morgothan’s kung fu repository

I was recently given the opportunity to spend a year in Germany for work. Nothing is set in stone as of yet, but there is a good chance starting January of next year I will be in Germany, and consequently unable to continue my training at China Hand Kung Fu Academy. Because of this Sifu has decided that I “need” to get my black sash prior to me leaving in January. This means that I need to focus entirely on my training, and get ready for the tests. I say tests because although I am most proficient in Shaolin Sifu wants me to test in Shaolin, Hsing Yi, and Pa Kua. This may prove to be one of the most difficult things I will have done at the school. I am confident that I can test for my Black Sash in Shaolin, but I am still a little shaky on Ba Sil, and Ja Sil, from Hsing Yi, and as for Pa Kua, we ll I am shaky on pretty much the entire system. So I will need to focus on them, but I can not let my Shaolin suffer for it. This will be an intense couple of months. My current plan of attack, is to focus entirely on Shaolin in September, and test at the end of the month for my Black Sash, Then Hsing Yi in October, and finally Pa Kua in December. Hopefully I can clean up each system in only a months time. What ever happens this should be an entertaining couple of months.

Yesterday for reason I would rather not get into, I needed a release. I needed to feel. Yesterday also happened to be the last day Shane was going to be at the kwoon before he goes back to college. The two events made it abundantly clear that our fates where to be intertwined. I asked him if he wanted to spar, and I ask one of my instructor to ref the fight. Since Shane didnt have his cup with him, I elected not to throw any kicks, to simply work on hand techniques. The fight was good, it was exactly what I needed, I was able to work out a lot of stress, and I even got thrown to the ground once, giving me the pain or getting hit that I wanted. After about 45 minutes of the sparring session, my left glove ripped from a strong strike to Shane’s cage. This singles the end of the fight. After cleaning up from that, Shane and I did some two person sit ups, passing the bricks back and forth between the two of us. This laster till the end of the intermediate class. The beginner class was about to start, and I still felt like I needed to hurt. I asked Sifu if it was ok to work out the class extra hard, which he of coarse said it was. We also had a new student, which made it all the better. I started out with something simple, horse stance exercise, for about 15 minutes. Then onto 5 minutes of nonstop burpies, then 5 minutes Helen Kellers, Then some stretching, then 5 minutes of sit ups, and ended with kicking drills for everyone. So today my body hurts. I jambed my thumb, my knuckles are cut up, my abs are sore, and my legs are tiered. Yet I still feel like I didnt push myself as hard as I should have. My body needs to be punished. Maybe on thursday when I go to Krav Maga with Tim I will finally get the abuse I deserve.

So as you all know I am in the middle of Dragon Phoenix. The hardest and most complicated form in the entire shaolin curriculum. This week due to unforeseen circumstances I was unable to attend class, and this week coming up I will be in Egypt for work. So in the middle of the form I am forced to take a two week break from training at the kwoon. Well I guess I will just have to kick it into overdrive when I get back if I want to finish this form by the end of the summer.

Since the death of Sensei Rosenthal, I have been thinking a lot about how short and precious life really is. This though process has me thinking about my own mortality, and what will be left behind when I die. Granted I am still a young man at this point, but I know that at some point I will not be. It is because of this that I have decided to make a list of all the things I want to do in my lifetime. Right now it is rather short, only about two dozen or so things, but it will grow as I think of more things I want to do. I will update the list whenever I accomplish anything listed, or figure out something else I need to do. The list encompasses all facets of my life, from my martial arts training, to my personal life.

Last night March 24th 2008. Sensei Kris Rosenthal, my Judo Instructor passed away while teaching Judo class. This is a great loss to not only his family and students, but to the entire martial arts community. Sensei Rosenthal was a good man, and a great instructor. He always pushed you do more then you thought you could. He will be missed a great deal.

UPDATE 25 March 2008:
The Asbury Park Press website has his obituary, and information regarding the funeral and viewing.
Kris Rosenthal’s Obituary