Keep Learning

I've had some recall this week watching the black belt candidates practicing for their test. What an intense time that was in my life. The whole thing seems surreal after the fact. Although there are a lot of great memories associated with that time, there was also some major upheavals too. I think the only thing I would change about the whole thing is my age. I wish I was as smart as some of the young people in our school. At their ages I was in a whole different frame of mind. Too busy trying to make a living with no balance to it.
The ubbt has taught me to put more balance in my life. I'm still trying to find out how to handle myself in the big picture, but it keeps my life interesting.I suppose if you think you have all the answers you would stop trying. So on I go ...

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain, Alberta Canada

Control

I had a lesson on "Control" this Friday at black belt class. Without it you can end up hurting someone else or yourself. But to learn it you must practice it. This was my down fall at class. Over the years I have lost my nerve to do break-falls associated with throws. So last class I swallowed my fear and was ready to give it a go. I started out by doing a counter to a take down by throwing my partner over my head, I did this twice without complete success. After my third try my partner got up and held up her hands to indicate she had had enough. So much for trust and control, I had lost them both in a matter of minutes. It goes without saying that I spent the rest of the class trying to watch others preform the move. I never did get to work up the nerve to be the one being thrown.
Well its back to the basics for me and I know the next time "grab a partner" is called out that person will be looking for anyone else but me.
Sorry Sifu, I will try harder next time.

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain Alberta

Starting over

Now that we are into fall everyone in my house hold is settling into their winter routine . It feels great to get back to the gym and working out on some of the equipment and using the track. It"s so easy for me to fall out of my fitness goals when things change at home, like all the kids home for the summer. I do love them home but it's also nice to have some time to myself. With the help of Sifu Brinker I have decided to take the challenge of the UBBT 7. I am in the process of setting out some goals for myself. I hope to overcome some of the things that I had trouble with this time and come out better in the end. A year is a long time . Here"s to a new challenge.

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu, Stony Plain

Do it again?

We were asked last black belt class if we would be doing UBBT #7 Live like a champion and I have been thinking about it ever since. I guess my biggest hesitation would be that I wasn't able to complete some of my UBBT # 6 requirements the way I would have liked to. My numbers for push ups and well just about all my reps. are not on track. But then I look at my personal growth and I know I'm further ahead than I ever imagined I could be. My acts of kindness have made me super aware of how I treat the people in my life and those who I meet day to day. Just saying I am a student member of the UBBT has made me stand taller and carry myself with more awareness. On the other hand the weight I lost at the beginning of the year is mostly history, and I'm back to that battle again. But the Martial arts has defined my life. I know where I stand in the big picture. I will never have the body of a 21 year old, but I can keep moving and striving for the best I can be at the age I am at. So I guess I would grade myself with a good mark over all and if I do it again my goals may be more about what's inside than out. I am definitely leaning to the next UBBT challenge .

Linda Shipalesky
Silent River Kung Fu
Stony Plain Alberta