Posts tagged sports
Taido – Evolving Martial Style
Taido was the brainchild of Seiken Shukumine. He founded this Japanese budo style in 1965. The meaning of Taido karate is "way of the body, and it is based on a classical Okinawan fighting method called Te. Taido was not the only time that Shukumine had developed a unique martial arts style. When he was not yet 30 years old, he created a new kind of karate he named Gensei-Ryu.
Karate and other martial arts had been popular in the West for a number of years. In those years, prior to Taido, most practice was very basic and the common techniques for this "empty handed" style of fighting remained essentially unchanged. yet, peoples perception of martial arts was going through a transition and Shukumine was a student of philosophy and noticed what needed to be altered as far as how old-style karate styles of training were concerned.
Shukumine understood that there were some problems with karate that limited the way it was able to be applied and taught. There was a lack of innovation and originality and the repetitions of the essential punches and kicks would quickly cease to challenge many students.
Older martial arts techniques involved set and uninspired movements. Karate didn't change over the years with new methods and instructions that were given to the students.
Shukumine saw that the martial arts would be accepted as a defensive art form if he could conceive a way to generate more movements and innovations. He wanted to allow students the opportunity to be inspired by their training and for this to happen the work and teacher had to inspire them. These thoughts became the driving force that would help him to create Taido karate. Before he founded Taido, Seiken Shukumine launched a martial arts form that was called Genseiryu karate. This was quite popular, but still he knew it wasnt enough.
He felt that he could update traditional karate movements and instruction methods, and finally after ten years of teaching Genseiryu his new Taido karate form opened. Taido is a modern, advanced styleof martial arts that employs many aerial moves. It requires a student to incorporate twists, spins, speed and changing angles of the body. Shukumine's dream was to use Taido karate to promote the study and training of karate and other martial arts.
The aim of Taido is to raise the awareness of the students who train this martial arts form. Shukumine had one highest goal as far as the study of Taido karate was concerned. He expected to be able to help all Taido practitioners reach their maximum potential in all aspects of their lives.
The Five Principles of Taido
Taido practitioners must make sure that their mind is calm and relaxed. The mind needs to be as reflective as a polished mirror. Then they can understand the very heart of any situation. If the mind is kept calm and clear it will keep a student from being confused.
Taido teaches students that the mind and body must be united in their purpose. They must work together as a single entity. When a person acts in the correct manner, any type of threats will not bother him.
Taido students are taught to practice calling upon the deepest power that is at the center of their being. Once a Taido karate practitioner can do this, they will not experience any fear of confrontation or battle.
If a Taido student follows these actions, he will always manage to conduct themselves in an honorable and correct manner.
Taido teaches creativity, adaptability and flexibility in both movements and ideas. When a person has the correct moves, their opponents cannot best them.
Basic Techniques of Taido
Sen- Taido techniques that involve vertical spinning. Un - movements with wave like motion such as jumping techniques. Hen - kicks that involve a toppling motion resulting in tilting of the axis of the body. Nen - movements displaying horizontal spinning. Ten - diving or flipping motions.
Besides the punches and kicks, there are two movement ways to set up the strikes. Unsoku - fast and strategic stepping movements for controlling space and angle to the opponent. Unshin - locomotion movements that are acrobatic in nature and dont involve actual stepping on the floor.
Taido Tournaments
There are a few special types of Taido Karate competitions that students can engage in. Jissen is the act of sparring, Taido style. Taido forms are called Hokei - closely related to kata in Karate. Tenkai- these are bouts that are acted out by teams of Taido members in which the central hero must stand against five of his "opponents" and demonstrate challenging or unique techniques.
Do Not Underestimate Airsoft Guns As Weapons
On the table in front of you lie two weapons - both look fierce and very dangerous, but one is the real deal, the other one of many airsoft guns, a toy made in China. You have the luxury of having a second look or even to pick these guns up to decide which is which, but in a real life situation where these guns may be pointed at you by robbers, you have to decide how to react immediately.
These guns may not have the ability to shoot you dead, but when a criminal points a gun at you, even if it is not real, you may still react the wrong way and end up losing your life. Always take any weapon pointed at you very seriously.
Originally the airsoft gun came on the market as toys that were used either as novelties or later on when they saw a whole sport evolve round them. Serious airsoft games were developed by adrenalin junkies who thought games of shooting at people in real life situations was fun.
The chase was on between gamers to find better and faster guns, so their feedback gave manufacturers the brief to drop the boring springs which powered these older weapons and find something a bit more explosive. They did just that!
In an effort to mimic the explosiveness of gun powder, manufacturers started installing gas chambers in the pistols. These pushed the bullet out at very realistic speeds, adding to the thrills of the gamers. Airsoft guns took a step closer to being real weapons.
When these air guns were found lacking, manufacturers introduced propane, a very volatile gas in its place, as the driving force for airsoft guns. These guns proved a big hit as even the smells were close to those produced by real weapons being fired.
Still not getting what they wanted from these guns, the users demanded smoke to seep from the fired barrel, and again the manufacturers responded by adding special smoke caps that produce white smoke after firing.
Manufacturers of these weapons respond to every whim and cry their customers may have and in the process more lethal looking and acting toy weapons are made daily. Funnily enough, the major role player in this industry, Japan, realized what a threat these toys actually are and banned Japanese people from owning or using them. Not for a moment do they consider what these weapons are doing all over the world and exports just stay on the rise. However the onus is on the country importing these to take responsibility
Should you buy one of these weapons, there are a couple of things you should know and keep in mind, especially if you have bought it for a child. Fired from close range, the bullets coming from these guns can penetrate skin and will definitely blind someone if the bullet enters the eye. These guns are not toys anymore and should be used under strict supervision only.
When used properly you can actually have hours and hours of fun playing with airsoft guns. There seems to be a thrill in pulling the trigger pretending to kill another human being. For those who enjoy these thrills, this is the only matter of concern as they see these weapons as totally innocent.
A Guide to Picking the Right Tires for Your Mountain Bike
A mountain bike is something that cannot work to its optimum potential if you do not have the right tires. The type of tires that you must attach to your bike depends heavily on the purpose you having a bike in the first place. That said, you must have the right kind of tires because they have a consequential effect on your safety as well as performance.
Picking the right tires also equates to knowing the type of terrains your bike will mostly encounter. Mountain bikes used for cycling have different tires compared to that of a mountain bike used for off-road racing. Quite simply, the right tires greatly enhance the performance of your mountain bike.
When picking your tires, you must also know whether you want tubeless or the standard inflatable types. You need to discern wisely as both type of tires have their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. Weigh your options carefully, as well as your budget, since money also matters in this selection.
The tubeless tires are quite popular in the professional circles. Brands like Michelin and Mavic's UST are top choices as they take on rugged terrains and rocky trails. Without a doubt, tubeless tires are great for downhill roads and bogs.
While the benefits are many, tubeless tires also come with flaws. Them being expensive is one. Another is that they are heavy, which makes them unfit for cycling events that require fast die times and speed.
In contrast, the standard inflatable tires do not offer the same resistance to rugged terrains. Flexibility is one attribute standard tires are known for. Aside from that, standard tires come in a lot of treads and designs. That means you have a lot of options that will suit your riding style. They are way lighter than tubeless tires too.
The cons of standard tires are all too familiar for the common individual. Vulnerability to punctures, the need for an air pump, and maintenance costs are just some of the things that woe the biker. That said, you just have to weigh the pros and cons and pick one that fits your style and your budget the best.
