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My Shaolin Kung Fu Training Journal - Tim H.

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  • My Shaolin Kung Fu Training Journal - Tim H.

    Hello,

    Since I'm training on my own, and inspired by my brother Alex here: http://www.wongkiewkit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8386 ,I'd thought it be good to also post my training schedule here, so maybe to get some feedback from one of my brothers, sisters and seniors or discuss some things. Now and then I'm going to post updates or changes, and comments on how everything goes.

    Everything is coming alive in my practise! I am so grateful, everyday again... Having the opportunity to train the mind like this ... Thank you so much Sifu.

    For now, I'm following this schedule.

    Morning:

    - Chi Kung (selection from the 18 Lohan Hands or Small & Big Universe)

    Evening:

    - Horse Stance
    - Basic stances: False Leg, Four-Six, Single Leg, Bow-Arrow and Unicorn Step (Left & Right)
    - Moving in stances and working on my Bow-Arrow Stance (waist rotation and agility)

    - Focus on the first 4 Shaolin Combat Sequences from our Core syllabum

    - Triple Stretch Set
    - Selection from Triple Stretch Set

    - (on alternate days, about 2, maybe 3 times a week, one section from the Iron Wire Set)

    - Eagle Claw Force Training
    - Selection from Eagle Claw Kung Fu

    - Art of Flexibility

    (Between everything I go into Chi Flow)

    - If I haven't trained it in the morning, Small Universe at the end of the Kung Fu session.


    My objectives are:

    To train as best as I can.

    When I feel I covered some sequences good enough, I move on the next ones. I don't want to put a time limit on it all, but no retrogress.

    My goals:

    - All stances to be 2nd nature
    - To know all 16 Shaolin Combat Sequences
    - To know the Triple Stretch set inside out
    - To know all 50 Eagle Claw Sequences
    - To know all (most) applications
    - Internal Force and Mental Clarity

    These are going to take many many many years, maybe a lifetime. But they are my goals. I hope this doesn't comes over as to arrogant! If so, please point this out to me.

    Best regards
    Tim Hoorens

  • #2
    After practise I feel very good, fantastic actually. So I don't think I am overtraining.

    I do find it hard sometimes to complete the patterns Dancing Crane and 3 Levels to the Ground from the Art of Flexibility 10 times.
    I think I should just persevere? Cause after that, I end with Lohan Touching Feet (standing), and that one goes smooth again.

    Thanks and happy training!
    Tim

    Comment


    • #3
      Want to give a little update on my training.

      When I posted the above, I was training this way, but looking back this is a schedule when everything is perfect. With the new year resolutions, I throw away a habit, and I succeeded very well. I now have lot's of spare time

      So I decided to break my practise in two parts. Force Training and Combat Sequences.

      Force Training

      Start with Lifting the Sky / Chi Flow followed by Horse Stance. The basic Two Tigers Horse Stance. Chi Flow.
      After the Horse Stance I go through all basic stances. With focus on my Left stances and Bow-Arrow, wich need lots of improvement. Chi flow.
      The Triple Stretch Set; the force training part / Chi Flow.
      The Eagle Claw Force Training and Art of Flexibility.
      When I can do the whole Triple Stretch Set well I will do it in it's complete way in one go. Iron Wire every few days, one section.

      It takes about a small hour.

      Later on in the evening/ night I will go through the second part: sequences and moving in stances.

      About my progress in practise:

      I had a break through in Stance Training. I know I am building Internal Force, cause I can feel it. My Dan Tian vibrates in stances, sometimes my whole body, and the following Chi Flow helps me to move it to all parts of my body.
      I can relax much more, and so the stance lasts much longer now

      I can now strike with force. I know now that hard Kungfu is also very internal, by experience
      I also experience by practise in Chi Flow that one pattern can be soft or hard.


      Thank you Sifu, for guiding us and crystallizing these Great Arts through the world.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hello

        Just a little update.

        Please not that I don't have the intend to boast or brag about my training and make this a one-man show. It's just an excellent tool for me to air some thoughts about my training by writing it down here.

        The above program, from post 2, I am not quite following it. It's to much for the moment. I went though some emotional cleansing the last months.
        Because of my training all my feelings and emotions are so much stronger... realistic movies about war, I can't get through them without feeling a strong need to cry.
        The same with the newspaper, some events can really move me sometimes.

        I feel I am becoming who I am, cultivating my spirit. It's hard to put it into words, but I feel very grateful to be able to ride these strong waves.
        Sifu says I have a strong connection with the Tiger. I don't know what my animal would be if I would choose a specialization, but I can feel the Tiger
        in my face, inside my whole body actually, like I am breathing it's spirit. It gives me alot of courage and confidence, in all aspects of my life.

        About my Kungfu itself;

        I had a breakthrough in my bow-arrow stance. Nothing more to add. For me it's a mile stone

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi brother Tim

          Great to read your posts. I always find training journals both interesting and inspiring!

          I try to split my training as you have done with a force training session in the morning and a kung fu session in the evening.

          I'm not quite nailing my own idealised routine at the moment though. I find the SU is very powerful and Ive been going through lots of cleansing since October

          Best wishes for your training - may the spirit of the Tiger continue to manifest

          Andy
          Sifu Andy Cusick

          Shaolin Wahnam Thailand
          Shaolin Qigong

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          "a trained mind brings health and happiness"
          - ancient wisdom

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          • #6
            Hello,

            Today i decided to only train the basic Horse Stance, Ta Chong from Triple Stretch, the Eagle Claw force training and 3 patterns from the Art of Flexibility.
            As relaxed as I can, with as gentle toughts as best as possible.
            The reason why is because I am feeling some tension at my chest sometimes in Chi Flow (but it is always gone after practise), that's why I didn't do more today.

            It was extremely rewarding, a great session, and it lasted almost 1 hour 30 minutes ... ^.^" and I practised less then half as usual!

            A very important aspect in our training is Chi Flow. I would love to share some experiences. I hope it is OK if I post experiences like this (?).
            Alot of old posts on the forum contain similar experiences, so I tought it wouldn't be bad.

            A new focus lately in my Chi Flows is on my bones.
            My skeleton seems to 'change', or adjust, and especially at my chest. I hear it cracking, and sometimes vibrating deep into my bones.

            I am covering everything in my Chi Flow. Hard, combat focused Kung Fu with hard strikes from the bone. Taichiquan sequences, with empasis on open palms and gentle movement. Tiger, Crane, Dragon and I think even Praying Mantis. Drunken Kung Fu lately, with "out of the blue" strikes while 'stumbling' or flowing about.
            I have glimpses of striking with a hard snake form, or a hard Dragon form (piercing with the two fingers), and this can be switched to soft, flowing strikes,
            where I feel my shen on my Dragon-form hand when doing a thread for example.
            Even monkey comes alive (I think) sometimes with a very cheeky voice, and styles where my hands are tied up. Ground fighting (I practise on a very hard stone floor outside in a barn, and I am not affected by it at all when I roll about).

            Don't get me wrong, I am not mastering all this, these are only glimpses. For me, practising on my own, Chi Flow is like my teacher at home.
            Things "click" and come alive after a wonderful flow.

            I think that Sifu keeps transmitting, even when practising at home. And this maybe happens in Chi Flows. Like Sigung Ho who transmitted the Small Universe to those who kept their regular practise up without them being aware. There might be other factors for these manifestations, and it don't really matter. I just enjoy my practise.
            Needless to say I am very gratefull and pay my respect to the past masters and Sifu every day during and after practise.

            One thing I learn from all these different manifestations is that alot of Kung Fu is similar in some ways. The concept of "when you learn to read the map, all roads come clear"
            is starting to make sense for me. Hard to explain at my current level, I am far from advanced.

            People mocking that Sifu knows alot of styles, or even inventing, or whatever keyboard warriors 'state' on the internet, should really take a huge step back, and be humble and realize that our Grandmaster is so advanced that Sifu can grab the essence of probably all Kung Fu (in my opinion), and crystalize it to perfection.
            This is no cult-like behavior, it just is what it is! I am not afraid to state the truth.

            To those who are sceptical: Approach everything with an open mind, practise as you have learnt, as best as you can, and decide for urself.

            Shaolin is very much alive and our School is a part of Shaolin History.
            My deepest gratitude to Sifu for so generously transmitting these Great Arts in such a perfect way.

            The most beautiful thing is that a practise session not only focusses on combat or force (Combat Sequences also train the mind, as does all of our Shaolin Arts), but also on opening the Heart, compassion, and spiritual cultivation. I prostrate in my Chiflows, and have deep gratitude to the Great Bodhisattva Guan Yin, for hearing my cry's of suffering in the past, putting me on this path and guiding me towards my Sifu.

            We all walk a path, that can lead to the ultimate. Amazing.

            Warm regards
            Tim

            Comment


            • #7
              Hello,

              My last post about my Chi Flows, and all these styles manifesting, doesn't come over as I want. I don't experience these always, and in most cases just a minor glimpse once or twice.
              A style were my hands are tied up for example, is probably a form of cleansing in my back or building force into my forearms.

              I should also have mentioned that a lot of the manifestations come from the Triple Stretch Set, Eagle Claw, Iron Wire, and the basic Core syllabum wich I all learned.

              So I want to apologize for giving a wrong impression. I am so excited about practise sometimes, that I over-react.

              My training is going well, especially in life. I am speaking my mind more, sometimes maybe to direct. Overcoming being shy and other blockages,
              even though in a slow way and trying to escape sometimes, I feel I am changing.

              I find writing a poem a very nice way of writing feelings down.

              So I would like to share this poem I made about the Tiger Spirit:

              Compassionate and Caring
              Opening the Heart

              Elegant and Gracious
              Internal to the Bone

              Taming Nature
              Adapt and Overcome

              In the Big Universe
              Together We become One


              Kind regards,
              Tim

              Comment


              • #8
                That's wonderful Tim!

                Thanks for sharing
                Sifu Andy Cusick

                Shaolin Wahnam Thailand
                Shaolin Qigong

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                "a trained mind brings health and happiness"
                - ancient wisdom

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                • #9
                  Tim, your post inspires me
                  Lovely poem, thank you for sharing

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Enjoyed reading this Tim

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hello,

                      I got back from the Summercamp a few weeks ago, and am very happy to say that I can add The amazing Eight Drunken Immortals Set and the 18 Lohan Arts to my training!

                      I have been going through some cleansing, liver cleansing (I could feel my liver sitting in my body, especially after lunch), kidney cleansing, lower leg cleaning and what not. I have been getting angry and dissapointed at myself for alot of things, and this is a blessing in disguise.
                      It makes me revise my whole training, my character, my whole life in the long run really.

                      I feel sorry to say that I have been training in a way "where I knew better then the Master". Although unitentionally, but still.

                      Some examples of this are the Small/ Big Universe. After a nice Chiflow sometimes I end up in the Big Universe flowing, and think it is fine to not train Small/ Big Universe that day anymore because it was already flowing. This results in me training the Small/ Big Universe not much at all. Very arrogant way of thinking.

                      Also in Kungfu training, sometimes it goes so well, that I think I trained more then enough, and leave important aspects out of my training. For example the Form, Flow, Force method, and alot of sequences. Also in my stance work, I can do much better.

                      All kinds of examples really. For Chi Kung, instead of doing the pattern a number of times to get the special benefit of that certain exercise, almost every time after doing a pattern just once I go into Chiflow...

                      When I started Kungfu, Sifu told me "also do your sequences, sequences!". And what did I do when I got home for the following year? Stance training.... and that even I didn't do proper. I had alot of bad habits that time wich made me not be myself fully, and I didn't do this intentionally with a mindstate "I know better", but these are all no excuses.

                      So, I am revising my whole training, and maybe most importantly, my character. I am including everything this time, and in the way I have learnt.
                      When I smile from the Heart now, I smile with my whole body. I am also able to practise compassion, in a way I didn't thought I would be able to. For that I am very grateful.

                      The Triple Stretch Set and Eagle Claw is going very well. There are small breakthroughs, but for me they take it all to a new level.
                      I am gripping with force now when I practise Eagle Claw, and my practise of the "basic" sequences flow along very nicely. Single Tiger and Black Tiger have some very nice secrets hidden in the open.

                      I am very excited to practise the 8 Drunken Immortals. My kicking has gone to a whole new level, not to mention the ground work in the upcoming months will be great!!
                      My Chiflows contain alot of drinking cosmic energy now

                      I am working on my aims and objectives now, and am creating a schedule to follow accordingly. I have a lifetime to train, the most important will be gradual progress with no fall-backs, and in the way I have been thought.

                      I am very proud in a good way to be able to practise what was reserved in the past for Emperors and Generals.
                      The 10 Shaolin Laws and high moral values will always be my guideline.
                      Thank you for everything, Sifu, for making my life better and that of those around me.

                      My best regards,
                      Tim Hoorens
                      Last edited by Guest; 14 August 2011, 01:01 PM. Reason: spelling mistake

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hello,

                        After taking a step back and re-adjusting my training, everything is going very well again.
                        I want to share what I am learning in my practise lately. This topic is becoming more like my Kungfu diary haha.

                        I am a slow practioner; I still keep busy with the basic sequences. Black Tiger Steals Heart is simple, but has so many layers of depth.
                        I had the problem of hurting my shoulder when executing a Black Tiger a couple of times. I used external force everytime.
                        It took me a while to be able to feel internal force, or to realize the manifestation.

                        Now I take the time and patience to use "no force". Wow!!!
                        My whole arm, not only my fist, feels quite strong using "no force". I feel I am one with the technique this way.
                        A sequence from the Triple Stretch Set; Lohan Plays with Tiger. All the patterns in this sequence flow so well together and are so nicely connected, they are like one!

                        Fierce Tiger Speeds through Valley, wich is composed of patterns Single Dragon & Fierce Tiger, using this sequence in Striking Four Gates;
                        in a Chi Kung state of mind, makes my mind become one with the technique, my mind becomes in the now, being able to answer attacks whatever side they come.
                        With internal force; when executing the Fierce Tiger, my sides are backed up by force, by the Single Dragon being able to use at whatever side I would be attacked.
                        It feels as my force is my whole body, not just in the fists or hands when attacking or deflecting.

                        It's really amazing. Different patterns becoming one, being in the now, through sequence practise!
                        Now Practising Zen !

                        PS: These are just glimpses, in practise this is not so perfect as I try to explain here.

                        I just want to express my gratitude to the Past Masters, for over hundreds of years perfecting and crystallizing these Great Arts, and my eternal gratitude to Sifu,
                        for sharing this to the world, crystallizing everything even more, keeping real authentic Shaolin Kungfu alive,
                        and giving us a chance to practise such a fantastic way of becoming and staying healthy, training the mind, combat effeciency and spiritual cultivation.

                        Tim

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hello everyone,

                          Today I finished a nice hard sparring session with my cousin in law. I thought it would be good if I posted my experience here.

                          I'm a fresh beginner in full contact. Following the 30 Opponent programme, I should be searching for people who are just beginners in full contact sparring like me, from other schools, and then work up to higher levels. As the San Shou tournament at this year's Summercamp is already in June, just to have a taste on full contact, on hard sparring, I got in touch with my cousin in law, who kindly agreed to meet up with me when he has the time.

                          My cousin isn't exactly a beginner, he was 2 times Belgian Kyokushin Karate champion here in Belgium back in the nineties. He has experience for over 30 years. He is bigger and larger then me, and weighs about 40 kilos more then me.

                          When we started he kicked me at the side of the head. I was down before I even know what hit me. Green and yellow in front of my eyes, I was bewildered I already was on the ground, not even realizing the kick he throwed at me. The kick wasn't full force at all, but hit me very hard.

                          After that, the element of threat was his.

                          I used my kungfu, and stayed in stances. My cousin says I stayed very calm and kept my place. Striking and kicking full force, I didn't really dare to. I couldn't get my mind into it. I'm not an agressive person, but this is something I really need to learn. It is a mind-set, a fighting mind-set.

                          External fighters; they partly make use of their body weight to put force in their strikes or kicks. I stood in a stance, and was able to strike with force standing still. My cousin said my strikes were strong and solid.

                          In my mind, I can see (having a glimpse) of having my mind over my opponent, striking and reacting in one flow, with force. In practise this is not so . When my cousin comes up, I mostly freeze. I stay put in my stance, but don't react. I have to say, with gloves, it is hard. This is something that needs practise practise practise, to get used to.

                          In my practise here at home, on my own, looking back, I am building mainly on skills. In my Horse Stance I feel my Dan Tian trembling. Because of the Triple Stretch Set, I am able to guide the force with my mind from my Dan Tian to my striking fist or hand. The Iron Wire Set goes very nice also, I can feel the force in my fore-arms pretty well, and pressing the fore-arms is in synchronisation with my Dan Tian.
                          I need to go out and start focussing on sparring more now.

                          What I learn from my training session with my cousin in law; full contact is full contact. Be ready. Know your sequences very well, one moment of thinking what to do next will be the moment you will be put down by your opponent.

                          My best regards,
                          Tim
                          Last edited by Guest; 27 May 2012, 05:00 PM.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Dear Tim,

                            As we say in America, props! 40 kilos is a lot and Kyokushin practitioners can be tough. They're the Karate guys the other Karate guys are afraid of. I'm looking forward to your next post.

                            Best wishes,
                            Michael
                            "That is a very good question!" -Sifu

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Tim_Hoorens View Post
                              This is something that needs practise practise practise, to get used to.

                              That's the key right there.

                              It's difficult to overcome 30 years experience of competitive hard sparring by mostly solo practice.

                              And as you say, safety equipment is confusing till you get used to adapting your patterns and techniques to that particular arena.

                              Try some gentler sparring with lower level opponents and Im sure your kung fu will begin to flow...

                              Best,

                              Andy
                              Sifu Andy Cusick

                              Shaolin Wahnam Thailand
                              Shaolin Qigong

                              sigpic

                              Connect:
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                              "a trained mind brings health and happiness"
                              - ancient wisdom

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