A week in paradise, perfect for Kung Fu!

Sup kids, how's practice going?

I've recently returned from a week in Kiama, Australia, training with both John Smith and Greg LeBlanc.
With respect, both men are Sifu's of high calibre and knowledge, who can add insight to your current thought process and change your perspective on something you thought you 'knew'.
Greg is a top student of Gary Lam's and thus referred to John as Sisuk, being his teachers brother. I could really say the same things about both teachers and praise them until i gush rainbows, so I'll stick to some of the things that stood out about each and try to paint my deeper experience as a verbal mosaic with which you can create your own internet-opinion.
Failing that I'll just go on and on about how awesome they are.


Going into this I expected to go over only for a weekend seminar with two high level teachers.
I was a little intimidated by the prospect, not having a great deal of confidence in my own ability. This isn't meant to reflect badly on the people I learn from, more a reflection of how we can hold ourselves back by denying ourselves a little pride.

I'd seen recently that Gary Lam had been introducing ideas into his WC that veered from WSL's teachers, such as internal energies etc, however I hadn't paid too much attention as I had my own shit to worry about. He's been in the scene for a while and will likely have his reasons for doing it. The REAL issue is that i listened to opinions forged by people who did not have first hand experience. I forgot my own mantra...opinions are merely opinions.
Because of this foolishness I expected a few woo-woo ideas from Greg. In a way it worked out positively for me as I was pleasantly surprised by what I encountered.
Firstly, and most importantly, what lovely human being he is.
I've met a few Chunner's in my time, most of them from NZ, and most of them being complete douche bags. They gain some skill and imagine their rock-hammer is actually a sledge. It ain't buddy, and remember there's always someone out there that can take you down a notch.
Well Greg...well shit, he wasn't this at all. He's a humble cat that still considers himself a student, willing to listen, and learn from, everyone he meets. Often you'll meet people like this and consider them to be insincere, nobody could be this nice. Something just doesn't feel right about them.
Greg exudes sincerity and a genuine desire to see everyone progress to their potential.
And it only gets better...this man has power and structure in each of his strikes. To say he is powerful is to suggest it might be a bit dark in a mine shaft.
I'm a big man and can physically affect most people's structures, however Greg could disrupt my momentum and structure without a great deal of effort. He wasn't using his strength, he was merely using WC's concepts as they're meant to be used.

John is a student of Wong Sifu. He touched hands with the great man and listened to his stories, learned from his experiences and passes these lessons on to a new generation.
John was working the week of the seminar, and still offered to put on extra classes for anyone who turned up early. The seminar was on Friday and Saturday...I arrived Monday.
We got in contact after I'd arrived in Kiama, and he suggested we catch up that night for some training. I was NEVER going to say no to such an offer.
I expected a few people to be there, but it was just me. I almost shat.
John then spent 2ish hours taking me through simple ideas I thought I had a good understanding of...low elbows, connection to the waist, hitting the target with all of my body mass. Sheesh, I was, hmmmm....wrong.
He took me through really interesting concepts about bridging and structure, maintaining my line while attacking my opponents core, and helping me to increase my advantage through my mass. Reminding me that the best defence to a punch is to hit your opponent.
When I walked out of his Kwoon that evening, I'd already improved. I was fortunate to experience this same scenario throughout the week.
Each evening the group would get a little bigger and I'd get a little better.

In the entire week there was only one injury...and that happened to me on the last day.
I got a tiny cut on my nose from my opponent. I have to fess up and admit it wasn't my opponents fault. I was pressing him during an exercise where I'm testing him then throwing random punches and Mr Opponent has to figure out how to bridge, getting the best line and affect and not being caught out. Brother O.P.P is a skilled practitioner and I knew he could take it. I also knew he didn't get a lot of opportunity to defend against a HUGE adversary without John's skills. IE one that would through daft shit that a trained man wouldn't, and yet might still chance an impact.
While pressing him and driving him backward, I started to lose my wind. I'd been training for 5 days, this was the 6th, and I was exhausted. My body started to hunch and react differently than it should. So basically I put my face where it shouldn't have been. Now I wear this as a badge of honour! All that time and only this little hiccup...and the ladies love scars right?

The further I travel with my Ving Tsun, the more my ideas are being turned on their head.
Before being introduced to VT, my experience with WC had been unhealthy...I guess I'd become skeptical of the motives of men. And yet every teacher I've encountered have been decent human beings. They all share everything they can, they encourage questions...and they don't condescend.

Besides learning from two great men, I met and made new brothers of so many interesting individuals. Only one other student was a dick. And even then, we sorted our differences over a beer and all was good. We made the choice to not train together, and neither of us lost out in this deal.
In my last school there were people I hated. I don't get that weight anymore.

Remember, regardless of the style or system, you don't have to put up with McDojo bullshit, cult scenarios, or bullying behaviour. The world is now flush with option and possibility. Just down the road you may find the school best suited to you. Don't put up with second rate behaviour from your teacher, or yourself. If you have to move for it, maybe thats for the best...they say travel is good for the soul. What I really think they're saying is that travelling can grow you as a person and help you discover things about yourself you wouldn't have otherwise. Couple that with training in a positive environment you consistently want to return too...well, how can you not grow into a better person?

It cost me money to attend another country to learn. What I got in return is far beyond anything I could put a number on. I feel. The sleeper has begun to awaken.

What a great start to the year!

It was the first Monday class of the year and Jesus it was a rip-roarer!

We had the old-school kids in attendance (above), and we also welcomed through the door 4-5 n00bs...they all had interest and great attitudes. I live for these days really.
I love the small classes where we can get in a little extra Chi Sao, or perhaps work on some specific sticking point someone has found. These are enlightening and open up some in-depth discussion, curly questions and ultimately providing perspective as to where everyone's training mind-set currently is. It's always a delight.
However the big classes with a handful of new folk are equally as wonderful.
We get to relive our difficulty being introduced to a new system that everyone perceives as counter-intuitive in the beginning. It helps keep us humble and illustrates how far we've all come.

I've yet to come across another system that is as confusing, and initially difficult, as WC. It's simplicity hides a complexity that can boggle the mind. It's somewhat understandable that some teachers rely on the classic style of passing WC on without explanation while expecting the student to emulate the motion until it starts to work. The physics and body mechanics are tough. Understanding the reasoning is just as difficult as explaining it...and yet it is SO rewarding.

I had several special moments during class and while they were ego feeding experiences, they were also an indication that we're still moving in the right direction.
I tend to talk a lot during class, not about my day though...I try to explain what we're doing from several different angles to give other students as broad an understanding as possible within our limited time and my limited abilities. At no time is there ever an understanding that "THIS IS THE ONLY WAY ITS DONE!", and everyone understands that this is purely a perception driven explanation. Its more to get their minds working in a particularly analytical direction while allowing their physical experience to anchor some of the ideas we're using.
Its an approach that has been pretty successful.

Having these new students come into class and seeing them have little liminal experiences...well, it makes the rubbish day prior to kung fu, that much more manageable. And spending a few hours on the basics can only be good for me. I spent Christmas and new years laid up and had no opportunity for rolling...so I'm rusty like fuck. It'll come back...I just need to put in the effort.

In additional news...Mid feb I'm heading to Kiama, south of Sydney, for a seminar and classes with John Smith and Greg LeBlanc. John is a direct student of Wong Shun Leung and Greg is a student of Gary Lam.
Such an exciting time to be alive!

Research is my friend.

When i started WC there were a handful of different schools in town. There was the William Cheung Lineage, two Lo Man Kam schools and a Leung Ting school...meaning there were a handful of teachers available, only I had no idea there were such things as lineage and assumed it was all just like Karate with its different schools of thought, but still essentially the same. What I learned was that in some ways i was right, in some i was wrong. Below is an article by a Karateka, a kiwi in Japan, expressing some of his issues with a similar issue. Karate politics having more to do with tradition vs the McDojo approach, and while the subject matter is somewhat different, the difficulties are the same.

http://andrebertel.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/budo-karate-true-or-non-budo-karate.html

I chose the school I was going to attend by finding one being attended by friends, this ended up being what I thought was a branch of LMK close to where I lived. I'd later find that this was a mistake, though not because it was an incomplete LMK system mixed with Leung Ting/Ip Ching flavorings, no...it was because the teacher was a lunatic.
The story goes that my original teacher didn't learn the entire LMK system and had a falling out with his teacher. Take this with a grain of salt as none of the original players have ever told this to me directly, its all hearsay at the moment, and any party involved will be biased in one direction or the other.
So my teacher had also started 'learning' from an LT/IC guy (a teacher originally trained in LT but transitioned into IC, a fellow by the name of Ron Heimberger) because of one reason, or another. I could hazard guesses, or make something up based on my olde teachers personality...but when I try typing it out it all ends up reading too ridiculous to be real. Just ridiculous.
So the system I ended up learning over 8 years turned out to be bits and pieces of 3 lineages, with theories from several others.
As if WC wasn't complex enough!

Considering the quality of Wing Chun available, and how few options there were in Auckland at the time, it was merely a choice of different mistakes I could make. To say I chose the lesser of the evils would be inaccurate, unless one was referring about choice by social influence. I chose this particular school  because I already had friends learning there...meeting strangers was NOT something I was keen on.

I had no idea what the difference between the different lineages were at the time, nor did I realise that there were so many variations of WC, teaching styles, or emphases.
I supposed the hidden blessing is that without experiencing these events i would unlikely be in the position I am now, a student of the WSL system where knowledge and experience is freely shared and you're encouraged to test theories. Nothing is taken as a given, and belief isn't required.

If I'd taken the time to research a bit, and try a few extra schools, I would probably be in a different situation and learning something completely different.
Regardless, it would probably still put me onto the WSL schools in Melbourne, and maybe I could've planned my life around WC a little bit better. Perhaps now I would be a teacher with my own school.
Regardless, I've learned my lesson and I'm not shedding any tears. I'll acknowledge the hard times I've experienced and use those as inspiration for avoiding it in the future.
An individual's experience traversing through WC should be a highlight in the story of their lives. Some of the smartest and best people I've met have been through WC, certainly some of the most life changing individuals.
I've still got my issues, but now at least these issues are common ailments and not the cultish mind-fuckery I'd been working at eradicating.

Just remember that when YOU go looking for a school, be skeptical and be logical.
Avoid mysticism and woo-woo magic. We learn these martial skills to  protect ourselves from threats, we need to KNOW that a particular technique/concept works. The last thing I would want is for any of you to create a belief system around your supposed ability to defend yourself, and those around you, to your detriment. No level of belief will stop someone punching you in the face, so you better know that your tan sao will work, that your fook sao will be effective, and should you need to punch face...that it works and your attacker ceases.

Starting Wing Chun for protection vs Self-Esteem and the personal changes required by each

It hasn't even been a year since I started this blog, and I've already written up a bunch of stuff. Most of it can probably just be referred to as waffle, or 'rabbiting-on', but I've found it useful and cathartic. I'm proud of myself and the adjustments I've made this year.
I've gone from a sometimes attender, to an every-classer, and I've seen the results that suggest my time has been well spent.

I began WC under one teacher, and now I learn under another. I've come to understand that sometimes one teacher isn't always the best option, and I've also come to respect the approach of questioning what you're being told and testing it, rather than just accepting it.
When I first started WC I knew nothing of it. I hadn't even heard of it before, and now I know enough to know that I'm not too much concerned with the folk-law surrounding WC. Whether the origin story is true, embellished, or just made up...I care not. It provides a frame for WC's history, however WC's longevity is based purely in its evolving forward.
As such the process by which students are taught needs also to change.
As a child in school we're taught to believe the teacher and trust that something is so-and-so because.
As a high school student we're taught that these are the reasons that something is so-and-so.
However it's in the tertiary education system that I've seen the implication that the answer isn't also so, and that one needs to delve deeper to understand the 'why'.
It is my experience that modern application based WC is at this stage.

I told myself I wanted to learn for self-protection.
During the incident that prompted me to learn some self defense I remember wondering, "Why isn't anyone helping?". And it was a long time before I realised that I'm the only one there to help me.
Take from this what you will. Physically I'm the only one that will ever be with me every moment of my life, so I'm the only one that will always be there.
As such I needed to give myself more consideration and more support.

To do this I needed to change things about myself, or at least how I've operated.
It's a work in progress, and I've got many more changes to make to support my decision to again make WC a priority in my life.
The first step was to give it the time it requires.
We have only two classes a week at this point, so my requirements needed to align with this and concerted effort was required during those classes. I took the lead in arranging additional training outside class, during private time.
Throughout the day I contemplate aspects of things I'm working on in class. Typically this revolves around constant, but not over-zealous, forward energy. This leads into the continual work I'm doing with my bong sao. Which has lead me into better monitoring of controlling the inside line...which again brings me back to forward energy. I think of it as a moderate forward-bias.

Whereas I once wanted to rush through the forms and get to biu jee, mook yan jong, the knives and the pole...I now realise that was more about collecting the forms and saying I 'knew' them. This would prop up my self esteem and give me something to show off. "Look at this lovely new badge, see how it glimmers with knowledge?"
This year I've been happily working through SNT and CK without too much concern about what I was missing out on.
Perhaps this is because I'm now concentrating on purpose and execution though understanding what I'm being taught. Everything I try is associated with the question, "Why?", it then gets run through the Simple-Direct-Efficient filter.
Now I understand the forms are an intense tool-kit and not necessarily a demonstration of execution. ie - we will never use a double jaam sao, such as is found in the first section of CK.

If my motivation had previously been purely Protection-oriented, I'd like to believe that I would've seen through the BS of that olde-school quickly and moved on. I now realise I was there to repair how I looked at myself, and thus I built my structure on a foundation of whimsy and self-aggrandizement.



A paradigm shift was required of me and it took a long time to get there. More so it is required of any individual looking to learn a new skill.

A re-occurring premise amongst n00bs is intermittent attendance to classes and a disappointment at the lack of progress. It could be argued that this lack of progress could be attributed to poor leadership, or poor teaching. However I know this to not always be the case, and is more reasonable to understand that individuals accrue their own level of importance to certain things, which eventuates that WC practice is less important and thus takes up less of their time every day.


The more I come to understand WC, the more I understand that you, I, and we, need to apply more personal time to it's practice. As a skill-set it needs to be exercised, used and maintained.
Attending lessons as you can is fine if your only looking to socialise and seemingly build your self-esteem, however to make forward progress you need to contemplate the skills you're learning.
Give the skills time to embed through regular attendance and contemplation.

It seems like a fairly obvious concept, and yet I see folk come and go without giving the process enough time. It seems like kung fu in NZ still has expectation hanging over its head where if you kowtow for a week you'll learn kung fu in three weeks and you can move on with your life. It isn't like that at all I'm afraid.

All training in Martial Skill takes time and concentration. There's a large quantity of information you have to absorb, often about making your body operate in a fashion it's not used to.
I remember my mother telling me once, "Nothing easy was ever worthwhile", and at the time I didn't fully understand. I believe I have an inkling now. It's just a simple way of telling me that the more time I give to a thing, the more precious it becomes. owever the more time I give to something difficult, the more rewarding will be the outcome.
WC has proven this to me.
I've processed more in this last year than I had in the first 5 years at my previous school.

WC has been the most difficult and influential undertaking I've encountered in my life. It's also been the most rewarding.
I no longer 'play' at learning WC, I learn while playing WC.

WC is a wonder to me. What is it to you?

Block by block...I'm tearing this wall down.

I still get amazed by WC even though I've been in its thrall for somewhere around the 15 year mark.
I've met some amazing people whom, without WC, I wouldn't have met. Certain connections wouldn't have happened, certain adventures wouldn't have been had, and certain self-realizations wouldn't have been achieved. I'd almost suggest it was fate or kismet...if I didn't take greater responsibility for my own life.

Without all of these positives, and yup...even the negatives...I may not have found the Wong Shun Leung system. It didn't exist in Auckland when I first began my journey and, to my best knowledge, the two WSL schools now in residence are a first. I know a number of Kiwi's in Australia who train our system, but they've all stayed on that side of the ditch.
Now we have a WSL school descended from Gary Lam, and another (ours) from David Peterson. The thing that is more important to me is that we get along. This is fantastic! We can share each others resources, and build the potential for a social environment. The GL's have some lads in competition, and we're happy to go support them, and we concentrate on application for the 'street'.

I like that we get along and it gives me hope that more WC schools might open themselves up to the potential of friendship.
I recently reacquainted myself with a chap I met in one of Bruce Cheng's LMK classes. We had mutual facebook friends so when we'd lost contact it was only going to be a matter of time before we caught up again. And while we're of different lineage, we're definitely of the same mind in regards to the foolishness that constitutes Auckland's current WC bullshit.
We were tentative at first, its easy to give offense when talking WC if you're not entirely sure where the other person is coming from. It'd been a few years and there was just as much likelihood that either of us and devolved into a douche, and it didn't take long for us both to realise we hadn't.
While we talked we watched some Tai Chi off to the left, and what looked to be a family style kung fu off to the right...and it was all topped off by a blue sky and a warm, floral breeze. In other words...what a fucking choice way to start the day!

Since then my cousin has returned to our ranks after participating in several cultural exchanges around the world. Typically, this is the part of the tale where everything falls apart and I have a good'ole man-blubber.
Sorry...no.

Since then training has been going even better.
That gawddamn-dreaded Bong Sao has continued to improve. Bit by bit it has proceeded to be sent in the right direction, as opposed to the chicken wing flapping I used to perform. As a result I've been able to use the Bong Sao to be the central hatstand upon which I can hang other ideas.
Whereas 3 months ago I was struggling with Chi Sao and only marginally understanding Dan Chi Sao, I'm now rolling with confidence and feeling the defensive holes, both in my side of the transaction, and my opponents.
I've even been able to slip a few past my senior brothers!
In 'Ye Olde School', seniors would typically get their knickers in a twist if a junior had the audacity to improve. Now its a concern if you Can't see an individual's improvements. We each, selfishly, want the n00bs to excel. We want them to get good asap, so they can challenge us and push us to improve. What's more is that we all provide for different strengths and approaches. The benefits available to each person are huge.

Just the other night we had a small class, three seniors and three juniors, and all of the juniors had been having trouble with jaam sao, bong sao, and certainly chi sao. However this night everybody kicked-off.
After a bit of Dan Chi Sao and a few adjustments their lines were better, and there wasn't too much force being used. So we step it up to chi sao and wow...they really pulled it together. I'd struggled with chi sao, mainly due to my attendance, or lack thereof. Regardless of this, chi sao is a difficult practice when you're first introduced to it. And yet our little team were pulling through, and only one of them having almost been with us for a year.
It's silly...but damn I was proud of them! They've all put in a lot of effort and now they're starting to see the payoff, which means this is a special time. If we keep them moving forward they're going to start picking things up left, right and centre...and soon they'll be able to explain why these things are working.

It's really gratifying seeing someone who struggled with our Young Idea, and was able to push on through to partial recognition. Soon I'll be having to compete with them...what an exciting time!

And none of them have even ASKED about Biu Jee! (A subtle reference to the myth that Biu Jee is where the secret magic of WC resides, and a less-than-subtle reference to how students research WC and want to know all about it before learning chum kiu...Look on youtube kids! there's heaps to choose from!)

Fear mongering is a poor motiviational approach.

Something I keep running into when I look at some MA websites is using articles from newspapers, and other websites, to sell their product. Immediately that doesn't seem to be much of an issue...this is the internet after all.
What gets on my tits though, is that these articles are ALL about people being attacked and hurt. And 80-90% of those I've seen are about Women being attacked and hurt in some fashion.

I salute anyone's attempt to broaden the horizons of someone visiting their site, and I also applaud it when initiatives are pushed to illustrate how potentially dangerous the world can be on a personal level...but the fear-mongering I see on some sites is sad and disgusting.
I found a site for a WC school which started off with information about classes, teachers, fees etc...to only then be followed with articles about women being attacked. Essentially this is telling the visitor, "Hi, this is what we do and what we can provide...by they way, did you know that you NEED US TO SAVE YOU!!??"
Women are no weaker than men, however there is a cultural response which suggests a woman should 'Take It', and that they're lesser beings than men. I've actually heard people spew this ridiculous shit out in public.

Don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate that PEOPLE should learn something to defend themselves with...ideally WC (knuck-knuck), but gearing their approach directly at women using only articles about fear, rather than with statistics and additional links that could help...I find it reprehensible.
It smacks of a marketing gimmick...and an avenue, through which the primary goal is, to make money.

https://womensrefuge.org.nz/WR/Domestic-violence/Statistics.htm

As an example, the above link takes you to some New Zealand domestic violence statistics.

- One in three women experience psychological or physical abuse from their partners in their lifetime.
- On average 14 women, six men and 10 children are killed by a member of their family every year.

Other than being disgusting and alarming, these numbers are powerful.
These numbers come from within the family unit. Think about that for a moment...within the FAMILY UNIT. That place which is supposed to be uncompromising safety and love.

We're foolish if we think domestic violence doesn't happen. We're deluded if we ignore it.
However we're disgusting if we use a topic, such as this, to sell a product or service.

On top of the potential for domestic violence we find the chance for violent interaction in our everyday world. You might be waiting in line for a coffee, walking down the street with your fast food, or experience an art gallery with your sweetheart.

So yes, go out and learn to defend yourself. Learn to defend your loved ones.
But don't trust someone that would ride on the tail coats of such an important issue.
If you want something fast and effective go learn Boxing, Wing Chun, or Aikido.
If you want something long term...go learn the same options! Check them ALL out, I don't care...I don't know you, but I want you to be safe.

Why am I waffling on about this again?
While I was away in Melbourne attending the Asia-Pacific WSL gathering, my friend broke up with her boyfriend. They hadn't been together too long, so there certainly shouldn't have been any possessive feelings involve, however he couldn't take it and he struck her. She called the Police and now its in the hand of the cops. She came off lucky. She's still alive. But...
WHAT...THE...FUCK?!?
When I found out and she'd assured me she was ok, I became furious for her....I wasn't going to roll in and try to save the day, she's a complete enough person to do that for herself. But now I'm having conversations with her about protecting herself.
It's her life...and its important.
As long as she does something.

It's worth every cent.

Recently I have been fortunate enough to have participated in a 'gathering of the clans', so to speak. A collection of Wong Shun Leung schools from around Australasia and Asia came together to share ideas, and strengthen the bonds of kinship that WC always lays claims to...and often falls short of.

The weekend was touted to be an extraordinary time, and it didn't fall short.
A collection of Wong Shun Leung's own students were all giving talks on their perspective on this detail, or that idea and it was refreshing to have such highly skilled practitioners reiterating the importance of the fundamentals while illustrating the evidence, and being open to rolling (in chi sao) with anyone interested. They allowed us to see what they were talking about, and to experience it.

These pillars of 'our' community were, firstly and foremost, Chan Kim Man. Chan Sifu was a student of Wong Sifu, and sadly a member of an ever decreasing circle of knowledge, those taught directly by Wong Sifu.
Chan Sifu is a remarkable man of personality and character. At no time did he exhibit the negative aspects I've seen in other 'Masters', such as the mystery and sifuism we hear more about these days, or the arrogance of people prone to making claims. I dare say, he was even humble.
Also in attendance and in no particular order, were: John Smith from Illawarra, New South Wales; Enzo Verratti of Brunswick, Melbourne; David Peterson, with his school in Malaysia; and Darren Elvey of Melbourne Central.

Each teacher brought their perspective to eager students and opened many eyes to the complex details that lie below the surface of our beautiful and simple system.
More importantly, each Sifu continued to champion Wong Sifu's core teaching. Simplicity. Being Direct. And being Efficient. Test your structure, test your theories. Prove the idea works the same way each time and that there isn't an easier alternative requiring less energy.

Like Chan Sifu, John Smith, Enzo Verratti and David Peterson were also direct students of Wong Sifu, with Darren Elvey being a student of David Peterson. While their circle may diminish overtime, (and I hope they all make this a long and drawn out process), I am comforted to know that the torch is carried on by teachers like Darren Elvey. His command and understanding of the system attributes laurels both to his teacher, and his self. Darren approaches the system with an analytical mind and an ever growing curiosity. He's open to any idea, and is more than willing to test it.

Surely that's enough gushing about the teachers...for now.

So what did I get out of this opportunity to listen to 5 masters and roll with so many different people?
...So much...

The differences in teaching style varied from the Hong Kong concentration on chi sao; to drills training connection to the waist and hips allowing for power from the ground; to not bothering with drills and training within the application; to analyzing the situation, examining the physical laws in play, and the biomechanical responses involved therein.
Such a vastly varied and wonderfully colourful approach reached into the core of me and gave me a shake up!
Where once I was dealing with potentially 2 entries in chi sao and one or two responses, I'm now endowed with any number of potential ideas that previously I couldn't even picture, let along apply. And strangely they're physically easier to execute than many of my previous attempts.

I've spent so much time working on my Bong Sao that I've neglected some super-effective and ridiculously fun hands such as Laan Sao, Jut Sao and Wu Sao (forgive the spelling, I'll get better as I learn more).
And now, after such a short time, I'm pulling them out in chi sao. This is a huge step for me.
I haven't had the confidence to push my learning curve.
Now I'm inspired!
And I'm going to Keep On Pushin'. As I get better so will my training partners, and as they excel, so will I.
It's a beautiful relationship we're building here.


*edited 12/01/16