Go To Class

We’ve all been there. Kung fu class is tonight, but, like … it’s dark and cold outside … or I just ate a big dinner … or Mercury is in retrograde … or <insert excuse here>. And just like that? I’ve talked myself out of going.

I’m a naturally lazy person and I love being at home; I can talk myself out of going anywhere in ten words or less. Five words, if the place to go is somewhere that’ll make me sweat buckets. Besides, I can always pick up a class later in the week, right?

But then I remember a time when there was no later in the week for me. When covid hit, my compromised immune system and I were forced to isolate. Away from friends, away from family, and definitely away from my kung fu school. 

March 2020. Me (left) training with my Simo (right), neither of us knowing this will be the last time I train in person for YEARS.

I trained by myself, at home. Sometimes via zoom with my Sifu and Simo, but mostly alone. And sure, there’s value in solo training on your own time. Some of my best ah-ha moments studying my forms happened alone, barefoot, in my living room, set to a heavy metal soundtrack. But without that routine of going to class, setting aside time to focus on training, having other students around to encourage and challenge me, my kung fu went quiet. Dormant. Hibernating in the hopes that my world might thaw again, and find me back in a school.

It was a lonely time. 

So take it from me - that class time at your kung fu school is worth more than gold. Treasure the moments of guidance from your Sifu, set to a pak sau soundtrack. Revel in the bursts of power and the quiet moments between. Value every second spent touching hands and walking that floor.

Kung fu is patient - when you need to take a break from training, it’ll wait inside you like a tiger in tall grass, ready to pounce whenever you are. Taking breaks can be good for your kung fu.

But nothing - I mean nothing - beats going to class.