Tuesday

Yesterday was an interesting day for me since it was my first time running the live like the chaampion class. So my teammates and I finsh working out and everything, but Mr.G wasnt their so somebody asked whos running the Live class that day. John Looks towards me and say I am, which makes start thinking well maybe he'll stay to help me out. But why would I stay in charge if he was going to be their, so he starts packing and I ask him well what should I do. He tells me to give everyone repetition, and the first thing that pops into mind is the last Live class I had. I remember sweating and soreness, so I get an idea of what to do. I first have them do 100 push ups, sit ups, squats, lounges, and if they were done I had them do jumping jacks or jog in place. After that I put up stations for everyone , 1 station round house kick, 2 push kick, 3 running wall to wall. John came in and decided to give me a hand so we created different station. We had everyone do combinations for a minute straight. Punching on the bags, kicks on pad which John and I held. To end the day we gave everyone a minute of non stop action. Which was do what ever combination you can think of non stop. After we stopped, lined up and said our pledge. We all gave each other high fives, and we ended the day. That day I learned how it feels to lead the team, and I am thankful that John gave me the privilege to lead the team. It was a learning experience for me. During the 100 sets, I got this idea that I needed to compete with everyone. So I would push myself to finish faster then what I regularly do. I think that day we all got a good workout. Again thank you John for trusting me with leading the class that day.

Learning a new form

Today's training was really good since we got to work on the basics of balance and strength building. For this we used weights and our basic front and center stance. Today wasn't for how many repetition of a stance we could do but how long we can hold hat stance. For me after we started moving down the room, the second the step was getting hard. But after I started to get the hang of everything. The bad thing to that was that, that was after we finished. So we did that for the first class. Another reason for today's pick in what to do was because the school I go to is having week with out walls. So Mr. G just wanted those who were planning on going to the trip, to be ready for whats planned during the trip. We don't want nobody to be unprepared for whats up ahead. After class I got with my friend Emmanuel ( sorry if I spelled your name wrong) and I asked him if he could show me pagwae 7 since it's a requirement for my belt test. After a few runs through the form I got the hand of it and was able to perform the form on my own. But I couldn't just keep on practicing since we had a another class coming ready to start. This time we worked on push up and crunches. Along with kicks and some running/ jogging, since were going to need stamina for the trip. But that was a little rough, so I got what I needed to learn to perform my kick better and made it a note to myself to practice. After class I went through pagwae 7 again and was able to do it good. Just need to practice to make perfect or better then how I do it now. But the thing that made my day today would be the creation of about 2/4 of my creative form. I just need to figure out an ending and check if anything else is needed for this form. The creative form is for my BB test, so I happy that I was able to do that, this was today's training.

Something to think about

http://http://www.shuyokan.com/members/articles/the-law.html 3-23-10

"Miracles happen to those who believe in them. --- Bernard Berenson"


"Example is leadership. --- Dr. Albert Schweitzer"


"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there. --- John Wooden"


"Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education. --- Martin Luther King, Jr."


"If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas. --- George Bernard Shaw"


Each of these things relate to the Martial arts, but its up to us to see that in these quotes

Mondays training

Monday was a good day, even though I started the class at a rough start I was able to push myself to high levels with my friend and teammate Pedro. It was a fun day at practice and it felt as if it was getting harder then the day before. We started of practice with leg training and then we moved on to push ups and sit ups. This was all done as a team of work out. So me Pedro had to push ourselves to reach that level ten. When we were doing push ups we completed 109 push ups. So to make things more challenging, we had to do double the amount of sit ups. So we were able to do 218 sit ups. It was something Hard for both of us but after talking to each other and pushing each to do harder we made it. After class I went home, took Duke for a walk and three sprints around a small portion of the neighborhood I called it a day. Coming home I caught up with my dad who's was barley getting and we entered our home together for dinner. Monday was a good day.

Helping Paw

Today's is Wednesday and so far I haven't trained with the Martial arts class since Monday and to add to all of that I lost my voice so if any one finds it please return it my throat is in pain every time I try to talk with out it. But that doesn't mean I took a vacation from my training. What I did to make sure I got usual work out was put all of my focus legs and arms. But I think I did something I wasn't supposes to with my legs because every time I would try to do a kick I get the feeling of a cramp starting to happen underneath my cabs in both legs. I'm been thinking that maybe I twisted or sprang my cab or something. But who knows, OK so what I did on Tuesday which was the first day I didn't go to class was go out to the courts since there was no class that day. I met up with my friends Manh and Irene who were both training for Basket ball next year. I asked if I could join and they kindly said yes, that's when training began. I would say that, that afternoons training was based on a good leg work out. Involving running, suicides, side stepping, and lounges. We did all of that for an hour and after we just left the courts.
Manh and I went to the quad so we could play a game of yu-gi-oh. We were joined by a few friends who decided to watch until they had to leave. After that Mr. R came outside and we taught him how to play and etc. A few hours later I'm at home feeding my dog Duke, my red nose pit bull. I was giving him his food and after I threw a ball around. From this I found my new training partner, he loves a good run so I started to chasing him around using side step. Then we switched and he was the chaser, using his super dog powers he made start sprinting, which didn't last to long since the sprints got us both tired. I put his chain on him and we called it a day. Today though he was ready and gave me a good run. I know he's enjoying this as much as I'm, every time I see him now he just barks as if he offering a rematch.

Today was Good Day

Today was another Good day for me and I believe the rest of the class enjoyed it as well. I got a great work out on my legs and my arms. I would say I topped yesterday and that's something I'm proud of. Just making progress as all of these day's pass by is such a great feeling. Every time I come out of class and I've given it all that I got, including some more just proves to me that I was working at level 10. Plus another thing I would like to add is that I'm able to understand a whole lot more after. Everything just seems like the drama that was with it is nothing and I'm able to face it. But not only face it but actually beat it, I would say that I'm using the self defense that does not involve fists or kicks, but the self defense from your will. With every practice I know moving forward, and as I see all that is changing, I just want to keep walking this never ending trail of progressing. Just like I chose the way of a martial artist, I choose to keep and share all that I now with the people. Never leaving this path of progression in life, in the world, and anything that comes after.

My Test Requirements

So for my next test I am required to do 3 acts of kindness at home. Another 3 at school and another in the community. They all have to be enviormental acts of kindness. So what I did I did some research on what I could, and so far I have the first three down. What I did as an act of kindness, is turn off all the light that are not needed . At my house we tend to forget about the lights in our rooms we leave them on for a long time. Every few minutes I would go and check if any light was on that nobody was using and if their was I would turn them off, this conserves energy. My second thing was cutting the time I take to shower and all hot water I use. This way I'm not throwing way water and the energy from the house's water heater. My third act is separating plastic from the trash. Somebody tends to put plastic and trash in the same bag. Then throw it away in the trash can. So what I did was open the bag and pull out all the recyclables, so that way they could be separated. After I just through every thing away in their proper place.
For school I've only done one and it was pick up trash after school. I'm still working on that one but that's my act of kindness. Now I'm having a bit of a difficulty figuring out what else could I do for my school and my community. Any Ideas anyone, your ideas will be greatly appreciated.

Todays Training and An New Opinion

Today I had a good training day, I was working at my level ten during the whole class. So I'm here in my bed resting and sore. Pushed myself through any task I was facing head on, when we jogged wall to wall I jogged as fast I could to reach both walls racing myself. I got to one side and I said to myself I can beat that. Over and over again until we started on something new like push ups, crunches, etc. I pushed my lungs as well because every time we counted or Ki upped I said released that burst of energy as if I was in the fight of my life. Every combination had its bursts of my energy with it. So at some point I was like I wonder if I can get my lungs to be sore? But then I thought that wouldn't be the best idea, but I didn't stop. After class I was talking with Andrew , Yusive, Armond and Rafelle about non- martial art related things. At one point Armond asks us if we believe that people will still be cool as they are now. Meaning that if people will still act the same way next year. I said people sometimes changes as time go's by because everything that we experience. Andrew though, had a different opinion that caught my intention. He told us that the way he looks at that is that people don't change but we add on to our character which after hearing this changes my opinion totally because I now agree with him. This now help me think things differently in such a different way I used to think. So I Thank you Andrew for sharing your opinion because it's changed my way of thinking completely. Thank You again.

Steam

Man last Monday was intense, we started the class with ITC so we hit the track hard as a team. We all ran 15 minutes, so we all got at least a mile with all of our gear on. That was fun, I had a healthy competition between Andrew and I. We tried to out run each other but after keeping up with each for a while we just tried to keep up for the rest of the time. I felt the burn in my legs and ready for more, so we went to the bunches and on the way over there I challenged John and Rafelle to a race there, I came in third but that's OK. We then started on some push ups using the bench seats. After that we started climbing up and down the stairs for 7 minutes, while going up I would try and push my legs harder then everyone else so I can reach the back of the line while going up. So that way I could have a second to rest and then hit the stairs going down. When we finished 7 minutes we ran back to the class and again challenged John and Rafelle, only this time came in first. So I made up for the past race in a way. But overall the running was fun.
We tried entering the class but it was locked so we stayed outside working on some basics, like kicks and posture. While doing this the cold wind hit us hard so I decided to yell out during the practice to keep me warm didn't really help but Mr. G did open the room.
That's when things got pushed a level up and we started soaking our shirts/uniforms in sweat. Not to long later the rain hit which with our heat got the windows fogged up. When Mr. G noticed this, he gave us the challenge to try and fog up the windows to the point were you can't see anything through them. So we tried doing as the task asked us to, and after training and sparing at level ten we accomplished it. We had an accident during sparing, were one of our teammates accidentally kicked his partner in a no kick zone. Although it was a mistake that could of really hurt the person, she was OK and everything was good. He said he was sorry and things moved on from there.
From this accident I learned that we could all lose ourselves to the moment. So we most practice control, and focus. After the class we all took off our gear and got ready for departure. John went over to the window and opened it. That's when I noticed what making the air feel dense. As air entered the room we all let off steam. The steam we were releasing was to me a sign that we all trained at our own level ten.

Another day at the park

Man yesterday was intense, I could not believe what I accomplished that day. I along with the group of Martial artist ran about 6 miles back and forth. Up and down hills to the point were I didn't think I could take another step. Plus running 2 miles in about 3 minutes was something I did not know I could do. To make thing a bit more interesting I was already sweating and tired from the first time I climbed that exact hill. But to my amazement, I was able to reach the top first, even though I was the last one down. It's OK, it was a time race any ways but I still wanted to be first to finish. Not because I wanted to win for the reason of proving I'm faster but to give everyone competition. If somebody passed me going up, I tried catching up and passing which I did. But caused me to take a quick breather, and then when I got to the bottom I was ready to go to sleep. But I kept going still having to run much more. Close to end of the run one our team mates got injured so we all stopped to see what we could all do to help. The good thing was that one of our other team members was already on it. We stayed with him until Mr. G caught up with us to check out the injury. After everything was checked out we helped him up and continued our run. We all finished together as a team, on that run I give ourselves a ten.

My Mistake, My Example, My Lesson, My Vow

Last Wednesday I was going home from school, and I'm just going down the street looking at the house with a 72' Gran Torino out front.At the time I'm just thinking to myself one day I'm going to get that car. But as I go down further down the street, theirs a car in the lanes to turn right. At first I think nothing of it, but as we stop next it, I see that the car is off and the lady is having trouble moving it. I'm looking at that car for at least 4, 5 minutes and I do nothing. I just watch keep staring at the car trying to think of what could be wrong with it. It isn't until two guys get down from their car to go help push it out of the streets. After seeing them push the car, the light turns green and we go on with the day. All I'm thinking is why didn't I help out. When I get home I'm thinking and thinking, but nothing go's into my mind to explain. The day after I'm in my house thinking of Master Callos and what he had to say. I think that I was meant be their to see the two guys push the car off the street, to be given an example of what a real Martial artist should do. Not that I would know if they were ever apart of Martial arts, but what they did is a trait we should all carry within ourselves as Martial artist and as people. Although I consider this one moment to be my biggest mistake ever. I now consider it to be my lesson and I will train myself to never let that happen again. For I vow to when ever help is needed, help shall be their.

Meeting a new Master

Yesterday was a day that had a huge impact on me. I've never had such a change come close since 11 months ago, and today I've been changed yet again. It's like everything I've done now can be enhanced to an even higher level I never thought about. All it took was a donation of 40 dollars and about two hours of my day. Maybe less since I walked in late by a couple of minutes. But regardless, yesterday I met Master Callos, and he's reminded me of what my true aim was from the start of my journey in the Martial arts. For this I am in total gratitude, and I know this will be a great help, not only in my path to black belt. But in life as well, again not only did Master Callos remind me of what I truly aimed for but also allowed me to make a silent vow to myself. To help those who are need of help.

today 3-2-10

Today was a hard work out, and an excellent part to my black belt. From here to May, every thing is apart of my black belt test. We did push ups, and all the other warm ups. But being apart of ITC I had to push my self through that hard, or in other words, make sure I start burning through that. It was intense, and fun at the same time. Well I had fun and thanks to Mr. Po, I was able to push my self to push him side to side. Man, out of the whole day the thing I remember is Mr. Po telling me "oh your in for a treat." He wasn't wrong, he had to drag me across the room and on the second drag we switch so I can get a turn dragging him. All I can say is it wasn't easy, but you know what, its times like these that make your day. After the dragging we switched to pushing each other across the room. That was a bit harder since I had to put my power in my arms since dragging people is just pushing your legs backwards and pulling. This time I had to push my power through Mr.Po and after we finished doing that we pushed each other with our feet. I can't really explain how that works but it as fun. Now I know I could of asked Mr.Po to put more weight on me but I'll just save that for next time. So the last thing I want to say is thanks everybody for your support and thank you Mr.Po for the challenge you gave me today. But don't worry Mr.Po next time I'll make sure to be able to drag as you dragged me.

Food help/ My WALL

I know this might be a little different from my previous entry's, but as part of black belt test I'm required to push through the walls I face. Right now I'm facing that wall, the good thing is that I'm able to ask for help anytime I want. So that's the purpose for this post, I need help eating because I know the way I'm eating will cause damage to my body and its performance. So this is what I'm having trouble with. I wake up in the morning and I have my cereal. I'm usually in a hurry so I eat from my cereal from a cup. Now for my lunch that's were I have been or from my perspective is the source of my problem. I don't eat lunch at school, so I basically don't eat until I get home which is dinner. Sure I'm just missing a meal but I have to go though tough work outs and I'm reaching for a performance that I have a hard time getting without my lunch. Its like in the morning you fill your cars tank half way just to get by to lunch. Where you should fill it back up half way again. But you don't and you run on an empty tank. You push your car through tough uphills making you cars engine push. But the what happens, is that at some point you damage your cars gas fuel pump. So I'm risking damaging my body by hoping to last until dinner, and even that is bad. Sure I eat but, I end up eating a bit to much trying to eat what I didn't for lunch. So asking for help making a diet for myself. I'm open to everything so Ill listen to all of your ideas for a good diet.

FIRST DAY OF ITC

Man today was tough, with all working out and pushing myself to get what I know I'm capable of.That's what ITC is, enhancing what we already do. So its like pushing yourself to get through your old limits. This class beat the crap out of me by the end the day. But its all good , this is what I want, a test everyday making me push. This like getting soaking your shirt in water and twisting it to get the water out. The thing is with ITC that your already being twisted and about to get twisted until your freshly dry again. At the end of class today I felt like I was going be so sore I wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow. But after a bath and a good night rest, I'll be OK. I can feel the burns on my feet and they sting as I take a step. But it makes me wonder whats in store for me in the future. I'm looking forward to it. The part I think sucks, I still have push ups to do along with a whole bunch of things. So I got a lot on my plate from now on.