Author: Oscar Agramonte

Finding Your “Why” in Training

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

What makes you Tick?

I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make real progress in training. This applies to any pursuit, but for me, it’s mostly Kung Fu, Tai Chi, and strength training.

The first step is figuring out what makes you tick. What keeps you putting in effort consistently; through the tough days, weeks, and years? What’s your why?

For me, it’s two things:

  • My role as an instructor, holding myself to a standard for my students. 
  • My love as a student, striving to grow and improve within Wah Lum tradition. 

Another tool that’s helped me, especially in strength training, is writing things down. Sets, reps, weights, and notes on how I felt. Keeping track makes it clear that even when I feel stuck, I am progressing.

I don’t do this enough in Kung Fu and Tai Chi. Sure, I can see I’ve learned more forms and techniques, but quantity doesn’t equal quality. I could track martial intent, smoothness, endurance; maybe even score myself 1–10.

My plan? Before each training session, open my journal, review the last session, and decide one small way I’ll beat my past self. The key is not huge leaps, just being a little better than yesterday.

 

See you in class,

Sifu Oscar

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals.
Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Kung Fu, Tai Chi, Steps, and the Other 165 Hours of Your Week

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

If you’re training at Wah Lum two or three times a week, good for you! That already puts you ahead of the average person. But here’s a question: is it enough for our otherwise sedentary lifestyle?

There are 168 hours in a week. Even with three intense classes, that still leaves 165 hours to fill. What are you doing with the rest of your time?

A few months ago, I read strength coach Dan John’s experience with walking 10,000 steps a day. He credited that simple habit (not an extreme workout plan) with helping him get lean and stay lean. Inspired, I bought a $15 pedometer for a 30-day experiment. I chose an inexpensive one for two reasons:

  • Studies suggest basic pedometers can be more accurate than fancy phones. 
  • I didn’t want to rely on my phone or invest in a high-tech watch for a short trial. 

It turns out that walking 10,000 steps is not a new concept. The idea gained popularity in Japan during the lead-up to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, when a pedometer brand called manpo-kei (literally “10,000 steps meter”) used the number as a catchy marketing tool. While the number wasn’t based on science at the time, modern research shows it’s a pretty good daily target for overall health.

Here’s what I learned from my own trial:

  • Hitting 10,000 steps was harder than I thought unless I planned for it. 
  • Kung Fu and strength training alone didn’t get me there, even if I did both on the same day. 
  • Yard work easily pushed me past the goal, as did a 45–60 minute walk with my mom on Sundays. 
  • On most other days, I had to intentionally add movement to hit the target. 

One interesting side effect: when I hit 10,000 steps or more, I felt pleasantly tired and wanted to go to bed earlier. That alone felt like a win.

I also realized I didn’t need to wear the pedometer all day. Instead, I put it on only when I was going to move outside of Kung Fu or strength training, such as during walks or yard work. This way, my steps were “true” additional movement, not just my daily total. Even hitting 5,000–8,000 intentional steps this way felt beneficial.

Walking might not sound as exciting as throwing kicks or moving weights around, but it’s a simple, proven way to add more movement to your life. So, the next time you think about your training, remember: it’s not just about the three hours a week you spend at the Temple, it’s about the other 165 hours too.

-Sifu Oscar

Use Your Strengths

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

Do you know what your strengths are?

Not just what you’re good at- but what energizes you.
What puts you in the zone. What makes time fly.
What you’d do again, even if no one was watching. 

 

Your Strengths Are Your Responsibility

Those strengths? They’re not accidents. They’re assignments. 

Your gifts were given to be used.

They’re not just strengths—they’re responsibilities. Our purpose in life is tied to how we contribute them.

 

Why It Matters:

Too often, we obsess over our flaws. But that voice that says “you’re not good enough” is not new.

It’s not helpful. And honestly, it’s kind of boring. 

Your strengths are more interesting.
They speak to who you are and who you’re becoming.

 Strengths aren’t just what you’re good at.They’re the things that energize and strengthen you—even if you’re not good at them… yet.


What To Do:

  • Focus on the activities that you want to do again (hopefully Kung Fu or Tai Chi!).
  • Don’t confuse talent with passion. 
  • Forget the external “adornments”—titles, —and focus on the activity itself.
  • Practice what you love. Your appetite will lead you to mastery.

And remember: nothing great is done alone.

Your strengths grow stronger in community. That’s what we’re building here at Wah Lum.

Keep practicing. Keep contributing. Keep becoming who you’re meant to be.

Slowing Down To Level Up

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

In today’s world, distractions are everywhere. We’re constantly bombarded with stimulus, making it easy to jump from one thing to the next without truly mastering anything. The same happens in martial arts—taking on too much at once can dilute our progress.

Tai Chi offers a different path: one of refinement. With each slow, deliberate movement, we train key principles—weight shifting, relaxation, breath control, rooting, and internal awareness. Even standing in a stance reveals hidden tension. 

Hour by hour, day by day, you can release that tension, and in doing so, discover a whole new world within.

If you practice Kung Fu, you can benefit by slowing down and focusing on smaller sections of a form. Your body becomes a comprehensive internal laboratory for refining fundamentals. 

 

Small Movements, Big Impact

Mastery isn’t about adding more techniques—it’s about deepening our understanding of the ones we already know. 

A classic straight punch, for example, isn’t just about the arm. It starts from the ground, moves through the legs, transfers through the torso, and finally, reaches the fingertips. With patient refinement, tension dissolves, and connection strengthens. Over time, what once felt rigid becomes fluid, effortless, and powerful.

 

What’s Next?

This week, focus on depth over breadth. Take one small movement—maybe a stance, a weight shift, or a simple strike—and refine it. Slow it down, feel the connection from foot to fingertip, and notice the subtle changes. The better you understand one technique, the more it enhances everything else. 

True skill isn’t about learning more—it’s about mastering what you already know.

Train smart. Stay focused.

See you in class!

 

Sifu Oscar

Control Corner 25 from Sifu Oscar: The Mirror of Mastery

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

At Wah Lum, the flipped Chinese character for ‘Fire’ reminds us that control is the key to mastering life’s challenges. Welcome to the Control Corner, where we share weekly wisdom to help you unlock your potential.

Essentials: Mastery begins with self-awareness. In West with the Night, author Beryl Markham reflects on how we spend our lives studying others while often remaining strangers to ourselves. As a pilot, alone in the vast night sky, she discovered the power of self-observation—an essential skill in both life and martial arts.

Why It Matters: True progress isn’t just about watching and learning from others; it’s about turning that focus inward. In martial arts, we often want to rush to advanced techniques, but true skill comes from refining the basics with patience and awareness. Just as Markham had to master small skills before flying solo, every stance, every movement, every breath is an opportunity for deeper understanding.

What’s Next: This week, be your own observer. Set aside time to train alone, focusing on the fundamentals with fresh eyes. What do you discover when you’re fully present with yourself? Mastery isn’t just about learning more—it’s about seeing more in what you already know.

Here is a small excerpt from the book West with the Night by Beryl Markham that inspired this post. 

“You can live a lifetime and, at the end of it, know more about other people than you know about yourself. You learn to watch other people, but you never watch yourself because you strive against loneliness. 

If you read a book, or shuffle a deck of cards, or care for a dog, you are avoiding yourself. The abhorrence of loneliness is as natural as wanting to live at all. If it were otherwise, men would never have bothered to make an alphabet, not to have fashioned words out of what were only animal sounds, not to have crossed continents – each man to see what the other looked like. 

Being alone in an aeroplane for even so short a time as a night and a day, irrevocably alone, with nothing to observe but your instruments and your own hands in semi-darkness, nothing to contemplate but the size of your small courage, nothing to wonder about but the beliefs, the faces, and the hopes rooted in your mind – such an experience can be as startling as the first awareness of a stranger walking by your side at night. You are the stranger.”

Control Corner 24 with Sifu Oscar: The Power of Self-Examination

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

In martial arts and in life, control is everything. That’s why at Wah Lum, the flipped Chinese character for ‘Fire’ symbolizes the art of control. Welcome to the Control Corner, your weekly guide to focusing on what matters and achieving your potential.

Essentials: Success isn’t just about talent or luck—it’s about the ability to reflect, learn, and grow. As Angela Duckworth, author of Grit, points out, those who succeed have a strong appetite for self-examination.

Why It Matters: Taking time to assess yourself—especially after setbacks—builds resilience. Instead of dwelling on failure, ask: How could I have done this better? What can I learn from this? The ability to reflect and adjust is what turns challenges into stepping stones.

What’s Next: Make self-examination a habit. After training, a tough day, or a misstep, pause and reflect. The more you refine your approach, the stronger you become—both in Kung Fu and in life.

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals. Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Control Corner 23 with Sifu Oscar: The Power of Thinking

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

Welcome to the Control Corner, your weekly dose of wisdom on mastering control in martial arts, health, and life. At Wah Lum, the flipped Chinese character for ‘Fire’ represents control—an idea central to everything we do. 

Let’s explore how focusing on what matters can help you reach your full potential.

Essentials: Throughout history, deep thinking has powered successful people. It’s not about thinking more, but thinking better. Taking just a moment to reflect—whether through Kung Fu, Tai Chi, reading, or time in nature—can unlock insights that shape your path.

Why It Matters: When you pause and truly listen to yourself, you gain clarity about your goals, your challenges, and your aspirations. The strongest traditions, the ones that have stood the test of time, are the ones that encourage deeper thinking. Success isn’t just about working harder—it’s also about thinking just a bit deeper.

What’s Next: In today’s world, focus is the new IQ. Those who cultivate the ability to concentrate without distraction will thrive. Give yourself space to think—slow down during forms, focus on your breath, or take a mindful moment after training.

As Bruce Lee said, “To become different from what we are, we must have some awareness of what we are.” The more you cultivate thoughtful awareness, the more you’ll see old ideas in new ways—and that’s where true growth happens.

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals. Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Why Training Barefoot (or Close to It) Matters

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

Hey there,

A long time ago, people walked and even ran without shoes—up hills, down rocky canyons, and across the grasslands, all barefoot. Then came sandals, running shoes, and, at some point, even Kinky Boots.

(I saw the musical and enjoyed it, but I digress.)

Just like everything else these days, we have endless options for our feet. This post isn’t about fashion, but I’ve been told that the incredible discomfort of wearing a certain shoe with a red bottom is totally worth it.

But when it comes to movement—whether in Kung Fu, Tai Chi, or strength training—your feet need more than just style.

Why Try Going Barefoot?

Your body is a superstructure, and your feet are its built-in foundation. They’re designed to be strong, mobile, and capable. When we put them in stiff, cushioned shoes, it’s like taking color out of our vision—life (and movement) becomes a little less vibrant.

Two key reasons I go barefoot or wear minimalist (my Wah Lum) shoes when training:

  1. Better Proprioception

Proprioception is your brain’s ability to sense where your body is in space. The more feedback your feet receive from the ground, the better your body moves. Shoes that squish your toes reduce this feedback, leading to weaker stabilizers and poor coordination.

That said, the shoes we use for Kung Fu and Tai Chi do bring the toes closer together than ideal, but after over 20 years of training at Wah Lum, I feel it’s well worth it. When making dynamic movements or quick directional changes, I’ve found that a thin sole and a snug fit provide security in my stances.

Plus, since I only wear them for an hour at a time, my feet still get plenty of time to splay and move naturally.

At Wah Lum, we also place great importance on looking uniform in class. Yes, each student is unique and special, but what truly makes us unique is that we’re all training together, in the same uniform, practicing the same martial art. 

That shared discipline and tradition set us apart.

  1. Improved Strength and Mobility

If you don’t need to protect your feet from the cold or sharp objects, try going barefoot. Start by walking around the house when you get home and maybe even introducing toe separators for short periods. As you get stronger, you’ll be able to go for longer periods of time.

Barefoot walking also helps improve big toe dorsiflexion (flexing the big toe upward), which impacts movement throughout the body. Most shoes don’t allow for this unless they have a wide toe box and zero drop (no heel elevation).

Shoes and Training

Stiff, thick-soled, highly cushioned shoes limit foot mobility and proprioceptive input, essentially putting your feet in casts. They disconnect you from the ground, which is the opposite of what you want when strength training.

In martial arts, this connection—often called “rooting”—is fundamental. It’s just as important for lifting.

The Problem with Raised Heels

Most athletic shoes have built-in heels that shift your center of gravity forward. This:

  • Deactivates the backside of the body (posterior chain)
  • Overloads the quads
  • Reduces core activation
  • Increases stress on the lower back

All of this forces improper body mechanics and increases injury risk. Proper mechanics not only help generate more force (hello, strength gains!) but also protect your joints and connective tissues.

The Best Shoe for Strength and Martial Arts Training

If you’ve been wearing thick, cushioned shoes for years, don’t jump straight into barefoot training. Instead:

  1. Transition to shoes with a slightly lower heel.
  2. Gradually move to a thin, flexible sole that bends at the arch.
  3. Consider your range of motion, joint strength, and stability before going fully barefoot.

Think about it this way: Would you load heavy weight onto a weak and unstable shoulder? Probably not. The same logic applies to your feet.

If you are a Wah Lum Student you are in luck! The shoes provided for training are designed to support your Kung Fu and Tai Chi practice. Over time, you’ll get used to them and notice how they enhance your movement, balance, and connection to the ground.

Bonus: A Fun Foot-Strengthening Trick

Want to improve your foot strength and mobility? Try standing on a box of rocks. Yep, just like it sounds. And while you’re at it, enjoy a single malt scotch on the rocks—because balance is key in more ways than one!

One Last Thought: Running vs. Strength Training

This post focuses on martial arts and strength training, not running—which is a skill that deserves its own discussion. But whatever you do, make sure your shoe is lightweight. Every extra 500 grams on your foot equals an extra 10 pounds on your back.

Your challenge: Spend a little time barefoot every day. Feel the ground, spread your toes, and see how it changes your movement.

Stay grounded,

Sifu Oscar

Control Corner 22 from Sifu Oscar: Your Life, Your Control

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

Welcome to the Control Corner, where we explore mastering control in martial arts, health, and life. At Wah Lum, the flipped Chinese character for ‘Fire’ symbolizes control—reminding us that true power starts with taking ownership of our journey.

Essentials: The concept of “locus of control” refers to how much you believe you can influence the events in your life. People with a high internal locus of control understand that their actions and decisions shape their destiny, while those with an external locus blame circumstances or others for their situation.

Why it matters: In martial arts, health, and life, your mindset determines your outcomes. If you approach your training believing you’re a victim of circumstances, you’ve already limited your potential. Success starts with taking full responsibility for your journey and seeing yourself as capable of growth and achievement.

What’s Next: This week, make a powerful commitment to yourself: dedicate 5% of your day (just over an hour) to your well-being. Think of it as a “life insurance policy”—not one that pays out after you’re gone, but one that invests in your longevity and quality of life right now. Whether it’s training, meditation, or health practices, this time is non-negotiable. Are you worth 5% of your day? The answer should be a resounding yes.

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals. Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.

Control Corner 21 with Sifu Oscar: Mastering Distraction

Oscar AgramonteSifu Oscar's Blog

Welcome to this week’s edition of the Control Corner, where we explore the art of control – whether in martial arts, health, or life. At Wah Lum, the Chinese Character for “Fire” is flipped upside down to symbolize Control, a philosophy also woven into the Control Your Health logo. 

Each week, we’ll share insights to help you focus on what matters and unlock your full potential. Enjoy!

Essentials: Are you sacrificing the important on the altar of the immediate? Distractions often pull us away from our true goals, but the good news is that we can reclaim control. While there are many things we can’t influence, we can shape our beliefs, behaviors, and focus to align with what truly matters.

Legendary coach John Wooden said it best: “Be quick, but don’t hurry. Always be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Focus on what you can control. You can’t control what other people will think of you, but you can control who you are and how you turn out as a human being.”

Why It Matters: Motivation comes from making choices that remind us we are in control. When we assert ourselves—whether by setting a boundary or taking purposeful action—we activate the part of our mind that drives self-motivation. It’s all about the locus of control: internal (believing we have power) vs. external (feeling powerless). 

Teaching yourself to embrace control fosters confidence and propels growth.

What’s Next: Ask yourself: Who are you at your core? What is essential to you? Gandhi spoke of “reducing oneself to zero,” letting go of who we aren’t so we can fully embody who we’re meant to be. Self-knowledge and authenticity are your greatest tools.

Remember, you are a work in progress, and that’s a good thing. The world needs you to fulfill your purpose. Focus on becoming who you’re meant to be—you matter to those who depend on you.

 

P.S. Whenever you’re ready, here are ways we can help you get started.

1. Schedule a time to observe a class.
Interested in Kung Fu or Tai Chi?  First step is to watch a class and see if we would be a good fit! Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for an appointment.

2. Become part of my exclusive Coaching Group with CYH Remote Coaching.  Get personalized coaching delivered right to your phone and catered to your specific goals. Email: kungfu@wahlum.com for info.