5 Steps to Choosing the Right Martial Art for You

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One of the questions I get asked most frequently, in several different variations is about which martial art an individual should study. Generally which martial art, and more importantly which school to choose are fundamental decisions someone should make. My answer is usually something along the lines of, choose the school and the system that you are going to stick with and stay with it for the rest of your life.

The reality is that the answer is going to be different for every person. What I will attempt to do in this article is give you a set of general guidelines. I will talk in very broad terms about different martial arts, and what to look for in a school. Ultimately every teacher, at every school, in every system is going to be completely different.

1. Dispelling a common myth

Just like with religion and politics, many people honestly believe that what they do is the best thing in the world. One only has to make a cursory study of the psychological principle of cognitive dissonance to see why this is so. So many schools out there claim to be teaching, the ultimate, deadliest, most secret, guarded system of self defense ever invented by the gods of combat. To be quite blunt they are full of crap.

In one respect, much of this stuff is a marketing stance. Heck, everybody wants to study the best thing in the world. If such a thing existed everybody would study it. Some martial arts schools can become very cult like as well, and this is where the cognitive dissonance comes in. The practitioners actually believe their marketing stuff.

The truth is that style is not going to fight for you you are. Every person is different and there is not one best system for everyone. It would be quite scary for me to face a sumo wrestler in combat, but it would also be silly for me to expect to take up Sumo and be good at it.

Claims of superior systems that can make you as deadly as a Navy SEAL in 24 hours also stem from American culture. It is unfortunate that we of the MTV and Internet generation are always looking for a shortcut, a quick fix. It makes many of us miss a lot of very valuable and important stuff.

2. Lets start with you

If I can help you answer a few key questions about yourself and your interests, you will have done most of the work toward picking out a martial arts school that is best for you.

First and foremost, what do you want to get out of martial arts training? Yes, yes, I know you want to learn self defense put that on the list. But people study martial arts for a variety of reasons. You want to get some exercise, you want to meet new people, you want to get rid of stress, you want a new hobby, and you think the uniforms look cool. Really think about it and write down your reasons. Everything is valid and your reasons are your own. Then I would prioritize your reasons which ones are more important than others. Maybe getting into shape is your main goal if so, that may help determine a place to study.

3. What style?

Now, lets talk a little bit about systems or styles. A system is just the type of martial art you will be studying like Karate, Kendo, or Kung Fu. The differences between styles may also help you to determine where to look.
The main difference between most martial arts style is focus. Some arts like Tae Kwon do focus on large kicking movements, while others like Kendo focus on a particular weapon. Body type and interest (as we discussed before) will help you think a little about style focus. For example: I am built like a fireplug short and wide, am somewhat slow and am very interested in the self defense aspect of training. Ketsugo Jujutsu turned out to be the best style for me as it focused on unbalancing the opponent, the kicks were low to the ground, and the fighting in close where we short guys excel.

Beyond focus is a scale of formality to informality. To me formality is a measure of emphasis on things like training etiquette, ceremony, style of dress, method of addressing seniors etc. Many Japanese and Korean styles are very formal. On the far end of the informal scale you might have a cardio kickboxing class at local gym. On the far end of the formal scale you might have a style like Kendo which places a lot of emphasis on appearance and etiquette.
Neither formal nor informal is better or worse; it is a matter of preference. I personally enjoy some of the formalities of traditional Japanese martial arts. For me they build character and shape a strong state of mind that carries over into day to day life. For others, the formalities may be difficult to grasp and they may wish for something less formal.

The following is a list of styles I have arranged from most to least formal. This arrangement is from my own best knowledge and is neither absolute nor inclusive. Many would rightfully disagree with where I have placed things on the list, but this is meant to be a general guideline. Again, every single teacher in every different school is going to be different. This is meant as a starting point:
-Formal
Kendo / Kumdo
Aikido
Tae Kwon Do
Karate
Jujutsu
Kung Fu
Silat
Ninjutsu
Tai Chi / Bagua / Hsing-yi
Arnis / Kali / Escima
Capoeira
Kickboxing
Boxing
-Informal

While youre on the web already, it would pay off to do some research. Look up a few sites for a few of the styles I have listed here. Get some general information about focus and formality. See what strikes you as interesting. Make a small list of styles you might be interested in pursuing.

4. Practical Issues

OK, now youve done some soul searching and some research and you have a list of styles you might be interested in learning. Now we have to talk a little bit about lifestyle. If Kendo interests you, but the nearest school is 200 miles away it may not be a practical choice.

You can certainly look through your yellow pages to find schools close to you or ask people you know if they know of any schools. A word to the wise: friends will always try to get you to come to their school and may get offended of you dont or if you visit and then dont want to sign up. Thats definitely something to consider.

Some practical things to consider are school location and proximity to home / work, costs and your ability to pay dues and other fees, class schedule and how it fits into your schedule. Other things may also be important to you like parking, and facilities write them down.

You should narrow down your potential list of schools based on your criteria, but you should still plan on visiting more than one to give you a sense of comparison.

5. Choosing a school

The following are a list of things I suggest you look for when choosing a school or instructor. To me, these factors are more important than any other of the above factors and can make or break your martial arts experience.

When you call the school, are all your questions answered, and answered honestly? Sometimes someone will answer the phone that may not be able to answer all your questions. They should pass you on to someone who can , or have someone call you back.

Every school out there should offer at least one free trial class before you sign up. How else can you determine if you want to study there? Your best bet is to try out several different schools to give you some comparison.

When you visit the school, is the practice safe, or are students allowed to train in dangerous ways or without proper supervision?

Is the school itself hygienic and free from unsafe conditions?

Do students and teachers show respect toward everyone? This extends beyond formal bowing and address to making sure everyone is learning and nobody is being abused.

Be prepared that many schools these days require a contract like a health club. Make sure you are clear on the terms of the contract if you do decide to sign one, and do not be afraid to walk out if you are uncomfortable with the terms.

Be very wary of cult-like schools that try to up-sell you to intensified black belt programs and the like. While some of these may be legitimate, there are many scam artists in black belts out there. You should be very clear about what you are paying for up front.

Do the teacher and senior students display a lot of skill in the art they are teaching? This may be hard to determine since great martial artists are often very subtle. However, the teacher and students should display knowledge, skill, and balance which might be more obvious.

Most importantly, trust your instincts. If something about the school doesnt sit right with you, then it probably isnt right. Look out for the fast talking salesman who tries to sweep your concerns under the rug.

Remember that choosing the right teacher and the right school is more important than the actual style. If you choose a school that you enjoy, study with a teacher you like, and train with students that inspire you you are likely to stick with your martial art. The longer you stick with it the better youll get. Hopefully you will discover a very positive lifelong journey that will shower hidden benefits on you as my martial art has upon me.

5 Secrets to Getting Back on Your Feet After an Accident

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Recovering from an accident can be tough. Depending on what happened, you might feel guilty about the accident or afraid of the same scenario happening to you again. And if you've been injured, healing physically adds an extra layer of complication to your recovery. Here are five tips for getting back on your feet - both physically and mentally - after an accident.

Listen to Your Body

Doctors do their best, but they're not perfect. You've probably already seen a medical professional about your injury, but if you still have the feeling that something isn't right, go see a doctor to find out what's going on. Aches and pains that don't seem like a big deal right now could signal a bigger problem that needs attention.

Go to Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can help you regain your strength and range of motion a lot more quickly than you would have otherwise. In fact, many people who have been injured never regain their former physical health if they don't seek therapy. Physical therapy might be challenging and uncomfortable sometimes, but in the long run, it will pay major dividends for your overall well-being.

Stay Active

Don't be tempted to adopt a sedentary lifestyle. You might not want to exercise or spend much time on your feet, especially if you're in pain, and that's understandable. However, if you stop moving around, you'll lose the physical strength you have now, and making a full recovery will become difficult or impossible in the future. Stay active, even if that just means working in the garden or taking a walk around the block.

Take it One Day at a Time

Recovering from an accident is a slow process. Don't expect yourself to be back to normal next week, or even next month. Be patient with yourself, and don't push yourself too hard if you're feeling overwhelmed. It may be a good idea to take up meditation or another relaxing hobby to help you release any stress that comes from your slow recovery.

Take Care of Yourself

An accident can leave you with emotional injuries as well as physical ones. If you're having a hard time dealing with the aftermath of the accident, don't hesitate to see a therapist. They can help you work through your feelings and move forward with your life. If your accident has caused you to miss work or you have extensive medical bills that arent covered, it might be a good idea to look into a personal injury claim. Personal injury claims can give you the money you need to cover expenses from all areas of your life affected by the accident.

Recovering from an accident-related injury takes time and patience. The most important thing to keep in mind is that, with persistence, you will get better and get your life back. Keep at it, and before long, you'll be feeling more like your old self again.

5 Reasons to Take Up Sailing as a Hobby

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Our selection of past times and hobbies is often relative, and influenced dramatically by our upbringing, individual tastes and more significantly our location. Just as an individual who has grown up in an industrial town and cold climate is unlikely to develop a passion for surfing, so too those who do not have easy access to water are not prone to falling in love with the art of sailing. To those who are familiar with the coast or have a connection to the sea sailing is a popular past time however, either as a competitive or a purely recreational activity. Here are some of the best reasons to pursue sailing as a genuine passion in your life: -

1.An Inexpensive and Easy to Learn Activity: We live in an age where value for money remains king, and this applies to both our professional and personal lives. The consumer is increasingly conscious about their expenditure, and sailing provides a relatively inexpensive and easy to learn past time. With boats for hire, inexpensive maintenance costs and thousands of accessible instructors and clubs across the globe, sailing can deliver an exceptional thrill without breaking the bank.

2. It is Both a Thrilling and a Relaxing Experience: As strange as this sounds, sailing can provide a thrill for many different demands. Although a predominantly relaxing past time that appeals to romantics or those with a penchant for exploration, when sailing in adverse weather or high winds it can be a thoroughly exhilarating experience. So regardless of your nature or goals in life, sailing can play a key part in your day to day activities.

3. A Genuine Family Activity: We have already discussed the numerous instructors and sailing clubs that exist across thousands of coastal communities, but another thing to bear in mind is that these hubs are very child friendly. With specific training programs for children and well as adults, sailing can actively be the ultimate family experience. What could be better than traversing the ocean waves with your family in tow to share a unique and exciting adventure.

4. A Boost to Your Well Being and Lifestyle: This may be an unheralded benefit of sailing, but it can in fact provide a tremendous boost to your levels of fitness and well being. With balance and poise being such an important part of sailing, traversing slightly choppy waters can strengthen both your legs, arms and lower abdominal muscles. In addition to this it provides a marvellous opportunity to take in fresh and rarefied air, allowing you to live a healthier and more relaxing lifestyle.

5. It Provides a Boost to Your Mental Performance: While it is a physically proven fact that fresh air and exercise stimulate your mental performance, it is less well known that sailing also improves your levels of focus and concentration. As a sailor you must constantly be aware of your surroundings, the weather conditions and fellow vessels, and learning to maintain this focus can help you to develop a higher degree of mental capacity.

The Bottom Line

These 5 points are perhaps the most immediate reasons why you should consider taking up sailing as a hobby, and it certainly stands as one of the more financially viable and interesting activities that you can undertake in 2012. After all, in an age of electronic games, HD television and social networking, sailing is something that provides a refreshing change of focus and helps to create a healthier and more active interaction between families.

5 Hobbies That Can Improve Your Life

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This past year, I moved into my first apartment. There were several surprising things about this process, the foremost among them being the price of a rug.

There I was, with what I thought was a decent budget of $50, scanning the dregs of Craigslist for the cheapest of the cheap. Even on Craigslist, my options were more or less limited to doormats and runners with unidentifiable stains. On the next tab, I stared longingly at trendy Persian area rugs and natural Kilimanjaro runners in bright shades running for thousands of dollars.

Having lived in a dorm with a meal plan for most of my early adulthood, I was suddenly confronted with the horrible truth: things cost money. And I was poor. In light of my revelation, I began to furiously configure ways in which I could do more with less. In my quest to remain in my meager budget, I picked up several hobbies which allowed me to recreate things I yearned for on store shelves. Not only did this save me a lot of money in the end, but it changed the way I spend my money to this day.

Rug Hooking

As aforementioned, my tussle with a rug for my room was one of the most challenging aspects of decorating the apartment. I had almost given up, when, by chance, I found a video of a woman rug hooking on Youtube. The concept is simple: you pull loops of yarn through a woven base material like burlap with a crochet-like hook. This allows you to create beautiful hand woven designs, not just for rugs but for pillows and other textiles as well.

Sewing

This is one of the first and most vital hobbies I picked up. I bought an almost new Singer beginner sewing machine for sixty dollars from a woman down the street, stole a bolt of leftover fabric from my mom, and took to Youtube to teach myself the ins and outs. This is probably my most useful skill, and one of my favorite hobbies. Though I quickly learned buying fabric could be almost as expensive as purchasing whatever pillow case or dress I was eyeing, my sewing skills allowed me to alter my own clothing. Thrifting is a pretty popular hobby, but few people see the thrift store for what it really is: a giant, cheap, fabric store. I shop the larger clothing items, eyeing only fabric and maybe style, depending on what I'm making. Then I can seam rip the fabric apart into large sections, launder them, and start a new project for about $3.00. Learning how to sew myself has also changed the way I shop. Now, I examine stitching, construction, and material. I always ask myself "but could I make this"? And if the answer is yes, I don't buy it.

Thrifting

As I mentioned before, the thrift store has revolutionized how I make my clothing. Similarly, it has almost single handedly furnished my apartment. There's really nothing more satisfying than finding a great piece at the thrift store for less than twenty bucks. It's more difficult, sure, but that's why it becomes a hobby. I've established a ring of local thrift shops that I visit weekly, and sometimes daily. Stopping in frequently is the key to catching good items right as they come in.

Gardening

Though my gardening experience is perhaps more unconventional than most because of where I live, one of my favorite hobbies is visiting the local plant store on the weekend to survey the in-season plants or pick up a new succulent. My roommates and I spend half our time in the kitchen, figuring out creative ways to fit herbs and succulents into our small space. Some of our favorite solutions include saving cute soda and beer cans, drying them, and then cutting the top off of them to make small, colorful planters.

Painting

Though this hobby has less of a monetary benefit, it probably contributes the most, at the risk of sounding clich, to my inner peace. I spend my most tranquil afternoons watching painting tutorials on YouTube and playing with my paints in my room. I bought a pack of gouache paints from the local art store, which I enjoy because of their matte finish and near poster-like effect.

Obviously, these are the hobbies that improve my life, though they may not reap the same benefits for others. It's always important to consider capital costs and learning curves when adopting a new hobby, because it's easy to get suckered into buying all sorts of products you don't actually need to start. Take my advice: start with the basics, find some tutorials you enjoy, and don't buy a thousand dollar rug.

5 Easy Ways To Find Out If Your Babysitter Can Be Trusted

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In the years gone by, the internal dynamics of a family were rather simple. The men worked outside the houses in the farm or the industry, and the women were responsible for maintaining the house from the inside. But in the 21st century, the tables have certainly turned, with more and more women working as professionals and both men and women striving to keep the home churning without any gender bias. Obviously, this definitely isnt a bad thing for society, men and working side by side, but this causes certain problems INSIDE the house. Particularly, in houses where there are newborn babies and someone needs to stay there as an overseer, at all times, so that the protection of these infants can be ensured.

Thankfully, there is no ailment without a cure, and as a cure for this problem, babysitters play a vital role. A babysitter can be a person who has the ability to recognize danger, even something as minute as right and wrong. It doesnt matter what the persons age is for as long as they can care for the baby effectively. Some parents even use professional babysitters who are obviously top of the line but are understandably expensive. But since the age of the babysitter doesnt matter when hiring them to oversee your baby in your absence, what does matter? If you are thinking about leaving your baby alone and defenseless with another person, the only question you need to ask yourself is, do you trust the babysitter? To that end, lets find out the different ways you can find out if your babysitter can be trusted.

Checking their previous history:

When you are thinking about hiring a stranger to look after for your baby in your absence, the first thing you need to check is their history with other babies. Chances are, if this person, whether they are a professional or some neighborhood kid looking to make extra cash, wants to babysit for you, they must have prior experience in the field looking after babies of their own house. Dont just trust a potential babysitter with your baby, it is your right to conduct a deep history search of the person and find out if they are involved in any incidents in the past that might sound like deal-breaker for you.

Getting help from professional babysitting agencies:

All agencies realize the value of their reputation, and none of these agencies will endanger this particular attribute of their firm. So you can perfectly relax because all babysitters they hire are thoroughly screened for any anomaly or potentially negative incidents. These babysitting agencies like SIttercity and others, conduct deep background checks and scan for prior experiences of handling babies before hiring their babysitters. So you can just sit back and let the
convenience of Sittercity put you at ease.

Check for authentic references:

Even if a good authentic babysitter isnt currently working for a babysitting agency, they would definitely have worked for one earlier in their life. This means they have a history of work for some agency or even a history of working as a babysitter as a freelancer. And when that is the case, you can easily get to know about your prospective babysitter by asking about them from people who have already used their services. Not just that, you can even ask for agencies where the babysitter has previously worked so that you can have a better idea of whats to expect from this nanny or if they are the right fit for the job.

Using Nannycams:

Once you have hired the babysitter but are still about doubtful about their reputation and their character, it is within your right to keep an eye on your baby even when you are not around by using nanny cams. Nanny cams are specifically designed discreet cameras that can be placed within the room where your child resides, and this camera can be used to keep an eye on the activities of your newly hired babysitter.

Scout their social media account:

You can find out a lot about a person by looking at their Facebook newsfeed or their Twitter account, same goes for babysitters as well. You can determine a lot of things, like their views, their habits, and other things that really matter when you want to hire a nanny.

5 Date Ideas With Your Hubby

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In the hustle and bustle of the city life, we often end up spending time with our laptop, mobile phone, and Television. The pressure of work often takes a toll on our personal life and we start hiding behind the veil of these modern technologies. But imagine, one day when you would be old and gray and your younger generation would be super advanced, what would remain with you? Memories would remain loyal to you till then and if you want to save some nice stories to narrate to your next generation, you got to create some magic now. When was the last time you and your hubby had a conversation without the mobile? Cant remember right? Make your love life a golden one with these 5 date ideas with husband.

On any full moon, prepare for the candlelit dinner at your terrace. When you are in close vicinity of nature, even for a small time, the laptops and mobiles would take a back seat. Promise each other that on every full moon, you would be relishing dinner at your terrace with some candles and cozy cushions. This would be the most romantic thing for your spouse or fiance and you would relish the memories for long.

Weekends mean hogging and sleeping and clearing the domestic chores. It would always be the same. On your next weekend, book a hotel room in your city and lock yourself up with your hubby and just enjoy the room service. You would get enough space to talk and flirt with each other and this would bring back the intimacy you had at the time of your courtship. All in all, you will talk more and discuss things that always remain in the back of your mind and you do not tell each other thinking about the busy schedules that life has pulled you in.

For the next anniversary, take him by surprise by enrolling both of you in a dance class. It may be Rhumba, Salsa, or Freestyle type of dance. This learning together would really create some great memories.You can even indulge yourself in some new language speaking classes or yoga classes. Choose a hobby that you both would like to pursue and enjoy at the same time.

If you had a love story that started in school, I would insist to go back to school on any special event or just on any weekend and revisit those places where your romance churned. The back benches, blackboard, swing, Neem tree, etc. would refresh a stock of memories.

Both of you must be having a bucket list right? If that is hidden somewhere under your bills and responsibilities find that out and click on the adventure trip to the mountain. And that would be the best Valentine gift for husband this year. Pack luggage and set yourself on the course of an adventure trip together just like the old times. Staying away from your busy life will help breathe moments that you miss in your day to day life.

Never let the fire of love cool down in your relationship. With the busy lives we are involved in, we often forget to care about the people who are most close to us. Eventually, we start taking them for granted in a way as we know they will always come back to us no matter what. Lets promise us that whatever the situations be we will spend time with our loved ones surprising them every now and then to make them feel that they are most important parts of your lives even when we are not thinking of them in our busy schedules.

5 Common Eye Disorders Involving Tense Eye Muscles

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There are various common eye disorders which in fact, have one single underlying issue behind them all. This underlying problem is tension and tightness within the eye muscles, and it can affect the muscles of the eyes in various ways. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms due to the same underlying problem, but regardless of the eye disorder you are experiencing, consideration needs to be given to resolve this issue of tight and strained eye muscles. The following are some common eye disorders which can be helped by a program of relaxation for the eyes.

5 Eye Conditions With Tension As a Contributing Factor

1. Hyperopia

Otherwise known as far sightedness. This is a condition where the distant vision is clear, but you cannot focus on close up work such as reading, or close intricate hobby work. The major symptom is blurred vision when you are reading or performing close work, but headaches and eyestrain can also be a symptom. In hperopia, the eyeball has become shorter than normal, thus a distortion of the eye muscles has occurred.

2. Myopia

This is also known as near sightedness. The symptoms of this complaint, is when you unable to see clearly, objects in the distance due to blurry distant vision. Focusing on the television picture, or trying to pick out a street name on a signpost can pose problems . The eyeball has become distorted in the opposite way to Hyperopia, and that is, it has lengthened more than normal.

3. Cataracts

Cataracts are usually considered as a problem related to aging. The lens of the eye become weaker with age, and with that, naturally occurring proteins start to join up and clump together. These protein clumps continue to grow larger, and starts to cloud over the lens, which makes it more difficult to see. The symptoms of cataracts are - blurry vision, double vision, eyesight distortion in the affected eye, or a sensation of seeing through a haze or fabric such as a light curtain.

4. Astigmatism

In astigmatism, the cornea of the eye is no longer round, but has become curved like a football. This creates symptoms similar to other eye disorders, and it therefore needs a specialist to diagnose the problem. A person with Hyperopia or Myopia, see a circle as round, but for a person with astigmatism, they see the circle being elongated.

5. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases where damage to the optic nerve causes loss of peripheral (side) vision which is the main symptom. Mostly this complaint is the result of a build up of fluid in the eye. The symptoms may be vague and hard to define as it develops slowly, so the person doesn't recognize that their vision is changing. Therefore it is important to get your eyes checked every 2 years, so that the condition can be detected before symptoms occur.

Considering these various eye diseases, it is important to take care of your eyes to keep them as healthy as possible. This can be done through a healthy diet which focuses on fruits and vegetables, making time for some exercise - both for the body, and eye exercises specifically to improve your vision and avoid these common eye disorders. Good eyesight is a valuable asset, and is one that we don't want to lose.