Kung Fu & Tai Chi

I first met Sifu Matthew Stone of Three Lakes Kung Fu and Tai Chi at a seminar held in conjunction with a tournament I’d never been to before. I was impressed with his teaching on body dynamics and I had the fun of both watching him and his students compete in forms. Indeed, I competed against Sifu Stone in the “black belt division” later on (forms only). I think we both won because as he and I chatted after the competition I started counting him among my friends. A few months later I noticed he was scheduled to begin teaching at a rec center about an hour’s drive away. I asked if I could be among the newbies walking in for their very first classes and Sifu Stone enthusiastically said I was welcome to train.

I spent two hours in Sifu Stone’s classes. From the rec center’s website:

Classes on Traditional Chinese/Taiwanese martial arts, including Shaolinquan (Shaolin Boxing), the traditional soldier/bodyguard arts of Xingyiquan (Mind Intent Boxing) and Baguazhang (Eight Trigrams Palm), and the martial arts aspects of Taijiquan (Grand Ultimate Boxing), as taught within the Chen Pan-ling Family Lineage. These classes focus on the martial arts aspect of these styles, the application of movements for self-defense application, and their life-enhancing practice.

The only other newbie who walked in the door for the first hour (Kung Fu) was a lady who came in to learn “whatever you have to teach me.” She did cite the self defense aspect as one of her primary goals and expressed a little concern about her age. I normally don’t speak up when I’m not teaching, but I wanted to encourage her by pointing out that I was roughly her age when I started Karate. I wasn’t wearing my regalia, just a simple T-shirt and sweat pants, so the new student wouldn’t have known I’m a yudansha (black belt in karate) if Sifu hadn’t already introduced me. I was tempted to say, “I’m you in ten years,” but I didn’t. There will be some parallels, yes, but she will have her own unique journey.

For both classes Sifu Stone divided his attention between newbies and his long-time students (who I’d also met and seen at the tournament). I realized later that I was setting an example for the newbies by keeping on with the assigned drills until Sifu came around to us again. Once I got home I wrote down all the teaching techniques I could remember. Aligning the body, isolating a movement, generating power – these are all universal to martial arts. Indeed, a few days later I used one of Sifu Stone’s teaching tools for some of the karate students. The more teaching tools I have in my toolbox the better. If a student doesn’t respond to one way of teaching something it’s up to me to keep trying different teaching methods until something clicks. And the same goes for teaching myself.

After everyone had left, Sifu Stone spent a good long time giving me a boost for my own practice and growth as a martial artist. I’d noticed Sifu practicing with a long, thin spear – but a thrust is a thrust no matter if it’s done with a spear or a bo (long staff) so I asked for help. Yes, I got help with one technique, but most of the help I received was in the form of pointing me in the right direction for teaching myself.

Up until now I’ve been wanting to explore application of kata (forms) and individual techniques but I was looking to others to provide it. Videos, style books, asking one of my sensei – those are valuable pursuits to be sure, but coming up with answers for oneself is a whole other level of reaching an understanding of not only the techniques, not just self defense, but also of oneself. Sifu Stone said of my Shodan (1^st degree black belt) status, “You graduated from high school. Welcome to college.”

“So that means I’ve got these textbooks, my kata,” I replied, “What I do with this material is up to me.”

“Exactly.”

For the last few years I have had the attitude that I can do whatever I want in my own personal practice time. There is no doubt that attitude saw me through the pandemic, when training options were limited. After talking with Sifu Stone I realized I have been focusing too much on technical perfection. In the last couple of months prior I actually came very close to burning myself out. Now, instead of spending time trying to get the details right on all my kata I picked one kata and am spending time exploring the applications. I’ll probably need to add the technical practice back in closer to the next tournament, but I have a feeling I won’t be as frustrated if I can’t get something exactly right. I do still practice all my kata (forms) so I don’t forget them. I also work on one or two basics if I feel that I’m slipping into bad habits. But I’ve shifted from the “how” to the “why.”

In karate we have a concept called shu-ha-ri. Shu – follow the rules. Ha – break the rules. Ri – make the rules your own. I have a feeling I shifted into “Ha” territory. Here’s Sifu Stone’s take on shu-ha-ri from his follow-up email.

I’m very familiar with Shu-Ha-Ri, and I use that concept with my students frequently.

Conform yourself to the school/style/technique; force your body to execute according to the principles.

Internalize the lessons so they are indistinguishable from your natural state.

Express yourself freely through technique, understanding that you’ve “become one” with the principles, and everything else no longer really matters…

So if you haven’t guessed by now learning cool new moves from other martial arts isn’t my primary goal. Sure, learning new techniques is fun but I want to move beyond what my American Kenpo friend calls, “Monkey see, monkey do.” I’m seeking answers wherever I can find them. And sometimes seeking answers leads to questions that I didn’t know I should be asking. And, as always, whenever I cross train I often hear the late Professor Remy Presas whispering, “It is all the same.” In that moment that whisper tells me I’m learning something about Karate.