joined SRKF I was looking for a lifestyle, a way to live my life through my martial arts and my kung fu.  For the past four years I have loved this part of the martial arts.  Why now am I feeling like this lifestyle is no longer serving me?  Why am I looking at my kung fu in this way?

So what to do, where do I go from here?  Do I throw away four years of my life and quit?  I attended another school recently just to see what it would be like.  I will share with you that in some ways I liked it better.  In other ways not as much.  I have decided to continue with my kung fu and to see my journey continue.  For how long?  I'm not sure but one thing I am sure of is that I made a commitment to the I Ho Chuan Team.  There is no quitting the team and I refuse to break that commitment.  If there is only one thing that I can say that I achieved this year then I can at least say that I didn't quit.

I want to ask something of my team, if you don't hear from me or see me please reach out to me.  I will do the same for you.  It means a lot to know that the team still wants you as a team mate.

Ian Repay
Student Of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
ianrepay@blogspot.com

Refusal

I refuse to write about my failure.  Ever week I could write about this as all I have done this year in my Kung Fu is fail. 

On a very positive note, my personal life is very good.  Busy with work but I'm enjoying what I'm doing.  Personal relationships are better than ever and I am very happy to have found the balance in this aspect of my life.

In regards to my training, it is what it is.  I am done with getting down on my self for not attending classes.  It is what it is and I refuse to mentaly barrage my self anymore.  I will get to as many classes as I can when I can.  I'm in a pretty happy spot right now in my life and I'm going to enjoy the ride.  Kung Fu is a big part of that.  Howevever I won't be sacrificing my happiness for anything.  This may sound like I'm being selfish but I don't care, I need to look after me and what matters most in my life.  This may take me away from the kwoon for extended periods.  I will do my best to be at the kwoon as much as I can.

Mr. Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu

Kwoon renovations

Very soon we are going to start the renovations to the kwoon.  I always look forward to this part of the year.  It not only makes the kwoon look neat and tidy but in some years the kwoon looked very different after we were finished!

Some of the best things about renovation week is the time spent with my training mates (sifu's included).  Its an awesome day to have a ton of fun with each other and find out a little bit more about each other.  This past year we had a blast and some grout founds it way on a bunch of us instead of the wall!  Its all part of the fun and its a great way to get things done even if it take a little more scrubbing to get the extra grout off the tiles :)

The other part I really like is the ownership aspect. We all have left sweat and blood on the mats during our training.  By committing like we do during training, leaves a sense of ownership and connection to the kwoon.  By participating in the renovations the same deep connection is built.  I know that when I see the men's shower stall that I had a hand in grouting those tiles with Mr. Smid and Sifu Ryback.  I know when I look up at the ceiling that I put on the 200th coat of paint on it.  Its that sense of ownership that is such a big part of my training and my connection to the kwoon.

I encourage all students to come out and lend a hand. It doesn't have to be days or hours, it can be minutes.  Just come out and make your mark durring renovation week. I assure you that you won't regret it.

Mr. Repay
Student of Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta, Canada
ian.repay@blogspot.com

Canada Day

This past Canada Day I was witness to a very special ceremony.  It was the first time I have ever witnessed a citizenship ceremony.  Being born in Canada I have taken for granted more than once my citizenship.  I have never know war, bigotry, corrupt police etc.  I have grown up in a country that embraces foreign cultures and beliefs.  We welcome people from all walks of life and from all countries around the world.  All we ask is they learn our official languages, obey our laws and swear allegiance to the Queen of England.  By the looks of these new Canadian's faces, this wouldn't be a problem.

I was moved by the ceremony and was so glad that I got to witness it.  It got me thinking who in my family stood up and took the oath to become a Canadian?

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