North of 49

Okay, so even though I haven't been to Okinawan Kobudo in ages, I'm still learning new stuff from the Far East. This time, I'm adding "Qi" energy to my arsenal.

Big mistake.

You see, molding your "Qi"(pronounced "chi") energy requires movements on your behalf that channel energy from heaven and earth. Hence the beautiful flow and power from Tai Chi.

So after learning the basics, they start to test your ability. This involves hitting your pressure points, jabbing you and punching you in areas, and hitting you with blunt objects/resisting blunt objects.

But this is not where my pain comes from(although the stuff they do to you is painful as hell). My pain comes from my inexperience of releasing my Qi energy. The idea behind this is that you build up qi energy in a desired location, and it will help protect you. The problem si that afterwards, you have dispell/release all the built up qi energy and the qi energy that went into to you. If you don't do this, then it's painful as hell.

Needless to say, this is happening to me. I think I get it all, but surely enough, it comes anyway and then I look like an idiot to passers by.

On the bright side, I can now moderately build up qi in my abdomen, shoulder/clavical muscles and pressure points and can offer a good bit of resistance to bamboo.