Recharge

So I keep coming back to what I love about our group – not just our team but the whole school in general. Fun just hasn’t been a word I would associate with my job for quite some time and it always weighs on me. I take things personal with everything I do and so I keep coming back to the love for the Kwoon. It is my place to escape, forget and enjoy that moment with my other family. Take Friday as an example, after class we all laughed and joked with each other as we sweated and talked about how sparring went and what we did or didn’t do. I mean that is our idea of fun, and quite frankly it always brings our group together. All I can say is I’m so thankful to have such a great group to recharge me week after week. It’s these moments that make it all worthwhile, if you’re ever having a rough day or just need a boost I find the Kwoon is a great place to leave it all behind and just enjoy the now.
Sifu Bryant
Silent River Kung Fu

Grading time

Post grading day, I remember mine like it was yesterday….got up in the morning like I had just climbed a mountain or maybe carried a mountain. Either way was a very slow moving day. All I can say about it was it’s a great experience to see what is in you, how far you can go when at times you feel like you have to be on empty but keep going forward. Adversity makes us all stronger; just have to have the right mind set and your well on your way. I was always fortunate to have gone through a few days like grading earlier in life which helped shape me leading up to the big day. Everyone can make it, no matter what the circumstance it is always doable. Last night I was out watching the fights with a friend and he asked what it was like at black belt grading, all I could do was smile and say you just have to do it yourself words never do it justice. What do you say, it’s a long day full of ups and downs and at the end all you can do is smile and know you have accomplished something extraordinary.
Sifu Bryant
Silent River Kung Fu

In need of repairs

Great long weekend with the family, just doesn’t want to end with a really sick boy tonight. Was a great time to reflect and be thankful for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. As for my training my shoulder is starting to act up again and makes me laugh – kind of; we are always going to have some injury at some point, some more than others. Will finally have it looked at again this week and see what the diagnosis is. Maybe a new shoulder or two would be great, hey throw in a pair of knee’s and I’m almost good as new…..Good to see some new faces added to the demo this week, keep on pushing and we should have everyone on the team ready to shine in a few months.

Sifu Bryant
Silent River Kung Fu

Daily routine

After the meeting yesterday it got me thinking about routine. Everyone has a routine no matter how good, bad or indifferent it may seem. For me where I have succeeded and faltered was with my routine. As with most of us at the start of this year we started working on a new routine – for some we made small little changes maybe bigger ones for others. For myself I had the luxury of the previous year as experience and what worked for me and what didn’t. Now as I look back on the year thus far it’s easy to see that my routine was key. Days I succeeded was when I stuck with the plan for each day and just let it play itself out. Days I didn’t get as much done was when I said to myself I’ll do it later today and never did. For me I’ll be honest those days I put things off where when I had been up late with the boys, again not an excuse but if I can get a good six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep I’m golden. That snooze button was being bashed a few times over the months here and there and can add up over time. Where I sit right now is I am making a few slight tweaks to my routine each week adding a few extra things here and there to bring some of my numbers back in line with where they should be. The hardest part is dealing with the internal (yourself hitting the snooze button) and the external (your wife, husband, kids, work, etc.) throughout the year. Believe me even with a routine there will always be forces working for you (your teammates for example) and against you (life in general). Keep reflecting on your day and your numbers and sooner than later it will paint a picture of your routine and if it is working or if small changes need to be made, I know this works for me.

Sifu Bryant
Silent River Kung Fu