Learn how to apply wing chun as an effective form of self defense

One of the ongoing things we’re trying at the dojo is broadening our student base. Lots of students get a little upset at punches flying at them, and the like, so we’re evaluating some of the softer styles for an introductory class. I’m looking at turning Wing Chun forms into the basis for a practical martial arts style, and helping with the instructions with it.

First, I learned Wing Chun as a “recuperative” style – I needed some time off to let my feet heal from doing stupid things with a wooden sparring dummy and inadequate footwear. My Dad had taken to Wing Chun for joint ailments as he’s gotten older, and had showed me some of the basics, and I asked permission of his teacher, Greg Pool, if I could record his opening lecture for his introductory class. This is what I got.

“Wing Chun is a balanced style, and I’m planning on doing the following forms with it: The open stance, which is fairly high, keeps the elbows close to the body, and keeps the balance over the knees, is a good one for getting pupils into, particularly if they don’t have a lot of martial arts training. The initial lessons will focus on relaxation techniques, and fluid movements. Wing Chun is a style that emphasizes relaxed motions – extra muscle tension slows down the speed of reactions, and builds up fatigue. While we’re going to focus on Wing Chun as, in some ways, an animated relaxation technique, this will be giving you the baseline for learning other martial arts, going to whatever styles you prefer.”

“The basic stance will have your feet at slightly less than shoulder width part, with your knees bent at about a 20 degree angle, and your toes pointed in. From this stance, breath in through the nose, and out through the mouth, and try to relax – you’ll feel a sense of dynamic tension in your hamstrings and quadriceps when you’re done.”

“For motions, we’ll start with the circular blocks from the left side going to the right. Again, redirection and smooth flow is the key to this. Watch what I do…breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth.”

Now, my experiences with Wing Chun are that it’s more like the Northern Chinese styles I’m familiar with – it’s a whole body style, emphasizing economy of motion and blocks. It’s got a lot of good footwork in its basic forms, and it’s used a lot in martial arts movies, most notably those starring Jet Li.

One of the oddities of the Wing Chun forms is that it really de-emphasizes kicks and throws and power moves. This is ultimately because it’s meant to be a defensive style first. Breaking the lines of the basic form for more power gives your opponent defensive opportunities. However, just because it’s a softer style, don’t think it’s a snap. Like all of the opening martial arts forms, it’ll leave you with a healthy sweat before you’re done, and your knees and hips will absolutely feel it.

The upper body workout focuses on delivering power through the sternum to the shoulder – you try to keep your arms relaxed before throwing a block or a strike, because relaxed muscles respond faster, and get more speed. Trying to power through a block or a punch is almost always slower.

Because the Wing Chun stance is higher than I’m used to, it takes some adjustment for me, not to sink too low. Fortunately, for most beginning students, a higher stance is more familiar to them from every day life. Very few people walk around in the Tiger Crouch when going to the super market, while Wing Chun isn't too far off from a standard "walking posture".

Las vegas how to ensure your vacation is full of adventure and kicks

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Las Vegas was for a long time the adults playground. Las Vegas was and is the gambling and drinking capitol of the world, and it was just about as Wild West as you could get in the twentieth century. But in the last 20 years Las Vegas has changed into a large amusement park for the whole family. There is such a wide variety of things to do inside and outside of Las Vegas apart from gambling, that it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity to see some of the beautiful sites around the area.

1) Think location. A hotel that is located directly on the strip will end up being much higher in price than a hotel just off the strip. Really, glamour is nice, but saving a couple of extra hundred dollars in the long run will allow you the opportunity to do some great things that had not been originally accounted for.

2) Outside of Las Vegas are some very nice deserts and mountains. Easy to get to and very close, it is nice to take a break from the gambling and partying to get out and visit a bit of nature. Finding a hotel that is close to the Strip but also close to all the nature reserves is a big bonus when you are not having a good time at the casino tables.

3) Las Vegas is huge, and continues to grow, so trying to visit an amusement park on the outskirts from the Strip, may tend to be a bit difficult, so try to aim to be a little farther from all the traffic if you are not just gambling and are doing other fun things.

4) When searching for a place to stay in Las Vegas, you will find that in just about any direction there will be hotels in which to stay, offering a drive of less than 10 minutes to the Strip plus there is free parking at most casinos on the Strip for when you are going to gamble.

5) Think Entertainment! Check out the available shows during the time you are in Vegas. If you are lucky, you might get to see some of the greatest entertainers such as Jay Leno, Edwin Murphy, Sting, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Jeniffer Lopez, Shakira, Madonna and many many more for just a few dollars. Sometimes, you might get a ticket dirt-cheap if you only look around and ask. Since Vegas is relatively small, its worth your while to check out not just the shows that your hotel (however grand it is!) is planning for its customers, but also to check out those offered by the rest of the hotels in Las Vegas.

These are just a few things to keep in mind when traveling to Las Vegas. If you are traveling with the family, you will want to remember that Las Vegas and Nevada offer excellent hotels and casinos as well as some of the most undisturbed wildlife and nature reserves and fantastic camping in the area.

If you wish to find out more about the casinos in Las Vegas or the entertainment and different adventures you could take part in, go to gambling-portal. com for detailed reviews, explanations and hot tips.

Hiatal hernia signs and symptoms

When the upper part of the stomach pokes through the esophageal hiatus, because of a weakness in its muscles, hiatal hernia occurs. The esophageal hiatus is the opening in the diaphragm through which the esophagus enters the abdominal cavity.

At the esophagus' end there is the lower esophageal sphincter which has the role of a valve - it only allows food to travel one-way. There is also a second valve, which is the esophageal hiatus. The two valves are synchronized so that food from the stomach does not return back where it came from.

If the muscles get weak and the abdominal pressure increases, eventually the hiatus will stretch so much that the upper part of the stomach will pass through it thus causing the hiatal hernia.

In the early phases hiatal hernia does not present any symptoms so mostly it is discovered when you visit your doctor for a routine check. But as the illness advances symptoms are starting to appear. Among these there is heartburn, epigastric pain and rarely some infections

Paraesophageal hernia may cause some incarcerations or more acute epigastric pain, because of a strangulation. This type of hernia is rare but it is dangerous, life threatening maybe. Sometimes complications like stomach strangulation appear but in most cases this does not happen.

The most common hiatal hernias are the sliding hernias. These are not that dangerous, one of their bad symptoms is reflux esophagitis, which was noticed in any people that suffer from hiatal hernia. Some of them were also affected by Barrett's esophagus because of the hernia. Barrett's esophagus may present dysphagia or reflux symptoms.

Unfortunately hiatal hernia has parsyntoms that are multifactorial, like esophagitis and peptic ulcer. In extreme cases a carchinoma appears in the hernia or chest infections.

Doctors advise people who are suffering from hiatal hernia to try to lose some weight and not to wear tight clothes.

The hazards of online shoe shopping

The internet revolution has brought many wonderful methods of saving both time and money right into our homes. We can now purchase just about anything on the internet. We assume that purchases made on the internet are pretty much the same as purchasing in the store, and that if there’s a problem we can simply return it.

This can be a fallacy that lands us in a world of frustration, resentment, and bitter disappointment when dealing with customer service individuals. If you’ve decided to shop online for a pair of shoes, proceed with caution. First, make sure that you are dealing with a chain store and a reputable company, preferably one with a brick and mortar location near you so that if you can’t get anywhere with customer service you have the option of making a nuisance out of yourself at the local chain branch.

A person’s foot is not chronically the same size all the time. Age, activity factors, health issues, and weather can all have an affect on the size of a person’s foot. Ordering shoes online can be difficult as shoes tend to be cut uniquely and a size 8 is not always a size 8.

Double check your order before submitting and keep a close eye on the credit card statement. Double charges are not unusual. If you are dealing with a Mom and Pop store, you will be lucky to see any of your money back. Reputable chains have more sophisticated software and can often check their billing on the spot to verify and correct your claim.

It can be very difficult to prove, but sometimes the wrong shoes or shoes without laces or even just the one shoe arrives right on time. Calling to correct the situation can be taxing, long, and arduous. It is my personal belief that there are people working in the distribution warehouse that think sending out these funny orders is their idea of third shift entertainment.

Online ordering can be a pleasant experience most of the time. However, when a mistake is made it can be very difficult to get it cleared up. Whether the mistake is theirs or yours doesn’t really seem to be relevant, it is equally as difficult to clear up mistakes. After several tries and lost precious hours, it is time to head down to the local chain with your receipt and order in hand.

Guide to terrorism and world markets

What worse could have happened to the US economy then the 9th September 2001? Some perverted religious fanatics demolished the embodiment of the world trade. Terrorism is a threat to all the nations of the world. The human loss due to these activities cannot be condemned with words. The ruthlessness of the terror traders has an impact on each and every segment of life. The extent of these activities is extending by the day and the generally silent Europe too is feeling the cramps.

The world markets face the wrath of the terrorist activities in their faces. There is an overall loss to the business in many ways. The people suddenly fear traveling through air. The airline companies themselves are more apprehensive about continuing with their normal work. Apart from the loss in passengers, the security too has to be made very tight and the loss has to be born by the companies.

As a matter of fact, all sectors are put to a stand still due to these terror strikes. The direct effect of these is seen in the sudden drop in the markets. The stock prices do drop down and the trading comes to a stand still, however the business seldom stops and the markets show their cushioning effect by regaining the vigor. But at times the loss of even trading day can be fatal to a country’s economy.

Such attacks also incur a direct burden on the defense budget. It goes without saying that the governments do take desperate measures to minimize the losses and cover the country against the future threats. The new areas of defense research open up and thus fresh jobs are created. This brighter side of the attacks is over-shadowed by the loss of lives and panic that is created with in the country. The government, under such circumstances, looses the track of their priorities and the developmental works are sidelined. This causes damage to civic society.

The worst hit by terrorist activities is the third world countries. The terrorists make these vulnerable counties their bases and from here carry out the destructive activities. Their influence in such countries shows and threatens the developed world of their power and dominance. Thus such countries make an appropriate guinea pig. If a terrorists strike a big country or a city, the whole world knows about it. The tragedy with these countries is that their miseries are not broadcasted because of their non connectivity with the rest of the world. They are thus the breeding grounds of terrorism and worst hit areas by this destructive activity.

A joint effort by all the countries of the world, taking along the third world countries, is required to curb the growing tentacles of terrorism. Many big nations have joined hands against terrorism after major attacks in the world. They also need to include the most vulnerable victims of terrorism, the developing countries. Support to them, both economic and military, should be provided to them by the capable nations. Bodies like UN must pass resolutions and work upon them to uproot the cannibalistic practice of terrorism. Unless we don’t join our hands it would be very difficult to face these destructive forces and our economies will be victims of their activities.

Why should you use grading in the garden

Not all houses have perfect surroundings that will be easy to transform into outdoor recreation and entertainment areas with good lawns and gardens. It is frequently necessary to undertake some construction projects to obtain the quality and type of outdoor area you want. One of the basic construction problems for any landscaping task is grading the soil. Generally, grading means building a slope into the garden area. Sloping ensures that there is proper drainage, and it can make the house look better while allowing for easier maintenance.

Whether you want to have a garden, a lawn, or a terrace, you must do your grading first. The best time to grade is when a home is being constructed, since it is relatively simple to add a few inches between the entrance level and the ground level at this point. Just a few inches can ease the creation of a grade away from the house to improve its appearance and make for a drier basement, if you have one.

It is difficult to measure a grade by eye. Even professionals cannot do this. You should use a piece of twine as a guide. Pull the twine tight between two sticks imbedded in the ground. Once you’ve completed the rough work for leveling, use a long board as a straight edge on the ground to make sure you’ve been accurate. Rough grading is the first step in landscape construction. The extent of the grading depends on the condition of the ground and ground levels desired. You must also pay attention if there are extreme slopes and try to keep as closely as possible to natural contours. This reduces the expense of grading in a big way.

Begin grading by stripping and separating topsoil from the areas where the level is to be altered. Even if you are grading for a stone or concrete terrace, you should save the topsoil. You can spread the topsoil in areas where it is thin, or you can use it a flower garden and save yourself some money. Once you have stripped the topsoil, subsoil can be graded to the desired contours, leaving space for adding the topsoil that has been removed. You should also plan to have a slope for every one-hundred feet of lawn. The same measurement can be applied to a stone terrace to prevent pools of water to develop during periods of rain.

When you level an area for a terrace, you don’t need to insert subsoil drainage. Just save the topsoil. For nearly all terraces, it is good practice to tamp the soil down and even to put a layer of gravel cinder or crushed rock as a base for the terrace. Terraces typically require a level area, but the grade that slopes away from the house should be maintained.

Retire to asia - and why

In reading this article you may realize that the best part of your life could be in Asia, and the best time is now.

The theme of most retirement articles is the best place to retire in the USA. However, according to the AARP about 80 percent of Americans do not plan to move when they retire. Work a lifetime, and with the door open to have a fresh start in retirement, one just stays in the same town, the same house, the same routine. There must be a better quality of life in retirement, and there is! Nowadays, more retirees are not only moving from their house to another city or state, but are moving out of the United States.

Over recent years I have had an increasing number of friends write to me about my life in Asia. The motives behind the questions have varied from political discontentment to financial. Many of the concerns are related to the high cost of living, including heating and A/C bills, taxes, grocery bills, the cost of gasoline, medical bills, dental bills, home repair bills, and list goes on. There is no doubt about it, the cost of living in the USA goes higher each day. Many of those who write to me are not really enjoying their Golden Years but are just getting by. If you are in the stage of retirement planning or are now retired that should concern you, as each day is precious and we should be enjoying life to its fullest. The best is yet to come.

Travel with me down a different road of thought. I have lived in retirement for the past 7 years in Asia, in the beach resort city of Pattaya, Thailand. Being a tourist destination, you immediately picture an area with a beautiful bay view, fine restaurants, and entertainment galore. It is more than just that. It is so easy to get around the city using public transportation that my car sits in the driveway. We have modern shopping centers, movie complexes, health spa's, fitness centers, golf courses, and even an IT center with 5 floors of computers, mobile phones, and electronics. Pattaya has not one, but two International Standard hospitals. Health care is affordable. Being a tourist city, the Thai staff in most stores and restaurants speak English, German, Russian, and other languages. Language is not a problem, but learning a little basic Thai is both fun and useful. A Hollywood movie with English sound track, shown in a high tech theater costs around $2.50. The air-conditioned city bus is 50 cents, private buses around 25 cents. A Thai food-bar meal runs around 75 cents. We have clubs that meet weekly where the foreign community can get together. They have Open Forums where newcomers to the community can ask questions. The glimpse just given is representative of life for foreigners in most Asian countries. A stress free, quality lifestyle on your retirement pension.

Why Asia? Because Asia is the most exciting, the most user friendly continent on earth. Luxury living for pennies - not just "getting by" on your retirement pension. The United States and Europe are becoming almost impossibly expensive to live and retire in. Learn more about the Asian countries, which ones to consider for retirement, and why. If funds permit, plan a holiday visit to some of the countries of interest. Alternatively, the Internet is a great source of information. Also, one can join an Internet blog or group and gain information and tips from persons already living overseas. As I said in my opening, the best part of your life could be in Asia, and the best time is now.