by nyang » Fri Nov 13, 2009 3:20 pm
It's a good first step that you have started with conditioning. Don't forget to train for both speed and strength. Keep up your conditioning routine throughout your training; it is something that really never reaches an "end" point, because you will still need to maintain your body even if it isn't getting any stronger or quicker at some point. Conditioning will take longer than 2 weeks to really feel a difference, and it is essential to the eventual success of your training. Remember not to rush anything too quickly. You want to avoid injuries. You know your body best, so push its limits, but not to the point of hurting it. Know the difference between being too aggressive and pushing your limits, and between being lazy and being cautious. Let your body recover when it has been worked hard, and subsequent practices will get easier and easier. Again, it will take a minimum of a couple of months, depending on your body and training routine. Don't rush it.
It is also good that you have started into fundamental stances and hand forms. As your body gets stronger and quicker, you can start applying more intention, focus, and sense-of-enemy (i.e. don't just punch the air, think of your target), speed and power, into your movements, instead of just reviewing the forms. Don't add speed and power until you get the mechanics of the motions down first, though. Also, review some kicks, jumps, and stepping/footwork; they are all very characteristic of Long Fist.
There are many different resources to form your own training program at home. YMAA has a number of DVDs, starting from fundamental training, to sequences, and more advanced techniques, weapons, etc. There are also several other instructional DVDs, books, and published material available through other schools, publishers, etc.
When you have a solid grasp of body control and basics, you can start into sequences. Sequences are essentially just combinations of moves strung together in a continuous fashion. Lian Bu Quan and Gong Li Quan are typically amongst the first sequences you learn in any traditional Long Fist program.
Part of the key to succeeding in a "program" is consistency in your training schedule. You need to put in the time regularly to make any progress.
The difficulty in training on your own is not having an instructor/master to tell you when you are on or off track, whether you are doing some well or not so well. If you can make an occasional trip out to a seminar, workshop, or class at a school most convenient to you, it would be the best way to fine-tune your practice. Start developing that eye for detail. Most every little move has a purpose and meaning. It is also a good exercise for you to start trying to understand the art, its origins and root, its feeling, and it will consequently help you develop your practice deeper and deeper. In the preliminary stages of your training, you should focus simply on coordination of your body and mind, making sure all the parts of your body move coherently and harmoniously. Having a full-length mirror is invaluable. I tell my students this a lot, "Make sure you're doing what you think you're doing."
Good luck!
Nicholas C. Yang
President, YMAA International
Assistant Director, YMAA Retreat Center
http://ymaa-retreatcenter.org