The Practice and Use of Chi in the Martial Arts

By Al Case

When it comes to building that thing called chi energy, tai chi kung fu is one of the best. What's interesting is that the principles used in that martial art can be used in Karate, taekwondo, aikido, or whatever. The central principles being utilized, you see, are pretty universal.

One of the first drills one might encounter, if one finds a good tai chi chuan system, is 'holding the bowl.' This is an easy drill, at least for the first couple of minutes...smile. One simply assumes an hourglass stance, back very slightly rounded, and positions the arms as if holding a large pot.

The first challenge in this stance is that of the mental aspect. One's mind starts to have thoughts, and these thoughts are a distraction. Once one has dedicated himself to getting past this phenomena, the mind thoughts start to disappear.

The second challenge in doing this drill is physical in nature. After sixty minutes or so, the body tends to get riled. It doesn't want to run energy through it, it doesn't want the discipline, and it will shake and shimmy and and even try to get sick.

So you ignore the mind, and you ignore the body, and you concentrate on the stillness of the mind (listening to the universe around you), and moving energy through the physical body. After a short while in the holding the bowl posture one will start to feel energy, and there are many things you can do with this energy. You can move it around the bowl, you can channel it through the major meridian running through the center of the front and back of the body, and you can do other things.

What is of importance is that this exercise has martial arts effects. After becoming practiced at this posture, doing the karate pattern called Sanchin will show amazing amounts of chi power. One's martial arts abilities will truly start to grow and manifest.

This posture, incidentally, is one of the major ten hands positions, as outlined in 'The Perfect Technique,' (Quality Press). Thus, it becomes a centerpost for advanced martial arts studies. The concept of this book is that there are only ten positions the arms can be in that will 'run' energy, and that the position of the arms in the 'holding the bowl' posture, as practiced in tai chi Kung Fu, is the first and possibly the most crucial of these arm positions.

About the Author:

Learn the logical way of making Chi Power through arts like Shaolin and Tai Chi Chuan. Go to Monster Martial Arts, and make sure you pick up a free martial arts book.

Locating A Pacific Seacraft 40 For Sale

By Bridgette Conway

Many people enjoy water activities and being out on water vessels. Depending on what kind of vessel it is, these water boats can be expensive and sometimes hard to find. If you are looking for a Pacific Seacraft 40 for sale you may be wondering where in the world can you find one. There are lots of places that are good resources for getting your hands on one of these prestigious vessels. Here is some info. That should help you out.

In today's times it is always a good thing to check on the internet first. This is because this source has so much information available. You may want to start searching for online dealers that carry only boats. Although many of these dealers may have an offline dealership, they may more available for purchase on the web. An internet search engine can assist with finding these sites.

There are also internet marketplaces on the web that can be used buy this item. Web based marketplaces have dealers that sell almost anything. Shoppers should have no problem finding what they are searching for. Online marketplaces are great places to shop because they tend to have more than on dealer selling the same item. This makes from great competition and can drive down the price of items.

You will of course want to take a trip to an establishment that sells boats and other water vessels. If the store does not have this particular item in their inventory they may be able to order it for you or at least point you in the direction where you can buy it. Get help from the local phone book or the internet to locate stores in your area.

Classified listings are a another way to find items that are available for purchase. It is worth it to browse the listings of offline publications as well as ones that are web based. Individuals and professional dealers frequently use the classifieds to make the public aware of what they are selling.

Another good resource for finding this kind of vessel is a trade show. Product sellers set up booths at these events all the time to help drum up business and make the public more aware of what they have to offer. It is a good idea to contact your neighborhood chamber of commerce or look on the web to see if a boating or sporting goods trade show is coming to your area.

A video sharing site is an outstanding way to get hooked up with dealers and private owners of water crafts. Nowadays many people use video sharing sites as a way to publish commercials and promote products. There is great chance that there are videos featuring this item.

Although finding a Pacific Seacraft 40 for sale make take a small effort, with the proper sources it can be easy. It is a good idea to make use of internet tools and offline tools such as boat dealer websites, online marketplaces and offline boat dealers. Other worthwhile sources are classified listings, trade shows and video sharing websites.

About the Author:

You can visit the website www.islandnomad.net for more helpful information about Locating A Pacific Seacraft 40 For Sale

Mixed Martial Arts: A History

By Nolan Barias

While it might seem as though mixed martial arts is a new sport, the roots of this sport date back to the ancient Olympics of Greece. The sport then was known as pankration, a fierce combination of striking and grappling skills.

During the 19th Century, there are numerous examples of MMA-style fights that incorporated many different types of wrestling and fighting styles taking place throughout Europe. In the United States, one of the first recorded instances of a mixed martial arts-style fight occurred between champion boxer John Sullivan and champion Greco-Roman wrestler William Muldoon, with Muldoon slamming Sullivan into the mat in just minutes. From there, there are many instances of professional boxers and wrestlers meeting in the ring for fights that combined multiple fighting styles.

As the sport progressed, there are records throughout the Pacific Rim, Asia and Europe of mixed-style fights. In Brazil, the Gracie family was hugely influential in the beginnings of vale tudo fighting, which included their own signature form of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. These vale tudo or "everything allowed" fights included Jiu Jitsu as well as many other styles of fighting.

Although many assume he was mainly a Kung Fu fighter, Bruce Lee is often hailed as the father of modern mixed martial arts. He created his own philosophy of Jeet Kune Do, which combined Kung Fu with many other fighting styles. He believed that a fighter should be able to use many styles of fighting, including kicking, punching, and grappling. This well-rounded fighting style has evolved into the style of mixed martial arts that we see today.

MMA gained a mainstream following in the early 1990s with the creation of Ultimate Fighting Championship or UFC. UFC has become the largest MMA promotion company in the world, with many of the world's top fighters on its roster. The group rose to prominence after the first UFC championship, when legendary fighter Royce Gracie defeated three other fighters in just five minutes. From there, interest in the sport grew exponentially, as well as concerns about the general lack of regulations within the sport. In 2000, the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts were created, which are used throughout the United States.

In addition to UFC, there have been several other groups that have been created for the purpose of holding MMA competitions, most notably Strikeforce. Strikeforce originated as a kickboxing organization but evolved into mixed martial arts. In 2006, Strikeforce's first large-scale MMA event, Shamrock vs. Gracie, broke MMA audience attendance records. This record would stand until UFC 129 in 2011. During 2011, Strikeforce was purchased by the company that owns UFC; however, the owners have stated that two will remain separate entities.

About the Author:

Nolan Barias likes blogging about mixed martial arts benefits. To get more info about MMA lessons in San Diego or to find a boxing gym San Diego, please visit The Arena MMA site now.