Karate - The Way of The Empty Hand

Karate (空手) or karate-dō (空手道) is one of the most fascinating martial art in the world today. For me, there is not any martial art that is as flexible and enjoyable as sport.

Karate as a martial art was developed and diversified from various forms of Chinese Kung-fu on the island of Okinawa and was taken to
Japan in the early years of the twentieth century.

Karate is NOT an expression of aggression. Karate is not about violence at all. It is about respect, disciplin of mind and body, confidence, control of oneself, and ends with courtesy and leads to Wa-No-Michi (peace in one's life).

Ankō Itosu (糸洲 安恒, Itosu Ankō, Itosu Yasutsune in Japanese) is considered by many the father of modern karate, although this title is also often given to Gichin Funakoshi (船越 義珍 Funakoshi Gichin) because the latter spread karate throughout Japan.

Funakoshi Gichin is responsible for changing its emphasis from a method of self defence to a mental and physical discipline.

The five most important styles of Karate are: Shotokan, Goyo ryu, Wado ryu, Shito ryu, and Kyokushinkai.

Modern karate training is commonly divided into kihon (basics or fundamentals techniques: blocking, punching, striking, and kicking), kata (formal exercises which combine basic karate techniques - blocking, punching, striking, and kicking - into a series of predetermined movements. ), and kumite (sparring).

A karate practitioner is called a karateka (空手家). The karateka must apply proper karate techniques, demonstrate correct power and speed, and, above all, exercise good control -- contact is prohibited. The karateka may freely engage his physical and mental powers, but must strictly control his attacks -- contact is prohibited. The karateka must be well-trained and disciplined enough to make a powerful blow that stops just before it reaches its target.

Karate competition has three disciplines: sparring (kumite), empty-handed forms (kata), and weapons forms (kobudō kata). Competitors may enter either as individuals or as part of a team. Evaluation for kata and kobudo is performed by a panel of judges, whereas sparring is judged by a head referee, usually with assistant referees at the side of the sparring area. Sparring matches are typically divided by weight, age, gender, and experience.

Training is important in Karate as well as concentration because while it may be easy to create a centered being when inside a martial arts gym, the same cannot be said of situations and circumstances outside. Controlled breathing is one key to being one with the universe and to center oneself with nature.

Karate is an affective martial arts that can be studied anywhere in the world today. In studying karate-dō (空手道), it is important to remember that along with building physical strength to be able to defeat your opponent the mental capacity should also be developed. Just like in any art, it takes a lot of practice and discipline to perfect the art of Karate (空手). The important thing is the one who wants to get into the art should have determination to give honor to the art by performing it in the best way possible.

It seems like new information is discovered about something every day. And the topic of martial art is no exception. Keep reading to get more fresh news about martial art.

The Ultimate Collection of Martial Arts and Self-Defence eBooks Pack you will find here: http://www.e-bestsellers.com/gpage38.html. This extremely rare Collection will help you become a master in Martial Arts...

So now you know a little bit about karate-dō (空手道). Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

Enjoy, and in the words of Gichin Funakoshi:

"It is important that karate can be practiced by the young and old, men and women alike. That is, since there is no need for a special training place, equipment, or an opponent, a flexibility in training is provided such that the physically and spiritually weak individual can develop his body and mind so gradually and naturally that he himself may not even realize his own great progress... The ultimate aim of the art of karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the characters of its participants... "

The potential offered by this martial art fighting system ultimately depends upon the person learning it. And - in short - karate is no more and no less than what an karateka put into it.

Copyright © Anne-Marie Ronsen

Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development books. Download FREE e-books from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.plrbestsellers.com or http://www.universalpublishingltd.com -You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth. You'll also discover FREE Premium content at http://www.ibestof.com/ and Manual Submission Directory at: http://www.webdirectorybank.com

AIKIDO - The Way of Harmonious Spirit

Aikido (合気道, aikidō), a traditional Japanese martial art, was developed in the early part of the 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba (植芝 盛平 Ueshiba Morihei) - (1883-1969). Known as "O Sensei" or the "Great Teacher," Ueshiba made sure to develop a martial art that is based on a purely physical level using movements like throws, joint locks and techniques derived from another martial arts like "Jujitsu" and "Kenjutsu."

When he finally developed the minor and major principles of Aikido, Ueshiba emphasized that the martial art does not only pertain to self-defense techniques but can also play a major role in the enhancement of the practitioner's moral and spiritual aspects eventually leading them to place greater weight on the development and achievement of peace and harmony. In fact, because of the great emphasis in the development of harmony and peace, seasoned aikido practitioners say that "the way of harmony of the spirit" is one phrase that could describe or translate the term "aikido" in English.

It is interesting to note that the word comes from three Japanese words from which one can derive the meaning of the one word. People are often surprised to learn that Aikido means "the way of harmony." "Ki" (pronounced 'key') is the Eastern philosophical concept of the universal creative principle of life - the life force or breath. Ki is at the heart of Aikido - both in concept and in word. When the word is broken down into syllables it reads Ai-Ki-Do.

AI = Harmony / Connection

KI = Spirit / Energy

DO = Way / Path

Aikido focuses on accepting and respecting the energy of life and nature and channeling this harmony onto techniques that expresses this energy in physical forms.

Aikido is the refinement of the techniques that are being taught in traditional martial arts and is combined with a philosophy that calls on for the power of the spirit. In its essence, it is a blending of the body and the mind. Aikido is also used as a way to discover our true paths so that we can develop our individuality. It also teaches its practitioners to unify their body and their mind so that they will become in harmony with the "universe" and with nature. Their power and their strength will come from this balance and harmony.

Training is important in aikido as well as concentration because while it may be easy to create a centered being when inside a martial arts gym, the same cannot be said of situations and circumstances outside. It will not be easy to keep one's composure when faced with extraordinary circumstances. This is actually one of the goals of Aikido training. It aims to teach its practitioners to maintain their composure and their centeredness even in panic situations such as danger and calamities.

"Do not fight force with force," this is the most basic principle of Aikido. Considered as one of the non-aggressive styles in martial arts, Aikido has become popular because it doesn't instigate or provoke any attack. Instead, the force of the attacker is redirected into throws, locks, and several restraining techniques.

Some of the techniques in Aikido include the following. Ikkyo is the first technique. Using this technique you control an opponent by using one hand in holding the elbow and one near the wrist, this action is supposed to make you pin your opponent down in the ground. Nikyo the second technique is when you do an adductive wristlock that enables you to twist the arm of your opponent that will in turn cause enough nerve pressure. The third technique is Sankyo which is a pronating technique that directs upward-spiraling tension throughout the arm, elbow and shoulder. There are many other techniques but the first three should get you started.

One method taught in aikido is to breathe with what is called the seika tanden point. This is the part of the body that can be found two inches below the navel. Controlled breathing is one key to being one with the universe and to center oneself with nature. When a person learns to do this, he or she will feel extraordinary calmness that they can use in the practice of aikido.

What's important is the skilled Aikido practitioner is skilled enough to redirect his or her attacker's energy while keeping him or her in a constant of unbalance.

Mastering each technique involves discipline and dedication. To be a good aikodoka, one must master both the techniques and principle of the marital art.

In Aikido, one is not taught violence instead one is taught to be in harmony with the opponent to be able to defeat. This might seem odd but it actually works. In approaching an opponent, the aim of the Aikido practitioner is to be one with the opponent to be able to attack him where he is weakest and in doing so diver or immobilize him but never to kill. The art of peace as what they call in Aikido is one of the most positive influences of Aikido to its students and to everyone who choose to know about this Japanese martial art.

Although aikido is not about punching or kicking the opponent, it is not considered as a static art. It is still a very effective means of martial arts because it requires the aikido practitioner to use the energy of their opponent so they can gain control over them. When you will look at the martial art closely, you will realize that aikido is not only a means of self-defense technique but can also serve a means of spiritual enlightenment, physical health or exercise or a simple means of attaining peace of mind, concentration, and serenity.

In studying Aikido, it is important to remember that along with building physical strength to be able to defeat your opponent the mental capacity should also be developed. Just like in any art, it takes a lot of practice and discipline to perfect the art of Aikido.

The important thing is the one who wants to get into the art should have determination to give honor to the art by performing it in the best way possible.

Although different aikido styles gives great emphasis on the spiritual aspects to varying levels--some to greater or lesser degrees--the idea that the martial arts was conceptualized in order to achieve peace and harmony remains the most basic ideology of the martial art.

So now you know a little bit about Aikido (合気道, aikidō). Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

The Ultimate Collection of Martial Arts and Self-Defence eBooks Pack you will find here: http://www.e-bestsellers.com/gpage38.html. This extremely rare Collection will help you become a master in Martial Arts...

Enjoy, and in the words of Morihei Ueshiba:

"The ART OF PEACE begins with you. Work on yourself and your appointed task in the Art of Peace. Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner, a suitable path to follow. You are here for no other purpose than to realize your innate enlightenment. Foster peace in your own life and then apply the Art to all that you encounter. ONE does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to train."

Copyright © 2008 Anne-Marie Ronsen

Great Contemporary Thoroughbred Horse Jockeys

Many sports rival it, but you'd be hard pressed to name any competitive human activity harder than being a jockey. There 's the food deprivation - the constant training - the danger, even likelihood, of bone-crushing accidents. No wonder that of all athletes, jockeys face some of the highest insurance premium costs in sports.

And though Laura Hillenbrand 's bestseller Seabiscuit spotlighted the hardships faced by the jockeys of prewar times, the life of a jockey remains as tough, dramatic, and - for some - irresistible as ever. Herein, some of America 's great contemporary Thoroughbred horse racers.

Julie Krone (1963-) made racing history when, in 1993, she became the first woman winner of a Triple Crown race in US history, taking that year 's Belmont Stakes aback Colonial Affair. The Benton Harbor, Michigan-born athlete then wrote another chapter in that history when she executed a Michael Jordan-style dominate-then-retire-then-return-and-dominate-again maneuver, winning a Breeder 's Cup race (again, the only woman to do so) after she returned from an abortive retirement in 2002. During her career, Krone won over 17% of her races, netted more than $90 million in returns, and left her name in the record books a number of times.

But numbers don't capture the extent of the achievement of a woman who, after all, faced not only the hurdles blocking any would-be jockey from achievement, but also the hostility that so often comes with being a strong woman in a male-dominated field. For example, she once had to pose for a victory photo while blood dripped from her ear - a fellow jockey (who wanted to keep the field restricted to, literally, "fellows") had lashed her during the race. (She bloodied his nose.) She nearly died after an accident at Saratoga in 1993 (the same year as her storied Belmont victory), then broke both hands in a 1995 spill. But she fought on-all the way to another first: the Hall of Fame inducted her in 2000.

All Thoroughbred horses are closely related (hence the name Thoroughbred), and some great horses, such as Man O'War, have given issue to great progeny (such as Seabiscuit), even siring dynasties. Such a scenario is less common among jockeys, but consider Stewart Elliott (1965-), a champion Canadian jockey whose father was a jockey and whose mother gave riding instructions. Years of hard work and solid track performances (many of them at the Philadelphia Park Racetrack) paid off when, in his first Kentucky Derby in 2004, riding Smarty Jones, he won the first rider in twenty-five years to do so. (This victory yielded him a payday of $60,000 - the largest for any jockey in history.) A Preakness victory two weeks later took Elliott and Smarty Jones to within shouting distance of the Triple Crown, but a too-early backstretch kick led to a heartbreaking Belmont loss to Birdstone. But it 's hard to derail a consistent performer for long.

Kent Desormeaux (1970-) learned to love horses while growing up on a farm in Maurice, Louisiana, beginning his racing career as an apprentice jockey in Lafayette. His first victory came at the age of 16, in 1986, when he took Godbey to victory in the Maryland City Handicap.

What has followed is one of the most impressive careers in modern racing history - Desormeaux holds the US record for the greatest number of races won in a single year. In 1989, his annus mirabilis, Desormeaux set that record by winning 598 - five hundred ninety-eight - races. A severe accident in 1992 fractured his skull and left him deaf in one ear, but he still managed to win the Breeders' Cup Turf Race in 1993 and a second Breeders' Cup title in 1995 (riding the filly Desert Stormer).

Finally, there 's Marlon St. Julien (1972-), who joined this esteemed list by riding in the 126th Kentucky Derby - the first African American to do so since 1921, by which time white racism and black migration north had reduced the African American presence in the Derby from dominant to negligible. The Lafayette, Louisiana rider got a late start in horse racing - he had been a footballer, perhaps the least likely former career of any jockey ever - but turned his interest to the sport after his eleventh-grade year. He emerged from a tragic five-horse accident which - among other things - broke his sternum to ride races all over American, including the 1997 inaugural season at Lone Star Park and at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana.

About the Author

TRP Services offers Thoroughbred horse racing and horse racing tips online for horse racing handicapping and those who love thoroughbred horses for the horse racing tracks.

Differences Between Pool And Billiards

Although they look like same but there are some differneces between two games. Both games are interesting to play but are addictive a lot.Yes as addictive as gambling. So here I am giving you some differences by which you can sort out these two games .

Historically the umbrella term for the sport as a whole was billiards. While that familiar name is still employed variably as a generic name for all games, the word's usage has splintered into more inclusive competing meanings among certain groups and geographic regions. For example, in the United Kingdom, billiards refers exclusively to English Billiards, while in the United States it is sometimes used to refer only to carom games and by a minority to eight-ball (being the only cue game known to many players).

In our time, the two can easily be exchanged and mean the same thing. When people refer to one, it is assumed the other is also being included. On the technical side, there is a difference. Billiards is played with smaller balls. In billiards, only three balls are used white, yellow and red and both the white and the yellow ball can act as the strikers. Billiards is basically pool without pockets. Usually the cloth on a billiards table is much faster. The object in billiards (3 cushion billiards) is to hit the object ball then go three rails and hit the other ball, or hit 3 rails and hit both object balls with the cue ball (these are called caroms).

Most of us are familiar with pool and pool tables. Some of us may be aware of the different variations of the pool game, a few being eight-ball, nine-ball and cut throat. As stated above, billiards is played on a table with no pockets. We know that pool tables are constructed with 6 pockets. The game is played with two sets of balls, each containing seven balls, with one set being solid colored and the other striped. The two sets are combined into one set and then completed by a black eight ball. This is a standard set of pool balls, and can be broken up to play different versions of the game.

Though there are vast differences between the two games, they are commonly grouped as one and refered to as cue sports. If someone says they're going to shoot a game of billiards, we all know what they are referring to in general. It all depends on what style of the game you would like to play. Billiards is a form of pool. So perhaps in future reference, it should all be covered by using the term pool, unless you are actually playing by billiards rules and regulations.

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