Quick weekend report

Saturday


In the morning, I did some sparring training with Gram. We worked dodges, stances, and when someone rushes us with punches we practice moving instead of standing there with our guard up and panic. I can feel I will get stronger training with him. 

At 10am i went into town with Gram, Andres, Mark, Matt, Danny, and Aldo. First taxi ride with only WING CHUN guys. Thought that was funny. We went to the book store then Gram, Aldo, Mat, and Andres went to do their own shopping, while i went with Mark and Danny to the tattoo shop because Mark wanted a tattoo. Mark wanted a tiger on his side so i wanted to go with to check out the place since i am thinking about a tattoo also. The place was really nice, the tattoo artist had a lot of pictures of him Tattooing Foreigners and other pictures with cool designs. I even saw Rorey in one of the pictures. Mark has about 6 other tattos so this wasn't his first time. Mark is about 38, or 39, from Germany, and is leaving the academy in a few days so he wanted a tattoo. I realized age has no meaning here at the academy, i have so many older friends who feel like they are the same age as me. I am the youngest in my Wing chun class. Everyone is in there 20's or older. It is strange but at the same time cool. 


After the tattoo i went shopping at Walmart with Mark and Danny. And then Danny and I met up with Kjitel, Kyle, and Thomas and went to the bath house to sleep. 


In the morning we went to get some breakfast at a noodle shop i have been dying to go to and picked up my Kung Fu jacket at the tailors. Kjetil wanted to buy some stuff at the grocery store so we stopped there then headed back to the academy.


It was Sunday afternoon when we got back so I did some laundry, cleaned my room, and relaxed to get ready for monday.




Goodnight.


-scott

Snake Style Kung Fu.... Jump really high... then run away from the snake?

(Oops   I forgot to post this.  Editor)

Thursday   November 18 Day of the Snake

Morning class was curcit training. I was very sore from POWER TRAINING, but i like curcit training.

During warm ups we had to do the splits. Master Gou wasn't in the room when we did the splits so I Faced Kjetil and had my left leg forward, he put his left leg forward to me and we would pull each others leg tll we said 'stop'. It was a great stretch. we also did the same thing for the other leg. When we did the middle splits i put my leg behind his and he was able to reach it and pull and i would pull his. We invented...a new way to feel pain. 

After lunch and break we had to do the run. While i was running I saw a snake. I told Kjetil, "Snake." And pointed. Rob came running behind us. Saw me pointing, looked at the snake, and Rob jumped 100 feet in the air and screamed. It was hilarious. That is how we found out Rob didn't like snakes. The sad thing was the snake was already dead, got ran over.  

Afternoon class was san da. I enjoy San Da. Hitting the bags are also fun. I paired up with Matt and we trained  pretty hard. I would try to punch him and he would have to duck and hit the bag, kick, etc. Then we would swap. Shifu came out told us to hit with our hips, "More power!" 

At dinner i saw the  little French boy again. Brought my phone so he could play. He leaves saturday and he asked me if i can go to his birthday party. He lives in Xin Yu down by Hong Kong. I told him, "My master wouldnt like me missing training, so i cant make it but thank you for the invite." He looked so sad. Then he said, "Tell him you are sick!" I laughed, "I still have to train even if i am sick." I felt bad because he looked crushed. But luckily the game put him in a good mood again.

Mountain run tomorrow.

Goodnight.

Scott

Friday my first Time in the ring.

Friday


This morning everyone found out there was sparring after first class.


I want to sparr but I figured I'd train a bit more so I can well my first time. After we did drills we went to help set up the sparring equipment.


A few guys from my class were sparring today, Gram, Matt, and Luigi.  I was shocked. Wing Chun doesnt sparr a lot because the sparring is san da. The other classes do san da everyday! Matt went to sparr first. Within 30 seconds, he does a back hand spin move and hit his opponent with his elbow instead of his fist! He split the other guys eyebrow so deep he was bleeding a lot. The guy went to the hospital to get stitches. Then a few other guys like Kyle sparred, they all did well.


While I was watching, one of the translators came over and said, "Master Gou wants to know if you will sparr another student from another class?" Crap...the master asked me to spar...I can't say no. I wanted a few more weeks to train more but I didn't want to seem scared to the master. I said, "Ok who?" His name is Mike. He is in the Shaolon Class. About 27 years old, from Liverpool, a little taller than me but his Arms were 3 times bigger than mine...crap. I said, "Alright, time to play." 

I got my gear on a few guys gave me some last minute tips and we went in. First round was three minutes. I told myself, "Dont get knocked out, dont get taken down, and hit him a few times." It was my first time in the ring and it was his first as well. 3 MINUTES NEVER FELT SO LONG IN MY LIFE. 

I hit him a few good times, got some good dodges, he hit me a few times as well but there wasnt much power so i didnt get phased. When the round was over, everyone was shocked. They said i was doing really well. Master Gou said I am doing well and I should throw more straight punches. 

Round two went, it was the final round. Got a few more punches in and when it was over i was a bit sad. I was having fun. My lip was cut a bit, nose bled a little, but i didnt get taken down, didnt get knocked out, and by what everyone told me i got a lot of good hits on him. What better way to learn how to sparr than to go up against someone older, twice my weight, and buff? i cant think of anything. I have a few things to work on like better technique and stances but i had fun. When I went to sit down Sam took some pictures for me. He told me that the guy I fought did a lot of street fighting back in Liverpool and he told me that I did well against him. Gram even told me I did well and he said that 

i sure can take a punch and keep going. He wanted to improve some of his sparring techniques and i want to practice so he said we should practice in the ring during our breaks more. I agreed. Master gou told me a good way to learn how to sparr is by doing it. So i can learn from this experience then do better next time. 


Lunch was good. I was really hungry. We have the mountain run after and i am so tired.




I only did the bear crawl 6 times. my body was sore, I was pretty tired, so Matt and I headed back home.




Before dinner sam wanted to shave his head. I got to help! when I was shaving his head I was kind of worried that I might cut him so I was going a bit slow. Chris the viking came in and said shave it all off at once. I gave chris the clippers with relief. When I saw Chris quickly shaving Sam, I  told chris "Wow you're good at shaving." Chris said, "Its not difficult. My parents own sheep." he was joking, but it was pretty funny.


Then I went next door and had dinner with Danny, Sam, Biron, and Ash. 


Went back home to get an early sleep.


hello weekend!


-Scott

Happy Birthday Swan

Wednsday

Today is power training.

Morning class was pretty easy since we have Power TRAINING next. i learned the another move for my second form. I have ONE move left to learn then i can grade my second form!! 

After lunch it was Power Training. During lunch one of the guys got everyone in the Dining Hall to sing Happy Birthday IN CHINESE to the little boy. The little boy's name is Swan. I dont know how to spell a french name but it sounds like Swan. 

Power training was fun. Did the usual, but this time Master Gou had us do drills across the whole room! We usually only do it half way which is far but he made us add the second half!  He added another drill too. we had to Leap Frog across the whole room and back! There are about 14 of us so thats 14 backs we had to hop over! Then stretching and abs. I didnt have Rodney there competiting against me but Matt looked like he was trying to race me in abs so we raced in abs. 

After i went to the room, showered, and got ready for dinner

I enjoy eating at the little restaurant next door but last night I told the little boy he can play Worms on my phone at dinner! I went downstairs and found him. I told him he can play on my phone till dinner is over. The dad said it wasnt a good idea but since I promised the boy, I told the dad it is ok. 

Sam and I went next door to eat and when we were almost done eating, about 9 people came from the acadamy to eat as well, including Swan and his Dad. The Boy was so shocked to see me, he ran over and started talking about the game. I helped him a bit but he is really good at the game. 

Scott and 8 year old Swan

I guess everyone came next door to celebrate Swan's birthday. Yesterday when I taught him how to play I would say HIGH FIVE every time he killed the enemy worm. So when I was eating and watching him play, he would kill an enemy and say, "HI FIVE Scott!" Cute kid. He makes me miss my little cousins! Swan's dad had to keep telling him to eat his food because all he wanted to do is play the game. When he started eating I took my phone back and told him he can play tomorrow night. I headed back, exhausted from a long hard day, and was ready for bed.

Goodnight.

-Scott

Today the sun was out a little

Tuesday November 16
(Also posted Monday's blog)




Today the sun was out a little. When it rains and storms, the internet connection goes out. That is one reason that I miss a day to post this blog. So if you check and I have not posted a blog, you will know that there is a storm in Yantai China. The other reason that the blog was late this time was that I got a care package from home. More on that later.




Since is was a warm day today, training didnt hurt as much. When we did drills the class split up because some guys were grading today. Today's grading are for people who failed at their Friday grading or are for people who are leaving before next week. Master Gou left about 7 of us to finish the drills and took the others who were grading to review their moves. Orun led one of the line drills and Kjetil led the other. In between reviewing the grading students, Master Gou would call over to us to do a certain drill. Several times Orun would not remember or not know how to do the drill Master wanted us to do. When that happed, I would show Orun how to do it. Then everyone would follow. I thought it was funny how I am pretty new and I am helping one of the older students do the drills. 




Grading was really long today. A lot of people graded Shaolin, Baji, Ti Chi, and wing Chun forms. The Ti Chi forms took FOREVER! There were about 4 guys doing Ti Chi and each one went over 7 minutes. Watching it for 7 minutes isnt hard but they all did the same form! It became predictable and not as exciting! But that wasn't the worse part. They played the same chinese song that lasted about 4 minutes over and over. I think that song is in the movie Kung Fu Panda. The song is ok but when you hear that song play about twice each form it gets really annoying! I can hum the whole 4 minute song right now! 




After grading was lunch and a translator came and told me I have a package. My parents told me to expect a second care package from home.  Last time I got a package from home I just had to go downstairs to the office.  But they said this package was too big for the mailman to bring to the school. I had to get a taxi and go into town. I didnt mind. I was excited to get my goodies from home.




I love roller coaster. I always wished they were longer. My wish came true. Imagine yourself on a roller coaster in the shape of a taxi cab.  On the way to town I felt like I was in a roller coaster for 30 minutes! The car would swerve left, right, go over bumps, go in the oppistite lane towards on coming traffic. My heart skips a beat everytime a car passes us by, missing us by an inch. You would think I'd get used to it by now since I've been to town a few times but i can tell you, i still feel like I will crash. 




Got my package and it was 70 pounds and big! I got it in the taxi and to the school.  But then I had to carry it up 3 flights of stairs to my room! I managed to do it and not fall! More about the care package next blog.  All I will say now is that my parents said that they sent 100 packets of hot cocoa mix and they did.  They sent two boxes of Carnation hot cocoa mix and each box has 50 packets.




On my way to dinner i was playing Worms on my Iphone. When i was in line the little boy came up to me and asked me what I was playing. I explained the game to him and showed him and he asked if he can play. I said ok. Taught him the controls and let him play. When we got to the food he was addicted to the game. I told him when I was about his age my dad taught me how to play the same game. Only way I got my phone back was because his dad gave him a bowl to hold as we went through the food line. After I got my food I went to sit down. When I sat down the little boy followed me and told his dad to sit over here. He asked me if I too was with my dad. I told him no I'm here by myself. Then he told me about his sister who is 11years old made a Coke Rocket (from mentos and diet coke). We talked about how he is turning 8 tomorrow. Then we talked about Santa and how cold it must be where he lives. While we were talking his dad took a couple pics of us laughing and talking. When he finished eating he asked to play the game. I gave him my phone and he played for a bit. He said he will ask Santa for a iphone like mine with all the same apps. Cute kid. Then he said we should make an iphone that has an app where we can put a straw in it and drink Coke. For a 6 year old he can speak english as a second language very well. The dad told him it was time to go but he wanted to stay. My phone was almost dead so the boy gave my phone back and said that I should charge it before it dies! If my phone wasnt dead I am sure I would still be sitting at the dinner table helping him play Worms. 




Tomorrow is Power training day. Going to get some rest to be ready. 




Goodnight.




-Scott

"have you 'conditioned' your abs yet?"

Monday November 15

Today is conditioning day. I have no idea why, but when we were hitting the trees today to condition our hands it hurt 100000 times worse! Not to say that hitting a tree with your bare hand ever felt great but as I get used to the training here, most things get easier.  Joseph said it's the cold weather that makes it hurt more. Great!

After the tree we did the usual "kick each other in the back, legs, shins", the usual. But after Joseph said, "have you conditioned your abs yet?" I said, "No, how do you condition your abs?" They had me squat down in a horse stance and joseph would punch my abs. Then after I got used to the pain he would go harder, then faster, and my abs were on FIRE! After a while I said "stop". I was pretty sore. Who knew that getting punched in the stomach a million times by a kung fu student would hurt?  After a few weeks of this torture (I mean conditioning) and I'll be rock solid. After that, we 'conditioned'  chests. This time Matt and Joseph punched my chest, each taking one peck. I felt so weird. My body was practally vibrating and hurt but it was weird and I couldn't help but laugh. As they went faster, I laughed louder. It was pretty funny. When they stopped my chest was sore and I guess they were confused why was I laughing so hard. I have no idea either. We all took turns then we did our Lateral Muscle. Each guy stood on the side and punched my lats. This hurt the most. I was so sore at the end of class. Maybe training in the winter will make me a lot stronger since everything is a lot more difficult. I never thought of it this way.


A 7 year old boy and his Father joined our academy today. It's the Boys 8th birthday on thursday and his dad took him to train in China for a week. They are from France so the boy speaks english and french. Cute kid. he runs around most of the time during line ups or the morning runs. He has Sam's master as well. Sam tells me he just runs around during class as well and the Master just laughs.


Finished up my laundry today. It didn't fully dry yesterday, I guess it was too cold or nbot sunny enough. Doing laundry during the winter will not be fun...I can tell already. Anybody have any suggestions?


-Goodnight


Scott


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