Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 28, 2024
All Classes
This week we had our special Halloween classes! The students were invited to wear their Halloween costumes and it was filled with all sorts of fun and games.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, November 9 from 10-12noon.
Fall Break takes place November 11-15. There will be no formal classes during this week but there is still always Kung Fu!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 21, 2024
All Classes
This week we had our annual Break-a-thon!!! Every year we use this event for a couple different reasons. Firstly, breaking boards is a really great way to get immediate feedback on our skill and technique and is an incredible way to build confidence. We were so proud of all of our students and were really pleased with how this years event went! Secondly, we use this event as a means to raise awareness and to fundraise for our three main charities, SCARS, Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Center and Healing Hands. A huge thank-you to everyone that took part!!
Special Announcements for All Classes
October 29 and 30 will be our Halloween classes. All students are invited to wear their Halloween costumes!!
There are no classes on Halloween Day, Thursday, October 31.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 14, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we had an opportunity to meet and learn about some of our lions. At Silent River Kung Fu we continue to practice many of the traditional tenets of Kung Fu, one of the most prevalent being Lion Dancing. Not only are Lion Dances fun to watch and participate in, but it is also an integral part of our regular training.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we worked hard on improving our Horse Stance. The Horse Stance is one of our main stances that we use to practice our kicks, punches, and forms and is one of the best tools we have to build strength and endurance in our legs.
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we worked on our Vocabulary of Motion curriculum. Vocabulary of Motion is how we take single techniques (words) and put them together into a coherent sequence (sentences). It’s one thing to master a punch, or a kick, or a block one rep at a time. It’s another to be able to put these techniques together in a way that makes sense for an applicable situation. By practicing our techniques in sequence, we can learn to move, react, and adapt in a more efficient way.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, October 19 from 10am-12noon.
Our Break-a-thon is fast approaching! The Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons will be doing their board breaks on Tuesday, October 22 and the Lil Leopards will be doing theirs on Wednesday, October 23. Parents/Guardians are invited to come into the Kwoon on those days to watch!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Oct 7, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we were challenged with bean bag relay races that tested both our listening and cardio. We also focused on our 5 animals of Kung Fu postures and the 3 Rules of Concentration. Ask your child to show you the 5 animals!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused on some Dragon Dancing. Dragon Dancing is a team effort that requires perfect timing and incredible attention to detail. The students were challenged with maneuvering individually through various obstacles while also staying together as a dragon.
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we had a special opportunity to work with Sihing Lindstrom. Being our resident grappling expert, Sihing Lindstrom covered a wide range of grappling skills with the students. Ideally, we never want to be taken to the ground in an altercation, but if we are, we want to have the skills to be able to still defend ourselves, with the main goal of getting back to our feet as quickly as possible. Ask your child if they remember what the set of techniques that we worked on was called. (Answer: Takedown Situation)
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training is Saturday, October 19 from 10am-12noon.
Our Break-a-thon is fast approaching! The Tiny Tigers and Young Dragons will be doing their board breaks on Tuesday, October 22 and the Lil Leopards will be doing theirs on Wednesday, October 23. Parents/Guardians are invited to come into the Kwoon on those days to watch!
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 30, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we did an obstacle course that incorporated some board breaking drills. Board breaking is something that we can use to test how well we are performing our techniques. With proper technique, that board WILL break!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused on perfecting our kicks and punches by running relays to the bags. We were further challenged to hit the bags so hard that a bean bag sitting on top would fall off!! We are proud to say we were successful!
Young Dragons Level 1 & 2
In our Young Dragons classes this week we worked on our Lion Dancing and for the first time we did a Lion Dance obstacle course! The students were challenged with navigating through various obstacles while both animating the lion AND carrying their “lettuce” without dropping it! This drill was a hit and I’ve promised to do it again soon.
Special Announcements for All Classes
The Break-a-thon is fast approaching! Check out the website for more info.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 23, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we played with our parachute and worked on many things. Listening to and following instructions, team work and hand/eye coordination to name a few. These are all valuable skills that will support us even beyond our Kung Fu.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we focused some of our time on Dragon Dancing. Dragon Dancing takes alot of skill and helps us develop things like hand/eye coordination, timing, reflex, stamina and team work. In a traditional Dragon Dance there are 9 dancers working together to make the dragon come to life.
Young Dragons Level 1
In our Young Dragon Level 1 class this past week we learned a new technique with our stick called the Helicopter. As the name suggests, this involves spinning the stick over our heads. This is a very complicated and advanced technique, but the students did a fantastic job with it! If they would like to practice at home, but need a refresher, login in to your Memberspace account and access the livestream videos. You will find a helicopter demo in video #38.
Young Dragon Level 2
In Young Dragons Level 2 we spent the week developing our Broadsword. As we progressed, we were able to find many similarities between the Broadsword, and our base weapon, the stick. Two completely different weapons, yet very similar when we look closely.
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 16, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on a variety of skills at different stations. Kicks, balancing and bean bag tossing were some of the main ones. The students did an amazing job!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we carried on with our Dynamic Control curriculum using bean bags. In partners, the students were challenged with getting as many bean bags through a hoop as possible. One student would toss, and the other would try to “catch” it with the hoop. This was a great drill to work on both hand-eye coordination as well as teamwork.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on various stick skills and techniques. Not only will these skills will be transferrable to other weapons as the students advance, but by learning how to use a weapon, we also learn how to defend ourselves against one.
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 9, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we had some fun with pool noodle sword fighting!!! It may look like alot of chaos (and it is!) but it’s also a great activity to work on some really important skills like self control, eye for detail, reaction time and even empathy.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we spent some time working on our Shoto form. This Shoto form is a weapon form that was developed specifically for the Tiny Tigers level. It is a sequence of simple techniques, using a small short sword (wooden and safe!) where we can start to develop our dynamic control. It also incorporates counting to 10 in Mandarin, which acts as both a sound focus and a cue to help us remember the moves.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we learned a new kick call “Stiff Swinging Kick to Spine”. This kick is a super fun one to learn because, although there are still technical aspects to it, a huge factor in being successful is just going for it…which the younger students love. In fact, the more you fall, the better you seem to get!
Special Announcements for All Classes
There will be no classes on Monday, September 30 in recognition of Truth and Reconciliation Day. In show of support, we would like to invite all students to wear an orange shirt on Wednesday, September 25 or Thursday September 26.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Sep 2, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on a variety of skills with an obstacle course! Breakfalls, blocks, agility, speed and endurance were all included as the students navigated through all kinds of fun obstacles. At this level, obstacle courses are a great way to keep the students engaged while also getting lots of practice in.
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers last week we played a “giant-sized” game of Tic-Tac-Toe that challenged us in many ways. Speed, hand/eye coordination, attention to detail and even problem solving! The students had a blast with it. It’s always fun to mix in these types of games to incorporate the fun and silliness that kids need in order to learn.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on our jumping skills. Through a variety of jumping challenge (Squat jumps, Frog jumps, Thrust Jumps, Knee Jumps, etc) we challenged the students to get as high as possible. Not only do these drills increase our leg strength, which will translate to more power, but they are directly related to our success with flying kicks.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next Open Training takes place this Saturday, September 14 from 10am-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Aug 12, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we worked on our Dynamic Control. By utilizing scarves, we were challenged to throw and catch, while also moving and staying in control. These types of drills are integral to developing the skills needed to eventually wield weapons.
Tiny Tigers
In the Tiny Tigers classes last week we focused on our kicks and punches. These types of basics are so important to our Kung Fu and are the basis upon which our combinations and forms are built. By running relays to the heavy bags we were able to get lots of practice in while also having alot of fun!
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we continued to work with our lions. There are 2 dancers in a lion and it takes a tremendous amount of teamwork and collaboration to bring the lion to life. We challenged the students with various drills that tested their ability to synchronize between the head and the tail. What makes this extra challenging is the inability to talk to or see each other while in the lion but the students remained super focused and did an amazing job.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Back to School Week takes place Aug 26-30, 2024. There will be no formal classes this week.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of Aug 5, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
Last week in Lil’ Leopards we challenged the students with an obstacle course! Obstacle courses are an exciting way to incorporate several drills all into one, while also keeping the students constantly moving. Breakfalls, blocks, kicks and crane stance were a few of the techniques that were included, along with the class favourite, the balance beam!
Tiny Tigers
In the Tiny Tigers classes last week we focused on reaction time and accuracy. The students were challenged to react as quickly as they could by striking moving targets and blocking incoming strikes. We also worked a little bit on our dragon dancing!
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on bringing our lions to life. The most successful lion dancers are those that are able to capture the imagination of the audience and make them forget there are people inside. In order to do this, the lion needs to be doing regular “life-like” things that are recognizable to the audience. Conveying happiness, sadness or excitement are some of the things we practiced, along with recognizable behaviors like yawning and sneezing.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Back to School Week takes place Aug 26-30, 2024. There will be no formal classes this week.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of July 29, 2024
Lil’ Leopards & Tiny Tigers
In both the Lil’ Leopards and Tiny Tigers classes last week we worked on our Keystone Principles. The Keystone Principles are the basic techniques that provide the building blocks for our Kung Fu, and include our stances, kicks, strikes and blocks. We challenged the students with a variety of these as they worked their way through different stations.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we worked on our reaction time. Our ability to react quickly is integral to success with many things as a martial artist, including how quickly we can react to a threat. This week we played a new game that challenged our reaction time, as well as provided alot of laughs.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next open training is this Saturday, August 10 from 10am-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of July 22, 2024
Lil’ Leopards & Tiny Tigers
In both Lil’ Leopards and Tiny Tigers last week we got to do an obstacle course! An obstacle course is a great way for us to incorporate various different drills all into one. There is a sense of competition and urgency that creates excitement and energy, but also various stopping points that challenge them to apply their Kung Fu skills.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we challenged the students, in teams, to come up with a team combination. A combination is a sequence of techniques linked together in a way that makes sense and flows. They were also given some specific requirements in that their sequence needed to include at least 1 strike, 1 block and 1 kick. Building a strong combination is not an easy task. It becomes harder in a team because you now have to factor in everyone’s skills and opinions. The students did amazingly well and we were so pleased with some of the insights that they discovered during this activity.
Special Announcements for All Classes
Our next open training is Saturday, August 10 from 10am-12noon.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of July 15, 2024
Lil’ Leopards & Tiny Tigers
In both Lil’ Leopards and Tiny Tigers last week we got to do some pool noodle sword fighting! The majority of drills and activities that we do in class are very structured. However, pool noodle sword fighting gives us the opportunity to apply some of the things we are learning in a very organic and free-style way. The student are challenged to develop their eye for detail and reaction time by reading their opponents’ movements and blocking and countering effectively.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we found ourselves with an amazing opportunity to work 1-on-1 with an instructor on our Stick form. Working 1-on-1 can be incredibly beneficial as the lessons will be specifically geared to the individual student. Unfortunately this is a rare occurrence in a typical class setting, which is why we also offer the weekly Zoom 1-on-1s to all students. Students that regularly utilize the 1-on-1s are able to improve and progress at an incredible rate. Visit the website’s Student section to book.
Special Announcements for All Classes
No announcements at this time.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of July 8, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
In Lil’ Leopards last week we did something a little different and read the book “Big Bear Hug” - by Nicholas Oldland. This story explores themes around environmental sustainability and anger management. Our goal isn’t only to build physically adept martial artists, but also well balanced, confident, empathetic human beings that will go on to accomplish great things in the community and the world beyond.
Tiny Tigers
Last week in Tiny Tigers we worked on a couple of basics, our horse stance and our front thrust punch. These two things are keystone principles that we learn very early in our training and that we continue to perfect as Black Belts and beyond. If we want to be good martial artists, we better have a good punch!
What is the favourite drink of a Kung Fu martial artist?…….Punch 😂
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this past week we learned a new defensive application against a haymaker! We have many different defensive techniques meant for various different attacks. Grabs, chokes, haymakers, weapons…to name a few. All of the defense applications we learn are very versatile and can be altered in the moment depending on the specific situation. Our goal is to teach our students a wide variety of applications, so that if the need ever arises, they can respond without hesitation.
Special Announcements for All Classes
No announcements at this time.
How to Keep Your Children Engaged- Part III
Part III- What To Do When They Don‘t Want To
It’s Inevitable
At some point your child will lose interest. A new sport or club will catch their eye and Kung Fu will lose its shine. I myself went through hockey, jazz, softball, swimming, guitar, singing and soccer before Kung Fu came along. And I can guarantee you that Kung Fu would have joined the list of rejected activities had the decision been mine to make.
I was lucky that my parents recognized the impact Kung Fu was having on my life before I hit the “I want to quit” stage. I wasn’t old enough to weigh the pros and cons, I just know that I wanted to do what all my friends were doing instead- volleyball. I had every reason laid out for my argument; it was too late in the evening, I wasn’t having fun, I wasn’t progressing, I was missing out on time with my friends. It didn’t work. My mom didn’t even entertain the idea, just told me that quitting wasn’t an option. After much whining, bellyaching and arguing, I resigned myself to the idea that I wasn’t quitting. I made it difficult on her, dragged when it was time to leave, grumbled on the way there. And my poor parents had two of us to deal with at this time.
Keep Your Power
This is the most important part of the puzzle. You are the parent. Your job is to prepare your child for adulthood to the best of your ability. Children do not yet have the capacity to gauge the impact of the decisions they make. Do not give your child the power to make this decision.It may be that the best decision for your child is to walk away, but that is your decision to make. Only you can weigh the pros and cons, look forward at the impact of the decision beyond the current situation.
The moment that you tell your child “when X occurs then you can quit” or “lets finish this month and see how you feel then”, it’s done, they will quit. You gave away your power.
We have never seen a child continue past this point when given control of the decision. No matter how much they enjoy their class or how much benefit they are receiving, there is only one thing on their mind. The day they can quit. At this point, it’s over.
Keep your power. It is your decision.
Look For A Way
Of course, this does not mean your child does not get a voice. If your child is feeling frustrated or anxious, this needs to be discussed and a solution needs to be found. Talk to your child, let them voice their opinions and their feelings. Make sure they feel heard and understood. Find a way to work through these issues and make things right again. Make a plan together. Talk to your instructors; let us know what we can do and how we can help. Get us involved early, we’re not unfamiliar with these situations. We can take action and may have some insights we can share with you. We’re not here to shut them down. We’re here to build them up.
Set Them Up For Success
We all change. I was a timid, shy girl who would rather not be seen than be seen as weak or uncool. I conformed instead of reformed. I made poor choices because I was scared to say anything. I was an easy target.
Then I began to find my confidence and recognized when I had a choice to make. I grew the strength to choose differently. I began to recognize my impact on others.
I began to form values and opinions. I began to care less about popularity and more about being who I could be and who I wanted to be.
I now value quality over quantity, happiness over bottom lines, life over convenience. I care about what impact I make on others and the world around me. I make the hard choices and do my best to leave this world better than I found it.
I am strong enough to voice my opinions. I am confident enough to admit my mistakes.
It was not an easy road. I fought it, I rebelled, I made bad decisions. I still stumble. But I am happy with who I see in the mirror.
And now, I have two of my own at the beginning of their journeys through Kung Fu. I am lucky and grateful that I have had the experiences I’ve had, the opportunities that were given to me by my mother. I can already see what Kung Fu is doing for my children, and I can see the impact that my own training has on theirs. If you ask them what they want to be when they grow up, they’ll give you a different answer each time. Regardless, I know that they are developing the tools they will need no matter the path they choose in life.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of June 17, 2024
Lil’ Leopards and Tiny Tigers
This week in both Lil’ Leopards and Tiny Tigers we worked on our animal poses and had some animal races. Although it is always fun and entertaining to mimic animals in play, there is a much more important underlying lesson in these types of activities. Many different techniques in Kung Fu are based on the movements of animals. Our 5 main animals of Kung Fu are the crane, leopard, snake, tiger and dragon. Animals, unlike humans of today, react to situations quickly and with confidence. They don’t spend time second guessing and their bodies do what is needed to support their intent. This is a lesson that we will learn over and over through to our black belt and beyond.
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this week we focused on our Dynamic Control curriculum. For Young Dragons Level 1 that meant working with our Stick and for Level 2 that meant learning more about the Broadsword. Dynamic Control is a very important part of our training. Not only does a weapon give us an advantage over an opponent, but alternatively, learning how to use a weapon also teaches us how to defend against it.
Special Announcements for All Classes
No announcements at this time.
How to Keep Your Children Engaged- Part II
Part II- Engage Everyone
Be Involved
As with anything, you won’t see or reap any benefits unless you’re involved. And I don’t mean just your children, you the parent too. Children with parents who are actively involved, who watch classes, encourage their kids and ask questions, those are the students who thrive and who have the ability to work through the hard times. Why? Because they are not alone, they have parents who work equally as hard with and for them because they too see and reap the benefits.
What Can You Do For Your Child?
Be interested. Children need encouragement and acceptance. If mom or dad seem indifferent to their activities or accomplishments then they learn that there is no value to what they are doing or achieving. This will only decrease their confidence in themselves, not build it up.
Approach their classes with a positive attitude. If classes become a chore or a job then the fun is gone and the resistance will start. Your children need to recognize that Kung Fu is important, but they need to be able to enjoy it.
Set them up for success. Get them to class on time. Help them be responsible for their uniform and gear. Make sure their environment is congruent to their goals; focus is a key to Kung Fu and to life. Noise and distractions will not allow them to get everything they can out of a given lesson.
Join in! Our kids mimic and learn from us. Participate as a family in our events, or join classes yourself. If they see us having fun they’ll be more inclined to enjoy themselves. A family activity will outlast an individual activity because everyone has a part to play and understands the value. The time spent will be time invested. And you yourself will develop understanding and skills, giving you the ability to help your child and maybe picking up a thing or two to benefit yourself. Our most successful students are most often from a family that is heavily involved.
A Little Goes A Long Way
Any student at Silent River Kung Fu has heard the term incremental progression. Tiny steps, with time, create great change. What you do with your children, no matter how insignificant it seems at the time, has the potential of creating life changing ripples, influencing their perspectives, values and choices. Be sure to create habits and routines with your child that supports your ultimate goal; raising a happy, healthy, self sufficient and confident individual.
So get involved. If you do, you will see and understand the value. If you understand the value, it’s easy to be committed and this will filter down to your child. In other words, half the work is done.
Children's Class Weekly Re-Cap, Week of June 10, 2024
Lil’ Leopards
This week in Lil’ Leopards we did an obstacle course. As we worked our way through, we encountered several different stations where we had to kick or punch through small hoops with extreme accuracy or risk the hoop flying!
Tiny Tigers
In Tiny Tigers this week we were given many challenges using bean bags. Things like throwing and catching with one hand, tossing the bean bag back and forth between two hands and even tossing the bean bag up and trying to catch it with our foot! Not only were these drills lots of fun and filled with laughter, but they also teach us much about hand/eye coordination and dynamic control, both very important things that we will need once we start utilizing weapons in our training. We also got to play a game of “Horse and Snake”!
Young Dragons
In our Young Dragon’s classes this week, in teams of 2 we were challenged with doing as many reps of a particular technique as we could in only 20 seconds, while still maintaining our technique. We were also tasked with counting our reps and then reporting them afterwards. It was pretty cool to see that in only 4 minutes total time, the 2 classes completed over 3300 reps of these techniques!! Well done everyone!
We also had a special a warmup leader this week in Young Dragons 2; Todai Blake Carlson! He did a fantastic job getting everyone warm…and sweaty!
Special Announcements for All Classes
There are special announcements at this time.
How To Keep You Children Engaged- Part I
Part I- It’s In Your Perspective
Balance
The fluttering interests of children are a natural part of their curiosity. Children are interested in anything and everything new, exploring their world and gaining experiences that will help them grow into happy, healthy young adults.
I encourage the curious nature in my own children. I hope they see wonder in everything they come across and continue to explore into their adult years. However, I also have to recognize that my children will not have the ability to extrapolate and foresee the effects of their decisions, for good or bad. Kids truly live in the moment. We adults need to find the balance between letting them and looking out for their futures.
Keep Your Perspective
Your children will undoubtedly lose interest in their Kung Fu for periods of time. It’ll lose its shine, it’ll become mundane. At this time we will be tempted to let them quit to try a new sport or new activity, hoping to find one that they will want to endure with.
This is when we need to keep our perspectives absolutely clear and in front of ourselves. We need to identify, acknowledge and weigh the benefits your child has experienced because of their Kung Fu. We need to have the ability to foresee the benefits they have yet to gain. And we have to act upon their best interests.
People often talk about finding a “spark”, something that invokes a passion. The thing is, passion is built, slowly over time. We do not simply find it. We start with an interest, and it builds from there. Kung Fu can be their passion, given it has the opportunity to develop.
What Can Kung Fu Do for Your Child?
For me, this is an easy answer because I’ve experienced it first hand. My number one answer is confidence. They will gain confidence in themselves as a byproduct of developing a healthy self image and self esteem.
They will learn that they can accomplish their goals, but also that nothing comes for free. The value of their accomplishments will increase because they will know they earned it.
They will develop a drive to continue to accomplish and to push themselves beyond any limits they may come across. They will reject the idea of “I can’t”. They will reject mediocrity. They will plan and work towards their future.
They will learn discipline. This will help them stay motivated when things get tough. This will help them through high school and into university. This will help them get the job, excel in their field and build a life they can be proud of.
The will be healthier. Physically, emotionally and mentally. Kung Fu builds physical strength, and mental fortitude. They will become aware of their choices and consciously develop better habits. They will have the ability to manage tough situations.
They will have enough respect for themselves to say no. It could be their best friend or a romantic interest. When the time comes, they will have the confidence to say no when pushed towards something they are uncomfortable with or know to be wrong.
The will have respect for other people and the world around them. They will understand that their decisions affect more than just themselves. They can be the change they want to see in the world.
The Long Term
Of course, these changes occur over time. Many of our lessons are planted as seeds. Seeds take time and nurturance to grow, so not all benefits will be apparent at the beginning. It takes time to develop self respect and self discipline, to change or create habits. And like any practice, you only get to keep the benefits as long as you continue to train and apply yourself.