Matt - a simple hobbit's Blog (75)

Search Blog Posts

Ava teaching me

I have 3.5 year old daughter, Ava. She is wonderfully active and loves to play. Her favorite game right now is, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" We pull out the mattresses and put the cushions on the floor. We stand 3 feet across from each other and she says, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" and throws a small ball in the air. At that moment, in pure joy and competitiveness, she tackles me. We then spend our energies wrestling, pulling, blocking, and jumping over each other to get the loose ball. When… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 23, 2011 at 5:24pm — No Comments

Thanks

I just wanted to post a quick thank you to Sifu Bronson for posting videos on our flow drills. Tonight while our organic meatloaf was cooking, I went through the cover n' slash flow drill in the air. I then went to the ning site and watched the video he made on the drill. When I went back to the flow drill, my imaginings were clearer and movement sharper.

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 23, 2011 at 5:10pm — No Comments

a breakthrough

Hey Mountain Warrior Community ... it is your friend - the absent, though continuing to train, ningsite lurker. I wanted to share a breakthrough I had in my art with you all. I have continued to train my punches, kicks, knife, and sticks in the air (not ideal, but valuable). 2 or 3 times a week I go for a late walk with my staff. It is too big to train in our apartment and I haven't brought it to the office yet to train at lunch. They already think I am a bit in on the intense…

Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on March 20, 2011 at 5:25pm — 3 Comments

A season of focus

I wanted to drop a line to connect with everyone at the Mountain Warrior Kung Fu Academy. It has been awhile since most of you have seen me. This is due to a new season. My wife and I are attempting to finish our doctoral program by December. This means that we have shifted gears to make big blocks of time to allow for creativity to flourish. We are tackling the cultural problem of how information overload is effecting our lives. The best resource we have found so far is called, "What the…

Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on February 14, 2011 at 7:22pm — 1 Comment

Good to be back!

Back the saddle again ...



Greetings Mountain Warrior Kung Fu Academy. It has been some time since

I have posted on our ning site and it has been some time since I have

seen many of you. I was able to sneak in on Monday night after class to

have a private class with Sifu Bronson, but I didn't sneak in quiet

enough because Kevin caught me and told me many times how he has missed

me and how I was in danger of getting fat because I was gone so… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on September 23, 2010 at 3:47pm — No Comments

Summer Update

Kung Fu friends ... I wanted to drop a quick line and give a summer update for myself. Due to our schedule with students and new job, I have decided to take the rest of July, August, and part of September off from formal classes. Since I began a new job on July 1st - which resides in an office 8 - 5pm, M - F, my evenings are split between my family and other job. When the fall comes, we will have our weekends back and I will join back in training with the community.



Now make no… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on July 22, 2010 at 5:58pm — No Comments

Sunday - black belt test

I don't normally wish for days to go by quicker, but I am finding that I am wanting that very thing right now. My body is showing signs of extreme excitement beginning first thing in the morning. Waking up with adrenaline is a great feeling and usually happens for me a few days before a big climb or some adventure about to take place ... not a week ahead of time!



Special thanks to James, Nick, Brandon, and the Shadow for being willing to help me on Sunday. It should be a great 5… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on June 22, 2010 at 9:07pm — 2 Comments

waking up with adrenaline

It is one week and three days till my black belt test. Each morning I am waking up with an adrenaline. A month ago I was able to help Chuck out with his black belt test and got my first glimpse at the legendary test. Last week I was able to be the final hour in Sophie's black belt test (who by the way was amazingly strong in the last hour!). Both of them have given me huge motivation to make the most of these last days before my test.



This past week I morphed my training to get ready.… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on June 17, 2010 at 3:08pm — No Comments

Hmm ...

My previous blog entry was about the importance of upping stretching to counteract the increasing density of my hips from backpacking and climbing. This always happens to me in the summer time. Thank goodness we move to weather that is better suited for shorts. My pants get too tight in late spring. I am not a big fan when my loose fitting jeans begin to fill like skinny jeans.



Though I have increased my stretching to three different hour long sessions during the week, as well as 15 -… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 20, 2010 at 5:04pm — 2 Comments

stretching

It has been a great two weeks off our regular routine and time with friends, family, and the outdoors. I have kept up on going through all my material each week in preparation for the black belt test coming, but I have noticed that my increased training with a 30 - 50lb backpack and climbing mountains is making my hips and upper legs rather dense. This is changing my level of height on my kicks. I will have to increase my weekly stretching and yoga to help bring back the flexibility that I have… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 14, 2010 at 8:39am — No Comments

A week of vacation :)

Nothing like unplugging from the regular routine and expectations of life in a certain place. After a week of adventure and connecting with friends and family I find myself in that rare place of un-attachment and relaxing like a mirror.



We have spent some good time visiting some friends in Bend and Vancouver. While in Bend, we were able to do three training hikes for climbing Mt. Hood ... which we were able to get to the top of on Friday morning! We started Thursday around 4:00pm and… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 10, 2010 at 4:18pm — No Comments

on vacation, but not off training

I will miss training with you all for the next couple of weeks because my family and I will be on vacation visiting friends and family all over Oregon. Though I will be missing class and miss training with Chuck this weekend, vacation for us isn't full rest. We play hard and train hard. I have all my gear to keep my material sharp in the air and will be doing some training hikes and mountain climbs with friends over this two week period. Keep training hard and I will see you all after May… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on May 4, 2010 at 8:21am — 1 Comment

update

This past week I have really felt a sharper focus on training. Part of this is due to the fact that I have completed my final paper for my academics this term. That freed up some time and attention towards

preparing for my black belt test. June 27th may be two months away,

but the date has lit a fire under me. Mr. Bronson has suggested that I start

extending one work-out a week to push up to five hours so my body isn’t shocked

on test…

Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 30, 2010 at 3:20pm — No Comments

training with Chuck

So I finally was able to network with someone outside of class for the first time today. I joined Chuck in helping him get ready for his black belt test in three weeks. We did our staff flow drill, staff passing lines, trapping lines, stick lines, a little bit of knife lines, and a little bit of empty hand lines. It was great fun. We have a couple more set up before his test and hopefully a few more to come before my test.



I noticed my legs were a little tired still from the stairs… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 25, 2010 at 9:11pm — 1 Comment

Training at the beach

Today I was able to substitute my P90X Legs workout with running the stairs at the coast with a twist. The twist is simple and I added it because of the mysterious comments I have been getting from black belts. Mr. Bronson has set the date of June 27th to test me for black belt and everything time a current black belt congratulates me they say something like, "Make sure you are doing your straight blasts." Most won't go any further than that comment, so I decided to just get comfortable with… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 24, 2010 at 3:07pm — 3 Comments

update on training and goals

I was reading through some of my past blog posts this morning and revisited my goals for 2010. Man was I encouraged and also saw I need to step it up in planning for one particular goal.



The first goal was to advance towards black by Jan. 1st, 2011. Well due to some serious focus, many private classes, and training everyday with my dummy and staff, I think I will be able to move that goal up to July 1st. I need to talk specific dates with Mr. Bronson, but I have been keeping up on my… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 22, 2010 at 8:08am — No Comments

Thanks to Mr. Bronson and the Kung Fu community

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone in class on Thursday at 6:00pm this week. The 11 guys that I brought had a great time and loved learning with all of you. A handful are interested in joining me on Monday too to see if they can find a way to fit this into their regular schedule!



I especially wanted to thank Mr. Bronson for being so hospitable and encouraging to the guys. They saw your strength and your desire to make everyone better. We are still laughing about how you pointed… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 16, 2010 at 8:47am — No Comments

a great day of morning training

Ava played independently for a long time this morning allowing me to work through my double sticks, stick and dagger, single stick, cover and slash, and knife lines. Rest weeks allow me put extra time into my material.



Speaking of extra time, last night was the first night in 5 days that I was able to practice on Mr. Bronson's dummy. I have been a little worried that just practicing on my heavy bag wasn't producing much muscle memory, but I wrong! I was able to go twice as fast with… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 15, 2010 at 8:54am — No Comments

A week in review

I have reached a rest week within my at home work-out ... though I love how the rest week really is just a change in flow. Normally my week has a chest/shoulder/tri, legs, back/bis, yoga, kempo and plyrometics with core on three of the seven days. This week is yoga, core synergistics, kempo, and stretching. Every fourth week is a rest week. I also continuing to train in the mornings on the hill outside our place for the mountains.



Also, a little update on my red belt material. I have… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 14, 2010 at 5:11pm — No Comments

New classes, new outside training

I took my first class with everyone last night on the kicking and punching lines. It was so fun and a great work-out. Now that we have moved into a new section, I need to shift things around with what I work on at home.



Instead of taking a special day to train kicks once a week, I am moving joint locks and hubud tho that day. I can't tell if Carla is excited about this change. I can do free-flow hubud with Shadow (aka Dakota) before class, but she will help me with the joint… Continue

Added by Matt - a simple hobbit on April 8, 2010 at 10:29am — No Comments

Latest Blog Posts

Most Popular Blog Posts

Monthly Archives

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

© 2024   Created by Joseph Bronson.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service