Mental Focus: Choice
Every day, we make several choices. Some of them may be as simple as choosing something specific to eat while others may be as complex as choosing our next important step in our life. Most often, our choices are dictated from our past, some things we have been able to do and some things we have not been able to do. Although we may think that we may be using our past experiences in making a wise choice, we may fall victim to our pattern of choosing something we know we are comfortable with, often something in which have been successful in the past.
The invitation for this week is to go beyond the comfort zone and choose something that you really want, even though you may have not succeeded in it in the past.
As this quote rightly says:
“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise.”
-Robert Fritz

Sunday: Review of highest forms and kicks with focus on polishing the technique
Monday: High kicks, high forms, hammer fist, Full gear free sparing – WE would need the full gear free sparring kit.
Tuesday: Blocks, kicking combos, Forms
Thursday: 3’s and 1’s, Lateral step free-sparring exercises

Thank you
Umang

First, congratulations to all who tested. Those portions of the day that I was able to see looked excellent.

Theme: The Unexpected

Along with the hard physical and preparation that goes into the belt test, we also create certain expectations about the day. We expect that there will be forms, free sparring, and a mental discipline, as well as other components. What happens though, when we encounter something unexpected in the course of the test? What happens to our focus, to our control? Do they become ever more intense, or do they turn to panic? As you reflect on the weekend’s events, I would invite you to explore those unexpected moments and your response.

Tuesday (Exploring different speeds): 15 of each basic kick – 5 isometric, 10 as rapidly as possible while maintaining good technique; forms; 3 and 1 step sparring

Thursday (Exploring different levels of power): Basic kicks with targets – 5 light touch, 5 as if breaking; free sparring; group work

Take care,
Charlie

Sunday: Forms, kicks, conditioning and free sparring, emphasis on building up endurance for the belt test.
Monday: All Campus Party class, forms, kicks, and free sparing.
Tuesday: High belt class, high kicks with targets, high forms, and review of technique needed for the belt test.
Thursday: Kicking combinations, threes and ones, and group work.

Here are the themes for this week:

Sunday: Kicks with targets, lateral step exercises

Monday: 100 each kick (50 each right and left) through hook kick, hapkido

Tuesday: blocking combos and forms working low stances for both, group work

Thursday: conditioning, lateral step exercises, sparring

Mental Focus: Resilience. When something unfortunate occurs, whether personally or professionally, big or small, how do you bounce back from it? How do you accept the lessons of that moment without holding on to the negative feelings? Perhaps you keep going, but are you moving forward freely, or are you weighed down by what happened before? Practice resilience in the do-chang this week. If you make a mistake on a form or on a kick, come at it the second time as if it’s the first. Every kick is a new opportunity.

Here are the themes for the week:

Monday: High forms, jump kicks, 3 steps/1 steps/hapkido
Tuesday: Partner stretching, basic kicks with targets and feedback, free sparring
Thursday: blocks, forms, group work

Theme: One of the things I’ve found throughout my life as a martial artist is that there is rarely growth in comfort. The times when I’ve learned (and grown) the most have been the times where I’ve been in an uncomfortable situation, either physically or mentally. Uncomfortable doesn’t have to mean bad – one could be in a extremely happy situation and be out of their normal “comfort” zone. Reflect on the times you’ve grown as a person – have they been in times of comfort? In times of “normalcy”, however you define that? Or have they been in new, possibly uncomfortable situations?

One of my favorite poems (“George Gray”, by Edgar Lee Masters) speaks to this theme:

I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me –
A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.
In truth it pictures not my destination
But my life.
For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment;
Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid;
Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances.
Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life.
And now I know that we must lift the sail
And catch the winds of destiny
Wherever they drive the boat.
To put meaning in one’s life may end in madness,
But life without meaning is the torture
Of restlessness and vague desire –
It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.

This week, push yourself further in the quest to escape your “comfort zone”!

-Ty

PS: Congratulations to all who tested in Boston this weekend!! It was an honor trying with all of you. And a BIG thank you to all who lent their spirit – either in person, or through well wishes.

Sunday: powerful punches and kicks with targets, partner stretching, forms
Monday: high form work, hammerfist, free-sparring with full gear
Tuesday: blocking combos, lateral step free-sparring exercises, group work
Thursday: conditioning, advanced kicks, 3’s and 1’s, free-sparring, group work

Mental Focus: Community. What does that word mean for you? Your roommate? Family? Coworkers? School? Madison? The world? Take an open, honest moment to explore how, when and why you relate to those around you.

Recently, some opportunities to use my voice and be involved have caught my attention … if you’re interested, here they are:

http://www.dot.wisconsin.gov/projects/state/railplan.htm (A questionnaire to gather feedback on rail plans in Wisconsin)

http://www.mealsforhaiti.org/ (Madison Meals for Haiti – here’s a news article with more info … I’m going to try to go on the 9th, let me know if you want to meet up!)

Have a great class everyone!

Alexa

Mental theme: Acknowledge and try to break through your mental roadblocks.
At times we may put roadblocks in front of ourselves that will prevent us from taking that next step. Within class, explore if there is a stretch, exercise, kick, block, ki-hap, or other technique that may have a mental roadblock and try to break through this. Outside of class, explore other areas of your life that you may have a mental roadblock and consider what you can do to take that next step past it.

Amy

Here are the themes for the week.

Sunday: technique focus – kicks with targets, isometric kicks, blocking combinations

Monday: Jump kicks with targets, lateral step exercises (switch stances) and sparring,

Tuesday: Stretching focus during warm-ups , lateral step exercise (light feet), group work

Thursday: kicking combinations, form work (all forms back to back)

Mental Focus: Try softer

The Olympics have been provided a perfect opportunity to watch how high level athletes try. Everyone tries, but sometimes trying harder is not the way to succeed. I’ve found that Emotion and Experience play a big role in how we try, some of that has to do with the Expectations that Ty talked about last week. How can you try softer?

See you in class

Jeff

Here are the themes for this week!

Sunday: Group Work, Kicks with focus on hip involvement, Free Sparring
Monday: Adv. Kicks with Targets, High Forms, Hammer Fist
Tuesday: Kicks with Targets, Forms, Group work
Thursday: Blocks, 3s & 1s, Free Sparring

Mental Focus: Emotional Neutrality. One of my friends once said, “Ty, if you never expect anything, you’re never disappointed.” At first I thought he was just being cynical, but as I thought about it for awhile, it made me realize how I “color” events by my preconceived notions about them. Sometimes certain situations feel bad simply because you expect them to turn out badly. As you approach situations with an open mind, try to approach them with a neutral heart – appreciate them for what they are, and not what you expect them to be.

Have a great week!

-Ty

We all have our own interpretation of what love ’should’ be, how it ’should’ look like. As an expression of love, can we be more forgiving, live every moment fully, be open to much more?
The invitation for this week is to try on new ways of loving yourself and everyone around you and see what opens up. Whatever opens up, please bring that to the class and keep opening that up in every class.

Sunday: Blocking combos, Forms, 3’s and 1’s
Monday: Advanced kicks, Advanced hand techniques, Hammer fist
Tuesday: Free sparring, New techniques (group work)
Thursday: Color belt combos, New techniques (group work)

Thank you
Umang