I thought it was just a cramp, but now I'm pretty sure I've pulled something in my calf. Ow.
The cramp started last week & felt like a little knot in the center of my calf, stretching seemed to work it out & I rested it all weekend. So no problems until the warmup jog in class tonight, suddenly the knot is back & it's really aching, then we start bounding up on our toes and I realize I cannot bound up on the sore leg, and forget about lifting the knees up while I run. I hung through the rest of class but no jump kicks or low stances, and my forms were all lame, clumping around on a stiff leg like Frankenstein's monster.
Tournament's in two weeks. Dammit dammit dammit.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Tournament Season
Now that the trees have finished blooming and allergy season is just about finished, tournament season is rearing its head. The New England Open wrapped up yesterday in Marlborough,MA , and I'll try to post some info on it as soon as I hear some.
Jow Ga Kung Fu is holding its second annual 5 Tigers tournament in 2 weeks (June 4). I plan to be at this one. Not only is it past time for a road trip -- it's been a long winter -- but the organizers have added a fighting division called Forms Application. I'm not sure exactly how they're going to pull this one off, but that's why I'm going: to see if the division will work. Some folks scoffed when the new division was mentioned but it was created specifically to address online arguments that "no one fights with their style anymore," meaning sparring matches have degenerated into simple kick & punch methods due to rules + (assumed) lack of skill. The division is only for advanced practitioners and I am far from that, so I will watch instead and weigh the opinions afterward.
Sifu Nick Scrima hosts the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship, this year scheduled for July 4 at Orlando's Gaylord Palms (stop snickering, it's a nice place).
More stuff on tap, this is just off the top of my head. I'll update further in the days to come.
Jow Ga Kung Fu is holding its second annual 5 Tigers tournament in 2 weeks (June 4). I plan to be at this one. Not only is it past time for a road trip -- it's been a long winter -- but the organizers have added a fighting division called Forms Application. I'm not sure exactly how they're going to pull this one off, but that's why I'm going: to see if the division will work. Some folks scoffed when the new division was mentioned but it was created specifically to address online arguments that "no one fights with their style anymore," meaning sparring matches have degenerated into simple kick & punch methods due to rules + (assumed) lack of skill. The division is only for advanced practitioners and I am far from that, so I will watch instead and weigh the opinions afterward.
Sifu Nick Scrima hosts the International Chinese Martial Arts Championship, this year scheduled for July 4 at Orlando's Gaylord Palms (stop snickering, it's a nice place).
More stuff on tap, this is just off the top of my head. I'll update further in the days to come.
On Links
I added a few links to sites I visit on a somewhat regular basis.
Dragon's List is populated with some of the most experienced, most polite fu-forum denizens in the known universe. The regulars are almost all kung-fu teachers or advanced students, and they really are interested in talking about the arts. They dispatch trolls with a much gentler hand than the testosterone-overloaded teenagers over at Bullshido, but still answer newbies' questions politely. A very nice starting-out point for those who want to know more about martial arts but are afraid to ask.
Kung Fu Magazine's online forum is probably the most popular Chinese martial arts (CMA) message board out there. Their server used to bog like crazy but they've upgraded quite a bit. The boards sometimes turn into jock-happy locker rooms but if you're looking for an opinion on something -- anything -- you'll get one. More than one, actually.
If you know nothing about kung fu but want to learn, Selini 108 is an online repository of CMA basics, including videos of hand & weapon forms. You have to register to access most material, but it's worth it.
Boston Wah Lum is where I train. Why they put up with me, I don't know...
West Coast fu fans can check out Fu-Ragz, a nice little forum that's always looking for new members. (East Coast fu fans can check them out too.)
Lineage researchers (a relatively new hobby among CMA'ists) should visit The Mantis Cave at least once to check out Sifu Dopazo's extensive listing of family lineage in the mantis arts. In fact, anyone who's trying to start an argument about whose mantis came from where should go here first before spouting off and looking like a fool.
An alphabetical listing of just about every Hong Kong-produced martial arts film in existence? Yes Virginia, there is just such a place. The Martial Artist's Guide to Hong Kong Films describes and reviews hundreds of fu flicks and is constantly adding more.
OMG these swords are nice.
Like it or not, contemporary wushu is here to stay. Raffi's Wushu Page (yeah it's officially "beijingwushuteam.com") but it will always be Raffi's page in my heart) is very complete, very knowledgeable, keeps the national team scores updated and provides regular in-person updates on Jet Li's alma mater, the Beijing Wushu Team. The site owner travels to China regularly to train there, plus he's an enthusiastic supporter of wushu, and if you want the latest updates on the swirl of politics around this sport that's struggling to get into the Olympics, the site message boards are pretty lively.
Uechi-Ryu karate is an art well worth checking out. This system practically dominated the New England martial arts for many years and is still turning out good fighters.
I just really like FightingArts.com. Its focus is Japanese & Okinawan arts, but the contributors to this online magazine are pretty well-rounded. A large forum and frequent content updates make this a winner.
Enjoy.
Dragon's List is populated with some of the most experienced, most polite fu-forum denizens in the known universe. The regulars are almost all kung-fu teachers or advanced students, and they really are interested in talking about the arts. They dispatch trolls with a much gentler hand than the testosterone-overloaded teenagers over at Bullshido, but still answer newbies' questions politely. A very nice starting-out point for those who want to know more about martial arts but are afraid to ask.
Kung Fu Magazine's online forum is probably the most popular Chinese martial arts (CMA) message board out there. Their server used to bog like crazy but they've upgraded quite a bit. The boards sometimes turn into jock-happy locker rooms but if you're looking for an opinion on something -- anything -- you'll get one. More than one, actually.
If you know nothing about kung fu but want to learn, Selini 108 is an online repository of CMA basics, including videos of hand & weapon forms. You have to register to access most material, but it's worth it.
Boston Wah Lum is where I train. Why they put up with me, I don't know...
West Coast fu fans can check out Fu-Ragz, a nice little forum that's always looking for new members. (East Coast fu fans can check them out too.)
Lineage researchers (a relatively new hobby among CMA'ists) should visit The Mantis Cave at least once to check out Sifu Dopazo's extensive listing of family lineage in the mantis arts. In fact, anyone who's trying to start an argument about whose mantis came from where should go here first before spouting off and looking like a fool.
An alphabetical listing of just about every Hong Kong-produced martial arts film in existence? Yes Virginia, there is just such a place. The Martial Artist's Guide to Hong Kong Films describes and reviews hundreds of fu flicks and is constantly adding more.
OMG these swords are nice.
Like it or not, contemporary wushu is here to stay. Raffi's Wushu Page (yeah it's officially "beijingwushuteam.com") but it will always be Raffi's page in my heart) is very complete, very knowledgeable, keeps the national team scores updated and provides regular in-person updates on Jet Li's alma mater, the Beijing Wushu Team. The site owner travels to China regularly to train there, plus he's an enthusiastic supporter of wushu, and if you want the latest updates on the swirl of politics around this sport that's struggling to get into the Olympics, the site message boards are pretty lively.
Uechi-Ryu karate is an art well worth checking out. This system practically dominated the New England martial arts for many years and is still turning out good fighters.
I just really like FightingArts.com. Its focus is Japanese & Okinawan arts, but the contributors to this online magazine are pretty well-rounded. A large forum and frequent content updates make this a winner.
Enjoy.
Welcome
Hello, my name is jutsow, and I am a kung fu addict.
Not a kung-fu movies addict (although I spend a bit too much money on those too), a real, flesh-and-blood, jump-around-and-kick-things kung fu addict.
Because of my age and general lack of athletic ability, kung-fu is perhaps not the best choice of workout. But I still do it, have been practicing it for just over 6 years now, and have not broken any major bones in the practice of it. A few minor bones, maybe, but that's about it. Watching kung-fu movies would probably be far healthier for me, but if humans always did what was healthy for them, we'd all look like California beach models. Things would go to hell in a handbasket real fast, with everyone arguing about whose hair is blonder, Brittany's or Tiffany's. So I do kung fu instead, and the balance of the universe is maintained.
At any rate, this blog is largely a personal record, there's not much structure to it, I'm just keeping track of some training notes and maybe report on a few tournaments and, if my madd web-fu skillz get a bit stronger, I'll add some pictures that can hopefully illustrate some points. So enjoy, or don't. Whatever. Welcome.
Not a kung-fu movies addict (although I spend a bit too much money on those too), a real, flesh-and-blood, jump-around-and-kick-things kung fu addict.
Because of my age and general lack of athletic ability, kung-fu is perhaps not the best choice of workout. But I still do it, have been practicing it for just over 6 years now, and have not broken any major bones in the practice of it. A few minor bones, maybe, but that's about it. Watching kung-fu movies would probably be far healthier for me, but if humans always did what was healthy for them, we'd all look like California beach models. Things would go to hell in a handbasket real fast, with everyone arguing about whose hair is blonder, Brittany's or Tiffany's. So I do kung fu instead, and the balance of the universe is maintained.
At any rate, this blog is largely a personal record, there's not much structure to it, I'm just keeping track of some training notes and maybe report on a few tournaments and, if my madd web-fu skillz get a bit stronger, I'll add some pictures that can hopefully illustrate some points. So enjoy, or don't. Whatever. Welcome.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
