After 3 summers sweating it out and trying to get a breeze flowing through the studio. I have finally decided to splurge on an air conditioner. It arrived just in time for the hot weather on Friday. Reviews so far are quite good.

Yet, when I mentioned the air conditioning to fellow instructors and school owners from other styles. The immediate reactions is usually a blunt suggestion that we at Cloud Mountain are a "bunch of wimps." They may say it with a smile and a hint of envy. But it does speak of a long tradition of welcoming extreme weather as a valued training partner and worthy opponent.

For those of us from traditional martial arts backgrounds, air conditioning seems a bit like selling out. Several of my teachers have admonished their students for not continuing to train during inclement weather. Teachers from places like Szechuan were certainly accustomed to inclement weather. The practised in the extreme heat and humidity of the summer, and in the extreme cold of winter. They practised year-round in cramped rooms with no insulation or even outdoors. Part of the conditioning was to make the body and mind impervious to the influences of the weather. They would certainly not have thought highly of students who required climate control in order to continue practice.

I justify the air conditioning by explaining that the demographic of this school is not like other martial arts schools. We have a students from a wide age range, various health conditions, and different cultural and geographical origins. Seniors certainly appreciate the cooler air, and most students (not just the women) seem to like the improved aroma.

We have a full slate of classes and seminars planned for this summer. So I expect the air conditioning will get a bit of a workout. Perhaps, with this added level of comfort in the studio, so will the rest of us.