A challenge to all Phase 1 & Phase 2 students

[humbletiger]

Hello all,

Si Hing James here. I would like to challenge all phase 1 & phase 2 students to commit themselves to taking a beginner level class at least 1-2 times a week. I can't say it enough. The basic skills you learn from white to green sash are critical in becoming a great martial artist. If you train the basic blocks, stances, hand skills, kicking skills and forms you will see your intermediate and advanced level skills begin to elevate. Do not take these basic skills for granted. All intermediate and advanced skills and forms are born from the basic curriculum. If you give the curriculum from white to green sash the proper attention it deserves your understanding and your demonstration level of these skills will be so much more advanced then if you merely ignore them and only practice every once in a while. Remember these are life skills your learning "that may one day protect your life" so if you practice half heartedly then that is the way you will most likely execute when and if the moment of truth ever arises. Our society today is very unpredictable so you never know when someone will try to mug you, or attack you so the better prepared you are physically and mentally the better the chances are you'll never see those situations manifest, also if those situations do happen you'll have a better chance to endure and prevail through it.

I apologize for the post being a "tad" long winded , but as a Black Sash Instructor/ Si Hing / and friend to all in our school i feel it is my duty to relay this to all of you. Being a Si hing of our school a couple of the requirements Sifu has created for that title are caring and service. I always strive to make each and every one of you from the Black sashes like Si hing Jason and Sijieh Evita to white sashes like Jacquelyn LeSage and Perry Smith and all students of all levels in between to be better both mentally and physically then i am. I believe that in doing so i am being exactly what Sifu envisioned a Si Hing or SiJieh should be.

Thanks for your time and your attention,
With Love and Respect,
Si Hing James

[SiDaiGranolaGuy]

Let’s make it real, Si Hing James. September 2004. Zach starts 3rd grade. Being a big kid, the 5th graders thought Zach was one of them, just a bit immature (Well, he was 2 years younger than them.) and, therefore, easy prey. For 3 days at recess four 5th graders teased and harassed him, and Zach followed Rule #1 each time: Run away. On the 4th day, they chased Zach onto the school’s playground and two of the kids trapped him on the playground’s bridge. They started pushing him back and forth between them, and he had nowhere to run. All I can say is the 2 kids never saw it coming, and afterwards, they never bothered Zach again.

I know I told this story before but Si Hing James is right. Study hard and practice the basics. They saved Zach. They will save you, too.

[SifuDale]

Hey Steve,

I hope things are going well for you and Zach. I really enjoy your postings. We must also remember that although we train in Kung Fu to prepare for the fight we hope to never get into, our training also helps us train for something even harder, and that is Life. My kung fu training has brought confidence, a sense of self-value and worth, a positive outlook on life, and strong relationships with friends and students. Training in the basics of Kung Fu also works on your basics in life. By seeing our physical limitations, and work to overcome them, helps us see our internal limitations and work to overcome them. Life is always a process of learning and re-learning. The basics will always bring us back to center.

Sifu