Lessons Everywhere

         This week was a fantastic week for learning.  There were lessons to be had everywhere, and from all skill levels.  It gave me a lot of appreciation for my Kung Fu, and just how far I've come personally, and how far I still can go.

          The first lesson came in the form of a white belt practicing some combinations on the mitts.  They may have been new, but what struck me was the transfer of power into their punches.  Their guards may not have been up, and they didn’t have rotation, but what I noticed was how relaxed they were, and how because of that, they threw their arm towards the target.  I felt good penetration through the bag.  This is something that I have been working on with my punches, relaxing my muscles more and throwing my arm out towards the target, and then solidifying right before hitting the target.  The other part of this is the realization that you don’t have to be very big or strong to hit hard.

          Next moment was practicing wrist escape, to arm bar, to take down.  We were instructed to put up some resistance so that our partner knew whether they were solid in their technique or not.  Todai Raw and I may have gotten carried away with this… however; as we really tried to interrupt each other’s technique, I found opportunities to do a different move after different move.  The lesson here is that the processes we learn work.  White belt me could only do, and see the technique we were working on, the brown belt me could easily adapt to a different technique based on the knowledge I have gained.

          Lastly, sparring gave me the last bits of knowledge of the week.  This one never ceases to surprise me.  I can confidently say I have learned something new each time I spar someone.  I learn what combos work, which don’t.  I learn that when to be more aggressive in my approach and when to be more defensive.  I learn to read my opponents better.  To stay calm and relaxed.  I learn the value of keeping your guards up.  I learn different fighting styles, and which ones I am more capable of going up against, and which one’s I have difficulty with.

          It was a great week.  Big thank you to everyone I had the opportunity to spar with.