Challenge 2

Well, in answer to Sifu’s challenge, I am blogging today about my experience of performing my form in front of someone not within the I Ho Chuan group, and receiving feedback.

My options are pretty limited.  Aside from a couple of equipment operators, the odd time a heavy equipment mechanic, and my dual personality, there really is very limited persons to complete this task.  Since I don’t like my alternative personality (always eats my snack food) I was stuck with the equipment operators.

So, me in cover alls, steel toe boots, hard hat and safety glasses completed Kempo on a very lumpy dirt site.  And from his perch on the D6, taking a deep long drag from a cigarette offered no criticism of sorts, just a simple question.  Where do you think your gonna use that?

Aha, he had opened up the opportunity!  No, not the opportunity to knock him off the dozer track with a flying kick, but rather the chance to explain how forms are instrumental in the practice of our style of Kung Fu. This led to a very good conversation regarding the martial arts with a person I originally pegged as having little to no interest in any activity whatsoever.

This was challenging because it forced me out of my comfort zone entirely.  It forced me away from being a closet martial artist.  Truth is, how can you make an impact, be an activist for anything, or influence somebody if you lack the confidence to just get out there and do it.