Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg

Editorial

For me, fall begins right after the Labour Day weekend. Perhaps it’s a throwback to school days, or the fact that it’s noticeably darker in the evenings, the nights are cooling down, or there’s not as many mosquitoes in the bush. For some it’s a time to return to routine; while for others it’s a time of change. Some changes are significant, like heading off to college or university; these changes can alter your entire lifestyle, at least for a while. Others are more subtle, like heading back to school, but with a new teacher and new things to learn.

Big changes are often accompanied by big decisions. Getting a job to pay for tuition, whether to commute or live on campus, is it healthy to eat KD 7 days a week; and, whether you will be able to commit to regular Kung Fu training? There is so much going on that it can be overwhelming. If you are moving away to attend school your decision about Kung Fu training has already been made for you; but if you are still within commuting distance the decision may seem a bit more complicated.

It often turns out that the transition from high school to college/university often coincides with the time that you will face your greatest Kung Fu challenge; preparation for your Black Sash grading. Some have successfully managed their training, school, and outside commitments, but it’s not easy, and you will have to give some serious thought to how you should proceed.

We maintain a very high quality of instruction at WKFA because attaining your Black Sash is a very demanding process. We have minimum requirements and timelines that must be met before you are even allowed to participate in a high sash grading; and they must, without exception, be met.

You never lose your rank at WKFA and the pressures of life are a continuous series of highs and lows, so be honest with yourself about what you can truly commit to and stick with your decision. Why add additional stress to your already complicated life?

The same advice applies to any significant reason that may impact your training! Perhaps it’s a job change, or too busy at work to meet the 3-class per week average requirement. Attaining a Black Sash is part of an ongoing process; it’s not a sprint to the finish. Some students wait years before committing to the preparation demands of a Black Sash grading. The most important thing is to wait until the time is right for you!

Watch for information about my upcoming Cane/Walking Stick seminar that will be held on Sunday October 20 at 1:00. It will be open to all Adult students and Junior students 13 and older.

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Sifu Cristina Prudencio-Brunello

Youth Student’s Corner

Bows. We use them so often in Kung Fu – in our forms, before we enter or exit the kwoon, and to begin our classes. Simple as they may appear, there are many layers of symbolism to bowing. For example, the closed hand may represent war or aggression, and the open hand peace. By covering aggression with peace, we tell someone that there is power within us, but we choose the path of nonviolence. In another way, we could use the bow to represent the opposites of yin (open, soft) and yang (closed, hard). There are many theories on what the bows could mean, and there is no one right answer. Even the three bows before class have their own individual meanings:

1. Ancestors (or Masters):
   An ancestor is a person from whom we are descended, like a great-great grandparent. In Kung Fu, this term refers to many people, from the monks who created the martial art thousands of years ago, to their first students, all the way to Grand Master Pan and Sigung Bob who shaped the Kung Fu of our school. This first bow is a sign of respect to the past and to honour the work they did to keep Kung Fu going. Just think – without our ancestors to pass down the skills and knowledge of martial arts, there would be no Kung Fu to practice!
2. Sigung:
   Our second bow is to Sigung, who is both owner and head instructor of our school. He teaches everyone at WKFA, from Little Ninjas all the way through Black Sash (the learning doesn’t stop once you become a Sifu!). Sigung also sets the tone for the school by honouring the traditions of our ancestors while still allowing our Kung Fu to evolve and grow. Bowing to Sigung before class is a sign of respect and thanks for all the hard work he does to make the Academy an awesome Kung Fu community.
3. Everyone:
   Kung Fu teaches us to have respect for those around us, and the third bow is a sign that we will uphold that. It is a promise to your classmates, instructors, and yourself that you will try your best and work hard during class. The third bow honours the future of Kung Fu – you! As you continue to train and move forward in your Kung Fu journey, it will become your responsibility to teach the next generation of students how to be martial artists.

Everything we do in Kung Fu has purpose or meaning behind it, and the three bows before class are no exception. Our martial art is founded on a philosophy of respect and honour for the past, present, and future. Each bow is a way to acknowledge these aspects of Kung Fu, and every time we bow in for class, it is a promise to uphold these values while we train. So remember what you’re promising next time you bow!

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Sifu Jeremy Norris

Junior Student’s Corner

As we all know, Kung Fu is defined as being a martial art. Within martial arts there are many aspects that come into consideration when calling an individual a martial artist. One indefinable aspect is discipline. Often, within our academy we use discipline as a tool to learn and improve, but what does discipline actually mean?

Well, it is said that “discipline is being able to force yourself to do something, in spite of how you feel, over and over again until it becomes a habit”. In many ways this definition can be applied to Kung Fu. Within our training we are faced with challenges that we may not want to do, whether it be a challenging technique, or even pushing through that section in a grading, we all have had this moment. The defining aspect is what you choose to do in that moment, this is where discipline comes into play.

Having discipline is not easy, in fact it may be one of the toughest mental aspects within martial arts. Discipline forces us to choose the hard way and push through our issues. So, how can you have discipline in Kung Fu? One thing to consider is to never give up! Too many times we hit that wall where we think “I can’t jump like that to do this kick” or “This sequence is way too complicated” it is in this moment where we must push ourselves to get through. There are many ways that we can have discipline outside of the kwoon as well. One example would be training outside of class. As simple as it sounds, many people struggle with fitting in training time into busy schedules. The excuse used is “I have too much work to do” or “I just want to relax” but the simple fact is that it only takes a few minutes to do a form, or some pushups. There are no excuses in Kung Fu, that is what creates discipline.

Using the term “there are no excuses” is a strong stance to make. It can be perceived as one sided or extreme but it is true. Yes, you may have limitations holding you back, but there is always a way around it. Take the example of a sprained wrist. Does that mean you’re going to stop training until it is healed? No, a disciplined student would say “alright I will just do more stances and kicks”. This is an example of having to push through a limitation without giving up. This is discipline.

While training if you remember to always push through and work past your difficulties you will succeed. Discipline is the main ingredient within many aspects of Kung Fu, it is how we learn from our mistakes and push past them. Without proper discipline our training would not be at the same level of success that it is at today.

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Sifu Rebecca Knapp

Adult Student’s Corner

What do you do when you feel like training has become mundane, or it’s a time of year when it’s easy to let go of training in lieu of….the beach, the cottage, Christmas holidays, or anything else that can distracts us from our Kung Fu journeys? It’s natural for our motivation to ebb and flow over our Martial Arts lives, but there are some things you can do to stay focused and inspired.

The reality of learning any new skill is that it’s only a little bit exciting and whole lot of hard work. Once the new and exciting part of being shown a new technique has passed, we end up in “the grind” – the massive amount of work and repetition to make that technique a natural and precise response.

The key is intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation means that we do a task to get something in return – the reward comes from outside of us. Intrinsic motivation means you do it for the sake of doing it – the satisfaction of accomplishing the task – the reward comes from inside of us.

Here are some ideas:

1. Set Goals – The objective of setting a goal is to keep you focused and help you enjoy the grind, because you are working towards something that will make the grind feel more purposeful and worthwhile. A short-term goal might be: “I’m going to improve my side kick by the end of the month” or “I will learn the Tiger Form by the end of the summer”. A longer-term goal might be being ready to grade. Something like “I will be the best fighter” is vague and doesn’t provide you with a roadmap of any kind…and is also based on an extrinsic motivation.
2. Visualize – Remind yourself WHY you are doing what you are doing, and WHY you decided to take Kung Fu in the first place. Think about what success looks like to you and visualize yourself being successful over and over until it’s the only vision in your brain. Remind yourself how much hard work it takes to reach a goal.
3. Mental Triggers – this is something that reminds you what your fighting for, what is driving you towards your goal. It can be a word, a sound, a visual, a mantra. Anything that keeps you focused on the outcome.
4. Associations – mentally associate the toughest parts of training with positive outcomes, so you remind yourself that the more you endure, the more benefit you will realize from your perseverance. Also connect yourself with other Kung Fu warriors who are highly, and intrinsically motivated to train. Training with like-minded people can have tremendous positive impacts of your progress.

The grind is there, and it serves a purpose. You can’t hate it or it will drive you out of Martial Arts. You can’t avoid it or you will never progress. Embrace it, and learn how to make it work for you.

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by Sifu (Dr.) Rikin Patel MD

With another school year just beginning we, as paediatricians, brace ourselves for a huge influx of children visiting emergency rooms. School = infection contact risk.

As parents and martial artists, many of us may not know what is ideal in terms how much to push children or ourselves with physical activity when sick. This becomes even more important for those getting ready for gradings, have targets to reach and can’t afford to sit out too long. It’s such a common topic, the Canadian Pediatric Society provides some insight for all of us.

Without getting too technical, exercise impacts our immune system. Adrenaline in our body rises during exercise and this stimulates the immune system to produce cells that fight bacteria and viruses. However, at high intensity exercise for a sustained period the immune system in fact gets suppressed (both quantity and quality) which may contribute to infection susceptibility. Simply put, exercise as stress on our body up to a point can be helpful but when too high in fact can put us at risk when we are sick or healthy.

Research shows that the relationship between the amount of exercise and incidence of infection forms a ‘J’ curve. It is believed that people who exercise at a moderate level have enhanced immune function and may experience fewer illnesses and shorter duration of illness, such as a cold, compared with those who do not exercise at all.

The best scenario is prevention, however I realize that is not always possible….just come to work with me for a day.

Should we train when sick? That’s not clear cut. In general, decisions about whether to continue exercising during an illness can be made using a ‘neck check’. If symptoms are confined to above the neck, such as a runny nose, nasal congestion or sore throat, you may continue to participate as long as you feel able. Personally, I followed this unknowingly over the years and when I came to Kung Fu and “sweat it out” I always felt better the next day. Mental toughness matters though so know thyself.

When do we come back after being sick? Depends on the type and location of the infection. In general, consider it when your symptoms are reducing and at least no fevers for minimum 24hrs.

Finally, out of respect to your classmates and instructor if you are sick or recovering please mention it to the instructor and partners in class. You may be contagious. That’s common sense and hopefully we can make it common practice.

To conclude, here are some final tips for everyone to keep us all healthy and avoid illness:

1. Get adequate sleep (8-12hrs for children depending on age)
2. Do not skip meals
3. Hydration with water (how much? 30ml/kg of weight)
4. Wash hands frequently (hand sanitizer should be like keys and wallet in a bag)
5. Allow adequate recovery time following intense exercise
6. Do not share water bottles or towels

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By Guest Contributor, Sifu Lorna Hayward

Parent’s Corner

There are so many incredible things that we aim to teach at WKFA, but it’s not about teaching your children to fight. That is not what Kung Fu is about. Our goals with teaching martial arts are so much deeper, and, hopefully, so much more life-impacting than that.

One major thing we hope to instill in the students is a sense of confidence and accomplishment. Things like gradings and the shiai are integral to achieving this goal. Yes, the competition is scary for your child, and yes, they will likely have to step far out of their comfort zone, but the best personal growth comes from outside of that comfort zone. Not everyone can get first place, but just taking the time to make sure that your child relishes in the moment of ‘I did it’ and reminding them to celebrate every small success in their journey can have a huge life impact. Encouraging them to participate in the shiai is a great way to help your kids have the courage to step beyond what is comfortable and have pride in just finding the bravery to try difficult things.

Another incredibly important thing we try very hard to teach is control. We start each class by taking a moment to breathe. This is not only to try to calm their minds and prepare them to be ready to learn, but we also hope to teach them to learn to take a moment to breathe when they need it. Learning to take a second to think before reacting is a skill that we all work on, and definitely goes a long way in diffusing difficult situations. Also, physically learning to control their bodies, and making sure that their mind is controlling their bodies, not their emotions, will help them greatly in their lives. Yes, we teach punching and kicking; but if we can’t see that the student is able to stay in control of their bodies, it isn’t very responsible of us to teach them to punch harder! Seemingly small things like holding still in a closed stance, and keeping hands chambered and knees bent in horse stance, are huge indicators to us that they are beginning to learn to keep their minds in control of their bodies.

Of course, we are also teaching the more obvious life skills, like discipline and respect. These seem to be the skills people associate most with the martial arts. But hand-in-hand with these, comes empathy. Teaching students to respect the people around them has to also be accompanied with being AWARE of the people around them, and how they may be feeling.

We hope our students work through their journey with us developing skills that will take them far in life, and the confidence, discipline and control to become anything they wish to be. An added benefit to teaching the martial arts to children, is that they learn the value of physical exercise, and perhaps that will be something that becomes a habit throughout their lives.

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by Sifu Serena Truong

Chances are you’ve missed at least one Kung Fu class then, it somehow turned into a week or month of absence. The reasons range from injuries, lack of motivation, career moves, and life in general. This is a Kung Fu vacation; an extended period of absence. Here are some practice tips in reestablishing a routine to continue your Kung Fu journey.

The first step is to plan for your return and make time for your Kung Fu practice. Determine what classes suit your schedule and what attendance frequency suits your physical pace. Moreover, what weekly goals suit your commitment capabilities. Be deliberate in aligning your weekly goals with a strong vision of your end goal, as this will act as your primary source of motivation.

It is crucial to remain realistic in weekly goal setting to avoid losing motivation. Your previous progress will lure you into setting goals above your current capabilities. This will lead to frustration when a struggle to obtain weekly goals ends up emphasizing your current deficiency.
Next, you must overcome your initial inertia; Inertia states that everything is naturally resistant to change. In general, anti-procrastination strategies are capable in combatting inertia as it is a form of procrastination. An effective method is restructuring your environment for success.

This involves removing distractions and adding reminders. The most treacherous distractions are premature rewards such as a session of video games, social media, or binge eating prior to completing your task; these activities will diminish your motivation. In contrast, helpful reminders include energetic music, an alarm and simply wearing your uniform to prompt you to act.
Keep in mind that it takes 21 days to break a habit and 66 days to build a habit. If your Kung Fu vacation surpassed two months, then you will have to break your initial habit of absence before being able to build a habit of attending regularly.

Finally, remain consistent in meeting your weekly goals and personal quotas. Methods of maintaining consistency include tracking your progress, revaluating your goals regularly, maintaining a clear vision of your end goal, and having patience with yourself. Remember that any progress is still progress.

Keep a journal to track your development and ability to hit your goals; reviewing this record will assist in maintaining motivation or reflecting on areas for improvement. As you progress, set aside time to modify your goals to accommodate changes such as time, health or mental strain. Ultimately, consistency will develop your habits and build momentum in reaching your aspirations.
Everyone’s Kung Fu journey is unique and returning from ‘vacation’ is not simple. You should not condemn yourself for taking a Kung Fu vacation. A ‘vacation’ is completely natural in life and your Kung Fu journey. It is a necessary period of reflection, personal development and time to process change. Do what makes sense depending on your situation.

As American author, Napoleon Hill stated, “A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.”

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When you judge another, you do not define them: you define yourself!

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