Developing depth

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

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 to get my four fast reps down around 7 minutes and my slow reps up around 6 minutes next time.

Time for a good stretch!

[Joseph Bronson]

Looking forward to your form Matt. It seems as though you have gained a great deal from the process of development and training this time around. See you Friday.

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

Thanks Sifu. This morning I pushed harder than I have in awhile since it was going to be the last push before class on Friday. I ended up meeting my goal of getting a tai chi speed rep over six minutes. 11:57 for one form. I realized I was setting a limit of trying to hit six minutes and I was coming up short. My goal was to small. This time I tried to hit 15 minutes and came up at 11:57. It was a good reminder that many of our limits are set by ourselves. See you on Friday.

[Joseph Bronson]

This is a great breakdown of your workouts. Thank you for sharing.

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

It was an amazing work-out yesterday morning. It was one of those rare work-outs where I was alone, Carla and Ava were at the beach with friends, and I had nothing to go to for hours. I turned on Last of the Mohicans promentory and began my four technical rounds. During my first four fast rounds I lost myself with Mantis Sweeping Bow. It was the first time to happen with my new form. The form is deep enough I was one with the movement, with the room, with the carpet under my feet. It was sweet. My brain knew to not pay attention to any distraction since my family was gone and I had no job requirements. After four fast rounds, I did two tai chi rounds. When I entered my 2nd set of four fast rounds I was hoping to find the oneness again, but didn't. I had to push through fatigue which made me concentrate a bit more focusing on what what coming. Today will be a late work-out in the evening getting ready for my last big push on Wednesday morning before I present it during class on Friday.

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

Sunday I took as a rest/stretch day and visualized going through Mantis Sweeping Bow four times. Visualization is a good practice for reinforcing the strength of our memories in our neurological pathways. Some say it is just as valuable to visualize as it is to embody the movement. This morning I hope to do do four technical rounds of Mantis Sweeping Bow, 8 fast rounds, and four tai chi rounds. It is a jump in intensity, but I think the body is ready for it.

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

I was able to get my 4 fast reps of Mantis Sweeping Bow to 5 minutes 59 seconds this morning! I didn't give myself any time to catch my breathe in between reps this time which probably cut 30 - 45 seconds. Unfortunately I wasn't able to focus well enough to get my tai chi reps to extend to 6 minutes this morning. I clocked at 4:45 and 5:19. I will work on this on Monday.

[Matt - a simple hobbit]

Spring break has begun and this is a perfect week for me to push hard, stretch more, and to present my form. I will be presenting Mantis Sweeping Bow to forms class on Friday. I can't wait. Last night I had another good forms push and stretch. I did two reps of the following forms and then videoed the third rep. I have videos of all the forms I know, but most of them are over eight months old. The big change when comparing the videos is flow. Much more fluid this time around.

Forms videoed: Basic Wusha Stance Drill, 8-Chained Punch, Hammerstrike, Yut Yee, Dropping Horse, Mantis Grab, Pow Choi, Yut Som, Wallum Little First Form, Wallum Big First Form, 7 Kicks, Little Mantis, and my last form - Mantis Sweeping Bow.

This morning I am going to do another focused workout with Mantis Sweeping Bow. 4 technical reps. 4 fast. 2 slow.

On Monday I will be able to video the reminder of my forms when I have access to the racquetball court on campus: Wallum Staff, Cougars, Wallum 2nd Form, and V.

I am entering a season of sacrificing my margins to be able to make the next step forms training. The weather is beautiful and the trail is calling, but I can enjoy shorter and lower trails till MSwB is presented.