Preparing for Master Chai's Oregon Training Camp

[Trace]

Chalambok, I was hoping to see your journals from this year's camp, like you did last year... for those of us who unfortunately weren't able to attend this year. We want to know what we missed.

[chalambok]

An Insider's Joke

Well, here is the best story from me about this year's camp. For the first time in 14 years, I did not have a job to quit to be able to come to the camp. But, my car couldn't make it there from here, and in all the hassle of the camp going on, they forgot to send someone to pick me up until the night of the ceremony, before the last day. Bruce Raymer had to come down to rent a van from his ex-brother-in-law's brother, and he called me from Salem to ask if I would drive people to the airport. I said sure. He said where have you been? I said, I told you my car couldn't make it. He said, you did? Many laughs by each of us (having known each other for many, many years now). Master Chai and I also guffawed later, because the irony of the job thing is simply too rich. Hopefully, if there is a next year (and it will happen, no matter what may be said between now and then...lol) I will have a job I can quit, ensuring the continuation of tradition, as well as Buddhist superstition getting its satisfaction. Every trip I took to the airport I asked, and was promised by, everyone that they would get on this site and contribute some stories. Maybe when they catch up on their sleep.

[chalambok]

More to the story

I forgot to mention the reason I was home the first night of the camp was because after I delivered everyone to Camp Wilkerson, I had to return the rental van to the airport in Portland before 1100 the next morning, so I came back about 0248, got up early and took the van back to Enterprise. Found my car in the econo lot (luckily it started) and made it back home. That was the 103 degree day, so lying on the floor watching Arthur and Sagwa was not much more comfortable than working out.

[gregimotis]

One of my small stories from camp...


I wanted to figure out who this 'Chalambok' character was on defend.net. But I didn't want to just ask around for the dude from Oregon City either, I wanted to just kind of poke around and figure it out. I've been wondering for three weeks if we met or not. Funny that he wasn't even there.


The internet is a funny thing like that, I talk to people I've probably met and never know it - or think I've met but.... well you get the point.

[chalambok]

Lol

The way my luck goes, Gregimotis probably was looking to kick my ass
I am sure he did see me, I was the last person to introduce himself at the first night meeting under the tent; and I was awarded my Associate Instructor Certification before the powwow. But what he says is true about the camp. A few years ago a van pulled in late, and my friend Lani climbed out. I immediately grabbed her and hugged her (everyone hugs at the camp, it is a family thing). A man tapped me on the shoulder, and when I looked at him, he says, "Why are you hugging my wife?" It wasn't Lani! The lady vaguely looks like my friend, but sometimes when you only see someone for a week once a year it is easy to forget how they really look. I will look for you next year Gregimotis

[delbert]

Chalambok is the guy you dont see that makes the camp happen every year for those of you who dont know. Steve, Steve, and Mike have made this thing into a tradition that shapes and has shaped many of our lives and how we respect each other and ourselves. Pray for them all to whatever god works for you!
Kru Delbert

[Brian T.]

Preparing for Master Chai's Oregon Training Camp

I am going to Oregon Camp this year!! Could some of you camp veterans fill me in on what to expect? I've been to 5 of Master Chai's seminars. How different is camp going to be? What do I need to take with me (besides training gear) ? Thanks!

[gregimotis]

Oh, Oh! Do I really get to be first?
camp is at Wilkerson this year, I believe.


generally it goes like this:

Get up early and run a couple miles, then take breakfast and rest a couple hours.

Morning session is a couple hours of circuit training - four rounds shadow boxing, four rounds heavy bag, four rounds thai pads, four rounds light sparring. Then lunch and -

Afternoons are a couple hours of rest, but also often have stuff going on like Krhu Greg Nelson or Sifu Leonard Trigg giving mini-seminars.

Evening session is similar to morning session, usually at the end we do plumb for a heck of a long time.
________


As for what to bring: A tent. A sleeping bag et cetera. A camera. Two pairs of shows (one for running/training, one for resting). I highly recomend bringing a couple two-liter bottles of water for placement around the field - it's hot and you just can't hardly drink enough water to keep up.


Other advice:

Learn your vocabularly and test answers before you go. You DO NOT want to fail that test, nor do you want the stress of cramming when you need to be napping, nor do you want to be studiing for a test when Guro Dan Inosanto himself is showing people how to throw knives (super-cool stuff like that goes on in the afternoon).

Get in shape
quit swearing now
get a tan.

I yeild the floor to other, more experienced voices.

[fugetsu]

camp advice

One thing that is key is being able to blumb for a long period of time. Start doing lots of rounds now and do lung burning skip knee drills on the heavy bag (not the short knees for speed but the big, wind up ones for power) to get your heavy bag conditioning level up. Also, there is a lot of timing drills at the end of each work out, if you have not done a lot of this style of timing, then start now, because the place where people get into trouble is going ballz out on the timing drills and either hurting themselves or others and then being worthless for the rest of camp.
A big smile, lots of "yes sir," Thai salutes, and a humble attitude will get you very far. A big attitude and trying to prove that you are the badest ass of the camp will only get you hurt.
One last thing, start working on your 8 point body builders now too.
see you there,
Alex

[gregimotis]

the place where people get into trouble is going ballz out on the timing drills and either hurting themselves or others and then being worthless for the rest of camp.

And while we're on that subject, don't come out the first day and kill yourself trying to impress everybody. It'll just get you tired and hurt.

[Python]

I went a couple years ago, or maybe it was three, can't remember. I remember hearing that there were alot of ego's there...but I didn't see one. In fact, I met alot of great people and had some great training. Everyone was very humble.

As far as training goes, here is the mistake I made: The very first run..I took off like a bat outta hell, not to impress or show off or anything like that. I just thought that I should give my all. Even Ajarn Chai told me at an earlier seminar to not run too hard at camp, to save energy for the training. When I run, I normally do go fast. So, anyway, I came in second (no I was not trying to race). Well, you can probably guess the rest...before the day was over my legs had already began to cramp up and get all tight. The whole week was hell on my legs all because of my stupid ass run. I got through it of course, but it would have been much easier, and I could have went harder with the actual training drills, had I taken my time like everyone else who was smarter.

Lesson learned.....the hard way!!

So don't do that..lol.

Everything that Gregimotis said was pretty much how it went when I was there.

Good luck...you will thoroughly enjoy it!

[chalambok]

Camp Wilkerson is kind of unique in that everyone sleeps a long way from the other campers. It is critical that you not hide in your camp at night. Come up to the main building, sit by the fire, watch DVDs or listen to the stereo. Talk with everyone and have fun. Go easy at all times, even when you think you should go hard. Believe me, by the last day going easy will feel like you are going hard. Bring mosquito repellent and an air mattress of some kind, you will be sleeping on plywood probably, not a lot of tenting here. The tent spaces are quite a ways from the workout area (unless you have been specifically invited as a worker, who gets to tent relatively close, and importantly, uphill...lol) A good flashlight is very important. Eat a lot in the evening so you will have energy the next day. Bring at least 3 towels, it gets cold enough at night that one towel may not dry in just 24 hours. Let the organizers know your arrival & departure times as soon as you know them, and wear TBA clothing at PDX; and hang out close to the baggage claim area. Oh yes, boxing liniment is probably warranted. And once more, HAVE FUN (I am a 15 year veteran...hehehe. Not many of us)

[pittbulldog]

Camp

So, anyway, I came in second

I would imagine that David came in first. Also, my mistake my first year was thinking, "It's July, I don't need any sweats or heavier clothes." Mistake. After the first night, we sent someone on a Walmart run for sweat pants and sweat shirts. It gets a bit nippy at night, especially at Wilkerson. So bring something warm for the morning run also. Bring lots of ibuprofen, and sandals or the like for the showers. I brought 1 good pair of running shoes for the morning run, and 2 pairs of shoes that were not as good for the afternoon sessions, so that I could alternate them. I wouldn't get really good socks either, because by the end of the day, everything is covered in red dust.

[Trace]

Does anyone know if anyone has EVER beaten David in the runs????? Every time I was at camp he always was first...

[fugetsu]

Anyone ever beat David?

Dan Burke may have if not tied him. But akin to an earlier post, David pays for his victories in the workouts later.