Intent can be fluid, But [in a form] technique needs to be consistent. This is an idea from Sifu Brinker in our last one-on-one that I want to explore further in a blog. It has made me think about why we insist such specificity when we are teaching forms, and how it is the complete opposite of why I thought we did it before. I used to think we were trying to paint a very clear picture of intent, the more detail we described, the more likely someone would understand, the more effective the technique would become, clarifying the intent to such a degree that there is no doubt in how the body shou ..read more

Forms and the intent behind them can be confusing. We have hard forms and soft forms. We have external forms and internal forms. Where most of the confusion comes into play is with students’ tendency to associate hard with external and soft with internal. Two prominent forms where this confusion is displayed are 18 Temple Motions and Tai Chi. Both forms are soft forms and are performed relatively slowly when compared to hard forms. This similarity is what drives the confusion. What students forget to consider is that despite both forms being taught in the same school, they are from different ..read more

Excerpts from previous writings by Sifu Jeff Brinker Mastery vs. Memorization Kung fu is an art, it is not a science. As such we must value mastery over memorization. A person who memorizes an application may understand and be able to demonstrate the application but unless they have mastered it, they will not be able to apply the application with realism in a dynamic situation. The key to mastery is mindful, repetitive practice of what has been memorized. The Four Phases of Technique Mastery Form Speed and Power Accuracy Realism What is a Black Belt? In the martial arts, the rank ..read more

Excerpts from previous writings by Sifu Jeff Brinker Style/Form vs. Function/Application With many styles becoming extinct and being replaced with mixed martial arts - a styleless hodge podge of techniques and applications - it is important to acknowledge the value of a complete style. An education without mastery of a complete style is rife with holes. The constant quest to shore up those holes with more disconnected knowledge only exasperates the problem. A complete style has no holes, only weaknesses. Once a style has been mastered, extra curricular study applied to the base style will exp ..read more

Excerpts from previous writings by Sifu Jeff Brinker Style/Form vs. Function/Application With many styles becoming extinct and being replaced with mixed martial arts - a styleless hodge podge of techniques and applications - it is important to acknowledge the value of a complete style. An education without mastery of a complete style is rife with holes. The constant quest to shore up those holes with more disconnected knowledge only exasperates the problem. A complete style has no holes, only weaknesses. Once a style has been mastered, extra curricular study applied to the base style will exp ..read more

Yesterday I had a friend reach out to me about how they feel they need more work-life balance.  Specifically, working less, to make room for the things in her life that are more meaningful.  I equated it to our mastery-mediocrity cycle.  I told her that there are going to be times that we have achieved that balance.  Everything is in alignment.  The angels are singing, and life is good.  However, like mastery, mediocrity creeps in. We'll have periods where we have it all figured out, but I told her that there is going to be a lot of time spent where only one thin ..read more

This past week doing the AOK challenge has made me realize something very important about how I carry out this requirement. Some of the prompts were no brainers, holding the door for someone, telling a joke, sharing something with a friend. These are things that I would normally do even if it wasn't an I Ho Chaun requirement. Then there are some that require almost the same "level" of energy, complimenting a stranger, let someone else in front of you in line, clean up a mess that isn't yours. These are things that I try to do as often as the opportunity arises, and I definitely notice it as a ..read more

Saturday’s banquet was a great way to bring in the lunar new year. I hope everyone is able to take advantage of all the opportunities  the  Year of the Dragon affords. The production of this year’s banquet was truly the result of teamwork. From the dedication of our dragon and lion dancers to the hard work of our I Ho Chuan team — teamwork created one of the best banquets we have ever produced.  Special recognition must go out to our masters of ceremony, Sihing Sharida Csillag and Sihing Kayley Burke, for keeping the program running smoothly and efficiently. I would also be rem ..read more

In an effort to show our students how even the smallest acts of kindness can incite positive change, we have created a school wide challenge as part of National Acts of Kindness Week taking place this year from Sunday February 11 to Saturday February 17. Although most of us already practice acts of kindness, we tend to do them unconsciously and attribute them to good manners. By mindfully recording our daily acts of kindness we become more aware of the impact we are having on others and also more aware of the opportunities we might be missing. To help us be more mindful of our Acts of Kindnes ..read more

We are very excited to announce this years online Silent Auction! Every year, as part of our Chinese New Year celebration, we organize a silent auction to raise awareness and support for various charities through the Silent River Benevolent Foundation where every penny raised goes directly to our charities. When is it? The online auction will go live on Saturday February 3 at 7:00am and will close on Sunday February 11 at 11:00am. How do I participate? You can access the online auction using the following link or QR code (see below). Please note that all participants will be required to regis ..read more