Splitting a Log

Lessons learned form splitting wood.

It has been my experience that many of life's lessons have been taught to me in some of the most improbable and seemingly unconnected events. There have been many instances when laboring at some mindless and exhausting task, my thoughts have turned to something else and how what I am doing parallels another undertaking and the principles of success at one, contributes to success at the other.

EXAMPLE: We have a wood-burning furnace in our home which not only saves us money on our winter heating bill, but provides a cozy warm atmosphere which you do not get from gas or electric heat. Cutting, splitting and stacking wood is hard work but the benefits make the effort worthwhile. Aside from the obvious financial benefits there are others.....

First of all splitting logs with a 12lb splitting wedge is excellent total body exercise.

I practice my KiAi's when splitting...I swing that wedge with all my strength and when it makes contact with the log...here comes the KiAi...I can tell if they are good KiAi's when my neighbors come running out to check on the noise...where all that yelling is coming from.

When splitting a large log,(I pick the largest ones first...while I have the most energy) I KNOW it will take more than one blow to split it...The first swing is just to plant the point of the wedge as deep as I can and to let the log know I mean business...and after two or three more swings and it still remains intact.. I'm getting a little tired...I Know it is ready to split on the next swing...and I KNOW I don't want to hit it again...so I put EVERYTHING into the swing. And even if it doesn't split on that swing...I know it will on the next one...or the one after that...I know I am so close to success...the next stroke will open it up...The point is ..I KNOW it is going to split...it's just a matter of how hard I hit it...and that will determine how many times I have to hit it. This is a good mindset for everything in the Martial Arts...from learning basics to actual kicking and punching in the sparring ring.

The only way you WILL NOT LEARN...is if you QUIT! Keep practicing that difficult move until it becomes easy!

The first jab or kick is to make an impression...let you opponent know ...set the point of your attack...weaken the defenses...see how hard it is going to be to penetrate...see how tough he is..let him know you will not quit until the task is accomplished. Then keep attacking that weak point until you overpower him with your unrelenting commitment to success.

It is called RESOLVE!
Finish the task at hand!

SUN!