WE ARE MOVING!!!

Hello everyone!  I am writing this to inform you that as of today, I am moving 'Journey of the Pookysan' to Wordpress.  The new address of this blog will be:

pookysanjourney.wordpress.com

There are many great features of this site, but a few that I like are:

1. Email Notifications of Posts: this allows people to follow the blog without becoming a member of Wordpress.  After signing up on the right side of the page, you will get an email with new posts, pictures, and video when they are posted.  I think this is GREAT!!

2. Great mobile support!!  You can now keep up to date of all of the fun on your mobile device in a format that does not hurt your eyes!  Take a look at the blog on your phone or iPad and you will be pleased at what you see.  I know I was.

Anyway, take a look and be sure to sign up for Email Notifications on the right side of the page.  Be on the look out for new post, videos, pictures, and more fun to come!!

Push Hands

Tonight in Tai Chi class we worked onPush Hand techniques.  I like working on these skills for many reasons.  For one, you get to work with a partner.  Sometimes you just need to compare your skills to others in order to understand what you have to work on.  We practiced something called "Sticky Hands". It is a technique that makes you listen and feel your partner's movements.  This is an interesting exercise because it really forces you to have a connection with your partner in order to follow their movements without any tension.  It is easy with some and hard with others.  I had one person today just fight the technique the entire time we worked together.  I am not really sure why, but you could certainly feel it in his energy.  The last thing we did in class was apparently a light form of Push Hands called Chun Yi (spelling optional).  This is where you try to knock your partner off balance while you face each other in the forward bow stance.  I had two partners with this.  One was a guy in his 20's that gave me a run for my money.  I had to resort to pulling him off balance, which I am not sure was what I was suppose to do, but worked non-the-less.  If I was not suppose to do this, I apologize now.  However, I will take Age and Treachery over Youth and Skill any day.

The last partner I had was our own Boot Camp Buddy Diane.  Unfortunately Diane and I were not an equal match.  She did get me off balance once or twice while we tried to find our rhythm, but I am afraid I won the round by pushing her to the ground.  Now she says that I pushed her launched her across the room, but that is not entirely true.  I just pushed her enough that it was hard for her to catch her balance.  On a good note, she fell well, which is something not everyone can do without injury.  Anyway, I know my days are numbered.  Diane will get me back eventually.  I will just have to make sure that it isn't any time soon. :oP

Catching Up

Well I have been away from the blog for a bit.  Things have been a bit crazy.  Since I have been gone I have had a birthday, went through my second Father's Day, and have made the leap to Black Shirt at The Peaceful Dragon.

My birthday was great, but low key.  It was on a Tuesday so I had to go to Boot Camp.  I chose to help paint the inside great room instead of going outside and sweating in the summer humidity.  Or go head first down the side of the embankment again.  Long story, but for those who were not there to see it first hand; I was running after a kick ball in order to catch it before it entered the ditch, but suddenly realized that the edge of the ditch went straight down rather than tapering off at a slight angle.  Needless to say I was picking blackberry thorns out of my butt that night for a while.

Anyway,  Nanna came down last weekend to celebrate my birthday/Father's Day.  It was a great time watching the baby boy play with the Nanna.  He is so rat blasted cute, it isn't even funny.  I want to thank everyone who contributed to my birthday/Father's Day.  I pre-ordered my new iPhone 4 the day after my birthday (June 16), but then was told that I would receive it until JULY 15-19 because of the high demand.   Even though that is a full month to wait for my glorious new phone, it is still better than waiting for hours in some line with Mac Geeks.  Not even Mac Geeks, it is more Tech Geeks.  I sometimes think I am bad about how geeky I get with new toys, but the last time I waited in line for 3 hours at the Apple Store for the  iPhone 3G before going to Jamaica I thought I would have to seriously have an intervention for some of the people around me.  I just did not want to take the chance of loosing my place in line.  Just not worth it.

As for my other life (work), I am still learning what I don't know.  I don't talk much about my work because I do not want that to be the focus of my life again, which it was for far too long.  Since I have made the switch to another company, I have the glorious job of being the "New Guy", which is something that I am not accustomed to.  But, not to worry.  I am getting acclimated to my new surroundings and am learning quite a lot, very quickly.  My training is kin to trying to take a sip of water from a fire house positioned 3" from your face, full open.  You'll get something, but you sure ain't goin' get all of it the first time out.  I just have to remember that it will take time to be totally self sufficient.  Also, they didn't hire me because I have the answer.  They hired me because I have the potential to find AN answer.  So that is my mantra so far.

So that is about it so far.  I am slowly getting into other classes at TPD.  I do not want to rush into more class and be totally depleted through out my week.  However, it is good to be a Black Shirt.  I never knew 15 min more of a class could hurt so much.

That's it for me right now.  I'll catch up with ZSBC stuff over the next few days.  We have covered some good stuff that I can't wait to get posted.  Talk at you later!!

Go Wash Your Bowl

Participating in the Peaceful Dragon entails more than just going to class.  Each month there is a lesson that is sent out via email.  These lessons are geared to enhance your understanding of the Shaolin studies and principles that we do not have time to go over during our normal class sessions.  So there's homework that is due every month.  Nothing strenuous, but it provides a great insight into the core teachings that you can apply to your everyday life.  Here I thought homework would stop when I got my other degree. Oh well...life goes on...

While reading this month's lesson, I particularly enjoyed a chinese parable that was at the heart of the first lesson:

A young student arrived at the Temple, anxious to embark on the training that would lead him to enlightenment. Upon being introduced to the master, the student proclaimed, “I have just entered the monastery, ready to learn. Please teach me.”

The master asked him, “Have you eaten your breakfast?” 

“Yes,” replied the student, “I just finished.” 

“Then go wash your bowl,” replied the master.

Now at fist glance I thought, "boy this master needs an attitude adjustment."  But after reading the rest of the lesson and working on the homework assignment I began to realize the lesson that the Master was trying to convey.  In every new adventure our imagination tends to paint a picture that we will be elevated immediately to the highest level of the activity and will always have a great time.  We so often forget that, to get the to highest level of anything, there will be a great deal of time devoted to mundane (sometimes boring) tasks that we don't think are particularly fun, but are needed to teach us important skills along the way.  We students need to understand that we must take every task and apply what we have learned in order to get the most out of living.  The experiences in life are here to help us learn and become more intricately woven within the fabric of existence.  Now washing dishes does not seem to be the most enlightening activity, but understanding how a clean and organized environment can help reduce stress and elevate your mood is worth its weight in gold.

I am starting to understand that every activity, task, and relationship, that is set before us is a time to learn and experience what it is to be human.  Maybe these chinese monks where on to something!   

the Path of the Black Shirt

Well I did it. Last Thursday I made the leap into being a Black Shirt at the Peaceful Dragon.  It is a big thing for me to tell you the truth.  It is my commitment of not only learning a Martial Art again, but it also signifies my commitment to my weight loss goal.  It will be cool to get into sparring and to finally get into learning weapons.  It was cool though to get my first class as a Back Shirt taught by Sifu.  We were sweating by the end of that class with quads that burned.

I am excited to see what is to come.  You never know.  I may start competing again if I don't get beat up too bad in practice.

What is Normal Eating?

This is something that was given to us during our ZSBC meeting this week:

"Normal eating is going to the table hungry and eating until you are satisfied.  It is being able to chose food you like and eat it and truly get enough of it - not just stop eating because you think you should.  Normal eating is being able to give some thought to your food selection so you get nutritious food, but not being so wary and restrictive that you miss out on enjoyable food.  Normal eating is giving yourself permission to eat sometimes because you are happy, sad, or bored, or just because it feels good.  Normal eating is three meals a day, or four, or five, or it can be choosing to much along the way.  It is leaving some cookies on the plate because you know you can have some again tomorrow, or it is eating more now because they taste so wonderful.  Normal eating is overeating at times, feeling stuffed and uncomfortable.  And it can be undereating at times and wishing you had more.  Normal eating is trusting your body to make up for your mistakes in eating.  Normal eating takes up some of your time and attention, but keeps its place as only one important area of your life.  

In short, normal eating is flexible.  It varies in response to your hunger, your schedule, your proximity to food, and your feelings." (Ellyn Satter, 1998)

So what does this say to you?  To me, this is a gift of forgiveness.  This helps me understand that "normal eating" isn't some impossibly unattainable state of being.  "Normal eating" is what we do to survive.  It accommodates special occasions and whims of fancy.  It does not cover dieting, for dieting is an unnatural way of sustaining life to attain a state of being that can be achieve through "normal eating".  As I learn more and more about what it takes to eat normally, I find it is exactly what I have been doing except for two big differences: 1) portion sizes; 2) food choices.  I have found that super sizing meals may be economical if you compare the quantity of food you get for the money. However, do you really need more food? Also, the food that you should eat defies pretty much everything that Americans are bribed, coerced, and programed to accept as food.  When it comes down to it, the ingredients to your meal should be readily available in nature.  I am very sure that herds of Big Macs are not running wild among the plains somewhere.  If there were, there would be safaris run by Ronald McDonald from the back of his Range Rover.  Can you really see Ronald McDonald with an Elephant Gun?

In short, it tells me that eating is first and foremost needed to sustain life. However, eating should be enjoyed and relished as an experience.

So, what does "normal eating" mean to you?

It's a Small World After All

Tuesday night in ZSBC, Anna told me she saw the post on my blog about MCPO Ballard’s Building Dedication. It turns out that she was part of a Navy JROTC program during her High School career also.  The strange thing is that she was part of the York, SC program and I was part of the Summerville, SC program.  That means that we competed in the same drill meets and rifle matches and participated in the same field trips at the same time and never knew each other.  That is just weird.  We probably met loads of times and just never made a friendship.  It is interesting how you can share certain events with people when you were younger and never strike up a friendship until you are older and in a different part of the country.  It definitely is a small world after all.

Beating the Heavenly Drum

Tonight in Tai Chi we practiced a move called "Beating the Heavenly Drum".  I have tried this move a couple of times before, but have never done it successfully (in my opinion).  The trick of this move is that you have to swing your arms from front to back while you slide your body from a forward bow stance to a back stance.  All the time you are trying to do this you are also rotating your torso from the front when in a forward bow to 45 degrees to the right in back stance.  A lot of things moving at the same time.  I have a problem with swinging my arms fast enough to get them to beat on my chest in rhythm with my body swing and front to back motion.  When I watch Dave (our instructor) it looks so smooth and effortless, but I just have to remember that he must have started where I did all of those years ago.

I did get a chance to learn another move in the solo form which was exciting.  Steve, Jenny, Lise, and I had an opportunity to practice our form together in the last part of class.  Now I think the four of us are on the same level with each other.  It is good to have others at the same level as yourself in order to practice with.

Last week Jenny and I did a vertical push hands move which was fun.  It reminded me of dancing.  It was a major work out for the quads though.  On top of that, I forgot my Tai Chi shoes so Sifu allowed me to attend class barefoot.  I thought this would be fun and it might have been if we were outside.  However, the wood floor in the main room is slick no matter if you have shoes on or not.  I was sliding all over the place.  Rule #1 when packing for class: PACK YOUR SHOES FIRST!!  Hopefully this will be the last time I forget that important piece of equipment.  On to the next class!

Being "Big Stuff"

I had a great time looking after my son during our "Dada & Son" weekend.  Since I come home so late from work and classes every day, I wanted to give my wife a break to let her recuperate a bit.  We didn't do anything fantastic.  We basically followed our set routine and just let my wife lay low.  However mundane you might think that would be, I found the whole experience pretty exciting.  This weekend was one of the few times that I really got to notice how much my son is growing up.  He climbs up on the step stool to be at counter level so he could help Dada fix meals.  He loves running around outside and views new things with a sense of wonder that I have somehow forgotten. I still get tickled when we walk around outside our complex and hangs on my leg as cars roll by.  I know he knows what they are, but at the same time I remind myself that they seem like giants because of his height.

One thing did stand out this weekend.  My son was on his step stool playing chef as I was fixing some water from the refrigerator.  I usually have a large cup of water regularly throughout the day and he enjoys trying to drink out of that cup like Dada, but usually gets most of it down his shirt.  Today was different.  I decided to give him his own water in a cup his size and see what he would do with it.  When I put it in front of him he placed what he was playing with down to the side and firmly grasped the cup in both hands.  He then ever so carefully brought it to his lips as he took a REAL drink.  He didn't try to suck the water out like he would through a straw or try to tip it back like a body shot during Marty Gras.  I was SHOCKED and cheered with my hands above my head.  He just looked up, grinned a huge grin and went back to drinking.  He drank the whole cup without spilling it.  I couldn't have been prouder seeing that the day before he spilt most of a cup of water down his entire shirt.  In the Drinking department my son graduated from being a baby to being "BIG STUFF"!

I am amazed when I see things just 'click' with him.  It is like he tries, and tries, and tries with disastrous consequences.  But with just one slow, methodical attempt that succeeded, he now knows the best way to do tasks that earlier would frustrate the fool out of him.

After thinking through what wonders I saw this weekend, I thought about my trials and tribulations regarding my weight that have plagued me for years.  Really, how different am I with my struggles than my son is with his?  Thinking about it, I have had the tools in front of me for a while now.  I have just not been willing to choose to take a drink out of that cup as slowly and methodically as I can.  I have chosen to run through programs, diets, and exercise camps for the majority of my adult life hoping that the lessons and thoughts would stick to my body at the end.  Only to be disappointed when I find out that for some magic reason, nothing has changed.  It is depressing when you think about it and I know we ALL have thought about it.

I figure it is time to just put down my toys like my son, pick up my cup of health and fitness, and be 'Big Stuff' for once in my adult life.  My life has changed in the past 16 months since we have had this gift of a baby boy.  I need to and feel the urge to man-up and be healthy and fit in order to be around long enough to see him grown up.  I want to experience his wonder and excitement about the world as he experiences it.  The only way to do that is to man-up and be Big Stuff like my son.

I will be posting my fitness goals and weight goals on this blog for all to see.  I have noticed that if I stay in the corner and just keep that stuff to myself, it is easier for me to let things slide.  I would ask you, the reader of this blog, to call me out when you don't see a post of my progress in a while.  If you want to post your PFGs (Personal Fitness Goals) with me, feel free.  Together, we can pull through the hard stuff and get to the land of health and fitness.

'CLICK'!

Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard

   

On May 8^th, 2010, I had the privilege to attend the dedication of the Summerville High School NJROTC Unit building to a great Naval Science Instructor, Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard.  As a NJROTC Cadet from 1991-1995, MCPO Ballard was one of my most influential teachers through my High School career.  The “Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way” motto that was posted over the building’s entrance still resonates in my ear today and has helped guide me throughout my life.  Master Chief helped shape approximately 4000 cadets in his many years of service at the SHS NJROTC unit.  Not only was he a good instructor, but he was/is a proud member of our country’s Navy.  He served on may submarine details before retiring from active duty and going into education.  As a person with a proud Navy family tradition, I am proud to call myself a cadet of Master Chief Ballard.  He and Capt. John Foster helped guide me through my High School experience and gave me some principles that I live by today.  I can still remember the “Jack Ass” medal that Master Chief would present to me when I screwed up. It was a medal with a mule facing rearward towards you looking over his shoulder.  I got that one a lot.  I also remember how he would step away from the spot light when myself and other cadets did well.  To Master Chief, it was always about the cadets.

To my relief, this sentiment has continued through to today.  Col. Davis is the new head Naval Science instructor and has made great strides to continue and expand on the traditions of the unit in which he inherited.  One of the tasks he had the current crop of cadets perform was to create scrap books of the hundreds of pictures and news paper articles from all of the past cadet classes.  I have to say that I looked pretty young back then.  Below I have some pictures from a cruise we took on a Mine Sweeper in Charleston harbor.  Boy I was a baby.

So, to all those who have had the privilege to know and be taught by Master Chief Petty Officer Fred Ballard, please help me extend sincere gratitude and appreciation for all he has accomplished.  Thank you Master Chief.  You helped shape us more than you will know. 

 

  

Stepping Up the PAIN!

Last night was another class in our ZSBC experience.  Sifu had a lecture session on "Who are the (5) people you hang around the most and what effect do they have on you?"  To tell you the truth, you can answer this really flippantly, but our task was to really analyze it and recognize the impact it has on our lives.  The bottom line I took away from this session was that you have a choice to associate with almost anyone in the world.  The quality of the people you choose to associate with can help determine your mental stability and success in life.  Even when it comes to your family, you have the choice to limit your interaction with those who do not contribute to your well being or grow closer to those to whom you draw strength from.  Remember that this a mutual benefit type of arrangement as well.  You will find in life that the people that want to associate with you may see you as a source of strength, but you as an individual need to determine if you are getting what you need from the same relationship.  The correct balance of a relationship is when both parties are getting what they need from each other.  Are there draw backs, hiccups, or crap you have to filter through?  You betcha, but what relationship does not have that?  What we have to learn is how to filter the bad things in order to see if the good things are beneficial.

So after that introspective discussion, it was on with the PAIN!  Last class Sifu had us fill out surveys of the program.  To my surprise he went over the results with us before class.  It was interesting to see a split in how people viewed the workouts, but never the less George certainly took them to heart and adapted accordingly.  It was relay race time again, which is always a fun and supportive event in ZSBC.  He split the room up into 3 levels of pain that we voluntarily classified ourselves into: Blue Cones (Insane), Orange Cones (Mostly Sane), and White Cones (Most Sane).  Each level had a non stop work out that was geared for our level of physical fitness.  This is what the majority wanted in the class.  The people that wanted a good sweat got one and the people that wanted to really push themselves, REALLY GOT PUSHED!  Like always, everyone was supportive with clapping and cheering-on their fellow competitors.  I don't think the ZSBC would have the same effect with out that sense of fellowship that has grown since the beginning of the program.  We are all in this together.

Right now, I have a date with some Advil Liquid Gel Caps (my mistress these days). I look forward to next week and I hope you all will as well.

Cost vs Benefit: a Decision of Delayed Gratification

*** THIS IS A DELAYED POST! *** This was written back when I achieved "B" block status with Tai Chi about a month ago. Enjoy! ***

I am sitting here at the Dining Room table thinking about how sometimes you really want something, but to attain that something you must give up something else.  Cryptic I know, but I am having a real life decision at the moment based on my opportunity to move into the Disciple Program at the TPD.  I was fortunate enough to sit down with Sifu today and go over the benefits of this program and of course the costs associated with access to more activities it offers.  The cost increase to move into this program was not extreme by any means, compared to what I am already paying.  In fact, I was all ready to sign the paper to move into the program, but one thing stood in my way.  I could not get a hold of my wife to talk over the increase financial investment and to see how it would impact our current financial plan.  See in our household my wife and I have clearly defined roles in our new single income family.  I make the money and figure out how it can be spent as quickly as possible.  She is the keeper of the family budget and the director of the "Snap Dada back into reality" foundation.  This is a balance that has definitely worked for us so far.

A little back story for a minute.  3 years ago my wife and I started our married life with some substantial debt that we both accrued separately.  We were both working and making good money (for ourselves) at the time, but we also wanted children.  After doing the numbers, we found out that if we both worked and sent our child to day care, that we would basically be taking my wife's paycheck and give it directly to some day care agency.  We looked at that and decided that when we had kids, we both wanted her to stay home to raise our children.  However, in order to do that we would have to pay down a substantial amount of debt to even think about making that into a reality.  So we made a goal.  Pay down the debt to a predetermined amount and then we could start our family.  This way, we would be in a position to live off of one income and take care of our child the way we wanted to.  Now some people would think that is just a waste of effort, that debt comes back regardless of what you do.  Just have the kids when they come and just grin and bare it when it happens (no pun intended ladies).  But to us, this is the cost we needed to incur in order to have the delayed gratification of the life we wanted to live with our family.  So to make a long story short, we downsized our life to fit within my paycheck (which was not a lot for a family to live on) and used the majority of her paycheck to pay off our debt.  It took us two years to pay down the debt, but we did it. Now we have a beautiful and healthy baby boy being taken care of by his Mummum everyday.  Just the way wanted it to be.  

Now how does this fit into my current situation?  It is all about delayed gratification and setting goals.  The increase to my TPD tuition may not be a great amount, but if I do that, what will I have to NOT do in return to balance it out?  There are many things that I know my family needs that takes a lot of money: a new house, a car for my wife (not a new one, just a car), and fixes to our current home to make it sellable in this economy to name a few.  All of these things take priority to something that purely effects me. I may make the money, but I do not just support myself.  

So even though I want to be in a black shirt more than anything, I need to understand that now is not the time for the added expense.  I am still getting a great experience with the Zen Super Boot Camp and myTai Chi classes.  I may not get to some other very neat stuff right now with Tai Chi, but a new home for my growing family means a lot more to me right now.

So I am setting a goal to save towards the Disciple program so that I will not place the added expense on our shrinking credit card debt.  I will continue with the ZSBC and my Tai Chi classes and work to continue the success that I have already started to see in my mental focus as well as my body.  I will be a black shirt, but first I must do the right thing and continue my family's efforts that are currently underway.  In the end, when I put on that black shirt, it is going to feel that much better.

Some of you may be thinking that I am writing this to talk people out of moving into the Disciple or Mastery program.  That would not be further from the truth.  I am writing this post for those like me who struggle with balance in their life.  Who may be faced with a similar decision about moving into the next level of training and feel that everyone else will be moving up and they will be left behind.  I can tell you that I felt that way while thinking this over.  What I want to convey in this post is that you have to make the correct decision for you and your family.  Members of the ZSBC have a commitment of 12 months already.  If you are like me, the time commitment alone limits the amount of activities you can participate in and still have a life outside of TPD and work.  It is ok to delay this decision to move on if you believe it is the right thing for you to do and know you are not alone.  

the Funk...Has Been Crushed!!

Well the Funk was crushed after lunch.  I had a great lunch with my baby boy and the Mummum, which lifted my spirits.  I got my pricing nearly finished and had a rockin' time at Tai Chi to boot!  I kicked it during warm ups and I had a good Chi Gung session with the group.  I was on!

Now I have to perform surgery on the Mummum's mac.  I have to replace the CPU fans.  I didn't know that notebooks used Silver Thermal Paste, but I'm going to be elbow deep in it tonight!

the Funk!

Today I woke up with the strangest mind funk that I have had in a while.  If you don't know what a "mind funk" is, it is when you wake up and something just doesn't feel right.  You are a little more edgie than normal.  You don't really want to do anything in particular, but you know you have to do your normal routine.  That kind of funk.  I think Lise passed her funk mood to me from when she had it a week ago. I guess that's what you get sometimes when you do Tai chi with others.  You have a chance to catch the negative energy that they are trying to get rid of (purely by accident of course).

I'm trying to shake it off, but it is hard today.  I really just want to go play outside with the wife and the little one, however that would not be the best plan for work.  So I have decided just to keep my head down and get through today the best I can.  I believe Tai Chi will help me sort this out tonight.  At least I hope so.  We will see what tomorrow brings!

the Hybrid Project...RESULTS

Well the results are in and the winner is.....going to be announced right after this commercial interruption. 

Discount Tire on South Tryon Street has been an awesome store to work with during this experiment.  I was always met by kind and very informed sales people every time I walked into their location, which has been a lot over the last few days.  If anyone needs tires at a great price and great service I HIGHLY recommend them.  Also check them out on the web at: www.discounttire.com  From there you can check out tires for your make/model of car, check stock inventory, get an "out the door" pricing quote, and even schedule an appointment to get the tires installed all before you even step foot in their location.  If you go to the location on South Tryon, see Wayne.  He was the very helpful salesman that helped me through my little experience. 

Alright, back to our show...

AND THE WINNER IS..........the stock Bridgestone Potenza P165/65R14 tires.

When I went down to Charleston, I ran on the P175/65R14's all the way down there.  The ride was great and the handling was improved in wet weather over the stock P165/65R14's.  However, with two runs on those tires (one to and one from Charleston) the average gas mileage that I achieved was only 39.1MPG.  This is with compensating for the odometer and speed difference.  My computer registered my performance at 43.4MPG, but I knew that this could not be correct because of the wheel diameter difference.  

Now being a true fan of MythBusters (sorry Lise, your husband and I are together on this one) I decided to switch back to the the stock P165/65R14 tires to see if there would be a major difference.  Luckily, right after switching back, I had to take a trip down to Georgia.  This would be a great comparison test.  Well it turns out I did not need to wait that long.  As soon as I got the tires switched, I filled up the car, drove back to work, and then back home.  Just in 22 miles of driving, the car registered my gas consumption at 52.1 MPG.  WOW what a difference tires make!  After I made my run down and back from Georgia, my car stayed between 51 and 53 MPG the entire trip.

Now gas mileage is not the only reason I switched back to stock tires.  I noticed going down to Charleston with the P175/65R14's, that my gas and electric motors would compete against each other when I tried to accelerate up hill while at high speed.  It would unnecessarily down shift and kick in the electric motor to try to maintain speed.  When I did the same thing with the stock tires going to Georgia, the car didn't do any of that while at speed.  This leads me to believe that there is more than just increased wheel traction, wheel diameter, and wheel weight at work when the engineers at Honda created this car.  

I know what the true fans of MythBusters are thinking.  I did not have a dedicated course with the exact same conditions for both sets of tires and that I did not take exact measurements of the gas consumption.  All I have to say is that even though I am a true geek, I still have a life.  This test proved exactly what I wanted to know.  A real test of gas consumption with my hybrid.  

To sum up, changing from the stock P165/65R14 tires to the P175/65R14 tires dropped my gas milage from 52mpg to 39mpg.  To a hybrid driver this is the worst that could happen to our cars (well one of the worst things).  It also shows how much homework that Honda did for this first generation of hybrid cars.  Now I can dispel the incorrect information that sales people are spreading about changing the tires on hybrids.  Where's my cape!?!

the Hybrid Project

*** THIS IS A LATE POST FROM LAST WEDNESDAY.  SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. ***

As you all know I am a proud driver of a 2002 Honda Insight Hybrid.  I have to say that it is one of the more interesting vehicles that I have owned and one that turns heads where ever I go.  Today I had to perform a regular duty of getting new tires.  This is something that every car owner must go through and something that people just don’t think about until they get the bill.  

Since most hybrids need a certain kind of tire to operate properly, our choices and price ranges are extremely limited.  So after talking with some people in tires stores, I decided today to replace my worn out stock tires with a slightly different kind of tire.  I went from the stock Bridgestone P165/65R14 to a Pirelli P175/65R14.  Not many of us know the differences between these tires, but if you ask a Honda Rep or any true Hybrid driver, you will get an ear full about what changing the size of your tire will do to your gas mileage.  However, no one can tell you for sure what will happen to your gas mileage if you do change from the stock equipment.  As an engineer and avid Mythbuster Fan, I can’t stand being lead down a path by salesmen without knowing for sure they know what they are talking about.  So I called the only other person I can trust to give me the straight scoop, my Dad.

My Dad is the only other person that I know that has a 2000 Honda Insight and has taken the plunge of switching from stock tires.  He told me emphatically, “DON’T DO IT!”  He noticed an immediate 10 mpg drop over the first couple of days when he switched from his stock tires.  He decided after only 6 months to switch back to the stock tires in order to reclaim his gas mileage.  However, there are some differences between his Insight and mine.  He has a manual transmission and I have an automatic CVT.  This may not seem like a big difference to the casual observer, but most drivers know that you can get better MPG efficiency out of a manual transmission then out of an automatic one.

So this brings us to THE HYBRID PROJECT.  After talking to my lovely wife, I have decided to run an experiment to see exactly how much of a drop in MPG will happen with these new tires.  I have a trip planned to Charleston, SC this weekend to shoot in a competition.  This will give me a great opportunity to run a test on the highway to judge the difference for myself. 

I have two problems facing me:

1) Speedometer and Odometer Offset 

Since the new tires are slightly larger than the stock tires, my speedometer and odometer do not truly depict my speed or mileage.  There is about a 1.6 mph difference the two tires when running at any speed.  This not only makes the car run faster then what the speedometer says, but it also does not track my mileage correctly.  If I decide to keep the tires, I will have to find someone that can recalibrate my computer to register the difference correctly.  Honda already said that they won’t do it.

2) Battery Regeneration

I have already noticed that my battery pack is running lower than usual.  This seems to be the case because I am using more of my electric motor to bring the car up to speed and to keep it there.  Since the stock tires are rated as LRR (Low Rolling Resistance).  It suggests that the car needs less energy to bring the car up to speed and to keep it there.  After my experiment this weekend I should know if this will cause additional strain on my battery pack and electric motor or if it will just work itself out in the wash over time.

If anyone was wondering why I would go to all of this trouble just to change tires, here is a short list of the differences in the tires:

Model:                P165/65R14 (LRR)

Miles:                 40,000 miles

Price/Tire:           $112.5.00/tire (Fully installed with roadside protection.)

Ride Experience:  Rough ride. Extensive road noise.  Ruts and cracks in the road are jarring and feel rough.  Speed bumps and train tracks feel like I am running into a curb.

Model:                P175/65R14

Miles:                  85,000 miles

Price/Tire:           $97.50/tire (Fully installed with roadside protection.)

Ride Experience:  They feel like new sneakers.  Going over speed bumps and train tracks feels great. No jarring when going over cracks and ruts on the road.  This does not make the car run like an Escalade, but does improve the feel of the ride greatly.

I’ll post again with my results from this weekend.  Wish me luck!

Mr. Miyagi's Tai Chi Training

Yesterday in Tai Chi class we had a special set of warm up exercises.  It definitely came as a surprise to all of us (especially our instructors).  George comes into our class as we are performing our warm-ups and says, “Everyone stop.  Instead of the normal warm-ups we are going outside and work on traditional Kung Fu warm-ups.  We are going to work on our Horse Stances.”  Immediately we are all suspicious.  When we arrive outside we find bales of pine straw stacked up at the end of the drive way.  Well, coming from a family of some pretty intense yard and gardening experiences, I knew what was going on immediately.  We have been brought outside to help spread the pine straw throughout the property.  Practicing Horse Stance did not last long once we started getting into it.  No one was expecting this so no one was really prepared for being covered in dirt and dust.  However, we did get a lot of practice at spreading the pine needles.  Especially when the group did a fantastic job of spreading the needles over the front area near the road only to find out that they didn’t need it there.  That area was reserved for wood chips.  This meant a collective effort of picking up the expertly laid pine needles and relocating them to the back.  I do have to give Sifu and George credit though.  They didn’t just sit back and supervise while the students toiled in the fields.  They were right there in it with us the whole way and you have to respect that.

The one thing about the Peaceful Dragon that sets itself apart from other Martial Arts studios is the focus on “fellowship”.  By engaging the students in the care and up keep of the facility, you permit the students to feel a sense of belonging to the environment.  It also draws out the people within the fellowship who desire to really commit themselves to the cause and who want to stand out from the others.  To tell you the truth, I like this type of engagement within a fellowship.  It allows me to feel like I am part of something greater and (ultimately) get a larger sense of worth out of my training. 

Now we all have busy lives and our demands on our time are wide spread.  However, to just doing little things like spreading pine needles for 20 minutes can provide the right amount of support to the overall fellowship, but not detract from other responsibilities that compete for your attention at the same time.  Now if I have to paint someone’s fence or wash and wax their car, I may re-think it.  For now, I’ll just sit back and enjoy the ride.  Maybe I’ll bring some gloves next time as well.

the Farmers Market

This weekend marked the first Dada / Son day of my life.  My beloved wife (who we call the Mummum) decided finally to take the day off and relinquish control of the little one to the Dada.  She was long overdue for a break from the little one.  So on her day off she made her way to the public library to do some genealogy research in the Carolina Room.  Not exactly my idea of a relaxing day off, but when you are a professional research librarian I guess that is like your Mecca and “to each their own.”  It is kinda like me being in automation and robotics and wanting to go to a FIRST Robotics conference to watch a live form of “Rock’em Sock’em Robots.” (Which is oh so cool!!)

Anyway, back to the story.  Since I had the day with the little one, I decided to head off to the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market to see what they had.  I have lived in the Charlotte area for the past decade, but never made it over to see what was there.  To which the Nana (my mother who accompanied us) told me that was “criminal.”  The first place you should go in a new city is the Farmers Market.  It turned out she was right.  We arrived pretty late in the day, but still found great deals on organic veggies and flowers.  We found out later that the best time to get to the FM was around 8-10am.  After that all of the good stuff would be picked by the chefs that use the produce in their restaurants uptown.

Even though there were slim pickings, we still had a great time and the little one was terrific the entire day.  When the Mummum returned after her library excursion, she was greeted by a smiling baby boy at the door which gave her kisses immediately and some gorgeous tulips (if I do say so myself) that we acquired. 

I am definitely going to make the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market a regular stop on our weekly grocery excursion.  If you have not gone, you definitely have to try it.  You will be amazed at what you find for such a good price. 

If anyone has any tips or tricks they would like to share about the Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, feel free to post them.  I am always up for an inside skinny for a great deal!

Fasting - A Necessary Evil?

This week's topic in the Zen Super Boot Camp covered Fasting.  Many people perform fasting for many different reasons such as religious devotion, spiritual growth, weight loss, medical procedures, or even as an influencing method.  Of course all of these choices are up to you, but the worst reason in the bunch would have to be for weight loss.  For the purpose of the Boot Camp, a fast is to cleanse the body of unwanted toxins.  Our daily lives bombard us with unneeded and unwanted substances that our bodies were not meant to deal with.  The accumulation of these unwanted materials are stored within the liver, kidneys, and even in our fat.

A Fast can come in many forms.  Some non-specific forms of a Fast are:
1)  Air Fast - No food or water
2) Fruit Fast or Fruit Juice Fast
3) Pure Water Fast
4) Veggie Fast

These are just a few Fasts that you can try if you want, but the important things to find a PROVEN Fast plan and to follow it explicitly.  Deviations to prescribed plans could end up hurting you in the long run if you do not know the effects of changing the plans will do to your body.

So if you decide that you want to perform a Fast, when is the best time to do it?  If you do work a normal Monday - Friday, 08:00-17:00 lifestyle , then it is best to start the Fast on a Friday so you can work through the food withdrawals over the weekend.  This will help get you over the hump so it minimizes the effect o your job.

So our homework for this week is to determine if we would go on a Fast based on the information that we have learned about Fasting and how it affects the body.  I have been thinking about this ever since I started the Zen Super Boot Camp.  My wife and I have talked about this as well and we certainly have different opinions about it.

My wife doesn't see the need to do a Fast.  She says that when she feels majorly hungry she is ready to rip someone's head off and roll it down the street if you look at her wrong.  I have never seen it this bad, but she does get into a mood that you don't normally see her in.  Me on the other hand believe that a Fast can be a good thing.  Based on what I have learned, the release of toxins and the reset of my body's processes by this experience will out weight the discomfort the process my put me through.

I think that may go through a Fast just to say that I did it.  I am currently trying to find a Fast that I find agreeable.  My only worry is the increased loss of energy through the day.  I am already struggling in the morning without a strong cup of Irish tea.  When I cut that out, I may need to stand up at my desk in order to stay awake.  However, I feel that my weight loss efforts could use a boost from a Fast.  It has taken me 15 years to get myself into this unhealthy state, so I am open to anything that will help get me on the straight and narrow.  When I decide when my starting date is, then I will give you the blow by blow of my struggles and successes.

What do you all think?  Are you willing to go through a Fast? Why or Why Not?

After Easter Update

Hello everyone out there in Blogland.  It's been a bit since my last post so I felt that I should jump on and tell people what is going on.  Things have been going well.  Work has been challenging, but interesting.  I am working on some stuff that I have never been exposed to before so I am learning a lot.  I equate learning at my job to taking a drink of water from a Fire Hose.  You get the picture.

The family is good.  We had a good family day on Good Friday and I got to see the baby boy interact at his music class.  he is definitely the class clown.  All of the other kids actually sat and tried to participate in sing-a-long, but not our son.  I don't think he stopped moving for the entire class, talking and jabbering to us and himself the whole time.  If you have not seen Phillip jabber yet, it is a must see.  I'll see about posting a video of him doing it later on.  We then spent the rest of the weekend visiting my wife's family in Statesville.

As you all know I passed my advancement test the Wednesday last week.  Since then I have been in limbo.  I turned in my Mastery paperwork for consideration, but I have not gotten a call yet to set up my interview.  I appreciate Sifu taking his time to consider candidates, but it would be cool to move into the more advanced Tai Chi class.  This month they are learning 3/4 staffs, which is something that I have always wanted to try.

Practice has been good but a little painful.  For some reason I have injured by left elbow last month when I started Tai Chi and the pain has not gone away.  I also recently pulled my hamstring in my left leg, which makes me take it easy when we do our Pendulum kicks in the warm ups.  I am starting to heal, but I feel it is going to take a while to be at full strength.  Regardless of the pain, classes have been great since we moved outside.  Practicing outdoors brings a different feel to the form.  I just feel more connected to my surroundings and it helps me practice my focus.  I tend to stray from my meditation in Universal Post by the Fire Engines, birds, and planes that offer their distractions.  However I am getting better at focusing.

That is it for now.  I'll be posting some other stuff in the near future.  Take it easy!!

a B-E-A-U-tiful Day in the Neighborhood

In Tai Chi tonight Sifu lead our class in simple exercises designed to help our balance and form.  The great thing was that he lead the class outside which was absolutely perfect weather.  We practiced our Universal Post which was a bit challenging with the air traffic and Fire Engine sirens passing us by, but that is why we practice our concentration like we do.  It helps us deal with distractions like that.

After that exercise he brought us through three different exercises: Polish the Mirror, Lift the Suit Cases, and Stepping Over the Fence.  As you can imagine, the exercises were performed exactly as the names suggest.  Polishing the Mirror simply had us slowly move our hands in large counter rotating circles as we lowered our body like we were polishing a mirror.  Lift the Suit Cases had us lower our body like we were going to pick up suit cases and then lift and lower then from waist high.  Stepping Over the Fence had us slowly lifting one leg and rotating it like we were stepping over a fence to our side.

Now all of these sound really simple, but the trick was that we had to do them slowly and keep our core centered and straight.  After doing that for 10 or 12 repetitions and you definitely start feeling it in your legs.  The good thing is that I can take a rest this weekend with some Icy/Hot to prepare for next week's classes.

Good night everyone and have a Happy Easter and a great extended weekend.

We Survived!!

Well we all survived testing tonight.  It was sweaty and nerve racking for all of us, but in the end Sifu didn't throw knives at us when we did something wrong or chase us around the room with a sword to see if we could defend ourselves from seriously demented people.  I have to say that we all breathed a hug sigh of relief for passing.  We also received our packages for the Mastery Program which I will be going over tonight  to see if I will continue after the Zen Super Boot Camp is over.  

The cool thing is that I now get to add a patch and chevron to my sash, symbolizing that I have moved into Block 'B' status.  I am not sure how I will get this on by tomorrow night, but i'll do my best, even if I have to pin it on with safety pins!

Congratulations to all that made it tonight! To all that will test next, don't worry.  It is not as bad as you think!

See you next class!!

the Nerves...

Well, testing is today and there has been a bit of buzz around our little Tai Chi community about the nerves we are all feeling.  My thought is that all they can say to me is that I have to practice a bit more before moving on.  I can imagine some people in my class feel if they do not do well, Sifu will take down a sword from the wall and chase them around the room screaming, "MORE TAI CHI!! MORE TAI CHI FOR YOU!!!"

I have noticed that stress is all relative.  Since my last job, I don't think I can face stress the same way as I use to.  If you knew me then, then you know what that stress was like.  Anyway,  I wish us all good luck tonight and calmed spirits.  A couple of us are showing up early so  we can practice "Push the Mountain" before testing.  It is BEAUTIFUL outside today, so we will practice outdoors.  Keep your fingers crossed!!

Biting the Bullet

Ok, so after Tai Chi tonight I signed up to test out of Block 'A' and into Block 'B'.  I wasn't originally going to do it, but with some careful prodding from Natalia, Jen, Monica, and Diane, I felt I was ready to show my stuff in front of Sifu.

I was proud that I got through 'Move the Mountain, Push the Sea' tonight.  Now that I am testing, I found myself practicing the movements in the car on the way home to drill the sequence in my brain.  I can only imagine what the person behind me was thinking while I was moving one arm in the air while driving with the other.

Well, testing is this Wednesday at 18:30.  We'll see what happens!

the Holiday Sweet Tooth

This weekend we took Phillip to his first Easter Egg Hunt in our complex.  He wasn’t necessarily impressed with searching and finding Easter Eggs as he was with the 6 foot Easter Bear which Phillip nicked named “puppy”.  We still are working on the animal names.  Anyway, as we walked around the pool house with a bunch of other kids from the neighborhood we started racking up a number of plastic eggs with candy inside.  With Phillip not fully vested in the festivities, I figured it was up to Dada to 'represent' for the family.  I was on a roll with the baby boy on my shoulders when I noticed I filled his basket to the brim and was starting on a plastic shopping bag that was given to us.  It was then something popped into my brain.  “When did the celebration of the resurrection of Christ turn out to be a time to fill ourselves with mass produced confectionary crap?”  And what's up with Peeps?  Are they really food or are they the left over glue that holds Space Shuttle tiles on during re-entry?

Since I have been going through this Boot Camp my taste buds have been hyper vigilant to the taste of sugar and what I feel like after I consume it.  I hope to show my son that candy is a treat and not a snack or a meal.  However that is hard to do when images are screaming at him that juice boxes and sugary cereals are the norm and not the exception.  All my wife and I can do is try and hope for the best.

So, if you can, try celebrating this holiday with some good old fashioned homemade food.  You'll like yourself better in the morning!

the Fighting Fish: Cystic Fibrosis

I have the pleasure of knowing a family through my church that could use the benefit of the kindness of strangers.  They are the Fighting Fish!  DJ and Rebecca Fish are the proud parents of Colin and Katelyn Fish who are both stricken with Cystic Fibrosis.  If you do not know what Cystic Fibrosis is, it is a condition that makes your body create too much mucus which builds up in the lungs and makes it extremely difficult to breath.  CF also impairs the body's ability to extract and process nutrients out of food, which leaves the infected without the ability to operate normally like we take for granted.  

Now I do not normally spread the message about raising money for debilitating diseases because frankly I am bombarded on a daily basis to raise money for causes.  Fortunately with CF, I have had the extremely pleasure to know Colin Fish, his dad DJ and his mother Rebecca.  I had the joy of watching Colin in our church's nursery while his parents attended service.  I have to say that Colin is a truly happy and joyous child.  He is probably the happiest baby I have ever met regardless if he was having a bad day or not.  The kindness and curiosity that Colin exhibits as an infant and now as a toddler lets me believe that he will grow up to be not only a productive member in our society, but a loving and caring person that could enrich all of our lives if we have the pleasure to meet him.  

For this cause I ask anyone that reads this blog to seriously consider donating to this worthwhile cause.  You can click on the posted link below to pledge an amount for the walk we will be having in May.  A little know fact is that the CF Foundation runs totally on private donations.  Since this disease affects such a small portion of the population, it rarely receives funding from the Federal Government which donates to larger causes such as Breast Cancer and other more widespread diseases.  THIS MEANS THAT ALL OF THE MONEY DONATED TO THIS CAUSE DIRECTLY EFFECTS THE PEOPLE THAT IT IS MEANT TO HELP.  So please find it within yourself to help this very noble cause.  

Here is the link to donate:  http://www.cff.org/Great_Strides/dsp_DonationPage.cfm?walkid=6368&idUser=334823

Here is a video to introduce you to who you will be helping.  These are real people within your own community.  So please find it within yourself to help.  

Thank you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=Dc3NXPENvg8

  

Children's Games

Last Boot Camp Day we all were exposed to what George called 'Children's Games'.  As an adult it was a bit hard to swallow that we would have as much fun as the kids I see after school, but I was wrong.  Kicking soccer balls, running slaloms, and even sandwiching a ball between two people while running sideways got us sweating and laughing all at the same time.  

The evening culminated in a good game of dodgeball.  Of course this was not the dodgeball I remembered as a kid.  I remember lining up my shots with a 2 pound rubber ball as big as my head at another kid's noggin.  Putting all of my force behind the throw that could take him off of his feet if executed correctly.  However, we did what we could with what we had on hand.  Each person (about 35 of us) had a ball and formed a circle with our victims in the center.  Each ball weighed about half as much of air so there was no potential for damage.  Never-the-less we had our choice victims.  Having 40-50 balls screaming at our head makes you take pause regardless who you are or how much the projectiles weigh.  Or in Vira's case, instead of taking pause you could crouch down on the floor waiting for the on-slot to end.

It was a good night all in all.  We had some new people join the Boot Camp.  My Buddy group accepted a new one into our fold.  I guaranty you that they did not know what they were getting themselves into.  I'm look forward to next week. See Ya!

Free Bird

Last night my Boot Camp Buddies (+ 1) and I went on our outdoor assignment for class.  We biked the Ballantyne Greenway, which is about 6 miles long.  Good company, great weather, it was a gorgeous afternoon to ride.  Riding through the blooming trees got me thinking about what Sifu talked to us about at our last Zen class.  He talked about the importance of living in the moment.  Easier said then done in this world, but as I rode on that path, the message sunk in more than usual.  It felt good to ride my bike. Dodging walkers and even enjoying the 4 year old running with her Grandpa.  It felt good to live in the present.  Pushing all of my troubles, wants, desires, responsibilities, and history out of my brain opened me up to take pleasure in just being there, breathing.  It was really enjoyable.  Another thing that I realized was that it was OK for me to feel this way.  It was OK not to be burdened at that moment.  It was OK to look past just where my feet were taking me and to fully absorb and experience the world around me.

If this sounds like it is a flashback of a chemically induced experience, I can assure you IT WAS!  Although the chemicals were not the illicit substances your probably thinking of.  It was due to the endorphins pulsing through my system from getting out of my desk chair and participating in what was around me.  I have to say that my mental outlook has started to finally change from the dogma that I have been making myself experience over the past decade.  It is nothing less than a freeing experience that I hope we all can help each other with.

So go out and enjoy the day.  Each one is a gift that we should truly appreciate.  Hope to see you all on the trail!

A special thanks to my Boot Camp Buddies: Jack, Elaine, and Caleb (the + 1) for a great time.

Guan Gong: the man and the mystery

If you come to the Peaceful Dragon, you may have wondered why, at the beginning of each class, we bow three times to a scroll on the wall of a guy that looks like a chinese version of Santa.  Is this idol worship?  Was this a past teacher of the school?  The short answer is No to both.  The picture on the scroll is of a legendary figure in Chinese history named Guan Gong.  Guan Gong is a legendary General that represents the embodiment of loyalty, righteousness, and benevolence in Chinese history and mythology.  

Guan Gong lived towards the end of the Han Dynasty in China.  He is famous for making a brotherhood pact with Lui Bei and Zhang Fei who looked to reinstate the Han Dynasty from the warlords trying to come to power.  The pact between these brothers symbolizes the true bonds of friends that look after each other in hardship.  In his battles, he was known to disarm and then free the survivors of an opposing army so that they could return home to their families and lead peaceful lives, showing his benevolence.  Unfortunately Guan gong is reported to have been captured and then beheaded during the battle with the Wu forces.  

Even though Guan Gong was a real person, his legend has far surpassed him.  Most likely his brutal death set Guan Gong as the beloved martyred hero in history.  Many chinese view him as an amalgamation of great wisdom, charity, and even warfare.  So when we bow to his depiction at the beginning of class it is out of respect of what he represents, but not of him.  It is interesting to learn about Guan Gong and what he represents.  His depiction changes depending the artist, which can provide an insight of that particular artist's period and interest in Guan Gong.  

 

If you find out anything interesting about Guan Gong, feel free to post a reply. 

St. Patrick's Day

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!  I know not everyone is Irish, but that doesn't mean we can't partake in the festivities of a culture that has helped shape and define the world as we know it.  My wife and I had the extreme pleasure of taking our honeymoon on the Emerald Isle for 14 days in 2007.  From the moment we stepped foot on Irish soil we were in awe of the lore, history, locations, and traditions that make up some of the world's most inviting and charismatic people.  So in the midst of the crazy hats and green beer that will be passed around today, I will be partaking in a true Irish tradition of a cold pint of Guinness and possibly a shot of Jameson, while sitting back and listening to some true Irish tunes.

So what ever you do today, be sure to take some time to enjoy this wonderful day.  On behalf of myself, my sweet bonnie lass (my wife), and my sweet chubby cheeked leprechaun (my son), slainte!

TaiChi Stance Trainer for the iPhone/iPod

Those of us fortunate enough to take part in Tai Chi classes fully understand the importance of mastering the (7) fundamental stances.  However, when I practice away from class I find it hard to know how long I should hold a particular stance for without feeling like I am rushing through them.  Usually my knees are the things that tell me to switch poses. So how do I to train my knees to hold out longer without splitting my focus. As an engineer, I figure there must be a more efficient way of working on my form without watching the clock like a hawk and counting the elapsed time I have held each stance. 

Then it hit me.  The last Crossfit gym I trained in had a device called an Interval Timer.  This device beeped every time the boxer or student needed to change activities.  This is exactly what I needed, so I went on the hunt to find one for the iPhone.  My one and only device that comes with me EVERY WHERE!! Low and behold “there’s an App for that!”  I found an app called the ‘UltraTrainer’.  It is an interval timer that lets you setup a routine with variable times and randomized actions so that you are kept on your toes during your workout.  So I took an hour and put in the following stances within a WORK interval that I need to work on:

Left Forward Bow             Right Forward Bow

Left Back Stance               Right Back Stance

Left Cat Stance                  Right Cat Stance

Left Crane Stance              Right Crane Stance

Left Box Stance                 Right Box Stance

Left Dragon Stance            Right Dragon Stance

Horse Stance

Then I set up a REST interval, because we all want to know that there is a rest period SOMEWHERE in all of these stances.  When these are setup, then I can set the amount of time I want to spend working and then the amount of time for my rest period.  This helps range the amount of time you want to spend with one repetition of the workout session.  So I set the time ranges to the following:

WORK Duration: 2 min

REST Duration: 15 sec

Repetitions:       4

So my total workout is a random organization of all of my stances that lasts no more than 9 min.  Not bad I think. One bonus to this app is that you can record a title that can be announced every time that particular stance is chosen.  This way, you can keep all of your attention on working through the pain while your iPod/iPhone tells you which stance to perform and when.  Cool huh?

I have not tried it very long so I will keep you up to date as to its usefulness.  If you want to get the app from the App Store, feel free to see me in class and I can pass along the custom setup for the app.  Try it about and let me know what you think.  If you have any questions let me know.  Happy training!!

Tai Chi Warm Ups

Every TaiChi class starts out with a heart pumping workout.  This may not seem like a lot of work, but try sitting at a computer for 9 hours a day and then ask your body to do this.  It defiantly gets my heart pumping and sweat pouring from my brow.  In order for us to advance as students, we are expected to put these warm-ups to memory in this order.

Warm-ups

1. Circle hips 10x
2. Circle knees 10x
3. Circle body 10x
4. Elbow to toes 10x
5. Pendulum leg stretch 10x
6. Side leg stretch 10x
7. Outside wheel kick 10x
8. Lying leg stretch 10x
9. Front/side combination kick 10x
10. Back kick 10x

Standing relaxation 1 minute (My second favorite warm-up.)

Power Set

1. Raise & lower palms 50x
• Ugh by #40.
2. Cat stretches forward 10x
• This is done on the finger tips. Youch!
3. Cat stretches backward 10x
• This is also done on the finger tips. Youch!
4. Cross-legged roll backs 20x
• You have to roll your legs over your head, while lying on your back, and touch the floor behind you.
5. Back arches 10x
• Think "making your body a table while your face looks towards the ceiling." 

Lying down relaxation 1 minute (My first favorite warm-up!!)

Stretching Set

1. Side split holding ankles 1 minute
2. Sit back, lean to left then right 1 minute each
3. Head to left then right toe 1 minute each
4. Lean forward 1 minute
5. Front split left then right 1 minute each

Circling arms chi kung 10x

Approximate Total Time:30 minutes

This is something that I am getting better at.  When I first started, I thought my heart was going to explode out my chest like an Alien chest burster.  Now I can get through the warm-up with just a sweaty brow and a good heart rate to start our class with.  I do this about twice a week.  Soon I will make it part of a daily morning workout to get me going in the morning.   Either way, this is a good way to start or end the day.