Do you train when tipsy?
Do you engage in training when you're a bit tipsy from alcohol? Yesterday, I shared a single bottle of beer with my wife while watching the super bowl. While this is not a lot, it was enough to make me a bit tipsy. After the super bowl, I headed into my office with the intention of doing some meditation work, but when I closed my eyes, I started to sway a bit. Not a good idea, I thought to myself.
Not wanting to make all a lost, I decided to do some silk reeling exercises instead. I began doing some positive/negative circles from the Hong Practical Method as well as playing around with some single/double handed silk reeling from the Chen Xiaowang line. I felt I was actually able to do these quite easily and the bit of alcohol didn't really hamper my training. I did not feel much swaying at all, most likely due to the fact that I kept my eyes opened the whole time.
On a side note, I have noticed my leg strength increasing as I was able to do the silk reeling sets without feeling much tension/pain in the legs. This is most likely due to the increase duration of standing meditation as well as more work on silk reeling. The Chen Zhonghua workshop is soon approaching and I think I have gotten the positive/negative circles at a somewhat decent level where I will not be a complete n00b. I must thank one of my taiji buddies who trains in the method for the feedback and guidance!
So, what say you? Do you bust out the training when you're a bit tipsy?
7 Comments
I've gone cold-turkey no drugs for years at a time. But last few years I like a drink on occasion, for medicinal purposes mostly. :-)
My feeling is, if being inebriated overlaps my training time more than once in a while, I'm probably drinking too much. But I'm not interested in training that revolves around denial of all worldly pleasures. As someone said, what if I came out of a restaurant, and suddenly needed to use my taiji? Would I be incapacitated because I ate my fill, or had a drink? I don't smoke since 12 years ago, but in my view a little tobacco shouldn't invalidate martial training either.
I'm with the Catholic monks who enjoy their red wine amidst a strict life!
When I've trained in Beijing We always seem to end up doing push hands in the middle of a restaurant after drinking beer and challenging each other to see who can down the glass the fastest. I know at these time's I'm not at my best, and although we can get our master to participate in the drinking to a point, he won't practice with us at these times. Maybe that should tell us something.
John
Training is not just for prime conditions...
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