Martial arts supplies and uniforms are available in various sizes, styles, and brand names. If you're new to martial arts, you should be especially careful when choosing a uniform because everyone's body shape, height, and figure are unique. Be sure to buy the type of uniform that will fit you comfortably and provide the flexibility you need during training and workouts. This beginner's guide will help you find the uniform and martial arts supplies that are right for you.
Martial Arts School Requirements
Before buying a uniform or other martial arts supplies, find out what your school, or dojo, requires. The traditional color for karate uniforms is white with white, black, or brown belt colors; however, some schools require specific colors or special patches that distinguish their school from others. Some dojos might limit you to only one particular uniform color while others might offer a variety of choices. It really depends on the school.
Also, become familiar with uniform terminology so you'll know which style to buy. There are varying styles for different types of martial arts. Karate uniforms are called "karategi" or "karate gi." Judo uniforms are called "judogi." There are also specific uniforms for taekwondo or jujutsu. Uniforms worn by practitioners are often called "dobok." You can use the terminology related to your particular martial arts interests to search for uniforms or martial arts supplies online.
Sizing Your Martial Arts Uniform
Your uniform size should correspond with your height, but his may vary from one brand name to the next. It's a good idea to know your height and even the measurements of your hips, arms, waist, and legs before you start shopping. If shopping online, some stores might offer measurement and size charts for martial arts supplies and uniforms. If purchasing a uniform made of 100 percent cotton, be sure to buy pre-shrunk material or buy a slightly bigger size in case the material shrinks in the wash.
uality vs. Weight of Material
Martial arts uniforms are available in a variety of materials and styles, but not all are equal. Uniforms made of 100 percent cotton are the most popular choice for two reasons: cotton breathes and it absorbs sweat. Polyester/cotton blends do not absorb sweat that well, but are usually less expensive. If you're concerned that a cotton uniform will wrinkle too easily, don't worry. During practice, the wrinkles will usually work their way out anyway!
Another feature to consider is the weight of the material. Uniforms come in lightweight, medium, or heavyweight fabrics. Read the weight of the uniform on the packaging or tag, as described in ounces. Heavier materials are usually priced higher, but beware of manufacturers' labels that claim "heavyweight" material when it really weighs the same as another brand that's lower in price.
Lightweight uniforms, which are the least expensive, usually weigh about 6 ounces, and work great for beginners who aren't sure if they're going to stick with martial arts classes. Medium uniforms weigh around 10 ounces and work great as far as absorbing sweat and providing flexibility. Heavyweight uniforms weigh about 14 ounces and are also called "Master karate uniforms."
The TouchStone
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Author: superadmin | Filed under: Inspirational, Inspirational Stories
When the great library of Alexandria burned, the story goes, one book was saved. But it was not a valuable book; and so a poor man, who could read a little, bought it for a few coppers.
The book wasn’t very interesting, but between its pages there was something very interesting indeed. It was a thin strip of vellum on which was written the secret of the “Touchstone”!
The touchstone was a small pebble that could turn any common metal into pure gold. The writing explained that it was lying among thousands and thousands of other pebbles that looked exactly like it. But the secret was this: The real stone would feel warm, while ordinary pebbles are cold.
So the man sold his few belongings, bought some simple supplies, camped on the seashore, and began testing pebbles.
He knew that if he picked up ordinary pebbles and threw them down again because they were cold, he might pick up the same pebble hundreds of times. So, when he felt one that was cold, he threw it into the sea. He spent a whole day doing this but none of them was the touchstone. Yet he went on and on this way. Pick up a pebble. Cold - throw it into the sea. Pick up another. Throw it into the sea.
The days stretched into weeks and the weeks into months. One day, however, about midafternoon, he picked up a pebble and it was warm. He unknowingly threw it into the sea before he realized what he had done. He had formed such a strong habit of throwing each pebble into the sea that when the one he wanted came along, he still threw it away.
So it is with opportunity. Unless we are vigilant, it’s asy to fail to recognize an opportunity when it is in hand and it’s just as easy to throw it away.
source: iFeelOkay
Six Tips Guaranteed To Improve Your Tennis Game
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Tennis puts stress and strain on your body. Tennis puts stress and strain on your nerves as well when you try to master it. Tennis can be difficult to master when you don't practice or you can't afford to join a pricey tennis club. Taking private tennis lessons can be very costly. Plus, it may feel like you spend most of your lessons retrieving tennis balls rather than hitting them. Despite these set backs, your tennis game can improve if you follow these six tips.
Buy a graphite racquet. If you don't want to spend any money on a new racquet and think that your parents' old wooden relics are just fine, think again. A wooden racquet simply cannot generate the power of the newer graphite models so you will be constantly underpowered when using one. Plus, the head on the newer racquets are much larger so it makes hitting the ball that much easier. Besides, there are graphite racquets out there starting around $20 that are fine for getting started.
Hit against a board. While these are getting hard to find, there are tennis courts that have a board set up against the fence. Before thinking about playing a match, try hitting against the board to improve your accuracy. Once you can hit 8-10 balls without missing, you are ready to start playing some matches with real people.
Keep moving. Tennis is not baseball. Tennis is a sport that demands constant movement in order to succeed. You have to move towards that ball the moment you know where it is heading. Being out of position is a common mistake for beginners so improve your chances for success by always moving. Once you hit a shot, move back towards the center of the court behind the baseline. Don't wait for the next shot ... move!
What about my tennis strokes? There is a constant debate over a one-handed versus two-handed backhand. Use the one-handed backhand because it takes less time to be in the proper position for this shot. Plus, you will have a wider variety of angles and less prone to having the ball fly into you while you are preparing for the shot.
Buy a graphite racquet. If you don't want to spend any money on a new racquet and think that your parents' old wooden relics are just fine, think again. A wooden racquet simply cannot generate the power of the newer graphite models so you will be constantly underpowered when using one. Plus, the head on the newer racquets are much larger so it makes hitting the ball that much easier. Besides, there are graphite racquets out there starting around $20 that are fine for getting started.
Hit against a board. While these are getting hard to find, there are tennis courts that have a board set up against the fence. Before thinking about playing a match, try hitting against the board to improve your accuracy. Once you can hit 8-10 balls without missing, you are ready to start playing some matches with real people.
Keep moving. Tennis is not baseball. Tennis is a sport that demands constant movement in order to succeed. You have to move towards that ball the moment you know where it is heading. Being out of position is a common mistake for beginners so improve your chances for success by always moving. Once you hit a shot, move back towards the center of the court behind the baseline. Don't wait for the next shot ... move!
What about my tennis strokes? There is a constant debate over a one-handed versus two-handed backhand. Use the one-handed backhand because it takes less time to be in the proper position for this shot. Plus, you will have a wider variety of angles and less prone to having the ball fly into you while you are preparing for the shot.
Spurs likely headed to a 4th NBA title
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
During the past 27 games, of which San Antonio has won 24, the Spurs are giving up just 86.3 points per game and holding opponents to 43 percent shooting from the field.
The Spurs (57-21) have won nine straight games at home and still have a shot at a second consecutive 60-win season, but the Phoenix Suns are doing their best to keep them at bay.
Shawn Marion had 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Suns stayed two games ahead of San Antonio in the fight for the No. 2 playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 109-91 victory Wednesday night over the depleted Seattle Supersonics.
Should it come down to it, San Antonio holds the tiebreaker with the Suns.
The Spurs are 22-3 since the All-Star break, best of any team in the NBA. The Mavericks are 20-4 and the Phoenix Suns are 19-6.
Also, Robert Horry played for the first time in April on Wednesday against the Kings, after missing five games because of an abdominal contusion. Horry has been either inactive or didn't play in nine other games for San Antonio this year.
In 10 other games he played 10 minutes or fewer. But the playoffs loom, meaning Horry is healthy and ready to take on a more significant role.
"It's just one of those weird things where you really couldn't do any treatment for it and you really couldn't diagnose it except as an (abdominal) contusion," Horry said of the injury he sustained taking a charge on Seattle's Chris Wilcox on March 23. "A lot of people probably thought, 'Oh, that's just some kind of rest for the playoffs.' I haven't played enough this season to need a rest."
Horry entered Wednesday's game against Sacramento midway through the first period and played 10 minutes in San Antonio's victory, scoring a bucket in 11 minutes.
Don't look now, but Michael Finley is also heating up.
"He's playing confidently and he's been shooting well for quite a while now. It's important that he's playing defense and going to the boards as a perimeter player. He's playing a good all-around game." -- San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich on Michael Finley, who has been starting in place of the injured Brent Barry.
Barry returned Wednesday night in the Spurs' win over Sacramento after missing the previous four games with back spasms. Barry, who had been starting prior to his injury, came off the bench and had six points, four rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes.
The vast majority of fans who participated in a recent SpursReport poll think that Finley will have the most significant impact of any role player during the post-season.
Veteran Jacque Vaughn will also try to continue his quiet contributions for the team. He had 11 points in 14 minutes against the Kings, his second-highest scoring output of the season. Vaughn had 13 points in a blowout win over Seattle in late March.
The Spurs (57-21) have won nine straight games at home and still have a shot at a second consecutive 60-win season, but the Phoenix Suns are doing their best to keep them at bay.
Shawn Marion had 24 points and 10 rebounds as the Suns stayed two games ahead of San Antonio in the fight for the No. 2 playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 109-91 victory Wednesday night over the depleted Seattle Supersonics.
Should it come down to it, San Antonio holds the tiebreaker with the Suns.
The Spurs are 22-3 since the All-Star break, best of any team in the NBA. The Mavericks are 20-4 and the Phoenix Suns are 19-6.
Also, Robert Horry played for the first time in April on Wednesday against the Kings, after missing five games because of an abdominal contusion. Horry has been either inactive or didn't play in nine other games for San Antonio this year.
In 10 other games he played 10 minutes or fewer. But the playoffs loom, meaning Horry is healthy and ready to take on a more significant role.
"It's just one of those weird things where you really couldn't do any treatment for it and you really couldn't diagnose it except as an (abdominal) contusion," Horry said of the injury he sustained taking a charge on Seattle's Chris Wilcox on March 23. "A lot of people probably thought, 'Oh, that's just some kind of rest for the playoffs.' I haven't played enough this season to need a rest."
Horry entered Wednesday's game against Sacramento midway through the first period and played 10 minutes in San Antonio's victory, scoring a bucket in 11 minutes.
Don't look now, but Michael Finley is also heating up.
"He's playing confidently and he's been shooting well for quite a while now. It's important that he's playing defense and going to the boards as a perimeter player. He's playing a good all-around game." -- San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich on Michael Finley, who has been starting in place of the injured Brent Barry.
Barry returned Wednesday night in the Spurs' win over Sacramento after missing the previous four games with back spasms. Barry, who had been starting prior to his injury, came off the bench and had six points, four rebounds and three assists in 20 minutes.
The vast majority of fans who participated in a recent SpursReport poll think that Finley will have the most significant impact of any role player during the post-season.
Veteran Jacque Vaughn will also try to continue his quiet contributions for the team. He had 11 points in 14 minutes against the Kings, his second-highest scoring output of the season. Vaughn had 13 points in a blowout win over Seattle in late March.
Digital Camcorders Have Advantages
Friday, February 15, 2008
Creating and editing videos has never been easier than with digital video cameras. A digital camcorder provides a convenient way to create movies and put them on tape, DVD or even the internet. As easy as it may seem it may still be prudent for you to understand some basics so that you can get the best quality camcorder for your money.
There are some things to remember when shopping for a digital camcorder. You should pay attention to a few key features of digital camcorders. The viewing screen is one of the most important and relevant factors of the entire device. Remember that you will use this screen not only for shooting your movies but for the convenient playback feature. You will want to be able to adequately view your playback.
Of utmost importance is the lense of any camcorder. Most camcorders sold today feature at least a 10x zoom lens. This is adequate for most purposes. Often higher zoom levels are not able to maintain a quality video so they may not be useful.
All camcorders offer one of two types of image stabilization. They are electronic or optical. Image stabilization is incredibly important. The electronic stabilization counteracts images that seem to float on the CCD by using internal circuitry to interpret video after the image has been captured. The optical option uses the len's mechanism to compensate for external movements.
Sound is also an important consideration. Sound relies on the quality of the microphone on the camcorder. Some camcorders offer zoom microphones which enhance the voice quality of the subject being recorded. If sound is important to your recordings consider a camcorder that has a socket to plug in a remote microphone.
There are some things to remember when shopping for a digital camcorder. You should pay attention to a few key features of digital camcorders. The viewing screen is one of the most important and relevant factors of the entire device. Remember that you will use this screen not only for shooting your movies but for the convenient playback feature. You will want to be able to adequately view your playback.
Of utmost importance is the lense of any camcorder. Most camcorders sold today feature at least a 10x zoom lens. This is adequate for most purposes. Often higher zoom levels are not able to maintain a quality video so they may not be useful.
All camcorders offer one of two types of image stabilization. They are electronic or optical. Image stabilization is incredibly important. The electronic stabilization counteracts images that seem to float on the CCD by using internal circuitry to interpret video after the image has been captured. The optical option uses the len's mechanism to compensate for external movements.
Sound is also an important consideration. Sound relies on the quality of the microphone on the camcorder. Some camcorders offer zoom microphones which enhance the voice quality of the subject being recorded. If sound is important to your recordings consider a camcorder that has a socket to plug in a remote microphone.
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