03/13/2012

We are all under pressure over here as we prepare for ESPN to arrive. They will be here for only three days: One day for arrival, one day for shooting, and one day for departing. This means that we will be basically doing a one-day-demo from 6 AM to 6 PM on that shooting day. The plan is to show everything we have trained up to this point.

We have candidates interested in the five-year program starting to arrive. Today Nathan from France arrived, we have Tye from Vermont, Eddie from England, and Alex from Boston. Later in the semester Javier (from Chile) will come. This is their opportunity to get an idea for the life here and to be evaluated as potential disciples.

Aside from these guys we still have guests coming to train Taiji, Qigong, and Shaolin. Needless to say we are pretty busy right now but thankfully everyone is getting along and the training spirit is very high. I'm really impressed. We are all pushing our bodies to the max and everybody is super sore.

Blood

Sweat

Tears

Javi Out



...Enjoy the pics! 

Black Sands Beach at Shelter Cove
http://redwoods.info/showrecord.asp?id=1718




     

02.22.2012

I’m on the Greyhound heading back to the mountain. This ride doesn’t seem like it will be as bad as the first. Mentally I’m in a good place right now. I’m returning from this tournament with a sense of validation for all of the hard training. Success in a tournament is not why we train but it doesn’t hurt to have that positive reinforcement for a system that requires so much sacrifice and discipline.

Tournament results are as follows:

                Javier:

                                Traditional Northern Bare hand (Advanced) – 2^nd

                                Taiji Straight sword (Advanced) - 3^rd

                                Pushing hands (Fixed Step) – 1^st

                                Continuous sparring (Advanced) – 3^rd

                Jon:

                                Grand Champion (Men, Internal)

                                Grand Champion (Men, External)

                                He pretty much got first in every event : D

This tournament was the 2^nd annual for ICMAC in Houston so the attendance wasn’t as big as say Orlando, which I have been to in years past. But Houston is the fourth largest city in the country so there is definitely potential. I want to compete in some other events like extreme pushing hands, shuai jao, and san da so I’m thinking next year of going to Orlando or Vegas.

I think it is important for me put any skills I’ve acquired to test in a controlled setting. I realized after sparring in this tournament how crucial candle watching is as well as all the speed drills of the legs and hands.  On the other hand I have a better sense of what areas I am lacking.

Overall I am pleased with my performance because I executed what I had trained.  Vids and pics will be posted soon.

All tournament results:
http://www.kungfuchampionship.com/houston/results/2012/

Hey all. It’s testing week. That means a few things. It means pressure and high expectations, BUT it also means vacay is coming soon, right? No. Not for this disciple! I’m not going anywhere! That’s right no vacay for Javi…Violin, someone, please. Forgive me, but just let me get it out.

Yea so while the others will be attending the summer camp in Poland and going home to visit family and friends I get to spend my vacation with Frank (he’s staying too) Xiao hu (our dog), the chickens and the rabbits.  Someone has to feed them (Frank included), water the garden, and look out for aliens. But I DO get to visit my family in September so I have that to look forward to.

Sorry it’s just that it has been a long semester and I haven’t had a good month. It seems like I say that at the end of every semester (that it’s been a long semester). Do I? Anyways we really put the pressure on by piling up the goals and the assignments, but I feel like we all came out on top.

We had a great time and performed well at the tournament but when we arrived back we all got sick. We must have caught a virus in the city, speaking of which I wonder if, because we live on the mountain for most of the year, if that makes us more susceptible to common “city” viruses.  It felt like the flu, but this was mid June so, dunno?

I was also wondering, because the tournament was the last major hurdle we had for this semester (excluding testing) if maybe our bodies just shut down and might have needed a rest from all these back-to-back-to-back projects.  Some of us slept for almost two days straight. I personally felt a huge weight off my back upon returning to the mountain, and knowing all major projects were done

.The last thing we need to get through this semester will be the test. We will test everything we train, from Log running, to taiji ball, to reaction.  As a matter of fact you all will be able to watch as our final Video log for the semester will feature the testing regimen. It will span the next three days, starting tomorrow.

Speaking of which, for those who have followed my Taiji Ball Video-log I must apologize because I will not be able to perform/shoot the final video due to injury. I was able to shoot two videos and I showed progress so that’s a positive. When I get over this injury I will get back to training with that marble ball! I think my best time so far is roughly 2minutes 15 seconds.  Dr Yang told me that if I could go for 10 minutes straight he would teach me 10 foot staff. So that is my goal.

That’s all. Thanks all.

5/19

It might be Thursday where you are, but on this mountain it is Sunday.  We have the day off to make up for days missed!

It has been a very productive month, BUT only because it has been a very productive year.  We have been treading water to catch up to the level Dr. Yang thinks we should be as year 3 concludes.  All the while we have all struggled with so many injuries: pulled muscles, strained joints, backs, necks, ankles, wrists, knees – and that’s just on the physical realm.

Fortunately, within the past week we have started receiving praise for making progress, giving us hope that we have the ability to get on track and the ability to fulfill this program. We have all worked our butts off this year. I feel like we have completed two successful DVDs, the beginning of a Taiji applications series, articles, video logs, sequences, weapons, conditioning; all because we have persevered and supported each other. Taking it day by day, organizing, helping each other, listening to each other, keeping to our schedule; we have come together and we now are building momentum, as a team, which feels really good as we start to plan for next year.

HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS OF ALL: We have received notice that the YMAA Retreat Center will now be recognized as an educational institution by the US government. This means that YMAA Retreat Center has the authority to issue and award an accredited degree of Chinese Martial Arts to any person that completes the program. (So, good news mom: I’m going back to school!!)

Before, we were just a nonprofit organization, now we are a legitimate vocational school for Chinese Martial Arts. This is the VERY FIRST of its kind. In addition, our brothers from Switzerland (Frank and Jachym) may now obtain STUDENT visas to enter the country rather than having to stretch out their visitors’ visas which raises questions at Customs. We were worried that they would not be able to return next semester, now there is no question.

This is a monumental achievement for Dr. Yang, The Retreat Center, and for anyone who has fought for the recognition this school, this organization, deserves. The pursuit for educational status has cost a lot of money from Dr. Yang and much time and effort from many who supported and battled from behind the scenes. Together we all share this moment of validation in the belief that this program, this dream, this Art, may offer a valuable contribution for years to come.

Thank you to all our supporters.

…we’re doing it guys!

5.7.2011

It’s Saturday night and I am ecstatic that I am going to bed early and that I can sleep in tomorrow. I am lying down and thought I would write something to go along with the behind the scenes video. I’ll try to make this short and sweet.

First of all happy mothers’ day to all of the mom’s out there. Ohh, the job of a mom, I will never know, but I certainly can appreciate. I want to take the opportunity to thank my mother for all that she had done for me and continues to do. Love you mom and I hope you enjoy the flowers. And I hope all the mothers out there enjoy their day.

We are closing in very quickly to the end of semester 2, year 3. Next week we will begin shooting KFBC 2 (Kung Fu body Conditioning DVD). We just finished shooting Taijiquan Applications after a long, grueling shooting schedule this week. It was no walk in the park by any means. The behind the scenes video might convey a whimsical disposition on our part, and that is my doing because I edited the video, but what it fails to convey is the amount of sleep we lost, the grey hairs (yes, we might be in our twenties but some of us have grey hairs-no names mentioned) along with the continued on-the-go mentality we forced ourselves into no matter how tired or hungry we were. 

We shot and edited the videos we set out to finish so we definitely won the battle. I must give credit and praise to our media teacher Rii who hung in there every step of the way and on most days put in longer hours than us young guys.  She drives up here 4 hours from San Francisco and donates her time and instruction to teach us media production. I don’t think we truly comprehend yet the appreciation for what she continues to offer without asking for anything in return. One day we will.

We have come a long way. We are excited about these Taiji Application videos and are anxious to get them out. We all have clearly “leveled-up” in the areas of shooting, editing, acting, teaching… It’s just really nice to see our progress right in front of our eyes. More importantly we came together as a team and put together a killer product.

But now is not the time to celebrate. The first day after we finished shooting Taiji applications we went right into rehearsal for KFBC 2. We will be pretty much producing the DVD in its entirety by ourselves. We have about twenty exercises that we are filming and each of us rotates the duties of Camera A and B, presenter, performer, audio and “slater”. This week we will lock it all down and Saturday we will start shooting it.

At the same time we are also rehearsing for a local Demo we committed ourselves to. We will have to take a break from shooting the DVD next week to go perform.  So this week will be another test, mostly mental.

…oh yea and we are preparing for the tournament next month in San Jose.  This year Dr. Yang will be attending with us. That means more pressure. 

Okay, that’s it for now. Check our Facebook for recent photos and our Youtube channel for Behind the scenes videos.

 I thought I would post this for anyone who is not on Dr. Yang's email list.       Hello friends,

The organic garden has been plowed, the weeds have been cleared, and many of 
the seeds have been planted. We expect to have another good harvest this 
year, just in time for seminars. We also expect to have plenty of eggs 
each day from our free range chickens at that time. In addition, we have 
had our underground well water tested again and we are happy to say that 
the results are more than satisfactory with an alkaline level of 8.7. It 
is the best water we can find to go with the smooth, strong, and 
harmonized energy provided by the local volcano.

As of now, the disciples have almost completed their third year of the 
program. They are still a little behind schedule, but have caught up 
significantly since last year. I believe that the energy of learning, 
self-discipline, and training has finally been established.

One of the main goals of the YMAA Retreat Center is to verify the 
possibility of keeping a high level of martial arts quality and 
discipline in today’s society. I am now confident that we will be able 
to achieve that. The first year’s accomplishments DVD has been published 
(www.ymaa.com). I hope that through this DVD, you will be able to grasp 
a better idea of what they have been training. YMAA Publishing will be 
here again this May to shoot the second year’s training DVD. The most 
exciting part of this shoot is that the disciples will be acting as both 
crew and talent this time around. We feel deeply in-debt to their DVD 
instructors, Ms. Rii Kanzaki and Mr. Craig Atkinson. I cannot believe 
how far they have progressed in DVD production.

Due to the current success of the 10 year program, I have a strong 
desire to recruit another small group of disciples to start September 2013 
for a period of 5 years. The age limitation will be from 17 to 25 and 
applications will be accepted from March of 2013 to February of 2014. 
All selected candidates will be invited to the Center for a month of 
training and testing to experience the life here. From this testing, a 
candidate will have a better feeling of living and training in this 
remote mountain area. Unfortunately, due to lack of funds from the 
outside, applicants will be required to be able to cover for basic food 
and lodging expenses ($10,000 USD per year) as well as provide their own health 
insurance. If you have any friends who may be interested in this 
program, please pass the word to them. If they have any questions, 
please tell them not to hesitate to contact myself or any of my 
disciples here.

YMAA will be hosting another International Summer Training Camp after a 
4 year hiatus. Past camps have been very enriching in terms of training, 
learning, and friendship. This year’s camp will take place in Poland 
from July 1st to July 10th. Students of all styles and skill levels, 
both YMAA and non-YMAA members, are encouraged to participate. The camps 
are always a great opportunity to connect with people from many 
different locations around the world. Continue checking online for more 
information and updates as they become available on the YMAA 
International site (www.ymaa.com) and the YMAA Poland site 
(www.ymaa.pl). I will be there to lead several of the camp activities 
and classes. My sons, Nicholas and James, as well as several senior YMAA 
instructors from around the world will also be in attendance. As is the 
case at every YMAA camp, I am sure that we will have a great time 
training, learning, and meeting with each other.

YMAA CA Retreat Center seminars have been filling up quickly this year. 
Because of the YMAA International Summer Camp in Poland, there will only 
be five seminars in California instead of the usual six. Please see the 
attachment for lodging availability.

	If you are interested in attending seminars in California, the schedule 
will be:

July 22nd-29th: Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and Applications
July 29th-Aug. 5th: Taiji Pushing Hands
Aug. 5th-12th: Taiji Fighting Set
August 12t-19th: Qigong-1 (Qigong Theory and Spine Qigong)
August 19th-26th: Qigong-5 (Qigong Massage)

	Please visit following for additional details.

California Seminars 2011
(July 22nd – August 26th)
http://ymaa.com/seminars/california
http://ymaa.com/seminars/california-registration

	You are also always welcome to come and train with the disciples during 
their regular training times. If you would like to know more about this, 
please visit us online.

California Regular Training
(September 1st – December 15th; January 16th – June 30th)
http://ymaa.com/training/retreatcenter/regular-time-training

Thank you very much,

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming

 Below is a status update written by Dr. Yang. As we come into the middle of the third year we find some  outside obstacles to be giving us a bit more trouble than we need, as we didn't have enough to worry about.   Read on and you will see what I mean. However, there is a bit of good news toward the end...      Update of YMAA CA Retreat Center (November 26, 2010)
To: All Supporters

Hello everybody. It’s been a while since I last reported to you in June, 
so here is an update about the Retreat Center. Unfortunately most of it 
isn’t very good news. Please know that your continuous support is 
crucial to keep this program going. All of us at the Center deeply 
appreciate your help.

1.	Funding:
Due to the poor economy this year, our fundraising has dropped by about 
35-40% compared to previous years. To compensate for this, we have had 
to tighten our budget and conserve our limited funds. Even with your 
support, I still have to put $25,000 in to keep the Center functioning 
and expect to add an additional $10,000 by the end of the year. This 
money is being used to add walls and windows to the outdoor gym. After 
experiencing last year’s winter, we realized that it cannot function 
correctly during the wet season because of the amount of rain and wind. 
All of the windows and doors have already been ordered and delivered, 
costing $7,300. I hope the construction can begin in the next couple weeks.
With your support, we are now able to have six disciples training at the 
Center. Jonathan and Santiago are from the Boston area, Javier from 
Texas, Patrick from Florida, and Jáchym and Frank from Switzerland. 
Jonathan and Santiago are currently supported by their parents while 
Jáchym and Frank support themselves. However, Jáchym’s self funds will 
unfortunately be exhausted soon. Because of your support, Javier and 
Patrick have been provided the opportunity to be able to stay and train 
at the Center.

2.	Training:
Because of DVD productions with YMAA Publishing and other video 
projects, the training is now a little behind schedule. The Retreat 
Center’s first DVD production, Kung Fu Body Conditioning, will be 
released in March of 2011 and I believe it will be a very good product. 
The students worked hard to present their first year’s accomplishments. 
In addition, their DVD teacher was here to teach them more shooting and 
editing skills while I was in Europe last month. She informs me that 
they have made a significant amount of progress in learning. I am glad 
that they are learning a lot, but I hope they will be able to catch up 
with the training schedule by the end of next semester.

3.	SEVIS:
We have been applying to be recognized as an educational organization 
for some time now through SEVIS. The problem is that they are treating 
us as a regular educational school and demand many documents which we 
cannot provide. It’s been about three years, but we are still hanging in 
there, waiting for their final decision.

4.	Building Permit:
Another issue that has come up in the last few weeks has been with our 
building permits. When I bought the land 8 years ago, the zoning 
document (TPZ: Timber Production Zoning) showed that I was allowed to 
build two buildings in a parcel (which we have two of). However, now, 
due to new regulations established in 2007, I am only allowed one 
building in both of these parcels combined because both parcels belong 
to the same owner. In addition, when I began the project, I was told 
that 90% of the houses in the area did not need or have building permits 
because they did not use outside utilities. Because of these reasons, I 
built all of the buildings on the Center’s property without them. Now 
they say that I will need building permits and I need to apply for them. 
A couple weeks ago, with the help of Mr. Bill Buckley, we were able to 
solve the dispute of the parcels. Because they had told us that the land 
I have was a single parcel, I sent them some documents and requested 
information with proof that I had two. By doing this, they will send a 
representative out to our property to inspect and check all of the 
information. Once they have come we will be able to submit a plot plan 
to them, which if they approve, will allow us to proceed with the 
applications of the building permits. The only thing that worries me is 
that even if all goes well, the property tax will go up significantly 
and I am not sure if I will be able to afford it.

But now time for some good news:
1.	We now have 20 chickens that provide us with a combined amount of 
12-15 eggs per day. Even though we are unable to eat so many in a day, I 
do not feel too bad because we are able to build community relationships 
by giving them to our neighbors.
2.	All of the disciples here are helping each other and training hard. I 
can see hope for the future.
3.	Jáchym has begun taking online college courses in mathematics. I hope 
the other disciples will follow his example and earn a degree before 
they complete the program here.

Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
Director, YMAA CA Retreat Center

Whew…it’s been go, go, go here. We’ve had to put training on the backburner for the past few weeks.  We’ve been focusing on media production.

I’m sitting in the cabin right now. It’s Sunday the 14^th of November. Jon and Santi are preparing dinner.  We just got back from shooting at the Redwoods.  The air is a bit melancholy. This is our rest day but we are pushing to wrap up this project.  Upon our return, tired and hungry, it feels like we are losing steam from much shooting and editing for the past 3 weeks. I find the need to stay up later that normal just to get stuff done; not a good idea when required to be at meditation at 6 AM every day.  I’ve never had problems staying awake during meditation until now.

 I feel like winding down by building a fire and having a beer.   

I look above our furnace and notice a bottle of Bacardi.  It smiles at me and calls upon me to be finished. So I offer the guys a drink.  It doesn’t take much to coax them. A splash of OJ, a quick shake, and we have a silent toast.

Now (about 15 minutes later) we have relaxed a bit.  We find ourselves warm and in joking spirits as the guys wrap up prepping this meal for ten.   

I take the opportunity to do some writing. Article or blog? Blog it is.

Currently we are working to produce Taiji Chuan instructional videos.  We’ve been working on these for the whole semester it seems.  This production has consumed our every thought at this point (at least for me).  Jon and I have agreed that we are “over it.”

It is challenging. We have this 15 thousand dollar camera that our media teacher left us (no pressure).  The assignment is to produce an instructional video that looks movie-esk.  Its function is to teach but we don’t want to bore the audience.  For most of us this is our first time filming, editing, ect.

We are running low on hours as the end of the semester nears. We are running low on daylight as the rainy season nears, and Dr. Yang is running low on patience the more time we spend on shooting.  We have one month to complete these along with our regular assignments.   Filming is taking away from our regular training which we are already behind on.

Along this road of video production are many roadblocks and obstacles.  Issues with power failure, equipment, the fact that we are just learning about media production, an unclear vision about the look of this product, personality clashes, tired and unmotivated bodies, inconsistent weather; this list can keep going.   But it’s time to eat dinner.

It’s overwhelming at times.  As I chisel away at my to-do list the tasks still continue to pile.  Next week we will be filming our First Club Coil Cookie contest.  We have to start pre-production on this project this week, but it feels like we will still be working on Taiji Applications videos. 

Ok. I’m gonna stop whining here and get some grub.

The pics below are from shooting the Intro for our applications series.  To see the behind the scenes video check out the youtube channel.