Ichuan

Also known as the Kung Fu fist forms, the 5 animals of Kung Fu are known all across the world, and are some of the deadliest martial arts you can study. There are other specific fist styles in Kung Fu, although none of them are as powerful or as well known as the 5 animal styles. As the name implies, these forms were derived from the animals in which they got their names from.

The Dragon Claw
The Dragon Claw is very well known, with the Chinese believing that this style comes directly from the ancient dragon. This style uses an open hand technique that is used for controlling the opponent through grabbing and throwing. Using an open hand technique, stylists may also use the fingers to poke as well. Dragon Claw is very fast, very hard to defend against - and nearly impossible to predict.

The Leopard Claw
The Leopard Claw style utilizes a half opened fist. The ideal striking method with Leopard is the ridge of the hand, which is formed by folding the fingers towards the palm of the hand, with the palm being the backup or secondary striking method. Leopard Claw is very fast as well, and very lethal if the stylist has enough technique and power behind his strikes.

The Tiger Claw
Tiger Claw uses an open hand movement that is used for tearing and grabbing. Tiger Claw is the most well known of the 5 animal system, and also one of the most well known forms of Kung Fu as well. It isnt affected by simply grabbing and gripping with the hand, but from the digging of the fingernails deep into the skin. Once the fingernails have been embedded in the opponents skin, the Tiger Claw stylist can shred the skin right off the bone, tearing the opponent apart. Tiger Claw is very powerful - and one of the deadliest forms in the world of martial arts.

The Snake Head
Snake Head resembles the attack of a snake in combat, using an open hand technique which requires the fingers to be held together tight, fully extended. The tips of the finger form a very hard surface, used to attack the softest and most vital areas of the opponent. In order to be effective, both hands need to be used together at the same time.

The Crane Beak
Crane involves the fingers being pressed together tightly, forming a striking surface at the base of the stylists fingertips. Although the fingers can be conditioned to a high level of strength, most attacks using the Crane technique are focused towards the most vital areas of an opponent.

The 5 animal styles of Kung Fu are very popular, and very deadly. Martial artists that know any of these forms are very deadly - and more than capable of defending themselves against anything that comes their way.

Ceramic tiles for kitchen countertops have become a must have in home buyers’ kitchens.

Whether you prefer glazed, porcelain, quarry or mosaic, these tiles are versatile and come in an array of designs, colors and shapes. A design savvy look, country flair, artistic interest or upscale appearance can enhance your kitchen countertops surface that’s low maintenance but high in style. Tile countertops are also a great idea for completing your kitchen renovation since tiles are not only durable but are heat resistance.

Ceramic Tile Kitchen Countertops
Be creative and always design your kitchen tile layout the way you like it. One interesting way to do it is to tile your backslpash. Be sure to put colorful, unique and single designs tiles in between plain fields tiles. You can do multiples of the same design tiles or each can have a different design or color. To make your kitchen come alive, use beautiful kitchen tile with attractive colors or designs. Your kitchen tile can standout or contrast, but you always want them to blend in with what you’ve got going on the cabinets and the floor. You do not want to get dizzy walking into your kitchen from all the “busyness.”

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My grandparents were farmers, so this explains the chest freezer and the two upright ones. They were diary farmers, but they would butcher a cow on occasion. When they did this they needed somewhere to keep the meat. They kept a lot of stuff in those freezers, and if we ever needed anything we could always go lift the huge lid of the chest freezer to get what we needed. When my single mother was low on cash, she knew she could go get what she needed to keep us fed. This didn’t happen often, but it was there if we needed it.

Chest Freezer
Many people today who have a chest freezer have it in their garage. My grandparents did not have a garage so perhaps this is why they had to find a different space for it. I don’t think many of the chest freezers that you can buy today are quite as long as they one they had, but they are great no matter what size you get. A good chest freezer can hold just about anything you can imagine, and you can even find smaller versions for smaller homes. They make upright freezers, but these are not as convenient for larger items like frozen turkeys or the like.

If you want to get a chest freezer, expect to pay a good sum for one, but you can expect that if you are freezing things to save money that you are going to get what you pay for. You will save money by freezing meat, especially if you can buy in bulk, and in the long run the cost of the chest freezer will be justified. Think of it as an investment, and remember that you get out of it what you put into it, quite literally. If you have an entire cow or pig butchered and frozen, you are going to save hundreds of dollars on your meat bill. It’ll pay for itself many times over.

Sparring is something that all martial arts use. There are numerous sports, such as boxing and wrestling that use sparring as well. It is a very useful technique, helping students become better with their techniques and what they have learned. By practicing with other people, students learn their arts better and become more apt at performing the techniques quickly and efficiently.

If you are studying martial arts in a dojo, youll find sparring to be very exciting as well as beneficial to your training. The instructors and teachers will be right there watching and guiding students, making sure that no one gets hurt. Students use full body gear, including headgear, to ensure safety during practice.

Depending on your skill level and martial art you are studying, you may end up using no protective gear. Students that are very skilled wont normally need protective equipment, as they are good enough with sparring and their techniques that they can go a few rounds with other skilled students and not make any type of contact at all.

Martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, that focus on grappling, make the most use of sparring, as it is needed to properly execute the techniques. Martial arts that focus mainly on grappling use joint locks and submission techniques, which will need to be practiced quite a bit before they can be used effectively during a competition or even as self defense.

During sparring, students go back and forth, competing with each other and testing each other. The rounds will vary, although most last several minutes. Students will also receive help and insight from their instructors to let them know how they are doing and if they need to change anything they are doing. This also gives instructors the chance to see just how well you are progressing in training and what areas you need to work more on.

Sometimes, sparring is done by yourself, without anyone else working with you. If you are sparring by yourself, youll use equipment such as punching bags, tackling dummies, or other forms of equipment that will help you with your martial art. The foam or rubber dummies are most often used with grappling techniques or punching on the ground, as they represent the opponent that you are trying to pummel into submission.

All in all, sparring is an excellent way to practice the skills you have learned against equipment or other students. Students are fun to spar against, especially if they are at a higher level of skill than you are. You can use sparring to your advantage, learning what others do and how they react to your movements and techniques. The longer you spar and practice your moves - the better you will get in your training, speed, and the execution of your skills.

If you are among the many women who love sharp fashion mixed with casual style then American West handbags are ideal for you. These purses offer sophistication and elegance in a durable accessory that can’t be beat. Once you see the American West handbags, you’ll know what I mean.

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I have chosen three of my favorite designs to help you gain a new appreciation for an accessory like a purse. The first of the three American West handbags is the Hobo. This bag is great because it offers a youthful elegance in a very casual format.

I love the Hobo purse because it has a roomy single compartment that is great for carrying a lot of loot. These American West handbags also have convenient cell phone compartments and a zipper compartment that helps you stay organized. You have all of the benefits of a large bag with the convenience of quick access to your goods.

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Anytime an individual decides to learn how to protect themselves, learn self defense, or become a better person, one thing comes to mind - martial arts. Martial arts are very common these days, being practiced all over the world.

The martial arts have been used for many centuries, although they really became famous around the time of Bruce Lee. Bruce invented the style of Jeet Kune Do, which involves very fast strikes with amazing counter defenses. Once people began to see just how fast Bruce Lee could move, they began to look into martial arts and see just how it could benefit them.

Martial arts are broken down into specific styles. The style all depends on where and what you study. A lot of cultures and countries offer martial arts that they originated, developed, and perfected. Brazil offers Brazilian Jui-Jitsu, Japan has Karate, Thailand has Muay Thai, France has Savate, and China has Shaolin. Keep in mind that each style will vary in techniques and what it has to offer you.

Although many people think of martial arts as being just for self defense purposes, this isnt always the case. Martial arts are used in tournaments and competitions as well, which can include sparring, floor routines, and even block and brick breaking demonstrations. All across the world, there are competitions and chances for fighters to prove themselves and their knowledge.

In general, all martial arts will teach you how to defend yourself and above all else - help you develop self control. Once you begin to study a martial art, youll quickly start to develop a much better state of mind. No matter what style of martial art you study, the instructors will drill self control into your head.

Those of you who have a bad temper or just need to learn self control, martial arts can be very beneficial to study. Not only will you learn self control, youll also learn how to defend yourself in the most drastic of situations. Self control is very important, as martial arts can be very deadly if they are taught to the wrong person - with the wrong intentions.

Over the last decade, there have been a lot of mainstream competitions that showcase martial arts, such as Extreme Fighting, King of the cage, and the most popular of all, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship). The UFC has come a long way over the years, sparking interest from all over the world. It pairs stylists from all over the world together, to test their skills and see who is the better fighter.

With the UFC, a lot of people have gotten the wrong idea about martial arts. A martial art is great to learn, although if it works in the UFC, it doesnt always mean that it will protect you out on the streets. Karate for example, teaching blocking and striking, with little to no emphasis on grappling
techniques. If you get in close, Karate really doesnt help. With some distance however, Karate can be very devastating.

No matter how you look at it, martial arts can be great to learn if you learn it for the right reasons. Each style will vary in technique and what it has to offer you, which is why you should pick the best style for your needs and what you hope to accomplish. Martial arts can teach you a lot about self defense and yourself - all you have to do is give it a try.

These days, martial arts are something that everyone should know. With crime at an all time high, knowing how to defend yourself is essential. For the children, martial arts can mean a lot of things. Even though martial arts is great for adults to know and practice as well, it is also a great way for children to stay in shape and learn how to defend themselves from attackers.

Although martial arts can teach children how to defend themselves, it will also teach them self control and self confidence as well. If your child has a bad temper or low self esteem, learning a martial art can actually help them to get back on the right path. Martial arts will help children with life in general - which will take them a lot farther in life.

The first thing you will need to do when getting your child involved in martial arts is pick a style that they will enjoy. With several different styles to choose from, it can be a very difficult choice to make. Among the most popular for children are Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Muay Thai, and Jiu-Jitsu. When making the decision, you should go by what your child has interests in, such as punching and kicking, or ground grappling and submission.

Once you have a style in mind, youll need to start checking out the local martial arts centers and dojos. If you live in a big city, youll have a lot more to choose from than those who live in smaller areas or rural towns. Those who live in smaller towns or rural areas may be very limited on the choices available for themselves and their children.

Rural and smaller towns are limited in choice, although what they offer is normally among the best styles of martial arts. The instructors are black belts and above, with the highest ranked students helping them instruct classes. If the classes are small in attendance, the instructors and student teachers can spend a lot of hands on time with the kids to help them improve in their weakest areas.

When you decide to enroll your child in martial arts, you should always check out the dojo or classes first. You dont want your child to be in a class that isnt goal focused, nor do you want them to have a teacher who doesnt know what he is teaching. The environment is also important, as you want to be sure that the dojo and equipment are clean, and that everything is up to the latest and greatest standards.

Even though a martial art may be beneficial to your child, it wont do them any good unless the facilities and the instructors are good. You want to make sure you get the best available to you, which is why it always pays to look around. If you look at all of your available choices, youll normally be able to find the best for both you and your child.

When it comes to children and their future, martial arts is a great way for them to start. Martial arts can help them improve in many different areas, not just self defense. A martial art can help a child develop a lot of essential areas, including self control and responsibility. The longer a child studies a martial art, the more goal oriented and responsible they will become. Martial arts are a great investment for parents and children - which is why they are so very popular.

After the Ching dynasty fell in the early 17th century, it was necessary to come to agreement of a national language for China for proper dialects and pronunciations. It was until around 1913 however, until the Ministry of Education actually established the national language. The requirements were for the language to go beyond local dialects and include prominent properties used universally in the Asian world. Mandarin Chinese dominated and successfully became the superior and dominant Chinese usage. Starting in 1956, it is now the mandated language taught in Asia countries. Throughout the country it is still referred to as guanya or national speech, but in the west we call it Mandarin.

What makes mandarin Chinese different to learn than English, is its tones assigned to words which vary in high to low levels, and pitches. It is also a monosyllabic language with little or no modulation. Unlike the English alphabet, The Chinese language contains over 3000 frequently used characters and over 6500 listed in the Chinese dictionary. The characters denote deep meaning then just surface print. An addition or subtraction of a brushstroke changes the meaning of the character. As do tones used in pronunciation of Chinese words.

The writing of the Chinese language is done vertically and is read the same way. There is controversy over the traditional way of writing Chinese, as opposed to newer forms which make words hard to recognize. The generalized new way of writing Chinese also gives different meanings to words. As time progresses, you will see more of the traditional script being used and taught. Written Chinese is in Mandarin is also known as Hanyu.

Methods of learning mandarin Chinese would incorporate using what is referred to as Hanyu Pinyin, a Romanization system used for teaching Chinese. Pinyin means phonetic notation and uses roman numbers to correspond to sounds in mandarin Chinese.

When you want to begin the study of the Chinese language, decide what method of learning this complex language will suit your needs best. There are quick learn programs available, as well as free lessons online. You can study within the walls of a traditional classroom, or sign up for a class online. If you wish to study the Chinese language independently, consider using a download onto your mp3 player for enhanced learning and practice. To make practice entertaining, learn the mandarin form of Chinese thru interactive animations and games.

Flash cards are a great method of memorization, especially for commonly used phrases and characters. If you run across difficulties, consider a tutor either personally or connect with one online to prevent any frustration or to keep from giving up entirely. The point is to keep trying. Keep looking for unique ways to incorporate the language into your daily activities. Possibilities exist even in the smallest of means, for example stickers with words or phrases on it in the Chinese language placed around your house. Be creative.

Learning about the culture and the Chinese language offers a whole new way of looking at life and with enough effort and practice, this complex language can be mastered.

So, you want to learn to speak Chinese? And its no wonder whywith todays world aggressively tapping into each other, we are culturally merging rapidly. The Chinese language has become increasingly popular, almost tripling the demand to learn the Chinese language in the past decade. High thanks to modern technology such as computers, cell phones, even MP3 players, language accommodation in these instruments is becoming the norm. Gone are the days of primary English communications on these devices, now you can speak and write the Chinese characters, as well as many other languages. In order to keep up with the technology advances, it is become crucial to pick up a second language in business as well. If you learn to speak Chinese, and you can demonstrate ability for the language, you are more than one step above others in career paths such a business, marketing, engineering and technology.

Our world is hungry for multi diverse individuals who can communicate effectively with other cultures. And why wouldnt you want to learn to speak Chinese? Its eloquent nature lends to the desire of understanding. The characters have become an art form themselves, basked across walls declaring deep meaning. It would be nice to be able to know what these refined instruments of communication were inspiring us to. There is a peace and balance somewhere within the Chinese culture and in their language. From their ways of life to ours is a bridge and by learning to speak Chinese we have began to cross it. With the call to learn to speak Chinese, countless sources have emerged for doing just that. Traditional methods of learning include classes, and private instructors. But today, it is easy to study the Chinese language online. Available resources include everything from history of the language to audio lessons.

It is beneficial to parallel your lessons with some form of audio for correct phonetic, tone, and enunciation properties of the Chinese language. The Chinese characters will be the hardest to master, but more than likely, fun to become skilled at. Learning to speak Chinese will also be entertaining as you familiarize your tongue with all the different tones of usage involved. Once the pronunciation is accomplished, you will be well on your way into commanding a second language. Being bilingual in todays world is fast becoming a constant as we live in chorus with each other. Schools are reinforcing their teaching platforms of foreign languages more than ever, they see the future up ahead for these children. In their adult world, and in generations to follow, being bilingual may become mandatory, as well as multi lingual.

Learn to speak Chinese as an advantage to a career is optimal, or if traveling abroad, it will be useful. Consider all the uses of speaking Chinese, and know, that modern technology has already planned for this. Next time you pick up your cell phone, out of sheer curiosity, check your phones capabilitiesodds are it has the ability to operate in another language, perhaps Chinese?

If you ever sat down to eat in a Chinese restaurant, theres a good chance you have had the opportunity to hear Chinese spoken fluently. The menu most likely contained beautiful Chinese characters depicting food offerings. This beautiful language lends its self to roots that began over 4000 years ago from the Sino- Tibetan vernacular form. Today, the most common style of Chinese used is the Mandarin Chinese language.

There are many methods available to learn to read Chinese. The written characters have been narrowed down to about 30 strokes for over 40,000 characters used. Chinese grammar is different and easier than English, as there is no noun inflections and verbs are basic in structure. If you are going to tackle the art of reading Chinese, begin with memorization and consistency in character identification of each character, and there are a lot. It can become overwhelming to the untrained eyes, but understanding of these characters is foremost before learning to read Chinese. The use of a Chinese dictionary can be your best friend, as you start to identify the relationship and categories of each character. It cannot be stressed enough to consistently use word association, memorization and dictionary definitions to develop skill in reading Chinese. The idea being able to put together characters you see on paper and pull up the information stored from the learning process so you can recognize what you are reading.

This is how you develop an initial beginning vocabulary in Chinese. The English language uses spaces to separate words that form sentences. However, the grammar used in the Chinese language does not. It is equally important to incorporate Chinese grammar into your dissection of the language if you embark on the skill of learning to read Chinese. Do not become discouraged, breakthroughs in reading the language come after awhile from continual application. You can develop a fair enough reading level by studying and practicing the characters. It is also recommended to practice the writing of Chinese characters so the reading is more understandable. The Chinese language is written in parallel and vertically so formable sentence breaks occur naturally. Your brain will start to recognize patterns formed by the characters. Also an interesting task to master while studying the language, is the radical components and phonetics of each character. This is skill mastered in speaking, but as necessary in reading and writing as well if you really wish to thoroughly comprehend content in reading of the language.

Learning to read Chinese may be your goal this year. And with the Chinese language gaining momentum to be mastered other than English, and second to Spanish, there is more demand for those who have some command of this old world language. If not for personal, then for business, the Chinese language is finding its way rapidly into the daily lives of many. As for the demand, there is also mass supply of resources available to the wishful learner to accommodate their studying needs. Be brave on your quest, know success with reading the Chinese language inevitable.

It is said Mandarin Chinese is one of the top languages difficult to learn. The Chinese language embraces so many levels of complex spoken and written components within their language that it can almost seem to frustrating. In order to understand Chinese, you have to dissect the pronunciations, the written characters (and there are thousands upon thousands of them), and the tonal dialects used in each word. If the task of mastering the language becomes to cumbersome, it is often the choice to just give up.

There are means accessible to make writing Chinese somewhat easier. Some instructors suggest learning a few characters first which are most frequently used. Practice them over and over. Learning the direction of strokes, the difference in brushstrokes and pen (like thickness and style), and thorough repetition will be the best beginning point. Once familiarity of common used characters sets in, then a Chinese dictionary will come in handy to put meaning to the characters. A good guide to Chinese characters will encompass pages of most frequently used characters in the Chinese language. Practice writing Chinese and the characters. It is said that if you learn at least 800 of them, you will be able to retain at least, if not more, 86% of the characters commonly used. Double that and the comprehension rises to around 95% recognition. With that much understanding of the characters you are ready to begin grammatical lessons as well as beginning reading.

Lucky for those learning to read or write Chinese, grammar in the Chinese language is not as complex as the grammar and sentence syntax in the English language. Chinese grammar consists of only one form of verb and uses no tenses. To use adjectives, plurals, or past and future tenses, you would simply add one character. Learning to write characters in Chinese is a lot easier than actually speaking it. There is only one format used to write Chinese and is simple to comprehend.

The effect of repetition, practice and continual usage will improve your success tremendously. As will the all the free offerings online to help instruct you. Whatever your capacity or level for learning, most likely, there exists avenues online which will cater to your focus on learning to write Chinese. The most important thing to remember is not to give up. There will be plateaus and frustrating crossroads, but breakthrough always comes. If need be, seek guidance and help from those already proficient in the language for encouragement. Sometimes it is more beneficial to have a one on one instruction, or tutor, especially if you have questions or concerns about the direction you are heading into with the mastering of the Chinese language.

The Chinese language is a beautiful artful language becoming increasingly popular in the world. With the demand to learn Chinese, especially in writing the eloquent Chinese characters, more learning tools are becoming readily available. Explore all possibilities for gaining valuable knowledge on this subject, and persevere boldly into learning to write Chinese.