Southern Praying Mantis Kung Fu Training Diary / Blog

Hello, lai ho ma, namaste, happy new year!

This blog isnt dead. It just had a rather long break but i will be back to posting as regularly as i can. I still keep notes on what I have trained so I’ll post up what I have trained / learned.

Injured Mantis

I have been off training for the last 2 months due to an injury. Its actually one of the most painful and worst injuries I’ve ever had and dont want it to happen again!! I managed to tear / pull a ligament running down my neck and scapula aswell as tear some muscles for extra measure. 2 months ago I couldnt move, stand up, sit down, sleep, move my head or arm without serious pain and discomfort. I was in bed for 3 days and couldnt move, went to hospital to be put on serious pain killers that made me trip out (stopped them and only took them when the pain was too much) and visited a physio.

I couldnt lift my left arm even 90 degrees or move my neck in certain directions without pain or stiffness. All the strength in my left arm disapeared and it felt like my mind wasnt connected to the arm / shoulder - so much so i couldnt even hold my self in a press up postion (on a wall or floor) or push wish any kind of strength. My chest, tricep and lat became very tight and sore and the pain and injury seemed to be working itself slowly from my neck down to the left side causing more damage and pain. I was very worried that my training days were over . I couldnt run, move, walk - do anything without suffering and it seemed to be getting worse and spreading!

Traditional Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic Treatment

After the initial injury I have spent the last 5-6 weeks i think been having weekly treatment with Sifu Paul and he does all the traditional chinese and ayurvedic indian medecine, treatment and healing. I have had sessions with massage, joint manipulation, re-alignment, stretching, he has given me herbal medecine and clicked me back into place. He advised me not to train and try to keep the arm and shoulder as still as possible ( A mistake I made after 4 weeks thinking I could do it and only ended up in pain…listen to your body and people in the know everyone!).

Not moving the arm or as little as possible was a job made easier by the christmas holiday added to my leave from work. Working on a pc for 9 hours in the position did not help matters and the pain would shoot down my neck - shoulder and arm and hit my forearm. On top of that my lat and left chest went tight and knotty and painful, so this made movement even more of a task.

Results of treatment

The treatment has meant that I can now lift my arm all the way in different directions (not too fast but its so much better), move my neck more freely, the tightness is less (but still there), I have more of the power back in my arm and sleeping is much more comfortable. Work is easier and the pain is hardly there after long periods of time. Injuries like this apparently can take 6 months to heal. Mine seems to be much much better and the physio (who i have stopped seeing) was suprised at the recovery rate (go on traditional chinese / indian massage / medecine and therapy!).

Sifu has said I can now come back to training and start back tonight but it will have to be nice and easy and I cannot do anything too strenuous (i.e. grappling / sparring etc). The ligament is still slightly swollen and there is still a clicking of it against the neck and near shoulder but it is so much better and the swelling around my neck / shoulder has gone down. I am still taking the chinese herbal tea / medecine and internal pill medecines which help with the ligaments, pains and joints - really works and helps.

I will be carrying on with the treatment until I am 100% and my next treatment will be a heat treatment to target the ligament / joint i think - not sure how it works. For now i am so glad to be able to train again but I have lost weight, muscle and my left arm / side muscles feel soft (from the little use and rest). I was going mad with frustration - thank microsoft for the xbox 360, youtube for martial art videos, books on training and my old footage to stop me from loosing it…oh and my family and girlfriend (who i learned so much more about since I have been at home LOL).

If anyone has any injuries (new or old) or any kind of ailment I highly recommend you visit a Dr or a trained Sifu in traditional chinese / indian medecine, massage and therapy. It has worked for me and others.

Information on Sifu Paul Whitrods website and traditional medecine below :-

http://www.paulwhitrod.com/

paulwhitrod@yahoo.co.uk

Traditional Medicine is an integral part of the martial systems studied by Sifu Paul Whitrod. Drawing upon his detailed study into authentic methods of healing he offers classical treatments for various injuries and problems. Classes are also given in these methods.

# Traditional Thai massage
# Ayurvedic massage and treatments
# Chinese Tui Na massage
# Thai Reflexology
# Sports Injuries
# Back pain & Rheumatism
# Sprains & Fractures
# Fall and hit medicine

I am over a week behind in my posts and I havent had time to write detailed blogs as yet (busy with work, family and train till late!). This is the training for the last week in August - just bullet points for now!

Saturday

saam bo gin

different chy saus

book kiu chy sau

book kiu on its own.

Chow gar forms and parts of 9 hands borken down with applications

san sau

grappling - warm ups, drills and techniques

kalari forms, two man drills, locks and defence from attacks from behind

pad work - knees, kicks, punch / elbows

Monday

chy sau

doy chong

lim chung chong

geng tan chong

moving man chong

conditioning - gow choys and arms

yau long chy sau

chy sau

Tuesday

gee lik

hao gung neck strengthening gung

iron step and waist gung

yee kup saam bo gin

9 asking hands form

bic sarn lifting mountain form

18 dark internal palms

clamping palm

seated clamping palm

seated chy sau

seated mor jao

seated pik jao

seated doy chong

mor kam clawing gung

36 san sau

Wednesday

kalari stick fighting drills - worked on footwork, movement, stick position and more drills.

Warm ups

Saam bo gin

5 attacks using chops, cover and gow choys

5 attacks two man - good for putting power and building condtioning, sensitivity and timing.

fighting form - 3 rounds with different partners non-stop for 3 mins. Tiring and arms dropped through burning and tiredness so took a few hits to jaw and body.

chy sau

reaction drills - partners facing each other close up (one attack one defend) and reacting / blocking strikes

conditioning - back of hands, wrists, arms, palms, gow choys

yum yearn kum la sau and corrections on techniques and apps

press ups

fighting drills using soc saus, elbows, kicks, strikes, gow choys, slap blocks

helping class mates with 8 hit sensitivity drill

conditoning for arms and gow chois

Private

gungs - ribs, how gung, back, waist, step.

mor kum gung - 3 types of clawing and using the waist and tension with the clawing motions

buk kui chy sau

fun sau chy sau - great chy sau for sensitivity as well as strength in a different motion.

pic jao chy sau - palm into chest , pic out, pic jao resist.

sharpening arm chy sau - single double - probably the hardest chy sau / 2 arm chy sau I have ever done as the tension and movement is very tiring, taxing and burns in no time.

Bit behind on my posts this week so Im going to catch up on last weeks monday, tuesday and wednesday training in one post and just list the training I did with a little detail when its needed!

Monday Hakka Mantis

Got to class early and stretched, ran through chow gar forms as well as the kalari forms. Worked on Say Ban Gen Sau and some of the gungs.

Trained in the 8 section sensitivity drill before the class started. Warm ups came after with stretching and some of the exercises used to warm up that relate to movements we do in techniques and forms. After warm ups came training steps with san sau followed by saam bo gin (if chy sau and doy jong used for developing power than saam bo gin is used to bring out that power and refine it. Its also a power building form…general thoughts!).

After saam bo gin came yum yearn kum la sau - ying yang seizing hands. This was broken down and covered slowly with applications. Always useful and helps to remind you of techniques, body and hand positions as well as the names of the techniques in chinese.

Partner work followed with long rounds of chy sau with different partners, mor jao training (good for building strength on a few techniques - claw, mut sao, tan kui, got sau), sensitivity drill.Finished with some gung training for back and ribs.

Training that we should be doing at least? Saam Bo Gin 3 times a day and at least 20 press ups a day…not difficult to do really is it? Just needs to become part of a pattern in your daily life style! That perhaps is the hardest part, adding or breaking a habit!

Tuesday Tong Long

Before the mantis training I did the class in kalari and worked on the forms, techiniques and applications, two man drills and hindu squats.

Hakka mantis tong long training started with warm ups, gee lik gung (finger / clawing type gung using the opening and closing from saam bo gin and really working the ribs and stance) and iron step gung.

After the gungs we went straight into yee kup saam bo gin, 9 top asking hands, mor kam claw training, 18 dark internal power hands and clamping palm. The mor kam and qi gung forms I like to train as it has a lot of emphasis on breathing, using the waist with each techniques, building internal power and it is the softer side to the style.

Partner training followed with mor jao and pic jao. Mor jao your partner claws your bicep from the inside and you mut sao to break the grip. With Pic jao the claw is done on the outside of the arm and you have to peck sao to break the grip and continue to finish the rest of the drill.

Training finished with a new dip gwut gung exercise I had not train before and a new sun sook gung training exercise.

Wednesday Tong Long

There was lots of chy sau…lots of chy sau! Lots of yau loong chy sau and doy chong. Everyone pretty much trained with everyone as partners changed. It was great and tiring and an effort to carry on and keep good form and power.

Forms trained - saam bo gin (pretty much an effort to do this after all the chy sau and doy chong), law sun sau and finished with buk kui chy sau (a hard chy sau to do (yea yea i say that about all of them) which works different muscles and joints in a different way. The power being worked in buk kui chy sau is the outside power I think.

One to One

Trained and got more detail on gungs for the throat, steps / legs and ribs - dip gwut gung. Trained and corrected the forms yee kup saam bo gin, clamping palm, 18 dark internal power hands and learned a sitting down qi gung type exercise for strengthening back and stretching - good for overall development of power.

Learned some of the Bo Sim Ma steps and sidewards cross steps and finished with Kalari training (new form, applications of the forms techniques, where to strike marma, two man drills and applications and corresponding organs and marma points to aim for).

Thursday Visit

Made a trip to Shepards Bush to visit Si Gung David Ip Chee Keung at his london class as he was making a short visit to UK. Had a nice chat and asked about punching in Chow Gar (with regards to the elbows being completely down and the release of power either being full or a little being held back). Jumped in to help some of the students with some tips on training elbow pick chong and got back to speaking to Si Gung David.

Last saturday I got to the hakka mantis class a little late (traffic on the roads I swear!) so I missed a lot of the beginning of the class. I walmed up quickly and joined and ran through san sau - ying kam more so.

We spent a good deal of time on the 9 top asking hands and its sections thoroughly. The sections and some of the techniques were broken down and the applications were trained two man. This was really good and I learned a lot from it and it will make my techniques and form a lot more better with the some of applications in mind.

I trained forms and gungs for a bit and than partnered up for fighting form and lots of 2 man fighting drills. Spent a good deal of time on the mantis fighting stuff and finished with conditioning.

The next hour or more was spent on the grappling class which included most of what i have posted about before and lots of rounds with different partners working from stand up, ground, different mounts, working on locks and getting a tap out. All good fun and very tiring and physically demanding stuff.

Kalarippayyatu

Another hour of my training was spent doing kalari. I ran through a lot of form work, getting it right and training them on both sides (left and right) as well learning a new one and working on the ones I was weak on. Trained 2 man drills, fighting drills, locking drills and finished with some new sword work I hadnt done before. The sword work was very good as it was very close to the body and requires use of the waist and body moving together with the sword.

Training for me finished with muay thai style pad work to really finish off. Worked on constant kicking on pads non stop for a few rounds on both legs. This went to kneeing (techniques to knee from front and side) and than doing constant knees on pads with partner.

Saturdays is always a great and demanding training session that really makes me sweat and work!

Im behind with my posts, been very busy. I keep notes so I dont forget but it takes me a little while to write it all up. Once I get a flow I usually type on for longer than I intend too, so this will only be a short post.

The first class is the weapons class and I usually try to do both mantis and kalaripayatu weapons. I spent the majority of the time doing kalari stick work, pure stick work. I worked on 2 man drills, 13 hit and defend drills, footwork, hand postioning of the stick, locks and disarms using the stick and the fighting 2 man stick forms.

After training the indian sticks I finished by doing southern mantis pole sparring geared up with the chow gar students in the other hall. Trained for 3 rounds with different partners working on moving, using good technique and defending. Good fun.

Tong Long Mantis Class

Class started with warm ups and we trained the following forms - saam bo gin, yui kui, pin kui, yum yearn kum la sau, law sun sai and mo ying sao. One thing stuck out in what was said while training yui kui. The arrow punch in yui kui should be done as one motion step and punch at same time, like an arrow being released and peircing - sharp and powerful (as opposed to step first than punch). When you release an arrow from a bow the wire doesnt stop and than release the arrow.

Partner work followed training in yui kui chy sau, doy chong, fighting form, two man fighting drills and conditioning. Conditioned with a partner kicking different parts of the legs and ribs, back of palms, forearms, geng tan chong, gow choy jong, gow choy hitting and a two man conditioning which trains legs, palms, arms, stomach and hips.

Class finished with san sau with steps and chi gung breathing.

One to One

Trained and worked on yee kup saam bo gin. In the form I wasnt rounding my back enough and pushing the shoulders down and forward enough so my back wasnt fully rounded and I need to use my ribs more effectively.

Trained gungs as I have mentioned before and asked some more questions regarding where I place the tension, how I breathe and why we do this, . Learnt 3 new dip gwut gung exercises with were difficult and made my sides ache aswell as everything else! I keep saying it, gungs are demanding physically.

Went over the chy sau’s I have learned and added 2 new ones - say ban gen chy sau and fun sau chy sau. The fun sau chy sau was really good and has a lot of circular motions and sensitivity to it for both partners. I was tired from the training before so doing chy sau really kills me off, my arm feels dead and very weak, but i give it all i can as its good training to go past your limits.

Finished the rest of the class with Kalari. Trained 2 new forms and applications as well as going over the forms I had learned perviously and having them corrected. I learned a new short form that incorporates a lot of elbow attacks whilst moving forward at 45 degree angles and turning.

I find training the kalari gets me to move a lot more, twist, turn, jump and do forms according to shapes / patterns that require you to fight in many / all directions whilst looking and constantly keeping your eyes fixed on an opponent…there are also cool techniques where you pick up something (i.e. sand or debris) and throw it at the opponents eyes.

A lot of the techniques require you to cut right through and use good footwork, waist and not be so tense. I’m learning to use my body a lot more because of it as well as move a lot more freely and looser. Love training this art.

On Tuesdays if i can get to class early i train both kalaripayatu and chow gar tong long. Started the kalari with warm ups and went into the long and short kalari forms with repeating on the opposite side for each form. Spent quite a while on this working with a partner and helping each other through it with some corrections.

After the forms trained techniques, 2 man lock drills and fighting drills. These can be pad work or drills using kalari techniques (punches, kicks, chops, elbows and many more). The locks I really like and the counter locks or escapes. So much to learn though!

Southern Mantis Class

Training started with how gung (two types we trained to build the neck / head specifically but also other areas) and the iron step gung. Had some clarification on training these correctly such as where the tension and compression is to be placed.

When i train the how gung I put effort into keeping my tounge up, clenching my jaw tight, tensioning my neck muscles, tightening my lips and concentrating on working my stance and other body parts while im training it (and doing the motions while pulling tightened muscles / against tension - as it seems you do in these types off gungs). When i finish my jaw and neck does ache and I consider it worth it if it means I strengthen my jaw / head better to take a hit.

Chow Gar mantis form work came after and I trained yee kup saam bo gin (use my ribs more and really push out the arms and round the back so shoulder blades dont point out), bic sarn, 9 top asking hands form (told to make the techniques distinctive and more refined so each one is used and can be seen), first section of bo sim sau 6 times and 3-4 of the 18 swimming dragons (had my stance corrected, body posture and told to make more use of my waist and body.)

After form work I trained yui kui chy sau with different partners for a long period on both arms. Yui kui chy sau is just as tiring as you are driving forward in one motion with the arm and the leg - back and forth with tension. Burns the legs, feet ache, arms ache, waist and ribs….argh. love it.

Finished with gee lik gung which I found hard to do as I felt tired so I did a mixture of constant tension and lightly. I still gribbed my stance and tried to use dip gwut gung and towards the end I put everything I had in it till i felt like my arms were going to drop off.

Got to class early to train on my own and work on techniques, forms and general exercises. Started with general stretches concentrating on my hips and hamstrings and arms as they feel too tight of late and I really dont spend enough time regularly stretching my legs and hips.

I than trained the form 4 way gate hands and worked on using my waist and ribs in conjunction with the right posture and correct execution of the techniques. It takes time and practice to do the forms using the waist and dip gwut gung on each technique consecutively and with good form, so I slowed it down to get more feeling from it while getting the right lines and imagining applications.

I than did yee kap sarm bo jin slowly so I could concentrate on using the ribs for the shock techniques with my waist and firm stance. It felt better doing it a little less fast and working on getting the right feel. I did feel the techniques to be sharper and I felt more in my ribs and waist, so I must be doing something right .

Afterwards I wanted to work on mo ying sau also known as no shadow hands. A cool name eh?. Its a short form and has a movement similar to a pak mei form, i.e. forward moving forward grabbing claws. I like the form as it uses headbutts, one of my favourite moves! This form is done quickly but I did it relatively slow so I could get the right movements / techniques and go over anything I felt needed work on in the form.

I did the same process for training kau dau sau with a mixture of adding power and constantly checking myself and feeling and imagining applications. For each section I went slow and fast aswell as repeating anything if I made a mistake or wasnt happy with it. As its training on my own I like to do this as I feel its good to make time to practice more and perfect / work more on what you know.

Once forms work was finished I trained many different kicks and kicks with hand techniques. Similar if not the same as I have posted about earlier. I used front kicks, low side kicks inside and outside and trained in different stances and positions.

With some time to spare before class I went over kalari forms and techinques movements. I went over forms I had newly learned and worked on my footwork and positioning in some of the steps, they need work. Another kalari student came in and we finished with some two man fighting drills using chops, kicks, turns and spins.

Good stuff and warmed me up for the class.

Southern Tong Long Mantis Class

Class started with forward and backward steps, cross steps, cross over steps, toong sut knee raises (toes pointing down, knee up and across, sharp and fast, land and grip) and mouse steps on alternative sides backwards and forwards.

After I went to help a beginner with baat sic - first 8 movements of the first saam bo gin form and how to step punch and first the closing. We went over it a few times and I talked him through it as I did the form next to him. I joined back in the class and we trained the second chow gar mantis form - saam gin yui kui. In the initial baat sic I opened the ribs at the started and closed on the downward strike, than opened them again as i came up and closed on the last elbow strike. I was feeling it out and trying to concentrate on this and the float, spit, swallow and sink principles. The baat sic is the beginnning of many of the forms.

Next we trained with speed and power Law Suen Sau, bao jong gow choy, i think we did the 9 hand drill and some san sau. After this we partnered up and did a few rounds with different partners of chy sau and doy chong. I dont go to hard or too strong in chy sau or doy chong but try to put as much power as I can while still keeping good form and a constant controlled tension and use dip gwut gung. Its not easy (I keep saying this but it isnt!). The same applies to doy chong - stance is important, use of waist, elbows down and in, shoulders down, controlled and constant power…its tiring but builds a unique strength internally - joints, ligaments and muscle.

Carrying on with partner work I did fighting form 3 times with 3 different partners. My first partner I went steady and not too fast or strong but enough to get a good flow and try to get the right techniques and principles. The second time was a little faster and harder and the last I partnered with sifu and got a very good and tiring few minutes. Under pressure, fast, moving and hard can be quite a challenge when its coming at you and you can see how you cope. My arms dropped a few too many times from tiredness or lack of concentration or both and I got a lovely hit in the jaw and face . Im sure I blocked but it had little or no effect. Im just glad it wasnt full power with the intent, phew!

Lastly we went over the gau mun sau 9 top asking hands form slowly with some clarification of techniques. The class finished with san sau techniques and a bit of chi gung (which ended up being very hard as my arms were tired and it burned!).

I couldnt stay for the grappling class as I had some family stuff to get home for (summer holidays are always full of family things like visits, weddings, going out, birthdays. I tend to get out of them most of the year, lol, but I have enjoyed a lot of them this year.)

Train hard and be well all.

No training this wednesday as it was Rakhee so I had to do shopping for gifts and get home for the occasion. Nice to spend some quality family time and have a rest (though I am eager to train as wednesday is a great session for me and I kept walking off to train with the broadsword quickly lol.)

Kalari

I got to the kalari class before the mantis class on tuesday and it was tiring and gave me a great workout overall. The perfect warm up for a mantis class? haha.

Started with kalari warm ups and trained a lot of the forms and their techniques on both sides. This in itself is tiring as you train the forms back to back and repeat on both side (some only have a few techniques but they are repeated in 4-5 directions).

We did partner work with pads and a lot of moving crocodile press ups, hindu squats, hindu press ups, snake press ups, jumping kicks continuously and a few other equally difficult and tiring exercises intended to build strength. They are demanding on the muscles and on your lungs. It was a struggle to do a lot of the exercises and I did my best but I was soon breathing hard and fast and sweating loads.

Good training and it made me work but all my warm ups before mantis should be like this… .

Mantis Class

After initial warm ups went into strengthening gungs training a number of times on alternating sides. Gee lik working on clawing, opening and closing of the arms, the ribs and stance work. Than we train iron step gung and 2 different how gung (throat power, jaw, head, temples). My jaw and neck was really aching after this as I made the effort to work it.

Next came yee kup saam bo gin with which I trained paying attention to using my waist, the ribs and sinking. We ran a new technique or training method I hadnt done before which is like single mor jow training. It is a continous clawing exercise using the waist and opening and closing of the fingers while doing a fun sau type motion. It really burns the arms and forearms and I think this is a good exercise to do in place of chy sau. Will have to look into this.

Partnering up I trained dan kui doy chong (i think this is the right name) which is a 2 man strength and sensitivity drill that uses tension while changing from one technique to another whilst sticking to you opponents bridge. A tiring exercise and hard on the arms as we trained it up and down on both sides.

Continuing came a two man double mor jao exercise changing partners which includes clawing, coming over your opponents arms and than clawing his arms and so on. Doing this constantly and slowly makes the form arms and hands burn and really works on the ribs and elbow. After a few rounds of this came yui kui chy sau which was hard to do as I was feeling tired and my arms ached. I still burned through it and put as much as I could into it.

Class finished with hap jeurng gung - clamping palm with notable use of the waist / ribs in conjunction with the arms and going over all the 36 san sau.

Another good few hours of training for me and I felt really good afterwards! But still need to train harder and get stronger!

Before Class

As I got to class one hour early I trained on my own and worked on forms, techniques, kicking and kalari.

I started with yee kup saaam bo gin and working on this slowly concentrating on techniques to make sure I was using ribs and closing and using the waist.

Once I had finished this form I went in to mo ying sau twice slowly again working on techiniques, applications behind the movement and techniques, steps and movements of body and techniques together. Mo ying sau has clawing techniques driving forward, head butts, very fast moving defending and attacking hands, sharp movements and the form when done should be performed fast and with shock.

After mo ying sau I trained bic sarn and worked on moving / steps whilst doing each technique (techniques with steps / movement). I broke apart some of the techniques from the form and trained them on their own. One section has bao jong, inside and outside palm (same hand aimed at blocking the arms), chop, gow choy, chop, gow choy. Nice combination and I ran this a few times on both sides.

The next form I trained was Gau Mun Sau - 9 top asking hands. I worked on the techniques with use of the waist and any techniques I felt lacked power I would do again to try and feel the mechanics of my body and the technique and generate the power that was comfortable for me. I like 9 hands as it introduces some turning methods with attacks and stance changes that are new and different. It takes some getting used to as you dont train or see them till this form I believe.

Next I worked on poon loong kerk on a hard uncomfortble wooden floor…slowly of course and not too hard from stand up to floor. From here I took some of the kicks and blocks from this and trained them singly with steps on both sides. I than worked on kicks with hand attacks and blocks. Front kicks, low side kicks with inside and outside of foot, chambering kicks from front and back leg, moving out at angles and kicking and so on.

With some time to spare before the class started I worked on some new kalari steps / forms I had learned as well as the ones I hadnt practiced properly. I trained the long and short forms that I felt rusty on and referred to my written notes to help me remember!

Chow Gar Class

Class started with stretches and warm up exercises and from there we went into the steps / footwork. Trained in forward steps , backward steps, cross steps, half forward steps, toong sut emphasising in the sharpness of the knee raise , stepping with grip and closing ribs aswell as sinking and finally the cross over steps.

After steps came saam bo gin twice slowly with emphasis being made on gripping, tensing the stomach, clawing and bring the elbows in. Some peoples stances and conditioning were tested while doing the form and that made me work even more, haha.

We than went straight into saam jin yui kui - 3 step shake off the bridge and saam bo pin kui - 3 step level bridge. I trained them with the elements of saam bo gin and put power and effort into the strikes and movement.

After forms we partnered up and did chy sau and doy chong. Chy sau tired my arms and body out after a few rounds and even more so when I came next in line for Sifu. Again, i concentrated on knees bent, bosy straight, shoulders down and out, ginger fist tight, arm up, elbows down, ribs and so on. Its not easy, not easy at all and something I am slowly getting stronger at but not as strong as I feel I shuould be. As long as i keep at it and with good form, thats the important thing.

Having trained the power building stuff we partnered up again for fighting form for 3 rounds both sides with different partners. I trained the fighting form with speed, power and intent my first partner and he did the same. Sometimes I felt like my control wasnt as good as it should have been so I worked on that in the next round.

My techniques also got trained as I would get into a bad habit of using my whole body for a certain technique which made me loose my root and structure. I was of course corrected and we carried on. Good fun fighting form and tiring done fast and full on, especially when its done partner after partner.

Carring on with partner work further I trained attack drills, combinations, free flow with certain techniques and different combinations with kicks, punches and takes down a different one each time with the initial partners attack. We took turns in attacking with either sides and went over breaking down the techniques as well as adding extra to experiment.

I was quite tired by now and I got even more tired when we sparred for 3 rounds with different partners. With my first partner I tried using bo sim sau and made effective use of it. I concentrated on relaxing, moving around more, quick feet and almost bobbing and weaving like in swimming dragons. Next I partnered with sifu and he used swimming dragons and moved and flowed. I tried to do the same and it wasnt easy. I attacked, moved tried different techiniques. I got taken down and pummeled and mounted and reacted to this from the grappling as best as I could. Got elbowed, gow choyed,kicked and palmed. good fun.

Class finished with more partner work, saam bo gin (felt heavy on the arms and body and hot), and ji lik with qi gong movements. This was very hard as the shoulders were burning, the arms felt like they weighed a ton, legs shaking , felt really hot and it was not comfortable. I managed to continue without dropping my arms but i had to grit my teeth and try to concentrate on something other than the pain. I focussed on one thing and blanked my mind of the burning and heaviness I was feeling. It helped!

Grappling

Grappling was as it was last week except I worked on a few different techniques / locks from the half mount whilst on my back. We went over all the locks and techniques as usual and worked on them, trained them with different intensities aswell as getting partner feedback on how it felt.

Than most of the class was spent grappling and changing partner after partner working on locking and tapping each other out, trying your techniques and learning from each other. Its tiring and you get hot but its a great work out and learning process.

A nice few hours of training and more to come on tuesday.