Where's the Kung Fu?

I haven't been writing about that lately. One reason is that my shoulder is injured so my training is all messed up. K, my teacher, decided that I shouldn't use it for a month because it was getting worse not better even though I was being careful. So when I am in class now I tie my right arm to my side with my super-long, white sash. It was really hard to deal with at first, but now I am doing everything with one arm: forms, drills, and sparring.

I've also been learning my broad sword form with my left hand. I am imagining that someday I will have an Inigo Montoya moment where I do it with my left with a lot of pizzaz and just when folks think I am done I toss the sword into the air, catch it with my right and go to town with it. There is something I must tell you.......

I've been working a lot on strengthening my legs, too, since I can't work the upper body very well without using my shoulder. K made up a stance sequence for me to do. I have been holding each one for 30 seconds and charging position. Although I can hold some of the stances for much longer, it's really improving my weak ones. See this page for what I am aspiring towards. And it's not just the form, but the ability to hold it for some given amount of time, say five minutes.