How To Swing A Golf Club...Free Golf Swing Tips

Have you become frustrated with your golf swing? Here are some tips to improve your golf swing.

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1)Stand with your spine in a neutral position and bend from the hips, with feet shoulders width apart. Rotate the torso on the back swing, and 'set' the lead wrist fully before you reach the top, creating a 90 degree angle between your lead forearm and the shaft.

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2)When swinging down, 'haul' the head of the club so that it lags behind everything else, and allow the 90 degree forearm/shaft angle to increase, then unwind rapidly through the impact area. this creates tremendous clubhead speed while allowing the body to move relatively slowly and maintain control.

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3)Make sure to have the shaft leaning forward toward the target at the moment of impact, this will help to have the face of the club face square at impact, an important factor in directional control.

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4)"Swing-set-through" is the rhythm. It isn't critical how far back you take the club but if you have released the club correctly, you will follow through completely; your belt buckle will be facing the target, the club will be behind you, you will be balanced on your lead foot with the back foot balanced on its toe. You should be able to comfortably hold this finish as you watch the ball fly off into the distance.

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5)Most of all have fun while improving on your golf swing.

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I hope you have found these tips helpful on how to swing a golf club.

More :http://www.bestaffiliatemarketingtip.com/

Soccer Drills - The Magic Planning Template for Creating Great Training Sessions in just 5 minutes

Do you want to know the secret behind creating great training sessions for young soccer players? Or for any youth sporing team for that matter. The great thing about this planning template is that it can be adapted to fit any junior sporting team. There are a number of things you need to consider in planning your session, but the great thing is that you can complete the planning process in less than 5 minutes with this template. What are your goal/s for the session? How do you decide on what they should be? How are you going to break up the session? How much time are you going to spend on each element? And what resources do you need for implementing the session? I often think it is best if you can minimise the number of resources you need for a session. That way you don't have to cart heaps of stuff to training, and if you forget something it doesn't ruin the whole session.

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So, how do you decide what to focus on for the session? What is your main goal? The way that I decide this is to review last week's game. What did the team do well? What areas does the team need to improve? What did individual; players do well? And what areas do individual players need to improve on? When you answer these questions you will have a real idea of what you need to focus on. Remember that you can't do everything in 1 session. When choosing your soccer drills focus on one area that was good, focus on one area that needs improvement, and focus on one drill from the last training session to reinforce the learning for your players.

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Is there a magic formula for breaking up a session? How much time should I spend doing soccer drills? How much time do I spend on fitness? How much warm-up? How much time at the end for playing a game? The answer to these questions will first depend on how long your session is. In many instances I think fitness can be incorporated into the drills part of the session. One thing that will make a huge difference to the quality of the learning of your players is the order of your session. If you do the skills part of the training after the fitness your players will be tired and they will not pickup new skills as efficiently. If you want them to learn new skills or enhance existing skills do the skills session prior to the fitness part of your session. They will learn better when fresher.   Here is a common breakup for a 90 minute session Warm-up 15 minutes (5 minutes light jogging, 10 minutes stretch) Soccer Drills 10 minutes (1st Drill) 10 minutes (2nd Drill) 10 minutes (3rd Drill) Fitness 30 minutes Game 10 minutes Cool Down 5 minutes Change the time values and number of drills performed to suit your needs for each session.

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What resources do you need? No good turning up to a session and finding out when setting up a drill that you don't have sufficient equipment to execute the drill. If you have the captain perform the warm-up with the players you can set up your drills while they are warming up. Or turn up 10 minutes early and set up the 1st drill. When you have decided on what drills you are going to perform you will then know what resources you need. Make a list and write it down and check of the list before you go to training. That way you know you have everything you need when you get there.

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So the keys for planning a great training session are to know what your goals are, by knowing what the needs of your team are, planning your session on paper so that you know what drills you are going to use, how long you are going to spend on each elements of the session, and knowing what resources you need. And remember to BE FLEXIBLE. The great thing about a plan is that it can be changed on the run if you need to. But if you don't have a plan, the only thing you are planning for is to fail.

more :www.soccerdrillsreview.com

Tae Kwon Do as a pyhsical training

Being a martial artist is an excellent method of keeping fit. Although there are numerous martial art forms to pick from, Tae Kwon Do is undoubtedly the favourable, and the most practical. And while many understand the benefits of such exercise, the plain fact is most people have no idea how to begin.

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To change the way life is lived for the better, dedication to getting in shape is essential. But knowing this does not make the first step any easier to take, so many just give up.

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Starting a martial arts training program clearly commence with selecting either with a school or very least, an instructor.Tae Kwon Do is seen as a sport than a martial art, but this feature makes the art form more readily conveyable to the general public. In short, nearly anybody can practice Tae Kwon Do, and with commitment, nearly anyone can become a fearsome martial artist.

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Due to the growing busy lifestyle we have, many people have very little or maybe no time at all to spend getting and staying fit, but with most Tae Kwon Do training, there are always weekend day time classes you could attend.

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One of the benefits of Tae Kwon Do is how fast people could see the outcome of their hard work and in return, a fantastic tool to motivate them to continue training, before they know it, they would have incorporate Tae Kwon Do into their busy lifestyle.

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Tae Kwon Do teaches various combination of hand and foot techniques and with the correct instructions and training, students will easily improve and shine on the easiest moves which will motivate them to carry on training and proceed to the next level.

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Beside numerous health advantages in Tae kwon Do, increased heart rate, increased muscle tone and mass, increased in stamina, it also teaches the improvement of confidence and perseverance in the course of the training.

more :http://www.homeoftaekwondo.com

Mixed Martial Arts Fighting Styles

Mixed martial arts fighting was invented as a result of competitions that were held pitting masters of various fighting styles against each other, in an attempt to determine which fighting style was best. Mixed martial arts was created by people such as Bruce Lee, who combined various styles of fighting into his own unique style that incorporated striking, submissions fighting, and wrestling. Most of the fighters of today learn to fight in more than one style, making them effective fighters both in and out of the tournament ring. The following are some of the mixed martial arts fighting styles used in combat today by professional fighters.
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Sprawl-and-brawl is a combination of striking standing up and using various sprawl techniques to take down opponents. Boxers, kick-boxers, and full contact karate practitioners all utilize some form of sprawl-and-brawl mixed martial arts fighting, and will all have received some training in wrestling techniques in order to avoid being easily taken down by opponents. Part of the efficiency of this style comes from the ability of sprawl-and-brawl fighters to hold their own while down on the mat until they are able to get free or the match referee restarts the bout.
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Clinch fighting is a form of mixed martial arts fighting that makes use of clinch holds to prevent opponents from getting enough distance to strike effectively. Fighters who make use of clinch fighting then strike their opponents with their knees, stomp on their feet, and use their elbows to strike. Both Muay Thai fighters and wrestlers make use of these techniques to bring down their opponents. Body locks and neck clinches have been used by many fighters to bring an opponent down to the mat.
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Ground-and-pound is a mixed martial art form that involves throwing your opponent or taking them down, then striking them from a dominant position. A submission grapple often follows. Many mixed martial arts fighters who make use of this form have found it to be invaluable as the fight can be expected to go to the mat many times before it is over.
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A submission hold or grapple is used to pin an opponent to the ground until the match referee is able to call the match. Originally a technique taught in Army Combat, it has been incorporated into mixed martial arts fighting styles because it is a highly effective technique that can be used from either a top or bottom position. Most fighters will also learn how to counter this particular move so that they can break free in the event that it is used on them.
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Finally, mixed martial arts fighters who are able to bring their opponents to the mat but lack the strength to finish them off make use of the lay-and-pray technique, which involves waiting for the referee to call the match. Sometimes, fighters who use this tactic are penalized for being too aggressive.

more : www.themmafightsite.com

Tips for Soccer Fitness Training

If you learn and use these tips for Soccer Fitness training you will be well beyond most of your coaching counterparts. By following these tips for soccer fitness training your players will consistently be stronger, faster and have more stamina than the opposing teams. Too many coaches get caught up in skills training and forget that without a strong fitness base their players will not be able to perform at an optimal state throughout the entire game.

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The components of soccer fitness training include the following: proper warmup, working at sprint training, plyometrics and recovery.

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Soccer Fitness Training Tip #1
Proper warmup:
Too many coaches train their players to do static stretching while they are cold. This is one of the most dangerous holdovers from the past that is out there. You need to do light calisthenics to warm the muscles up before you stretch them and when you stretch them you should be doing dynamic stretching.

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Soccer Fitness Training Tip #2
Sprint Training
Too many coaches have their players jog for miles at 50% intensity. That’s just stupid. Do you want your athletes chasing the ball at 50% of what they are capable during a game? Then why would you have them train for a subpar performance. Never sprint until you are properly warmed up. Do not do sprinting the day before a game. Always allow 48 hours of recovery before a game.

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Soccer Fitness Training Tip #3
Plyometrics
Too often coaches hear a bout plyometrics and through their players into the exercises without a proper understanding of how they need to do the exercises properly. Plyometrics are powerful and dangerous. It’s important that you follow good form. I’ll explain examples in another article.

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Soccer Fitness Training Tip #4
Recovery
I cannot stress enough the importance of recovery. Too often I see coaches destroy players with their “No pain no gain mentality.” When you push your players 100% you need to give them a day off or at least do an active recovery day.

Source : http://www.optimalsoccerfitness.com/

Coaching Youth Soccer For The Fun of it

Coaching youth soccer is one of the most important positions in sports. There are many different styles and methods of coaching soccer. While it is important to set a style and method that is comfortable for you, it is equally important to consider the comfort level of your team.

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When you are coaching youth soccer you must remember that kids will be kids.Children must be encouraged to win, but there are many more important aspects of the soccer game that should be considered with this particular age group. This includes working together as a team, and having fun while participating in sporting events. Here, you will learn how to coach a fun soccer training session.

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The first thing that you can do to coach a fun soccer training session is to ensure that you make it fun. With children as your team, it is important to create games and activities that all the team members can participate in. Try to avoid engaging in drills and similar things that mean that the children must stand in line and wait their turn. This is a great time waster when it comes to the development of your players, and can make the soccer training session extremely boring for the children.

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The second thing that you should do in order to coach a fun youth soccer training session is to be completely prepared. Show up with a list of exciting games and drills that the children can participate in.

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Make sure that these activities develop the overall skill and technique of each player. It is important for the soccer training session to be interactive and challenging for the child. If you are prepared, and know exactly what you want to focus on, the team is sure to have a wonderful time and learn many new things.

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The third thing that you should do in order to ensure that you are making your soccer training fun and exciting for your players is to arrive before everyone else and set up the training area. This will allow you and your team to immediately start training once everyone has arrived. This avoids having to get the children to help set up activities and become bored before they even start. You may wish to encourage early arrival by explaining to members that the last two people to arrive will need to pick up the cones and the balls used during the training session. This makes prompt arrival a fun and challenging game, and will encourage those that arrive last to get there a little earlier next time. Furthermore, this will be a great help to you after an exhausting training session!

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While many coaches may not consider "having fun" a key component of a soccer training session with children, it is important to understand that this IS the most important component. If you have a team full of happy players, their performance will be better. The team will be more successful as a whole if they are having fun and are not overwhelmed with negativity during soccer training sessions.

For more : http://www.optimalsoccerfitness.com/

Football Team Kits

People tell us never to judge books by their covers, but this is rarely followed. Even in football, a large amount of attention is paid to football team kits. Each and every football team have their own kit. Kits are not only necessary for a player to identify his team mate during a match, but become the identity of a club and is embedded in the club’s folklore.

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Most of the kits contain the player’s name, number and a symbol of the sponsors. It is up to the designers the club hire to design a nice looking one.

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However there have been many recent stories of blunders made by the designer such as Aston Villas Home 1986-1987 kit or Coventry City’s away strip of 1991-1992, not to mention Arsenal’s Away kit of 1990. Ajax’s Away kit of 1992 and Bochums Home kit of 1997-1998 made their respective teams a laughing stock in the world of football.Most clubs usually print the player’s names on the back of the jersey, along with a number ranging from 0 to 99.

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The number is used by match officials for identifying the players. The respective shirt numbers of each player of the club have to be registered with the football governing body of the country. Changing shirt numbers is generally not encouraged. The crest of the club is printed on the top left or right hand corner of the shirt. Players are expected to fell motivated and inspired every time they see the crest. Many players, after scoring a goal have the habit of kissing the club crest, in order to show their love for the club to the fans. The middle part usually displays a message or symbol of the sponsors. Considering the popularity of watching football in the world, using club’s kits for advertisement certainly boosts the marketing of a product.

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The main necessity of kits is for one person to identify his team mate on the football pitch. Matches are played on huge pitches, in all kinds of weather, in front of tens of thousands of fans. In such situations, identifying team mates by looking at their faces or shouting out for the ball would be impractical. Also, football is played at such a high speed and players don’t have the time to look at each and every face before deciding who to pass to. All these aspects make kits a part and parcel of football.

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Kits are also used to commemorate great events in the history of football. Black armbands are sometimes worn in order to honor the dead. Selling football kits also generate tremendous amount of income for the club as these are very popular among supporters. Thus, as you can see, football team kits are much more than just fancy pieces of cloth on multi-millionaires.

What Is Soccer And Why Is One Of The Most Popular Sport On Earth

Soccer is also known as football. It is a game played by two teams of eleven players who kick a ball and try to score goals. The measurement of a football field is: Length 100 yds. to 130 yds; Breadth 50 yds. to 56 yds; Goal width 8 yds; Bar 8 ft. from ground; area 6 yds. From each goal post; Ball 27 inches in circumference; Duration of the game is 90 minutes maximum.

Some of the common terms associated with the sport are: off sided, scope. Drop kick, penalty kick (or goal kick), corner kick, free-kick, dribble, throw-in-touch, tripping, direct free kick, hat-trick.

Some of the well-known football players are: Pele (Brazil), Diego Maradona (Argentina), Ronaldo (Brazil), Roberto Baggio (Italy), Beckham (UK), Lothar Matthaus (Germany), Zinedine Zidane (France), Thierry Henry (France), Puskas (Hungary) and Di Stefano (Spain).

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FIFA World Cup 2006

The World Cup played in 2006 had 32 teams, 64 matches were played, 30 million viewers all over the world watched the tournament. It was played for over 31 days. The biggest sporting tournament of the world, the 18th FIFA (Federation International de Football Association) Football World Cup 2006, was declared open by the German President, Mr. Hort Koehler in Munich (Germany) On June 9, 2006. The spectacular event was witnessed by a 60,000 strong audience in the Allianz Arena of Munich as well as by hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide on the television. For the first time in the history of the mega event, every living member of the past World Cup-winning teams was present at the opening ceremony. More than 100 former players took part in a parade during the event. The opening ceremony was followed by the inaugural match between the host Germany and Costa Rica. Philpp Lahm of Germany scored the first goal of the 18th FIFA World Cup. Germany won the match 4-2 and thus, set the momentum for the month – long sporting extravaganza end with a grand final on July 9, 2006. Italy won the World Cup in a penalty shootout in the final, beating France 5-3 after a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes. The World Cup Football 2010 will be held in South Africa, according to a decision taken by the executive meeting of the FIFA at Zurich (Switzerland). To compete at these games, various qualifying matches are held at different venues throughout the world. The teams play on a group basis and get two points for a win, one for a draw, and zero for a loss. Players in the games must be amateurs although many Olympic footballers have gone on to become well-known professionals. FIFA World Cup is held once in 4 years.

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Features

Soccer or football is a team sport, and is the most popular sport worldwide. The players keep maneuvering the ball and ultimately aim for a short at goal. The goalkeeper tries hard to stop the ball from crossing the goal line. Except for the goalkeeper the other players are not supposed to use their hands to propel the ball, others have to position the ball by using their feet, torso or head. The team that scores the maximum number of goals is declared the winner. In case the match is a tie, it is either declared as draw or is given extra time or penalty shootout

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Equipments

The simplicity of the game, uncomplicated rule and the requirement of a sole device –a ball make it a widespread sport. All the players have to follow a certain dress-code, which includes, shirts, shorts, socks, shoes and shin guards. Wearing jewelry, watches and things that can harm other players or themselves is prohibited. The goalkeeper has to wear clothes that will distinguish him from the rest of the team members. A maximum of three players can substitute during international and domestic matches. The match is authorized by a referee on the field, and his decision is considered final.

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History of soccer

Soccer originated in 206 BC when the Han dynasty ruled over China. A game known as Tsu Chu similar to soccer was played on the occasion of the emperor’s birthday. During the 11th century young boys in England played a game with an inflated bladder of the cow. This game often ended in violent clashes between the two teams as a result was ultimately banned. Football resurfaced in 1623 in England and by 1820 some schools began promoting football on the grounds that it built in health and strength. On similar lines of soccer, but with different variation rugby, baseball, basketball emerged.

Golf Short Game Tips to Help You Reduce Your Handicap Fast by Marla Paulsone

If you are just learning how to play golf then you must first understand the critical importance of the short game and how it can help you learn and improve at the game very quickly। Most amateurs spend way too much time hitting their long irons and driver and not nearly enough working on putting, chipping and wedge play. Here are some tips regarding the various aspects of the short game that can help you to shoot lower golf scores quickly:

Putting Tips:
Putting can really make a big difference in lowering your golf scores and making the game more enjoyable। There are many putting styles that you will see even the professional golfers using so the key is to pick one style you like and stick with it making only minor adjustments here and there to improve it. Do not get caught up constantly changing your entire putting technique just because you did not make a few easy putts the last round.

One of the biggest keys to succeeding in putting and never getting the putting yips is to realize that putting is very much a mental game। Confidence is a critical factor and you need to always believe that the putt will go in the hole every time you hit the golf ball with your putter. Do not aim for a 3 foot circle with long putts because this will only increase your margin for error. Always focus on making every putt.

What you think about before you hit each putt is the most important element to consistently good putting। It may be best to simply keep your mind quiet and just look and react to your targets trusting that your mind and body will send the ball the right distance and direction.

Chipping And Sand Shot Tips:
You should always spend some time during each practice session hitting chips and sand shots around the green। Look for the worst possible lies and hit from them because then hitting from the fairway on the course will seem easy by comparison. When hitting chip shots you want the ball to be back in the stance aligned with your right foot and you want to use an open stance where your feet point to the left of the target.

With sand shots you want the ball a little further up in your stance still using an open stance and you should aim to hit a spot a few inches behind the ball so you can use a cushion of sand to lift the ball out of the bunker। Be sure to accelerate on the downswing otherwise you risk hitting it fat.

Wedge Play Tips:
Do not underestimate the importance of good wedge play as it can setup easy birdie opportunities for you on the course। Hit many wedge shots from various distances from 40 to 135 yards। The key to developing feel is simply practice so there are no shortcuts here. You should hit at least half of your practice balls with the wedge. Remember that the full swing is simply an extension of the shorter ones so if you can hit the wedge well then you will be a much better striker with your longer clubs like the driver. Follow some of these short game tips to help you play better golf.

सोर्स : http://www.golfswingtips4u.com/

THOMAS CUP

Overview
The Thomas Cup – “Men’s Team World Badminton Championship”, held every two years, is the most sought after men’s team trophy for badminton. Only three nations have won the Thomas Cup since its inception in 1948; Malaysia, Indonesia and China.

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Brief History

Formerly known as 'The International Badminton Championship Challenge Cup', the silver-gilt trophy is usually referred to by its more familiar title of 'The Thomas Cup'.The Thomas Cup competition in 1948 was BWF’s first major international tournament. The trophy was donated by the first president of the world body, Sir George Thomas.

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Contest /Competing Associations /Champions
1948 - 49/ 10 /Malaya
1951 - 52/ 12 /Malaya
1954 - 55/ 21 /Malaya
1957 - 58 /19 /Indonesia
1960 - 61 /19 /Indonesia
1963 - 64 /26 /Indonesia
1966 - 67 /23 /Malaya
1969 - 70 /25 /Indonesia
1972 - 73 /23 /Indonesia
1975 - 76/26 /Indonesia
1978 - 79 /21/Indonesia
1981 - 82 /26 /China
1984 /34/Indonesia
1986 /38 /China
1988 /35/China
1990 /53 /China
1992 /54/Malaya
1994 /51/Indonesia
1996 /56/Indonesia
1998 /49/Indonesia
2000 /49 /Indonesia
2002 /48 /Indonesia
2004 /12/China
2006 /12/China

Source : www.internationalbadminton.org

WORLCUPS RANKING

GERMANY, 2006
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Germany
Third: Turkey
Fourth: Korea Republic

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KOREA/JAPAN, 2002
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: France
Third: Germany
Fourth: Portugal
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FRANCE, 1998
Winner: France
Runners-Up: Brazil
Third: Croatia
Fourth: Netherlands
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USA, 1994
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Italy
Third: Sweden
Fourth: Bulgaria
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ITALY, 1990
Winner: Germany FR
Runners-Up: Argentina
Third: Italy
Fourth: England
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MEXICO, 1986
Winner: Argentina
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: France
Fourth: Belgium
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SPAIN, 1982
Winner: Italy
Runners-Up: Germany FR
Third: Poland
Fourth: France
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ARGENTINA, 1978
Winner: Argentina
Runners-Up: Netherlands
Third: Brazil
Fourth: Italy
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GERMANY, 1974
Winner: Germany FR
Runners-Up: Netherlands
Third: Poland
Fourth: Brazil
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MEXICO, 1970
Winner: Brazil
Runners-Up: Italy
Third: Germany FR
Fourth: Uruguay

TO SEE MORE : http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/index.html

The Safety And The Risks In Skydiving

Skydiving is a sport that involves many risks. Safety and risks are different thing. While the risks are measured, the safety is judged. The safety can be defined as a personal or social acceptance of a given risk.

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In what regards the risks, they are measured as quantities. The probability of something to happen combined with the severity of the repercussions give the risks. The probabilities and the severity are divided into categories. The probabilities have five such categories: Frequent, Probable, Occasional, Remote and Improbable and the severity of the action has four categories: Catastrophic, Critical, Marginal and Negligible. For instance, a rubber band breaking the risk is “frequent – negligible” while for a double malfunction the risk would be “remote – catastrophic”. “Occasional – catastrophic” or “occasional – critical” are the risks encountered most often for malfunctions.

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In skydiving, a risk value can be assigned to any event, based on the given definition. Observation over the years and the measurements from the test drops should be the base for the value of a risk. Yet, this doesn't always happen.

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The perception of risk

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The perception of risk is sometime done on a subjective base. The values of risks are higher in case of voluntary events within control of the beholder than in the case of mandatory events that put a person beyond control. Thus, skydiving presents a greater risk than breathing air.

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The events followed by dreaded results or catastrophic consequences present a higher risk. The sports and occupations also have different values of risk depending on the amount of fatalities encountered.

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The perceptions of risks can also be affected by the maturation of technology. Taking the example of the power plants, a coal power plant is less risky than a nuclear power plant because people know much more things about burning coal than about nuclear technology.

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The risks are also directly connected to the complexity of the system. The difficulty to understand a system is given by its complexity and together with this difficulty; the necessity increases because only by a better acknowledgement of the system, the corrections and the ways of preventing events are obtained.

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The assessment of risks

Understanding a system fully and without gaps will decrease the risks of unfortunate events. A system must have no secrets for the person that operates it because if there are things that are not understood, complications may appear if an event is generated by that unknown element. Also, in a system, not only its components should be well known, but the reasons of failure too. This is obtained through observation and continuous monitoring of the system’s performance. Risks can be reduced by prevention of failure or corrective plans. The causes for system failure can be human, mechanical or environmental.

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The risks involved by skydiving

Values of risks can be given to any event in skydiving. The gear and technique knowledge in skydiving is the primary base of the risk value assessment. If a person knows the equipment, the parachute, the characteristics, the techniques and all the other factors involved by skydiving, he or she greatly reduces the risks of an event. If the equipment is very well known, the system performance monitoring is accurate and malfunctions can be discovered in time if they appear, decreasing thus the risks. Different ways to escape injuries also reduce the risks, therefore emergency procedures and alternative plans have been elaborated.

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Understanding the gear, the parachute, its characteristics, acknowledging and using the controls properly and having preventing and correcting plans will reduce the risks and increase the effectiveness or risks assessment.

Peace and serenity and lethal weapons

Taekwondo is about peace and serenity. It’s about finding balance in life, acting for the greater good and defending those powerless to defend themselves. It’s comprised chiefly of kicks and blocks, but can include a passing knowledge of some of the more common weapons used in all martial arts.

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The western world is used to seeing the Sai being used as a sword, dagger or throwing weapon. Movies and comic books such as Elektra, Mortal Kombat and the Teenage Nutant Ninja Turtles show protagonists using twin Sais as their weapons of choice, with the emphasis on stabbing and attacking. Traditionally, however, the Sai is a pointed rod-shaped baton with an unsharpened projection on either side of the handle. It was used mainly in defence, and was particularly effective against the swords of the samurai, blocking the blades in its handles. One of the most effective non-lethal strikes is a short jab to the solar plexus.

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The kama originates from a time when traditional weapons in China were outlawed. Farm workers had no choice but to develop agricultural tools that doubled as weapons of defence. The kama is sickle-like in construction, with wooden handles and curved steel blades. It was used to cut grain and rice, and it is still sometimes referred to as the “hand scythe”. They are often used in pairs, with one kama used for defence, trapping or blocking an opponent’s sword or spear, while the other is used to attack. In a more refined form, with a serrated upper edge and a sharp addition to the handle, it is considered one of the deadliest and stealthiest of all martial arts weapons.

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In ancient times, training was conducted with real swords and real blades, and as a consequence the incidence of injury and death was high. To counter this unfortunate phenomenon, Shinai, bamboo practice swords, were developed for use in training and competitions. Shinai come in a wide range of styles and sizes to accommodate all practitioners; male, female, adult and child. Usually only one shinai is used at a time, but it is possible to use two in a style similar to that used by schools that teach two-handed swordsmanship.

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The tonfa is shaped much like a modern, side-handled police baton and is in fact considered to be the police baton’s predecessor. It can be effectively used in both defence and attack. The shaft shields forearm and hand from incoming attacks, while the handle can be used to hook an opponent’s weapon, thereby disarming him or her. On the other hand, twirling the tonfa by the handle creates a tremendous amount of momentum, lending extra weight to any strike. Like many traditional weapons in martial arts, it can be used singularly or in pairs.

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Taekwondo may be the path to finding your humanity and lead to spiritual enlightenment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get there without a lethal weapon at your side.

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Recommended sites: http://www.wle.com/store/k_weapons.html