tournament / demo season

Yes, it is that time of the year again. Next weekend, all-day special training on Saturday, tournament on Sunday. Next next weekend - all-day special training on Saturday, tournament on Sunday. Next next next weekend....tournament only.

Anyway, my daughter will be showing her stick (staff?) form from Chang Quan. I will be showing mine from Nan Quan. Though the pace is hectic, this is a great season for concentrated practice and improvement.

essential training equipment (5)

Another in the series: 1/2 " plastic PVC pipe.

So you're in small town Texas and you need a stick or staff to practice with. All the trees were chopped down to build all of the new houses on the street. You go to WalMart or some other monstrously big store but can't find a parking space for all the pickup trucks. You go home and scrounge in the garage and, just about when you had given up hope, you spy it in the corner, adorned with spider webs.

A five-foot length of PVC pipe. Not tapered but it will have to do. It bends easily and has too much snap on the end of a strike but once again, it will have to do. And it does do fairly well...

old xing yi quan notes

From Liu Jing Ru Laoshi’s visit to Tokyo last summer: in xing yi quan, we never stop, not even when stationary. Of course there are pauses between motions, but he is talking about something different here.

Even when we are just standing –and time spent in an unmoving stance is a crucial part of the XYQ practice – we are still working on xing yi. Checking, checking, every part of the body, seeking proper alignment and natural relaxation. This can be some of the hardest work, because there is no escape, only relaxing and maintaining a proper stance.

kobudo dojo opening

I am winding down my own trip to the US just now. Had hoped to get to Mankato Minnesota for Tim's dojo opening up there, but had to focus on my own goals for this US trip. It was a real shame, as it seems the dojo opening, headlined by Akamine Sensei's visit, was a success by all measures.

Here is a link to some local newspaper coverage:
http://mankatofreepress.com/sports/x180470095/Mankato-Martial-Arts-studio-is-newest-place-to-get-your-kicks

More kobudo action coming to this blog in the future...

(photo from Akamine Sensei's Tokyo visit earlier in 2010)

Lawrence Kansas tai ji quan

Enjoying our long-delayed US trip, found this guy on the KU campus in Lawrence.

Any chance you readers have any tai ji / gong fu contacts in Lawrence, Kansas???