Happy New Year 2026!

New Year's Ball Drop with fireworks

WE had class for two days this week, both Monday and Tuesday. Last week was the same. The holidays have come, and the year is gone. Happy 2026 to all of you!

This Monday and Tuesday, I worked a lot on Horse stance and knee strengthening exercises. I also did the dragon pearls, and Jhoong Bong staff practice. National Instructor Ben taught me stretches specific to Jhoong Bong practitioners on Tuesday evening.

I also started learning blocks and thrusts, strikes, and switching figure eight directions.

As for weight, I was down to 299 lbs on Christmas morning, and back at 309 lbs by the Monday after Christmas. As of New Year's Eve morning, I was back down to 306 lbs and falling. On this level, I'm glad the holidays have passed.

We also did a lot of core exercises yesterday evening on the floor, which I think is at least partially Pilates. When we did these last week, I was sore around the abdomen until yesterday morning. Today, I'm a little sore in the quads, shoulders and pecs, and abdomen, but the good kind of sore where you know the exercise did what you were trying for.

We're getting rain right now, and since the only place at home with enough room for Jhoong Bong practice at home is the back yard, I'm out of luck. At least until the sky dries up.

Keep moving, eh?

Thank you for reading.

I bow to my instructors and fellow students, to our past masters of the art, and all who have preserved, improved, and passed down this art before me.

With Respectful Regards,

Dan

 

Celebrating 12-20-2025 - A Date Which I Will Remember

 

Jun Bo at Christmas

Today, Saturday was a wonderful day.

However, to set the stage, we have to look back at Friday, December 19th. 

On Friday, work was interesting, but not difficult. This was good, because I got out on-time, and made it to school on-time and returned after four days out to recover from doing too much with the pearls. My back had been one big cramp for a couple of days, and I had let it settle back down for a couple of days more.

Lesson: Never work a group of rarely-used small muscles more than one day in a row. Always take a day off between and do different exercises.

On Friday, December 19th of 2025, I worked on leg-strengthening exercises, and then on Jun Bo. It was my second round of training. Basically, in English, we would call the Jun Bo a quarterstaff. It's about 6' long in my case. I just really love the feel of working with this weapon. Learning to spin it and control it feels good physically. I was really feeling a workout in my shoulders, upper back, chest, and bicep/tricep muscles. It was a good, slight soreness afterwards, the kind that you know is building strength.

I love working with the Jun Bo enough that I ordered my own online. It was a very reasonable price, and it's a really nice-looking hardwood Jun Bo from what the pictures show online. It should arrive sometime Christmas week.

Today, Saturday, 12-20-2025, I stepped onto the scale, and I was at 299 lbs. I have not been this light since 1999. This is despite a few holiday meals.

Getting up off our couch or low chairs is now much, much easier. A lot of things are. My clothes are also all much looser-fitting.

Finally, I was also able to work with the pearls again today, though I only did two sets. I'm feeling good.

I came home and decorated the front room inside our house for the holidays. I got the wreath put up on the front door, and Christmas flowers in the planter on the front porch. I also put some magnetic decorations on the car.

Thank you for reading.

I bow to my instructors and fellow students, to our past masters of the art, and all who have preserved, improved, and passed down this art before me.

With Respectful Regards,

Dan