Went back to Kung Fu yesterday, suffered in the chy sau as predicted. Other than that, a relaxed, chilled lesson.
I’ve been getting into the habit of doing weights in the morning while I wait for the bathroom to become free - I throw out 3 sets of an exercise at as heavy a weight as I can manage whilst maintaining good form. Following this up with SBG. I think this is a good habit.
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Mayday mayday! I’m getting fat. Been boxing, sparring and doing weights to shed the flab and get fit in time for the tournament. I’m benching at around 2/3 my max, have gone up by around 10% in the last 3 weeks.
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Back at boxing last two days, and I’ve been doing weights/sparring every Thursday for the past 3 weeks. All my core muscles are killing me from the skipping, bagwork and fitness training.
Tonight I’m going back to Kung Fu, still out of shape but rearing to go
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Did my first ever workout with my lovely girlfriend yesterday. I had to take all the weights off and just give her the metal dumbbell bars! I did suggest tins of beans but this was too light apparently.
Did lats and triceps, still got constantly sore tonsils though.
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Did a few weights yesterday, nothing much. Just benching and biceps. Haven’t managed to shift this sore throat/cough.
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Monday
Morning: Saam Bo Gin and Jee Lik
Evening: Train at homes on Monday evenings after work for now:
Warm ups
Stretches – hips, hamstrings, legs, neck, shoulders, back, joints
Pull ups – 3 sets
Stretch
Dips – 3 sets
Stretch
Weighted seated tricep dip
Stretch
Press ups – 2.5 sets
Stretch
Floor Crunches – 2 sets
Swiss ball stretch followed by 2 sets of crunches.
Rest
Saam Bo Gin and Jee Lik
Left arm getting stronger but still shakes when it gets tired or is under lots of pressure from doing a lot of certain exercises. However I can do more of the exercises than previously and slowly but surely its getting better. The tightness is still there on the left side, shoulder and around neck but the training, stretching and strengthening is having postive effects. A little more time and correct / safe training will get me back to 100% asap.
Tuesday
Morning – Sarm Bo Jin and Jee Lik
Evening in Class:
Kalari – Got in late as had to finish work later. Warm ups, Forms, applications, 2 man fighting drills, techniques. Floor / grappling techniques
Chow Gar Mantis:
Jee Lik – concentratining on gripped stance, ribs, clawing, breathing, tongue up, tension in neck.
Hao Gung – throat gung – 2 versions. Feel this builds up my head (temples and muscles) and jaw. Jaw and neck ache from the muscles being worked after doing this one after the other.
Hoot Sar Jeung – spent a lot of time doing this blood sand palm chi gung form. Concentrated on keeping a balance on the tension from head to toes as well as timing / controlling the breathing.
Yee Kup Saam Bo Gin- definately feeling sharper in my form and techniques and stronger.
Bic Sarn – broken down and applications
Say Ban Gen Sau – 4 way power hand form and 2 man drills with application – All applications broken down into 2 man drills. Drills worked up close and personal. Trying to hit the partner controlled and not being at a safe distance but rather putting a little pressure.
Man Dan sau chong – done as above
Chy gerk inside / outside - clockwise and anti clockwise – leg grinding (on the floor and seated) and foot conditioning. Killed my hips and legs. Feeling it today, always a killer doing this exercise.
Finished with going over bo sim sau and a set of pull ups.
Today
–
Chi Gung before catching the train to go to work
Hoot Sar Jeurn chi gung
Saam Bo Gin
Jee Lik.
Cant goto class today or over weekend so will train at class tomorrow in kalari and at home during the long weekend (may even hook up with some martial art friends to train too).
Generally after injury I am recovering well and faster than most people as I am training, having massage, eating well, having supplements (vitamins etc). Training I am feeling more balanced and not like my body is made up of different parts (if people know what I am talking about - ie doing forms, or free flowing). Still not 100% smooth as I still have muscle soreness and tightness in certain areas. But I am training to get there!
In the 2 montha I have been training slowly, surely and carefully. I train about 3-4 times a week which is less than before, when I had my injury. I attend classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, the odd Thursday and train at home when I don’t go to class.
Mondays and Thursdays (or Sundays) I train at home with my brother who has designed a training programme for me to build up my physical strength, flexibility, co-ordination, posture, muscle fibres and much more. He is a Chek certified exercise specialist and works in corrective exercises and has done years in all sorts of training for strength, rehabilitation, injuries, posture etc. In that sense I am very lucky 
.
I have been training pull ups, dips, press ups, crunches, stretching, swiss ball, medicine ball work outs, kettle bell exercises, squats, dumbell exercises. All the exercises are done with strict form, full range of motion, mind muscle connection and multi-joint with an emphasis on functionality and translation into a martial movement (as close and as good as possible to what I train and the way I move (so a lot of core area building and overall body). So it looks like this but changes slightly from week to week:
stretches on hamstrings and hips (very tight here), neck, shoulders, sides, legs - all over basically
medecine ball squats for warm ups
jumping jacks
jumping lunges
pull ups, close grip, under hand grip, over hand
stretches
dips
stretches
press ups
stretches
dumbell squats type 1
dumbell squats type 2
dumbell dead lift
stretch
crunches (swiss ball, dumbell assisted)
stretch
medicine ball exercises
stretch / warm down.
I am feeling a lot stronger but my left side (arm, shoulder, neck) is still not 100% but it is definitely getting there. The arm gives up and shakes under a lot of pressure or when it is tired but I do my best. I can now do sets of press ups slowly (which is better than not even being able to hold myself up or complete more than 2-3) and slowly building up on the dips, pull ups and other exercises (which are actually really hard to do properly – sometimes keeping good form is harder than doing the exercises!).
My neck, lat, left arm and surrounding muscles are still a bit tight and all the training and stretching is helping greatly. When I train all the forms, 2 man drills, chy sau, gungs, home training I can feel its getting stronger but it still feels “unbalanced” in the power and movement. Its doesn’t feel right but at the same time it feels better. Being out of training for 3-4 months was harsh and frustratingly you cant just jump back in and train like you used to. I am training smart and pushing myself as much as I can to get back there.
When I’m on the left side I try to keep to good form and use mind, intent and focus on getting the energy down there. I have the exercises, gungs and training from mantis and kalari to strengthen, stretch and build me up and I can feel it coming back again. I have tried sparring, grappling…..not just there yet but getting there. I cant wait to get back into it. Right now its build it back up, get 100% to avoid further worse injury. But all the training, treatment has increased my recovery rate so much more.
In no particular order:-
Saam Bo Gin and Jee Lik every morning
Hao Gung (3 versions)
Kum Dit Bo Gung (iron step)
Iron Back / Stomach Gung (its what I feel is being built as well as the arms and whole body)
Mor Jow clawing chi gung
18 dark internal power hands (use of waist is very apparent moving in and out)
Clamping Palm static exercises(with weight and usual form - use of waist again and the closing whilst swalling the saliva to the dan tien…the energy circular pattern.)
Chy sau (different versions)
Doy chong (single double, diu sau)
Bo Sim Sau – sections, form, techniques, applications
Pad work with combinations
Conditioning
Sparring (not so much but a little carefully)
2 man drills/chongs with more emphasis on close in and making contact (some we use gloves to aim for head and body)
Hoot Sar Jeurng (blood sand palm chi gung form and training)
Leg gung (very similar to when you see the shoaling monks move their palms up and down their legs before they do demonstration)
Forms (9 hands, bic sarn, fighting form, saam bo gin, kau dau sau, mo ying sau etc)
Learned a new two man sitting chi gung form
Poon Lung Kerk (use of, applications)
Grappling (working more of technique and drilling over – im taking it carefully)
Muay Thai – techniques and apps
Kalari (learning some new sword techniques and stick work)
Lots really, just a few new things that I haven’t listed before. Im really concentrating on building up and healing at the moment – so gungs, chi gung forms, two man strengthening and the home training exercises.
Also on another note Holland and Barrats have a sale and I purchased a lot of things on sale (glucosamine, ginko bilboa, chondrotin, cod liver oil, vitamins, milk thistle liquid). Bought in bulk to save £ and take these everyday to help with my joints / ligaments! If you are around pop in and see what you can get.
I dont think there can be an excuse for not training or practicing everyday, unless you are really ill or injured (been there , done that 
). Now I try to do something everyday in terms of training. Doesnt matter how small or big or long it is, as long as I do something I am pleased with myself.
Its not difficult to make the time to do some press ups, practice a form, shadow box, walk fast paced…I dont know, something other than working! Of course some people have jobs that are demanding physically and some mentally. I sit at a desk all day on a pc where as one of my friends works in removals. While I type all day, he is moving / lifting / picking / heavy furniture. He might not realise it but through all of that, his body has to adapt and he gets a little bit stronger (perhaps training everyday for him would be harder than for me). Dont get me wrong, I can type fast and I am a whizz on the old internet surfing but because of this I like to do active stuff.
Where do I disapear for 10 minutes in the morning from work? I go downstairs to one of the empty rooms and I run Saam Go Gin and Jee Lik. Its quick but I want it to become a habit and I want to make it more often (work gets busy of course). I know you have to be smart in training and rest. BUt I only think that applys to really pushing yourself all the time. I’ve overtrained before and its not good. You have to experience these things to know how and why to avoid them!
I think in the olden days and perhaps even know, people had the kind of jobs that were physically demanding. Those types of work made some of these people naturally strong and good for kung fu. I know some builders, mechanics and such who are very strong!! They dont do kung fu but they have good hand, arm strength and a natural strength from their everyday work. I find it fascinating but it makes me realise I have to train a little bit harder and make a little more time to train.
Its not that difficult to spare some time in your day to train right? You just need to apply yourself mentally to do it and keep applying yourself to do it. On the way to and from work I will always try to walk or climb stairs or whatever keeps me active. Its long but I think martial arts is just too big a part of everything i do .
I got to mondays class early and went to train in the other hall. I spent most of it warming up concentration on my neck, back and shoulders (being careful given my healing injury). I than went on to stretch / warm up my legs and small joints. After warming up I did saam bo gin, kau dau sau, 9 hands, mo ying sau and bic sarn.
I didnt do these fast or with a lot of power but nice, slow and easy - working on the lines, seeing how my body / injury took to it. I also helped another student who came in early with some of his techniques within saam bo gin and saam jin yui sao.
Back to training - Southern Mantis Class
I am glad to be back in class and training, i missed it like mad and am even more intent on training to rehabilitate my injury, get stronger and concentrate on other things (must do more stretching and more leg work…as well as get back into meditation and softer internal exercises…oh…and more, lol).
Class started with the warm up movements with some stretching. We than worked on the chow gar mantis steps on both stances and forwards bad backwards. These included walking steps, cross steps, cross over steps, knee raises, and mouse chasing steps. So far so good, not too umcomfy on the injury except for if i overly round my back press my elbows forward and down…so control that till its comfortable and feels like a nice stretch.
Trained saam bo gin twice - Its been a while and there was only so much tension I could put in without feeling a little pain. My saam bo gin didnt feel connected. By that I mean I didnt feel like i was performing the form as one unit / one body all in unision. I may have commented on this before but today I felt like my body parts were separate from one another. However it got better, I concentrated and put the effort into it. A lot of effort into gripping the toes / stance, stomach, fingers, keep good form and posture.I was beginning to ache and feel it - felt good.
I’ll list what I trained and some quick notes on my progress with it. There were a few exercises that were difficult for me to do but I trained them as best and as strong as I could. It seems you cant make up for 2 months not training and making up for an injury in one lesson …darn it. I found it frustrating but at the same time very humbling. Felt like I was starting from the beginning again and I felt very weak….but you know what….didnt phase me, I just see it as a way to get better and build a better foundation. I did the best I could and I will keep doing it till I get stronger again.
Doy chong - Round on left stance and a round on right stance. The lines used here werent to bad so I felt comfortable doing this. It was only when I had to block that it was a little uncomfy. My left arm also caved in a lot easier than before and my lasting power had diminished quite a bit. No biggie I felt it working and I tried to concentrate on syncing the movements with the waist, ribs and locking the stance (i.e. not using the body to pull back or make myself stronger).
Diu sau doy chong - It was pretty much the same for diu sau doy chong, except the raising dui sau motion I could only do slow and easy. Pushing out with any power still troubles me but I can put a little in. This was done on both left and right stances. Given all this I can concentrate more on my technique and getting the form right.
Chy sau - Burned out way too quick and arm was burning, shoulder, body, waist, stance. You name it i was feeling it. My left arm felt very weak and tired but I carried on and went slow and concentrated on keeping good form, stretched out, breathing, locking stance, using ribs and building the power up. Was hard but I felt it working and stretching.
Chee Sarn Garp Mantis Press ups - I couldnt do this. I tried but the pressure on my shoulder - well I couldnt hold myself well and trying to do the press up, my left arm couldnt hold it, didnt feel connected to my body. I tried slowly, but it felt bad on my lat and neck. Instead, I went on my knees and tried to do the press ups as well as just holding myself up and just moving the elbows in as far as i could comfortably. This was very frustrating! Sifu asked at each exercise if i was ok and not to do it ifit was uncomfortable.
The gow choy chong came next. I could do this ok but the power was still lacking in the left arm. My conditioning hasnt left me but its not as good as it used to feel. I put as much effort and power as I could and after my hands were a little shaky. Havent felt that in a long time. This chong was done with single steps and mouse steps.
2 man drill with attack , arm lock and take down - both sides. Did this drill but without the take down. Getting taken down to the ground wouldnt do me very good so only peformed part of it. The drill involves a thrown punch for your partner to react to. Punching with my left wasnt as fast , heavy or controlled as I would have like it. But it was a lot better than it has been in the last 2 months.
poon loong kerk drill - We trained a leg take down whilst on the floor to a standing partner from the poon loong kerk applications. I could only do a few of these from the ground as the techniques made my neck and left side ache. Even being taken down, i felt it pull on my left side - which was a small sharp pain. So again 
, slow, easy and carefully….arghhh, you see the frustration!
Finished off with training yui kui san sau, pai kui san sau and some other san sau. My left felt uncomfy and I couldnt put the power or speed behind it, so I trained it slow, easy and with good form.
I didnt train the grappling / sparring (not given go ahead and I know I cant right now ), so I watched whilst doing some warming down exercises and stretching. Sifu stretched my left arm and massaged my neck. Stretched my arm in such a position that it really worked on the tricep and lat and shoulder. Slighlty painful but felt very good and loose afterwards. Glad to be back training!
Found an old post card dated 27/12/02 that i sent to my family from my trip to Hong Kong for the late Grandmaster Ip Shui’s birthday party where he passed over the head of the Chow Gar TOng Long Southern Mantis system to his son Ip Chee Keung. Thought it would be cool to write it up on here as it brought back some good memories of the trip, training and Si Gung Ip Shui:-
Hello / Waiiiii and Lai Ho?
Everything is cool and having a good time. Grandmaster is very kind to have us stay at his apartment and so far I havent wrecked much. HK is so busy and the buildings are HUGE and there are shops and markets everywhere. Every street is selling everything at a price and I am haggling for as much as I can, its great fun and someone of them congratulate you on a good barter on the price.
Have been waking up early to train, go out and spend the day in HK or train with Sifu. So far not done much except train because of the party (although have seen HK and went into china). After the party we will go back to china (shenzen) to haggle and buy cheap stuff, go site seeing and train more.
Grandmaster is funny, quiet and nice. He wakes up at 6am to pray every morning as well as every afternoon (very peaceful). He will than go out and come back and call us lazy and say he has just come back from training and doing his morning stuff. At 90 he still the man and very active. Everyone knows him in kowloon. His party is going to be big!
I am eating ok, it can be a bit difficult and I am getting bored of the same food - everything seems to have pork in it, if you dont eat pork you get these reactions (you dont eat pork?!!! or its ok you can have tofu (again) or you want pork?!) haha. We are all planning the last 12 days to go site seeing, train more(obviously). Sifu Paul Brennan from Australia is here and training with him is great, real eye opener. Oh and shop more. So much to do and see.
*the next bit is all stuff like i miss mums cooking and miss you all so i will leave that out!*
Links to photos from my trip can be seen here -
Hong Kong:
Hong Kong City Pictures 2002 - 1
Hong Kong City Pictures 2002 - 2
Si Gung Ip Sui’s birthday:
Grandmaster Ip Shui’s Chow Gar Southern Mantis Birthday Picture / Images - 1
Grandmaster Ip Shui’s Chow Gar Southern Mantis Birthday Picture / Images - 2
Training:
Various Chow Gar Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu training pics in Hong Kong 2002