Getting Tired and Winded During the Long Form

I felt and sounded like Darth Vader today while doing my form in class. I am approaching the entire form now, and I puff, and wheeze and struggle as I hit the low stances, and move and kick and do things that are not natural to my body.

Shifu told me today, that the first half of my form was ok. But the second half, I began to rush and move too quickly. He said that actually it is better to slow down and try to relax more, to move more naturally during the practice of the second half of the form to better and more accurately do the practice.

He said that as we tire, our chi goes higher up in the chest. We need to try and relax and allow the chi to drop lower. Relax the upper body, the chest and the shoulders; breathe more naturally.

I need to continually remind myself to relax and slow down.
J