PDA

View Full Version : Chiu Luen Kwoon



Lost_Disciple
07-14-2000, 11:53 AM
Actually this message is for anybody, but I'd really like some advice from any of you Seven Star people hailing from the east.
Here's the situation: I've got until August 20th to live in Austin and go back up to school, 7 hours away, for about 10 months until I can try to get a job and come back down here. For the past 6 months, I've been making every kung fu class, taking privates, and training pretty hard outside of the kwoon. A couple weeks ago, my sifu (sifu Hughes, for those that know) went on a trip to Cali. At the same time I got a new job. My new job has me running all over the place and constantly going, nonstop for 6 hours. My body isn't adjusted to it, so I've been sleeping instead of going to class since I started working. Sifu came back last night and I went to class for the first time in 2 weeks, my body REALLY didn't like it and I couldn't make the whole workout. I also think I'm injured- it feels like i've got a "dead leg" or "charlie horse" in my left-front thigh that just won't go away.
My problem is this: eventhough this is my last opportunity to train kung fu for a while, I'm not sure if I can keep going. I'm drained both emotionally and physically. My body's aching constantly, and I'm losing the heart to stick with it. There's also the fact that my new job doesn't pay well, and I can't even afford my bills, let alone kung fu class plus privates. Sifu's also due to go to China in another week or 2 and may not be back by the time I leave town.
My question is this: is there any advice that you can give me? What have all of you done in the past when it just didn't feel like it was working anymore? What kept you guys going? What are some things I should think of to stay strong.
I know this isn't exactly discussing kung fu technique, sorry. I think this would benefit my training (and maybe others') moreso than discussing techniques & theories that I'm nowhere near advanced enough to understand.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you for suffering this long-winded post.

LawClansman
07-14-2000, 08:40 PM
L.D.

Everyone involved in the martial arts for a long period of time will reach a "sticking point". This is a commonly found in sports as well. The mental pressure you expressed contributes greatly to your physical capabilites or lack thereof.
If you are injured, you should immediately stop training. You need to give yourself time to heal. You won't be able to give your all anyway due to pain of the injury so why prolong the healing process by stressing your body without possibly being able to achieve the results you expect from training.

That being said, and considering the financial hardship you find yourself in, It is probably a good idea to just let it go for a while. I have had many communications with you in the past and I know you love the martial arts. But you have reached a burnout period and need to step back for a bit. You'll come back to it I'm sure.

You cannot benefit from pushing the envelope at this time. Kung Fu is not going anywhere. Give your self a break and we will still be here when you get back. Train on your own when you get better. DO WHAT YOU KNOW!

Also be advised that a slew of tapes from our side of mantis will be available shortly. Already Alex Ko has put out the Plum Blossom Fist. Lee Kam Wing has put out 3 tapes so far. I'm working on a mantis CD at this time. So the material will be there even when you relocate if you want to progress.

Remember, you have my support, good wishes....and my email address.





------------------
Sifu Carl

olkat314
07-14-2000, 09:13 PM
Eric:

Don't worry about it man. Sometimes life throws you lemons, and you just have to deal with it. If your heart and your passion isn't in Kung fu right now, there's no point in trying to force it. It all comes down to how much you like kung fu -- some people have lower-paying jobs to train, and while just think it's a hobby. Is kung fu a priority in life?

As Sifu Albright said, the material is out there. I'm sure you will always get help. If anything, I can send you tapes of myself! /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif No, I don't think that will be useful. Good luck with everything, and if you ever want to chat, here's my e-mail: olkat314@yahoo.com

Talk to you later

Tak

Lost_Disciple
07-14-2000, 11:09 PM
Thanks for all the advice.
I decided to rest up this weekend, and make sure Monday night I get a ton of sleep.
Tuesday I have a private, so I'm going to make sure that I've done all the healing I can do, and judge the situation on Tuesday. I'm also going to talk to my sifu and see what he says.

Yes, kung fu is a priority in my life. Right now, I feel like more of a burden to it, than it being a burden to me. Somehow I picked up this 'no wimps' mentality to drive me forward to do things I didn't think I could. It's the same mentality that some high school football players get, where anything less than 110% is failure and there's no excuse for not doing something. I can't tell you how many times I've gone to class with injuries and prolonged their healing. You guys are helping me see that the key is just sticking with it and letting it come on it's own. Having to go without kung fu for so long (3 years when I was at college), made me feel like I had to go all out when I finally found a school. I put a lot of pressure on myself because of the fear of being stuck without it.

As far as videos go, I'm definitely going to get whatever I can afford. The only Seven Star form I know right now is Sup Sei Lo. Sifu dubbed a tape he had of that form for me, and I want to make sure that in the ten months I'm gone, I can do that form forward backward and inside out. I've been working on it since October and I do it in demos a lot, but I always know I can do it better, and find new things from it.

Thank you all again for your advice. I'll be e-mailing you guys soon with updates and questions (if you don't mind of course hehe).

Think I'm going to bust out the old Shaw Bros collection today and watch some movies. /infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

BeiTangLang
07-17-2000, 12:20 AM
My advice is, just do what you can! If you are tired, rest. Next thing is, evaluate just how much more you are getting out of your "privates" vs. the money spent??. In the school in which I attend, there are more than enough excersizes, drills Forms & whatever else to practice on without private instruction.
my 2 cents.
-BTL

Nathan
07-17-2000, 10:14 PM
Hi, its me Nathan

I'm Carl Albrights classmate, we both studied with Chiu Leun. The replies by other are very good, but heres a few things.

1. Chiu Leun said the following: "It is better to practice one form very well for a year than to know many poorly."

Now with this in mind. Try practicing what you know at different speeds and rhythms. Also, break the roads down into movement combinations.

Go to a club and use the essence of the movement in freestyle dance and see what you find.

The point is when you think you may think you have finished with that form you know, but more likely is that you have finished with the way you are doing it now.

2. There is no crime in being tired. Let Jeff or Raymond I said to teach you a little Chi Gung. If they don't have time, do a little hatha yoga on your own. Read a little Taoism, martial arts is not just sweat.

It is good to see such a devoted martial artist in our family, so please take care of yourself.

Lost_Disciple
07-19-2000, 04:11 AM
Talked to sifu on the phone today. I explained my situation. He said try to make it to class at least once a week and start working out on my own, at my own pace.
He said not to let this trend go on for more than a couple weeks, because I'll just get too out of shape.
He also said he's going to test us when he gets back from China. I think I'm going to start working out with the goal of passing the "entrance exam" and only practising what I know & what's required on that test.
Tomorrow night, I'm going to make class.
Next week, I'm going to get on a decent workout schedule.
I didn't bring up the chi gung issue. I've also been studying Yang Tai chi on Saturdays, so I figure that might be good for my chigung, as well as standing and sitting meditation.

I figured out that I'm mainly going to try to make Saturday classes, because I can do tai chi, and kung fu all in one day, and it's a lot of class in one day. In the mean time I'm going to start getting off my butt and doing stuff in the afternoons, after work.

Nathan
07-19-2000, 09:28 PM
Sounds like a good plan.

Make sure you stretch well and eat right. Red meat is not the best thing for your stretch and drink lots of water.

Tell your teacher Nathan from New York said hello.

Please tell him to drop my a e-mail: nathan@digitalavatar.org

Take care
Nathan

Lost_Disciple
07-20-2000, 10:55 AM
Sifu Nathan-

Went to class tonight. It was kind of an easy class, but I survived it, which gave me a lot more confidence. Not having to take a break, gave me a lot more motivation to go back. I think I've gotten back whatever I lost before. I also gave sifu your e-mail address in an e-mail. His is ctkfe@texas.net (hope he don't mind me posting this hehehe).

On a side note I also gave him a book on Buddhist philosophy as a "going away" present. It's called "taming the tiger". I thought it might give some buddhist background to the hung gar form "gung ji fook foo". Eventhough the book was actually Tibetan instead of Cha'an, some of the principles are probably the same. He's leaving for China on sunday, so maybe he'll read it on the plane.

In the mean time, I've gotta start working for my entrance test, and work on all the forms I know, because sifu's going to be doing a lot of testing when he gets back. I think i can polish up my forms, but some of the requirements for the entrance exam, seem WAY out of my league.

BTW- I've got sigung Fogg's e-mail if you want me to send him your addy as well.

Thanks again everyone for the advice, I think I'm back on track now.
Eric

Nathan
08-05-2000, 02:01 AM
Just wanted to say we have updated our webpage related to Chiu Leun. New data includes the beginings of a master list of all form movement in Chiu Leun sect, no video yet.

url:
http://www.digitalavatar.org/7star.htm

thanks