Training Day
Aug 5, 2010 15:58:16 GMT -5
Post by Marsh the Great on Aug 5, 2010 15:58:16 GMT -5
*Teresa Tanaka and Xouxou Chen are in a gym, finishing up their work outs. Tanaka has just finished up her “cool down” run and notices Xoxuxou going through her cool down routine: one full sequence of old frame Chen style tai chi chuan. Teresa stretches as she watches Xouxou progress through her sequence. After several minutes, Teresa notices that Xouxou is in a stance that looks just like one she observed earlier. At this, Teresa starts:
Teresa: “Didn’t you do that one already?”
*Xouxou, used to her best friend’s brusqueness and impatience,
continues her sequence and evenly replies:
Xouxou: “Not exactly. This part of the sequence gets repeated several times. Are you getting bored watching me?”
Teresa: No, it’s nothing like that. I just noticed that you were doing something that you’d already done before and was wondering if you lost your place or something.
Xouxou: I’ve been doing this form almost every day since I was 6 years old. It’s pretty much impossible for me to lose my place.
Teresa: Wow! I never knew you’d been doing it that long. That’s what? 18, 19 years? I didn’t know that you started that young. I guess that explains why you’re so fluid.
Xouxou: Yeah.
Teresa: Hey Xou, you think you could teach me that sometime?
Xouxou: I probably could but it’s not a good idea.
Teresa: Why not?
*Xouxou concludes her frame and drinks a bit of water. Teresa grows slightly impatient and starts to speak. Before she can say anything though, Xouxou very calmly interjects:
Xouxou:You want to know why it’s not a good idea for you to learn this form from me? I’ll tell you why. There are a couple of key reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to teach you this form. The first and most significant reason is that it takes a very long time to learn. I’ve been doing this for nearly my whole life so it looks very natural but it took me several years to learn the sequence and many more years to become this fluid.
*Teresa ponders this for a second and begins to respond but Xouxou starts again.
Xouxou: Another reason it probably wouldn’t be a great idea is that I’m not really allowed to teach this form. I’m pretty sure that I could teach it effectively but I have not been given the permission to do so. My father was able to teach me because he was a recognized disciple of the sitting grandmaster but I’ve never studied with a grandmaster. That’s actually the greatest reason that I can’t teach you this form.
*Having been involuntarily muted twice, Teresa hurriedly retorts
Teresa: Is that all? I’m sure you could get away with showing me a thing or two without any harm.
*Xouxou’s face tightens momentarily and then relaxes again. She’s stinging from the insult that her friend unwittingly visited upon her buy she knows it was unintentional. She gathers her thoughts for a few seconds and replies.
Xouxou: Well, I really wouldn’t mind teaching you the form but as I said, I’d have to study with a grandmaster first and believe it or not, that is a very big deal. What makes you suddenly want to learn it anyway?
Teresa: It’s not really a sudden thing since I’ve been thinking about it on and off for a while now. I figured that as partners, we should maybe have a couple of spots where we use each other’s styles. I showed you how to fly in the ring and figured that knowing how to do a kung fu move or two would make for an interesting and fitting mix-up. That’s all I was thinking.
Xouxou: Firstly, it’s not Kung Fu, it’s tai chi chuan. Secondly, I understand what you’re getting at and think it’s a neat idea. The problem with it is this form isn’t part of what I use in the ring. It’s really to dangerous and not “flashy” enough to be used in the ring.
Teresa: Sorry for confusing it but I didn’t know what it was. Not to be rude but I wouldn’t know the difference between kung fu and karate if I didn’t speak Japanese.
Xouxou: Fair enough.
Teresa: But Xou, I have to ask; if that’s not the stuff you use in the ring, then why do you practice it at the gym?
*Xouxou ponders for a second. Coming from someone whose thoughts are about as impulsive as her actions, this question was surprisingly pertinent.
Xouxou: I guess the main reason I practice here is because of the time and space. I can’t really do it at home because the yard’s not big enough and I’m not fond of gawkers. It also takes a fair amount of time to go through all 75 parts of the sequence. I actually speed things up a lot even when I do it here just because it would take more than an hour to complete at the standard speed.
Teresa: An hour? Geez! I guess that’s probably another reason why it isn’t good for me to learn it; I don’t have the PATIENCE for it!
Xouxou: Probably not.
Teresa: You didn’t have to agree so quickly.
*Xouxou laughs
Teresa: Well, if that’s not the stuff that you use in the ring then what do you use?
Xouxou: It’s funny that we’ve known each other for so long but this is the first time I remember us talking so much about my skills. I’m not offended by it or anything it just seems like it’s a bit overdue or something.
Teresa: Yeah. I don’t know why but I just never thought to ask. I mean, I’ve always been fascinated by your martial arts but I just left well enough alone because I never knew how you’d react to me asking. I guess I’ve known you long enough now to figure you wouldn’t be coy about telling me what’s what.
Xouxou: I suppose I understand that. As for what I do use in the ring, it’s mainly the best moves from Shaw Brothers cinema.
Teresa: No, really?
Xouxou: Yeah, seriously. Wrestling’s all about the show and since I know several different arts, I figured movies would be the best source of finding entertaining moves.
*Teresa laughs
Xouxou: That’s where all the kicks and stuff comes from anyway. My subs are a mix of Japanese throwing arts like aikido, judo, and jujitsu and a bit of shui jiao. Most of it is basic MMA style stuff but I like pulling out some “old school” locks every now and again.
Teresa: Chris that’s a lot of stuff! On second thought, it’s probably better that I DON’T know any of that because I’d probably get confused and do something wrong and cripple someone. *she laughs*
Xouxou: Well, you’d probably get bored with me teaching you anyway. After all, most people who try martial arts don’t even make it through breathing training.
Teresa: Breathing training? You mean you guys don’t breathe normally?
*Xouxou laughs
Xouxou: Of course we do, but breathing is part of focusing and focusing is a part of execution and so forth and so on. I don’t know why but a lot of people over think it and end up passing out and quitting. Just one of those things I guess.
Teresa: Well, I thank your for being honest with me. In evaluation of your studious repartee, I have concluded that I will NEVER ask you to teach me martial arts again. *she laughs*
*Xouxou laughs
Xouxou: Well, I’m not going to argue with you on that. Let’s head over to the ring for some sparring. I’ve been meaning to ask you about a couple of moves.
Teresa: Alright! Now we’re talking MY form!
*they depart the training are and head towards the practice gym, Teresa a little smarter about her partner and Xouxou a bit flattered by hers
Teresa: “Didn’t you do that one already?”
*Xouxou, used to her best friend’s brusqueness and impatience,
continues her sequence and evenly replies:
Xouxou: “Not exactly. This part of the sequence gets repeated several times. Are you getting bored watching me?”
Teresa: No, it’s nothing like that. I just noticed that you were doing something that you’d already done before and was wondering if you lost your place or something.
Xouxou: I’ve been doing this form almost every day since I was 6 years old. It’s pretty much impossible for me to lose my place.
Teresa: Wow! I never knew you’d been doing it that long. That’s what? 18, 19 years? I didn’t know that you started that young. I guess that explains why you’re so fluid.
Xouxou: Yeah.
Teresa: Hey Xou, you think you could teach me that sometime?
Xouxou: I probably could but it’s not a good idea.
Teresa: Why not?
*Xouxou concludes her frame and drinks a bit of water. Teresa grows slightly impatient and starts to speak. Before she can say anything though, Xouxou very calmly interjects:
Xouxou:You want to know why it’s not a good idea for you to learn this form from me? I’ll tell you why. There are a couple of key reasons why it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to teach you this form. The first and most significant reason is that it takes a very long time to learn. I’ve been doing this for nearly my whole life so it looks very natural but it took me several years to learn the sequence and many more years to become this fluid.
*Teresa ponders this for a second and begins to respond but Xouxou starts again.
Xouxou: Another reason it probably wouldn’t be a great idea is that I’m not really allowed to teach this form. I’m pretty sure that I could teach it effectively but I have not been given the permission to do so. My father was able to teach me because he was a recognized disciple of the sitting grandmaster but I’ve never studied with a grandmaster. That’s actually the greatest reason that I can’t teach you this form.
*Having been involuntarily muted twice, Teresa hurriedly retorts
Teresa: Is that all? I’m sure you could get away with showing me a thing or two without any harm.
*Xouxou’s face tightens momentarily and then relaxes again. She’s stinging from the insult that her friend unwittingly visited upon her buy she knows it was unintentional. She gathers her thoughts for a few seconds and replies.
Xouxou: Well, I really wouldn’t mind teaching you the form but as I said, I’d have to study with a grandmaster first and believe it or not, that is a very big deal. What makes you suddenly want to learn it anyway?
Teresa: It’s not really a sudden thing since I’ve been thinking about it on and off for a while now. I figured that as partners, we should maybe have a couple of spots where we use each other’s styles. I showed you how to fly in the ring and figured that knowing how to do a kung fu move or two would make for an interesting and fitting mix-up. That’s all I was thinking.
Xouxou: Firstly, it’s not Kung Fu, it’s tai chi chuan. Secondly, I understand what you’re getting at and think it’s a neat idea. The problem with it is this form isn’t part of what I use in the ring. It’s really to dangerous and not “flashy” enough to be used in the ring.
Teresa: Sorry for confusing it but I didn’t know what it was. Not to be rude but I wouldn’t know the difference between kung fu and karate if I didn’t speak Japanese.
Xouxou: Fair enough.
Teresa: But Xou, I have to ask; if that’s not the stuff you use in the ring, then why do you practice it at the gym?
*Xouxou ponders for a second. Coming from someone whose thoughts are about as impulsive as her actions, this question was surprisingly pertinent.
Xouxou: I guess the main reason I practice here is because of the time and space. I can’t really do it at home because the yard’s not big enough and I’m not fond of gawkers. It also takes a fair amount of time to go through all 75 parts of the sequence. I actually speed things up a lot even when I do it here just because it would take more than an hour to complete at the standard speed.
Teresa: An hour? Geez! I guess that’s probably another reason why it isn’t good for me to learn it; I don’t have the PATIENCE for it!
Xouxou: Probably not.
Teresa: You didn’t have to agree so quickly.
*Xouxou laughs
Teresa: Well, if that’s not the stuff that you use in the ring then what do you use?
Xouxou: It’s funny that we’ve known each other for so long but this is the first time I remember us talking so much about my skills. I’m not offended by it or anything it just seems like it’s a bit overdue or something.
Teresa: Yeah. I don’t know why but I just never thought to ask. I mean, I’ve always been fascinated by your martial arts but I just left well enough alone because I never knew how you’d react to me asking. I guess I’ve known you long enough now to figure you wouldn’t be coy about telling me what’s what.
Xouxou: I suppose I understand that. As for what I do use in the ring, it’s mainly the best moves from Shaw Brothers cinema.
Teresa: No, really?
Xouxou: Yeah, seriously. Wrestling’s all about the show and since I know several different arts, I figured movies would be the best source of finding entertaining moves.
*Teresa laughs
Xouxou: That’s where all the kicks and stuff comes from anyway. My subs are a mix of Japanese throwing arts like aikido, judo, and jujitsu and a bit of shui jiao. Most of it is basic MMA style stuff but I like pulling out some “old school” locks every now and again.
Teresa: Chris that’s a lot of stuff! On second thought, it’s probably better that I DON’T know any of that because I’d probably get confused and do something wrong and cripple someone. *she laughs*
Xouxou: Well, you’d probably get bored with me teaching you anyway. After all, most people who try martial arts don’t even make it through breathing training.
Teresa: Breathing training? You mean you guys don’t breathe normally?
*Xouxou laughs
Xouxou: Of course we do, but breathing is part of focusing and focusing is a part of execution and so forth and so on. I don’t know why but a lot of people over think it and end up passing out and quitting. Just one of those things I guess.
Teresa: Well, I thank your for being honest with me. In evaluation of your studious repartee, I have concluded that I will NEVER ask you to teach me martial arts again. *she laughs*
*Xouxou laughs
Xouxou: Well, I’m not going to argue with you on that. Let’s head over to the ring for some sparring. I’ve been meaning to ask you about a couple of moves.
Teresa: Alright! Now we’re talking MY form!
*they depart the training are and head towards the practice gym, Teresa a little smarter about her partner and Xouxou a bit flattered by hers