Fit Not Fat

 

Time can take its toll

 

Right now I am sitting at my laptop, hungry and aching, that’s not as bad as it may sound, I am hungry through my dieting choices and aching due to decades of teaching injuries (that’s injuries ‘through’ teaching, not, ‘teaching injuries’).

 

Through my teaching, I have always tried to get the best out of my students, and if I do not believe they are giving their all, then I encourage them to give it more, and with more power too, and, all usually aimed at me (who said teaching was easy?).

 

The outcome of this would be me getting injured, and all just so I could say to them,

 

“Well done, that’s it!”

 

Over the last thirty years I’ve had dislocated shoulders, whiplash, a damaged back, gouged eyes, pulled muscles galore and MANY broken noses, just to name a few, I once encouraged a student to put such force into sweeping my front foot away that when he did, I fell in such a way that I broke both of my wrists, even as I type this blog I have two broken fingers which, were broken at the start of lockdown, but due to not wanting to go the hospital, have now set in unusual ways, causing constant tweaks and weakness in my punches and Laps.

Althoughxhx hikpfilly youu canotttt tellk with mt tyoping.  🙂

 

It has all been worth it though when I look at the amazing results through my students, both in my school in Leeds, our dozens of affiliated schools here, there and everywhere, and of course, everyone here at WingChun.Online

The funny thing is that when you are young, you feel invincible and have amazing abilities, constantly bouncing back as though made of rubber.

When I was in my twenties I could jump six feet in the air from a standing position and execute a perfect side kick, I could benchpress 100kg, had a six pack, and ran LOADS of half marathons ( later running the London marathon too).

 

Wing Chun has helped me to keep relatively fit

(although I did lose the flying kicks).

 

During this Covid outbreak however, I (as many of us did), allowed myself to get a little lazy, I still trained my Forms, AND gave 250+ livestream classes but having no contact with Chi Sau or sparring, allowed me to discover a new enemy, Ice cream, (which is why I am now on a diet).

 

Evil

(But SO delicious) 

Photo by Irene Kredenets

 

Now I AM NOT saying that you need Chi Sau and sparring in order to keep fit, what I am saying is that, as this was my main area of fitness training (not really even walking the dog), when it stopped, so did my exercise, and this is not good.

 

My Sifu, GM Ip Chun says:

 

“You do not stop Wing Chun because you got old,

You got old because you stopped Wing Chun”

 

Wing Chun is SO good for your health, but we also need to take on board a little extra exercise, Master Ip Chun for instance has always been a good walker, and it is this balance between, Wing Chun training and daily exercise, which has kept him in such good health, for the last 98 years at least!

 

So be good to yourself, have your treats yes, but keep exercising too.

 

Happy training everyone!

(and watch out for that evil ice cream…)