Nearly a month ago I earned my 2nd degree black belt. After regaining my strength 3 days later, I enjoyed many activities I had put off in order to focus on my training. I played basketball, went hiking, wrestled, played racquetball, and did some climbing that first week. The 2nd week I jumped off a bunk bed and landed on someone's deodorant. It sliced and diced my foot right at the ball of my toe, about two inches long and one inch wide. I gave it four days to begin healing and then began…

A little over a week ago now I joined Sifu Bronson and Sue at the dojo to participate in my 2nd degree black belt test. It was a special day. We shared some good conversation about wild places before test and had a good peace for the test. It was a cold morning, 42 degrees, and thankfully the dojo was cool as well. I don't think I have sweated like that in my entire life.

The test itself was rewarding. I felt strong and good for the first two hours. Somehow Sifu Bronson was able to…

It has been another great training week, even with the challenges of food on the holidays and traveling to Montana for Christmas. There is a great gym here to train and I was able to get my three hour forms work out in the day before we left. Our 12 hour drive day was a rest day. My first day in Montana did a two hour workout going through each form four times medium speed in four different directions and then each form twice fast. I had a real nice stretch afterwards. The next day I did all…

I did it! 3 hours and 1 minute of forms. Ohhhhhhh I'm tired, but it felt good. I did each form facing four different directions. If I messed up, I did it again. Once I finished the sword in 4 different directions (5 really because I ended facing the wrong direction and did it again), I did each form at Tai Chi speed - low and slow. I got my wind back during this time, but my legs were burning. I continued and did each form as fast as I could, twice each. This left me 15 minutes left to hit…

I keep hearing that phrase in my head. "Do more forms!" On Monday I did all 15 forms in four different directions at medium speed, each form at Tai Chi speed once, and each form twice at fast speed. I also threw in some staff and sword basics. When all was said and done it was a 2 hour and 45 minute workout. The 2nd degree test is 3 hours. I am getting close :) Tuesday was a rest day. Wednesday was a light hour long work-out focusing on technical placement. Thursday, today, was another hard…

It has been a good push to be taking my forms deeper and stronger in understanding and practice. This past week I did a two hour workout on Monday. It consisted of each form, medium speed, in four different directions. I then did Sword, Little Mantis, Wallum 2nd form, Wallum Big 1st Form, 7 Kicks, and Staff at Tai Chi speed to hit the two hour mark. Tuesday I worked my staff basics and sword basics with a good stretch to give my legs a break. Wednesday I did each form once at Tai Chi speed…

It is an exciting time for kung fu training. This past seven days I have been able to work in the pointers and deepening insight Sifu helped me with in my last private class. I trained up on Mt. Hood, near the Deschutes river, and last night on the beach. The forms are becoming a part of my daily life. I'm nearing the end of the 2nd degree forms material and I am beginning to do longer workouts in preparation for the 2nd degree test. My forms training shoes just gave their last effort and my…

The beginning of the autumn usually is a time for me to refocus. My family likes to play hard in the summer and we have been pushing hard all the way up to the end of August. When September comes it means more routine, my daughter in school, and consistent training. I have set aside Friday afternoons for private lessons to finish getting my final form for the 2nd degree level. After I finish getting all the material, I will set up a challenging yet reasonable training routine to sharpen and…

I had some friends ask me to officiate their wedding and the day has come and it is 100 degrees. I needed to wait to train my forms last night till after sunset so that the temps got back down into the 80s before doing a big push. This morning I was out again at 8:00am before the sun heats this place up. Coming from the lush Willamette valley to Sacramento was a bit jarring. All the highway signs were blinking about the drought. The local lake is said to be 50 feet lower than the full level.…

It has been awhile since I have posted about my training. The summer season has hit for us and that means training for the trail as well as for forms. This past week and a half we were getting ready for a Mt. Hood summit attempt on Wednesday. Sadly, the day before a 54 year old from New Jersey fell to his death and the avalanche warnings were high so we postponed the attempt. I slowed my forms training in anticipation of this climb and gave more attention to my load bearing and incline…

Presenting my final created form was a special experience. I already have some thoughts bouncing around about the next form I would like to create ... though the creative process will need to wait for the time being. It will need to wait because I am beginning to learn some movements with the sword in anticipation for my last form in this set. I was able to get in for a private this past week to start the process and have been practicing the new movements. Good thing the sword isn't sharp. I…

I am gearing up to present my latest form, Mantis Sweeping Bow, to forms class in two Fridays. Today I warmed up with doing four slow reps of my first four forms and then began my Mantis Sweeping Bow push.

4 reps of technical speed with MSwB

4 fast reps of MSwB clocked at 7 minutes and 35 seconds total.

2 tai chi speed reps of MSwB one at 5 minutes and 30 seconds and the other at 4 minutes and 50 seconds.

This is a great training form. Low and long. I hope…

I was able to meet with Sifu this past week to show him my latest and last created form for the 2nd degree process and he approved it. I still need to make it stronger and smoother before I showcase it to the class and move forward to my final form, but it feels good to be moving forward.

I reached another milestone today, one for which I am very excited about. I finished my third self-created form (at least the rough draft of it). It is called the Mantis Sweeping Bow and it is so fun ... and challenging. I look forward to deepening the strength of it and showing it to Sifu soon. This is the last self-created form for me to finish before testing for 2nd degree. If Sifu likes it, I get to move onto learning the final form before the 2nd degree test. Wahoo!

This past week I was able to receive the rest of Little Mantis and it is quickly becoming my favorite form. With each step in the forms process, I have been wonderfully surprised with the new learning and training. I am now working on working the Little Mantis at slow speeds and beginning the formation of my last form in the 2nd degree process. It is called Mantis bow.

To my fellow warriors in the making, take this Super Bowl Sunday and work towards your next goal.

This past week I came in to show Sifu Bronson the new form I have been working on for about 8 weeks. If felt like I was a young author seeking out J.R.R. Tolkien to talk about a chapter I had finished. Sifu is careful with critique on the self-created forms wanting the practitioner to have full creative freedom. I felt as though my form was solid, but weak in a few areas, but being a young author of forms, I couldn't see where I could take the story of my form to higher levels. I was bold…

About three weeks ago I was playing basketball in a tournament and took a good shot to the knee Wednesday night. We ended up winning, but had two games on the next night to gain the championship. We were playing a more talented teams on Thursday, but I knew if we played together we could win with our attitudes, effort, and chemistry. Thursday came around and my knee was still sore and originally decided not to play. Our semi-final game was a challenge and we were getting smashed in the 1st…

Yesterday I received the final moves of the Wallum 2nd form. It is another step to celebrate in my journey towards to the 2nd degree test. I am about half way through creating my 2nd form. Once that form, tentatively called Five Creeps, is finished and strong Mr. Bronson will have me begin learning Little Mantis. After Little Mantis, I create another personal form before beginning the final form to be learned before the 2nd degree test. I am nowhere near the summit on this mountain climb,…

Seven years ago I ruptured my achilles tendon completely. My tendon balled up into my calf after diving for a steal in a championship 3 on 3 game. After reconstructive surgery the doctor said, "Well, it is time to retire to just playing golf." To which I replied, "Not an option. I have my first little girl two months along in the womb and I need to be able to run, jump, climb, wrestle, and carry her (and all her stuff) on backpacking trips." He changed his tone and said, "99/100 retire to…