3 Gruelling Days + 19 Awesome BC Fanatics = ??

The answer is : An Unforgetttable Experience...

I attended the long-awaited BC Instructor Course over the weekend from 21 - 23 Aug and I'm sure the title of today's posting tells the entire story of the 3 days... I must admit the course indeed IS fun.... but the stress level is there too due to the 4 presentations that we have to do.

Day 1's pretty much about theory and technique work. Don't think this is chicken feet... we did the same moves over and over again until we got it. Its either this or we had to hold the moves in position while the trainer goes around to check.... By mid-day, we were allocated our presentation track for Day 2. As luck would have it, I was assigned Muay Thai Track just as Jo had predicted! Not that I hated this track, but MT tracks are usually the most intensive tracks of the release. By intensive, I mean in terms of strength, voice and tempo. I was petrified when allocated because I've never really like this track and also due to the worry of not being able to match the intensity required.

Day 2 started off with plenty of aches for me in the butt and shoulder areas. I guess this is what everyone else in the course is feeling too. The day started off with the 1st of 4 presentations we had to do in total.... As my turn draws nearer, my heartbeat goes faster, my hands turned colder and my feet became heavier. It felt worse than my first time being on stage in the XXX SP Auditorium presenting my presentation on Spams Prevention.... When my turn inevitably came, I took a really deep breathe and told myself : "You've signed up for this... now go out there and get the job done. You have nothing to lose.... Just do a good 5min show and you're 1 down!"

The feelings at the end of the 5mins was one of one of relieve and elation. But my throat and shoulders ain't on such good spirits... they're screaming for help for I've actually unknowingly went all out with my shouts and descending elbows. There were more theory lessons after lunch before the 2nd Presentation in the late afternoon. This time, however, we were only expected to present 1/2 of the track. Again, I took another really deep breathe and took the plunge again. 3mins later, 2 down! Yeah!! However, my throat now is not only screaming, its ICU mode now! I dread to think how I could have presented my Exam Track the next day had I not bought Strepsils on my way back.....

Day 3, we had theories again in the morning b4 the 3rd presentation of the course. This time around, my allocation was a Power Track (T3, Sweetheart). When my turn came, I was much more confident than yesterday partly due to the previous 2 'exposures' I've had and it also happens that Sweetheart's one of my favourite track of BC40 besides Set Me Free (T8). Again, this presentation's a 1/2 track.... I'm pretty satisfied with my performance for this round as I've managed to remember and presented out most of the things I wrote down during scripting.

Actually, the reality was that I copied down 80% of what Tanya Walker (the LM Presenter of Sweetheart in the DVD) said in during the 1st half of this track. You should have seen the DVD, she's such a GOOD presenter! She's so informative throughout the presentation that I simply couldn't stop myself from 'lifting' all her cues. I copied quite a far bit that for once, I thought I'd be sued for plagiarism!

We finished off the 1st half of Day 3 with the much-feared Combat Challenge.... Initially we all thought it would be like a 1hr circuit training kinda programme but it turned out to be about 30mins only. The intensity is not that high either, at least in my context. The only thing which caught me out was the pushups and the kicks that we had to execute while lying on our sides. These 2 segment made me recall those days back in the army during BMT where the PTI (the most hated/feared trainer) would make us do pushups like crazy and run around touching things like monkeys.... Just like what Ben said : "We'd earn our lunches."

There were some final bits of theories after lunch... then came the defining moments we've all prepared so hard for... THE FINAL PRESENTATION!! I managed to finish off my last presentation without much hiccups in the choreography but I've not been able to cue/coach as much as scripted. However, I've managed to add in quite some impromptu feelings and motivational cues which I've plagiarised from Sue. Not too sure if the cues went down well with the folks but from the looks on their faces, I guess it ain't that bad :p

The look on everyone's face after the last person had present was one of extreme relief and elation! With the final 'exam' outta the way, 'Camwhoring' is next! Everyone got into the camwhoring act while Ben's giving out the training results to the individuals in private. I can imagine the anxiety within everyone of us as we approach him for our results.

For me, I won't say I'm entirely pleased with my results because I didn't actually attain the mark I've set for myself. Maybe I've expected too much from myself.... Nevertheless, I'd happy to have endured the 3 gruelling days with 19 awesome coursemates. I shall proceed with more practice and see if I can work towards my expected result.

These 3 days had been most rewarding for me in a long while as I've made plenty of new friends and could feel the strong bond amongst us due to the 'blood' and sweat we've all been through together.... Oh, and not to forget those impromptu unified shouting & singing-along of certain parts of the tracks each time that track was played.

We've our very own group in FB now and I really really do hope that we will keep in touch, meet up often and attend workshops/quarterlies or even the FILMING together if possible! I still remember how we were still pretty much in our own 'factions' at the end of Day 1 to now all bombarding each other's FB with messages and postings, starting threads on organisation of trips to upcoming quarterlies, etc..... I guessed this is the so-called camaraderie-ship....

I'm honoured and proud to have attended the training with you ppls!

At the end of the day, what many of those who had attended the course said IS true : "Don't stress yourself so much, just go there and enjoy the 3days!!" I DID enjoy my 3 days....

Anyone keen to go for the next run in Sept 09 @ TF?