Weights, Pools and Mastery

Heyo everyone. This weeks blog is not a new lesson, but rather my own understanding and take on a lesson that Sifu Brinker teaches us.

One of the main purposes of the I Ho Chuan team is to produce mastery over mediocrity. And the only way to obtain mastery is through constant dedication, commitment and effort towards our goal. The analogy Sifu Brinker uses for this is the weight lifter, and how a weight lifter can build all this muscle yet if he doesnt lift any weights for a year, he won't be able to lift the same amount he could before. Despite his previous ability, he lost it through his absence in the activity. Even though one may be able to come close to mastery, you must keep working towards it because youll lose twice the amount of your progress in half the time.

I've never been one to lift weights frequently, so even though I understood the message coming across, it didn't resonate with me as much as it would someone who lifts weights. Now, for those who don't know, our yard contains a rather decent sized pool (I don't know the measurements off the top of my head but its something like 15×32 feet). Today I was cleaning the surface of the pool, thinking about what to write for a blog, when I realized that the maintenance of a pool is very similar to the concept of mastery and the weight lifter comparison Sifu Brinker uses. There is probably more weight lifters then there are pool owners, so I don't expect this to reach everyone the same way as it does me, but here's how I see. Our pool is too large to be completely covered and protected by the elements, so it is covered by a large tarp. The tarp keeps most of the stuff out of the pool yet a lot of stuff still gets in. Now, getting a perfectly algae free, foreign object free outdoor pool is nearly impossible. It would takes hours upon hours upon hours of diligent care, cleaning and treatment every day. However, if you leave the pool, the chlorine starts to dilute and the algae begins to bloom, the leaves, bugs and fuzz start to collect, and it begins to look more like a swamp then a pool. However, if you apply enough care, you can bring the pool back up to the standards you want.

In this way I see the maintenance of a pool similar to the process of obtaining mastery. Even though my analogy is nearly identical to the weight lifters, I understand the pool better through experience. Mastery cannot be obtained if something is left to sit for any extended amount of time. Mastery can only be obtained if constant care is being applied. Otherwise, just as the chlorine loses its potency over time, we begin to lose our technique and edge. Recognizing that the only way to maintain improvment is to keep striving to improve is vital in every aspect of life. It is important to apply this concept to Kung Fu as well as our personal lives, as sacrifing one thing for the mastery of another is not the right way to do it.

I'm sure everyone has their own analogies when it comes to mastery, but for any pool owners out there, I hope that brings a better understanding to the table.