Hundred Hands Cry Havoc In this weeks Fu Style class we learned the bagua push hands form. What a pleasure this form is. Teaches the crucial elements of moving in time with your opponent, creating openings, neutralizing attacks and countering. It was the most fun I've had learning to disable someone.
On the other end of the spectrum, I managed to really aggrevate the sore rib from the previous week. I have to do all kinds of rehabilitive exercises in preparation for returning to work on the twenty-first and my rib screams a little louder with each exercise.
Very counter-productive if you ask me. Enh, what are you gonna do.
I talked to one of Grandmaster Zhang's students, Philip, and he suggested I take some more time to let my back heal before joining their qigong class. Apparently one must hold the standing postures for 30 minutes. I am not presently able to do that.
It's a little frustrating to have finally found a strong qigong teacher in Vancouver, with a very valuable form of qigong to pass on, and not be able to start for a while. Hopefully I'll be strong enough in January.  ¶ 1:55 p.m. 0 comments

  Poor Ribs Saturday's Fu Style class was another memorable one. We were working on slow sparring, which is pretty much free roaming push hands with more options.
When I was working with Sam, it was light and fun. No casualties.
When I was working with Michael, it was just a blur of hands, with my face and ribs taking many blows. Practice slow, my ass!
Michael landed one clean blow to my ribs that hurt real good. Forty-eight hours later it still hurts when I press there. Not a good year for my ribs.
It was a great exercise for working on timing, sensing, and applying the patterns we practice to combat.
Oh, I've got a long way to go before I'm proficient in these arts.  ¶ 10:16 a.m. 0 comments