morgothan’s kung fu repository

Last week I had mentioned something in passing to one of the schools more overzealous students. Something about how everything comes from your core, and if you don’t have strong abs, you will never really be a great fighter. He proceeded to ask me for some exercises to work his core and his abs at home. I game him a few that I like, and a few that I hate, but that are really good for you. I also told him that if he wants next class I can abuse the hell out of them, and spend a good portion of the class doing core, abdominal, leg, and arm workouts. Not thinking much about this, as most students will take this advice, and either not show up next class, or just keep there mouth shut. He however, did not. He decided to remind me that I would abuse the hell out of them. So while the class warmed up, I set up a small circuit of dips, burpies, crunches, push ups, etc. Something different for everyone, so that no two people where doing the same exercise at the same time. Now being the benevolent instructor that I am, I will NOT ask my students to do anything that I myself am not willing to do. So I jumped in the circuit with them. Two minutes at a station, as much as you can do. 15 second break to switch stations, rinse repeat. After only two full runs through the circuit the whole class was dying. So I said on two runs is good. Take a quick break, then lets hit the ground running on springing leg. I proceed to do the 10 lines that they know with them, making them hold in the right spots, and get a good leg work out wherever I could force it on them. By the end of 1 run through of the first 10 lines One of my students went to the bathroom where I suspect he threw up. He wouldn’t admit it, but he was definitely not all together after it. I had him sit out while I worked with the rest of the class, on teaching them line 11. With only like 5 minutes in class the student who sat out came back into class, to finish the class. I was actually proud that he could muster it up to finish the class.

As for myself. I worked out harder and longer then I have in a long time. The advanced and intermediate classes before the beginner class tired me out to begin with, so by the time I ran the circuit, and pushed myself and the class with springing leg, my body was ready to fall apart. Even as I write this, my shoulders are sore, my abs are still clenching, my legs feel like jello, my arms feel like they are made out of lead, and I couldn’t be happier.