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Playing Like A Pro: Beginner Guitar Tips And Tricks

April 22, 2020 Comments Off

Have you ever listened to a great guitarist and thought you would never be able to play so well? However, the guitar is one of the easiest instruments to learn on your own. To learn more, read the following article.

Learn what the basics are. Before you run, you need to walk. You probably want to jam your favorite rock anthem from the get go, but you have to master the basics first. Learn finger positions. You will want to pay attention to the chords you need to learn as well as scales. Make sure you have these things down before moving on to anything more advanced.

Get a guitar instructor. You can learn to play the guitar on your own, but you can also benefit from learning from a teacher. Decent teachers can critique styles and give you suggestions for better playing. You can also get your questions answered by them which can help a lot.

Maintain your motivation. You should set both long-term and short-term goals when learning to play a guitar. If someone you know plays, join up with them for a music session every now and again. As one week ends, give yourself a reward for practicing everyday consistently. It will take a lot of hard work.

While this sounds obvious, get a guitar before learning how to play. If you are always borrowing one, it’ll make it tough to practice often. It’s important to have your guitar properly tuned, or it will sound incorrect.

Learn guitar tabs and musical notation. Musical theory lets you understand chords and scales. Learn the names of the strings and the notes for the frets. If you want to play riffs and melodies, this information is good to know.

As you start out learning the guitar, find an well-made instrument that you can buy and practice on. If purchasing one is out of the question, is there one you can rent or borrow? Using a quality guitar will ensure a better sound.

If you are learning to play the guitar, build calluses on the fingertips. Playing the guitar can be painful. Calluses will help. When you build your callouses it will take a while, but after you practice for some time you can be sure that they will form. There are products available that help them develop.

You should familiarize yourself with the guitar itself before trying to master playing it. That way, you will be prepared to start understanding scales, chords and string names.

Your fingertips will be sore after practice before you build calluses. It might be less painful to start with an electric or a guitar with nylon strings. One of the most painful and difficult instrument to play for beginners is the acoustic guitar with steel strings. Although you may get some relief if you soak your fingers in rubbing alcohol, you shouldn’t use things like turpentine.

Armed with the tips presented here, you are off to a good start playing the guitar. Use these ideas on your current or future guitar. Soon you will have increased your repertoire and your skill level.…

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A Ninja

April 18, 2020 Comments Off

I, like every other little girl out there (I assume) from an early age knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up.
A Ninja.
But alas, so far, I have failed.
There are certain skills a person must acquire before becoming a Ninja, but as Ninja’s are so secretive, you can’t just Google it. So I’m going to give you the best list I can of skills required to fullfil your destiny as a Ninja.
1) Must be unbeatable at all Martial Arts.
When my brother starting going to Wing Chun classes, I tagged along. I would copy all the moves as best I could.
We would watch Kung Fu movies together, studying the moves of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan (Hong Kong movies only), and whatever happened to be on SBS that night.
Did you know Jackie Chan was in Enter the Dragon with Bruce Lee? I did. Jackie Chan was one of the minions whose nose Bruce Lee breaks. The move went wrong and Bruce actually did break Jackie’s nose, but they used the footage anyway.
We also watched Monkey Magic every night on the ABC to further our knowledge of Martial Arts, together we would then re-enact the scenes, but somehow I always had to be Pigsy or Tripitaka.
Obviously we watched Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles religiously, but found it more entertaining than educational. The only thing we developed, was a love of cheese pizza…
2) Must master the art of stealth.
A Ninja is neither seen nor heard, the only evidence of a Ninja is the dead bodies left behind.
I have worked at this skill for many years. I would often stand beside a doorway, with my back pressed against the wall, breath held as tight as possible, listening keenly for sounds of approaching victims.
Then, when the moment is right, I jump out and yell, AAAAHHHHHH!
This was usually met with a response of “Geez Sarah you scared me half to death” if it was my Mum, or a punch to the arm if it was my brother.
Haven’t quite got the hang of the silent part yet….
3) A Ninja works alone, and has nothing to lose.
So I’m .
Maybe when I master my Ninja skills I’ll get divorced??
I also have a cat and some family and stuff.
Hmmm.
4) Ninja Stars, a must have.
My brother had Ninja Starts.
I dropped one on my foot.
It hurt.
5) A Ninja doesn’t ask questions, a Ninja simply kills.
I ask a lot of questions, just a second ago I asked what that smell was?
A Ninja wouldn’t have asked, a Ninja would have slinked away, found the source of the odour, killed it, then returned before anyone noticed any movement.
I do hope to one day become a full Ninja, I will probably need to find somewhere or someone to help me further my Ninjucation.
Until that time, I will work on the 5 skills above.
Wish me luck?…

The Invisible Target – Interesting Challenges

April 15, 2020 Comments Off

Recently, I did something that caused all of my martial-arts bells and whistles to sound. My brain knew that something worth noting had occurred, but I didn’t yet know what I wanted to do with the new information.
Here’s what happened:
I was watching TV with my wife and taking notes on a future book project. Our daughter, Quinn, went into the bathroom, to take a shower and get ready for bed. As she entered the bathroom, I took our black Labrador’s tennis ball and tossed toward at my daughter’s feet (playfully).
Sure enough, our dog went after the ball and almost tripped Quinn. We all laughed (except for the hound).
Note: Yes, our family has an interesting sense of humor. It makes for more fun … and an occasional martial-arts article.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting….
The Invisible Target Appears (or Disappears)
Quinn went into the bathroom, but left the door open. The dog retrieved the ball, and I threw it again, trying to angle it off the bathroom door, and bounce so it tagged our 11-year old.
I couldn’t see her; so, I guessed … and threw. Each time, our Lab retrieved the tennis ball.
And I threw it again. And again.
Of note is that I was only getting the ball through the door (it was a very narrow angle) about 20% – 25% of the time …. one out of every four or five throws.
Then my daughter came into view, and I hit her on the first try … right through the doorway.
Note: Don’t worry; there is no pent-up anger towards any family member. Quinn thought it was fun, and so did I.
As soon as she vanished, I went back to a one in four average. Hmm.
Finally, Quinn closed the door … and I went back to an almost 100% ability to hit the closed door.
This morning, I tried again. With the door open, I only hit one in four or five. Door closed …. much more accurate.
Practical Use From This Martial-Arts Anecdote
So, would you like to know some of my “quick conclusions?”
1. I was able to hit Quinn the first time, because it was a “zen hit.” I wasn’t thinking about angles, trajectory, force of the ball, or distance. I didn’t really even take time to aim. I just threw and hit. (Books like Zen and the Art of Tennis or Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance explain this concept better and in much more detail.) I didn’t “psych myself out.”
2. When I concentrated and factored in some of the variables listed above, I did much worse.
3. For my brain, right now, a negative space is not the same as a physical target, be it daughter or door.
4. In the future, this would be an excellent opportunity to train my brain. Can I visualize an imaginary target and throw (or punch or kick) with the same accuracy as if it were really there?
And that was the start of something … of possible import.…

Exercises to Avoid in MMA Fitness?

April 11, 2020 Comments Off

In mixed martial arts (MMA) there are different schools of thought regarding whether there are exercises one should avoid for MMA fitness or not. But sifting through the various opinions, we have found commonalities on things to avoid in MMA fitness training, depending on the situation. We have placed them under four categories: 1) Definitely, you should avoid certain exercises for MMA fitness. (This blatantly disagrees with the other three schools of thought but is included for your consideration). 2) You should avoid bad exercise habits for MMA fitness. 3) What you should avoid depends on your training goals for MMA fitness. 4) You should avoid misusing exercises rather than avoiding specific exercises for MMA fitness.
Below are the four schools of thought, plus commentary.
1. Avoid Certain Exercises, definitely, for MMA fitness. For example, some see no need for lifts that are specifically for toning. Also, leg extensions and leg curls on machines are perceived to be useless and may even cause harm. The reason for this is it is possible a mixed martial artist may have a minor knee issue from grappling, so it would be wise to avoid placing any stress on your knee ligaments such as that which occurs on the leg extension machine.
2. You should avoid bad exercise habits for MMA fitness. Some of these habits, as mentioned earlier, are doing a poor warm up. A good warm up will focus on dynamically, not statically, stretching and warming up and getting the blood flowing, and getting the joints ready for lifting and conditioning sessions. For example high knee runs, high leg kicks, skips, and internal and external shoulder mobility drills ensure support of your joints and muscles and your workout will be more productive. Another bad habit is not following through. For example if you don’t follow through the very end of a lift, it can lead to serious injury. Also, after doing kettlebell swings you should not relax too soon because if you do it can affect your back in the long term. So how you cool down after a workout should also be followed through.
3. What you should avoid for MMA fitness depends on your training goals. For example, if your goal is to increase your bench, squat and deadlift, then curls would be useless and should be avoided for the time being. However, if you are planning to fight in an MMA match, then curls have to be considered. So what to avoid would depend on what your training goal is at each specific point in time. All exercises are effective at some point in time, but the idea is to meet your focused goals at each stage of your training.
4. You should avoid misusing exercises rather than avoiding specific exercises for MMA fitness. Some exercises are good for injury prevention, such as the warm up, which also helps to avoid fatigue build up. If you do a poor warm up, there will be consequences. Also some exercises have higher inherent risks, such as lifting exercises. However, if you are an experienced lifter you will be making your choice based on the risks vs rewards. Also, some exercises will inherently be dangerous for some, yet perfectly safe for others, depending on the overall physical conditioning of the person. For example, if you are over-trained or injured, you should avoid deadlifts for the time being. Other times when you may need to rethink your workout regimen are if you plan on increasing your deadlift, as it may mean adjusting your curls. Another situation would be if you had a partial pectoral tear and are undergoing rehab. You would need to rethink the deadlift and squats.
The above are different schools of thought, but they all have one commonality-safety is primary and it is important to train smart for true MMA fitness.…

Martial Arts Mats – Jigsaw or Puzzle Mats, What Works Better?

April 8, 2020 Comments Off

If you have decided that you are going to set up your own martial arts school, or if you are going to set up a training area in a spare room of your home, you will need some martial arts mats to train on. It is very important that you choose mats that are a durable, have good impact resilience and shock absorbency power. You will want a mat that is not too soft or squishy, because they tend to cause ankle and knee injuries.
There are a lot of different mats you can choose from, but one of my favorites that I have used is the jigsaw or puzzle mats. These mats have become one of the hottest mats available today. They are used in a variety of sports such as gymnastics, judo, ju jitsu, mixed marital arts are made of ethylene vinyl acetate foam that is thick and sturdy, offering a comfortable layer of cushion between you and the floor.
The jigsaw martial arts mats have a textured finish that offers you better traction for training; they interlock like a jigsaw puzzle hence the name, and come in a variety of colors for you to choose from. One of the greatest benefits of these mats is that they are lightweight for easy setup, and take downs. You can choose to cover the whole floor or just a section of the floor, and they can be easily transported.
Some other great benefits of the jigsaw or puzzle mats are that they are easily cleaned with a little water and a soft cleaning solution. If one side were to get damaged you can flip that piece of the mat over for a brand new looking piece, and if they are damaged too bad you can easily replace that section of the mat without having to buy a whole new mat.
No matter what types of mat you choose make sure that you do some research on them so that you know if that type of mat will work for your training style. I have found that the jigsaw mats seem to be a great all around mat for any space or style of training you will be doing.…

Bauhaus’ Adventure

April 4, 2020 Comments Off

“The organism of a house evolves from the course of events that have predated it in a house, it is the functions of living, sleeping, bathing, cooking, eating that inevitably give the whole design of the house its design is not there for its own sake, it arises alone from the nature of the building, from the function it should fulfil…architecture has not exhausted its raison d’etre, unless we consider our emotional needs for harmonious space, for melodious sounds and for room to move, that first bring the space to life, as the purpose of reaching a higher order”. Walter Gropius, in 1930
In German, the word Bauhaus means literally, “building houses”. But, beyond words, the concept refers to a whole new conception of arts and life. Part of their basic training, the artists were encouraged to go out of their narrow expertise – not only painting, designing, sculpture – and to embrace the area of creative experiences. The ain was to offer them a wider base for improving their knowledge.
The idea of this article started relatively spontaneously. While being in Germany in 2009, I took various opportunities for understanding more about this movement, which I knew but only at a very superficial level. I was familiar with many of the works and projects, but was fully unaware of the philosophical background of the entire movement. Since, I was fascinated not only by the diversity of the artworks belonging to the Bauhaus movement and the current influences, but also by the holistic conception corresponding at a great extent to the needs of the world we are living today.
The origins
Kunstgewerbschule was founded in Weimar by Henry van de Velde in 1908. In 1919, he was succeeded at the head of this institution by Walter Gropius, who had closed relationships with Weimar’s other school, theHochschule fuer Bildende Kunst. Three years before he recommended and the local authorities agreed, the merging of the merging of the Kunstgewebeschule and the Hochschule fr Bildende Kunst into a single interdisciplinary school of craft and design.
While he fought on the front of the WWI, Gropius wrote “Proposals for the establishment of an educational institution to offer artistic advisory services to industry, trade and craft”. The manifesto of the Movement was released in 1919 – as a couple of paragraphs expressing the main idea of the founder in a very concise form -, and illustrated by a woodcut – The Cathedral of the Future, an industrial utopia using the religious symbol as a pretext for inclusiveness and holistic perspective – by Lyonel Feininger.
Once confirmed as the leader of Bauhaus, he followed his principles and succeeded in bringing in Weimar various outstanding artistic names of the day: Lyonel Feininger, Gerhard Marcks, Johannes Itten, Georg Muche, Paul Klee, Oskar Schlemmer, Wassily Kandinsky. The expressionists were joined by De Stijl representatives. In 1923, one of the most representative figures of the movement, Theo van Doesburg, delivered some lectures for the students of Bauhaus. Another influence is from the part of the Russian Constructivism.
Even Gropius was an architect by formation, a department of architecture was absent in the first years of life ofBauhau’s school. Ironically enough, in many cases the movement is identified more by the influence in the area of city planning and manners of building, than in the area of design and visual arts, in general.
The context when the Bauhaus was born is extremely interesting – a tumultuous period, both in international and home politics – the end of the WWI, the Russian Revolution of October 1917, the boiling socialist-anarchist movements in Germany, among which the Spartakus Bund lead by Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg – asin the area of arts, where Dadaism and Blaue Reiter and Fauvism and De Stijl were only ones of the most important new categories of artistic expression. Despite obvious political orientations – on the left – of some of the members of the school’s board, Gropius outlined and tried to maintain his own life a self assumed political neutrality. In the same time, he was a strong believer in the need for a new society, in his aesthetical vision projected as a total environment where all the manifestations of arts were connected and interdependent in a better world for the humans. A vision transmitted for decades and resurged in our 21st century.
Back to the origins
His vision about the mission of arts is outlined in the manifesto published in 1919, in his first year of directorship. The starting point of his approach was the reform of education, as a first step in creating a unitary framework covering the entire spectrum of artistic activities. The system was organised on the basis of a master-apprentice relationship, mirroring the Renaissance and concepts of education, turning around the idea of …

Create New Memories at Medford Apartments

April 1, 2020 Comments Off

“Anyone who limits her vision to memories of yesterday is already dead.” There are a lot of things to experience in life that one should look forward to especially when moving to a new home. To do this, it is important to live now and create new memories that will make you happy just like if you decide to stay at Medford Apartments.
Begin by exploring the areas close to the Medford Apartments and you’ll learn the practical amenities which can make your life very convenient. Whether you need to buy something you need or want, the shopping centers at Medford can help you. On Mystic Valley Parkway, you’ll find Meadow Glen which houses several stores for footwear, jewelries, fast foods and games for children. You can also shop at Carter’s or Men’s Wearhouse on Fellsway. Both stores offer a great selection of clothes. Still, if you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can easily go to neighboring cities like Everett or Boston which are only a few miles away. Once there, you’ll have a lot of choices not just for clothes but other things like food, kitchen appliances, and many more. And when hungry, you can eat at food joints near some apartments in Medford such as Bob’s Italian Food Imports, Oasis Restaurant, Bistro 5 and Chipotle Mexican Grill just to name a few of the popular ones in town. With these entire stores close by, you’ll feel satisfied knowing you can easily buy the things you need.
Also, take pleasure in utilizing the recreational facilities near the apartments in Everett. You can go to any gym in town like Gold’s, play hockey and other sports at Boston Sports Clubs and Medford Recreational Hockey, or learn tae kwon do martial arts at Roshankish Martial Arts Center. And if you like outdoor activities, you can spend some time at the parks within the area like Wrights, Tufts and Victory. All of which make a great place for walking, biking, jogging or running. There are also several playgrounds where you can bring your kids such as Barry Playground and the Oakland Park Children’s Center. Oakland Park even has teachers working there to supervise the children while teaching them new things through play. You’ll definitely have a wonderful time spending the day out by yourself and by your children if you stay at these apartments in Everett.
So, if you’re thinking about moving to a new home and start over again, choose the Medford apartments. It has everything you need practical wise so you won’t have to travel very far away. It’s definitely very accessible living at these apartments!…

Simple And Effective Tips On Learning Guitar

March 27, 2020 Comments Off

The guitar has worldwide popularity. Many cultures have a different version of playing the guitar. If you want to know how to play this instrument, this article is for you. Continue to read and find out what you can do to improve your musicianship.

You will need to purchase a quality guitar to begin learning. It’s hard to regularly practice if you don’t own a guitar of your own. Make sure the guitar is tuned to avoid hearing wrong sounds that are actually right.

Figure out musical notation along with guitar tabs. Musical theory helps you understand the scales and how the different chords work. Learn each string’s note name and fret note. Knowing this detail will be particularly helpful when you’re playing riffs and melodies.

Make sure to get a good instrument when you begin playing the guitar. If you don’t have enough money to purchase one, you should borrow one from a friend or rent one. A good guitar will make a huge difference in the way your songs sound.

Learn how to label each part of your guitar. It is important you know what to call every part. At some point you will find that you need to read something about the guitar itself, and knowing all the guitar’s parts will help you understand what you’re reading. If you want to master your guitar and your guitar playing, this is the way to go.

Don’t go into this expecting to play a great Jimi Hendrix guitar solo right away. It’s best to start with simple songs. Start with the easy stuff instead of going after the fancy licks or difficult music. Kids’ songs might seem goofy, but they will help you hone your skills quickly.

Figure out how to take one song and play it several different ways. Also, focus on different keys. This helps you get used to certain chords. It will also give you a better all-round understanding of music. When you better understand music, you can become a better musician.

Chord transitions are very important while playing. Use 15 minutes of your practice time learning to switch chords. If you want your guitar to play pleasant, smooth music, you must learn to move from chord to chord with ease.

Don’t buy an incredibly expensive first guitar. It would be a mistake to get the best possible guitar before you’ve even learned how to play. You might not even like playing guitar. Cheap guitars can actually produce good sound quality. Before spending the money, figure out if this is going to be a part of your future or not.

Using some common products can help alleviate finger soreness when you are learning to play the guitar. Soak your finger tips in apple cider vinegar before and after playing for about 30 seconds. You can also apply ice to your fingertips to relieve the soreness. You will find it helpful to put on a benzocaine-based product prior to and after playing.

There are many things you can do to become better at playing the guitar. Use these concepts and make them your own. Share these tips with fellow guitar players and see if they have any helpful advice to offer in return. So get into touch with someone and put the tips you read here into practice.…

What You Need To Know About Arts And Crafts

March 24, 2020 Comments Off

Everyone can do arts and crafts; some can even make it their job. No matter what you want to make, you can make something wonderful. Learning everything out there about your hobby is crucial, so begin with the advice in the article below.

If you are doing crafts with children, prepare for a mess. If that is a source of stress, you can cover your work surface with newspaper or butcher paper to catch the mess. Washable markers are another option.

If you cannot find the supplies you want at affordable prices, try thrift shops. They often have items which your creativity can turn into a project. Be sure to check back as inventory constantly changes.

It’s important to remember that you should not have one set idea in mind as to how the finished project should look when doing crafts with children. The perfect examples inhibit their imagination and hold them up to a standard. You want to focus on them being creative instead. For instance, never tell a child that an animal must have two eyes, a nose and a mouth. Instead, let them decide what the face should look like. Their thoughts and ideas are important, so allow them to be a part of the final execution of the project.

Look online for ideas for crafting. You will literally find thousands of websites that have ideas that will spark your imagination. No matter who is doing the project or how old they are, you can find something that you can all do by looking online.

Arts and crafts can be fun for kids of any age. If there is a bunch of children in your midst, think of a project that everyone can enjoy. For fun and creative ideas you can use your friends, family or the internet as resources to help you come up with something enjoyable to do.

Look in your kitchen for supplies. You are sure to find lots of interesting items there that can be used. Things alike metal cans, glass jars, and tin foil are just a few examples. Even dried beans and pasta can be crafting material.

Make sure that you have all the supplies before starting a project. It is easier to complete your project when you have everything you need handy. Write down everything you need beforehand, then run out and purchase those items.

Create presents for loved ones. You can customize your gifts to suit recipients, and give them on special occasions. People will appreciate the things you make with your own two hands so much more than store-bought items.

Use arts and crafts as a way to teach your children. Get them to do math, learn science or appreciate art.

Make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time for your arts and crafts. You will not get good results if you rush yourself. Quality means taking our time. If you don’t give the time a project needs, you won’t be giving it justice. Make the time to accomplish it right, and the results will speak for themselves.

You can now create all types of things, and you can do it better using the tips you’ve read. Use each to turn your projects into masterpieces. Eventually, you will see your projects becoming better.…

Learning The Guitar Is Great With Some Advice!

March 21, 2020 Comments Off

Have you wanted to play a guitar? Do you want to be a member of the global community of guitar players? This article is for you if the above applies to your life. This article is packed with useful information about playing the guitar.

Don’t feel like you need to learn it all at once. Take your time and stay constant in learning how to play the guitar. Make sure that you practice at least an hour a day.

Find a good guitar instructor who gives lessons. Like a lot of people, you can learn the guitar on your own, but there are times when having someone observe you play can be important. Decent teachers can critique styles and give you suggestions for better playing. You can also ask questions, which sometimes helps.

If you decide that you want to start playing, purchase a guitar. It’s harder to practice often without your own guitar. In addition, you must tune your guitar regularly, otherwise the sound coming from it may not sound the way it should.

Learn all you can about guitar tabs, and musical notation as well. Music theory is great for teaching you about scales and chords. Learn what note each string is and then figure out the note along the fret where the strings are. This is especially useful when you’re playing riffs and melodies.

Be sure to work on learning the correct names for each element of the instrument itself. Knowing proper terminology can help you read teaching materials better. It will also help you be an intelligent musician.

Try using a metronome. One thing that a lot of people have trouble with is keeping time. Metronomes will make staying on beat easier. By practicing regularly, you will have no trouble keeping time without a metronome.

Dedicate part of your day to practice. Keep in mind that hard work is essential for getting the things you truly want. This is why you should plan to practice for no less than thirty minutes each day for five, or preferably seven days each week.

Buy a metronome to improve your sound. These tools keep the rhythm for you so you have good timing. With a metronome, you won’t have to waste time worrying over whether you have the right tempo. You can learn the song at slower speeds and pick up the pace when you’re ready. The metronome will help you figure out different chords and songs much easier than you would have been able to otherwise.

Try some useful exercises for strengthening fingers. Some chords require fancy handwork, and that is possible only when you can control the strings with your fingers. Be sure to practice the exercises and techniques in order make your hands stronger and play better.

As you see, a lot is involved in learning the guitar. Even so, it is something that is attainable. With perseverance, you will soon be strumming your favorite songs. Use the information here to get started with an enjoyable hobby.…