Kerry Livgren - Odyssey into the Mind's Eye

While some might watch this video and say "Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore..." they'd obviously have the sound turned way, way down.

The Odyssey series collects various (generally) unrelated bits and pieces of computer animation ~ stuff that was cutting edge when it was done compiled in the early 90's ~ and sets it to music, and, for this video the music just happens to come from a founding member, guitarist, and songwriter of the band Kansas.

Kerry Livgren composed the tunes, and performed most of the different parts (Chris Kearney played drums), for the DVD Odyssey Series: Into the Mind's Eye.

The tune we're hearing here is Oceanic Celebration, and can be found on the album Odyssey into the Mind's Eye.

Friday Funnies

( Almost certainly not safe for work or young impressionable children... )

Wing Chun Chi Sao & Contact Juggling

Now, in truth, if you followed the exact forms, terms, and movements of a traditional wing chun education, you'd probably sneer at this.

But it hit me ~ pun quite intended, as usual ~ while aequitaslevitas and I took our chi sao practice up a notch or two, that what we were doing had an awful lot of similarities with contact juggling, such that you could benefit by cross-training.

In both arts, you are maintaining contact with the object you're working with: in contact juggling, usually one or more heavy spheres; in chi sao, your opponent. So, sure there are differences. If you step back from the ball, it falls. If you step back from the opponent, they probably stay standing. However, the goal in both is to maintain contact, to maintain control of the object.

Circular motions are the order of the day in chi sao. Sure, there are some direct strikes, but they are met with and trapped by circular motions. In contact juggling, the goal is to make it look like you are, literally, revolving around a sphere.

Although you may start with a bunch of set named moves, the real goal is to blend them into something that is much more fluid. In chi sao, you are coupling your movements with those of another person, reacting to their attacks, and positioning yourself to be able to target them. In contact juggling, you are often attempting to make it look as if the sphere is alive and you're trying to react to it or contain it.

It would be interesting to attempt some form ~ probably not all that recognizable once it comes down to it ~ of chi sao with one or more spheres...

Hung Gar Scheduled!

I've posted before ~ a while ago, I think ~ on the exercise program... you know, the one I'm not currently following?

Last I mentioned it, I had worked out plans for the Jeet Kune Do and Baguazhang, along with the first chart of core exercises.

The way it works is the core exercises contain all the basic (and, later, advanced) stretching and, essentially, traditional exercises. At one point, right before the cardio component, the specialist exercises come in to play.

Each one of those has ~ or, more accurately, will have ~ a chart that maps out the various exercises, drills, movements, or whatever is particular to that discipline in such a way that it ramps up over a number of different levels. More complex or challenging bits come in later, and the number of reps also ramp up over time.

The core exercises do much of the same, although they will also move to different charts that bring in more complex variations of the exercises.

Today, aequitaslevitas and I went through and planned out how we will train in Hung Gar kung fu. We'll start out with one of the five stances, both of the hand drills (qi gong exercises, essentially), two of the ten basic exercises (simple strikes and/or blocks), one of the three blocking exercises, and three of the twenty strikes (complex two to eight movement mini-forms).

Now, we just have to write up the 18 Buddha Hands Qi Gong (which isn't quite fair to it; the first three were formerly part of the core exercises... =), Pilates, and Yoga (both of which were also included once, long ago...) I'd also like to come up with schedules for the Northern Shaolin Sword and Iai Do. We spent a little time last year on Iai Do, but I'd like to focus more on that. No ceilings high enough here, though, so that definitely depends on warmer weather.

Then, there's still all the other bits and pieces to be thrown into the mix: the capoeira, the chin na groundfighting, the akido... and a few forms to study as well (Swimming Body Bagua Zhang, Eight Drunken Immortals, Drunken Monkey, and Zuijiuquan). Some of these might prove very difficult for us to do ~ no mat for the groundwork, rolls, and throws, and, often, no room for the forms.

No matter what bits and pieces get stuck in there, the hardest thing is to keep up with it... and that's where the variations come in handy. I really do have to find some more of my source info for the core exercises... I had three or four charts worth done, and that not only got extremely challenging, it kept things interesting.