Not everyone wants to go a professional or armature fight. Getting hit for real just isn’t something that is compelling to most people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn MMA. The fundamentals of MMA are great skills to learn and don’t involve getting beat up. They are also great sports to train and get in shape.

Fundementals

MMA has it’s roots in many different martial arts, but the most profound have been boxing, wrestling and brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ). It was actually an BJJ effort by the Gracie family (credited with inventing BJJ) that led to the UFC which is the most popular MMA-promoter in the world.

The three martial arts mentioned above have dominated the sport of MMA since it’s inception. Learning MMA therefore should start with getting a grasp of these disciplines. This doesn’t mean that you have to train all three specifically, starting out, but you need to understand the vital roles they play in the sport.

BJJ

Of the three disciplines, BJJ is designed most specifically to be an all round self-defense skill set. It has its roots in traditional Jiu Jitsu from Japan, but has a greater focus on ground fighting. Most fights, either in self-defense or sanctioned, hit the ground at one point or the other. Being able to control your opponent, offensively and defensively, is the focus of BJJ.

The sport is usually trained wearing a Gi, which resembles the outfit used in Karate, and the practitioner relies on a combination of technique and leverage to outmaneuver their opponent.

Boxing

Learning how to box is important if you are to become a successful MMA athlete. It can also be fun for those that want to learn MMA as a hobby. Boxing is a large part of the stand-up element of MMA.

The point of knowing boxing in MMA is so that you can either out-stike your opponent, throw punches as a set up for a take-down, or go for a knock out. Do be worried about getting knocked out in practice if you go train at a gym that accepts beginner boxers. Quality gyms have strict rules about how hard members are allowed to spar in practice.

Wrestling

Many of the top MMA competitors come from a wrestling background. The UFC heavyweight champion was an outstanding wrestler in college, and he has built his MMA success on that foundation.

Although you do not need to join a wrestling club to learn mma, you should practice your sprawls, clinch, and take downs with a partner. If you train BJJ, you will probably learn enough wrestling there to get by.

Learning MMA is safe and gets you in shape

Remember that learning MMA doesn’t mean stepping in to a ring and beating someone up or getting beat up. The sport is practiced under guidance, wearing protection, and at a pace and intensity that prevents you from getting hurt. All sports have risk of injurie and so has MMA. But the risks are comparable, if not lower, than in sports like soccer or american football.

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My magic beginnings

When I was in my late teens, I started to learn some magic tricks online. It wasn’t that I wanted to be a magician or anything, but I did think that knowing a few tricks would help me to understand the magic of illusions that fascinated me so much. In my late teens, I had a great cigarette trick that entertained my friends. I could easily make a cigarette disappear, then reappear behind someone’s ear. It was an easy trick to do. All it was was a bit of misdirection and sleight-of-hand – the fundamental illusions that all magicians use. Nonetheless, my friends thought it was an amazing magic trick. Being able to see one of their own do something so mysterious was a great opportunity for them.

Party tricks

I learned some similar amazing magic tricks with coins which I do to show off the parties from time to time, but I never got much further than that. I had seen so many stage magicians in my life that I felt like it would take a lot of talent to really stick out – talent that I wasn’t sure I had. For me, the magic was gone.

Taking it to the next level

Then I saw something that changed my perception. I was exposed to a magician doing so-called mental magic. He was guessing the numbers people were thinking of, convincing people that he was a psychic, and performing all other sorts of mental illusions. Some of them were quite uncanny. I really couldn’t tell how he knew what was in people’s heads unless he had plants in the audience. When I saw what he was doing, I knew that I had to try it myself.

Mental magic

What was interesting is that these amazing magic tricks required a much different sort of skill. Unlike sleight-of-hand tricks, mental magic requires a lot of psychology. You cue people in with subtle suggestions, read unconscious clues they give you, and in general learn to anticipate and understand various aspects of human nature. It is a subtle skill, and altogether different from most magical illusions. Nonetheless, it makes for some of the most amazing magic tricks there are.

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Start typing and learn as you go

You are going to find that learning Microsoft Word is much like learning other types of word processing software. This is the basics of what Word does anyway. You use this software to write letters or other text documents, and then you can also use it to modify it in any way that you want. Just opening the program can tell you a lot about how it works. The cursor is usually automatically blinking on the page when you choose to create a new document. Just start typing and you will see what this program can do.

Word is automated

Learning Microsoft Word can be done simply by using it. Once you start typing, as mentioned above, you are going to see a few things that the program does automatically. These basics are important and also make your life so much easier. If you misspell something, the program will underline it. You can either fix it on your own, or you can use the spell check option. This is something you are going to find under one of the pull down menus at the top of the open program. Click on the spell check and it will give you options for the misspelling. You click on the one that you meant to type and the program changes it for you.

Save often

Other basics of learning Microsoft Word include how to save, print, and email you document when you are done with it. If you are smart, you will go through all of the options you can find under the ‘file’ option on most versions of Microsoft Word before you do anything else. When you start a new document, use the ’save as’ to name and save your file. Save often as you go because any computer can shut off at any time and you want to know you saved before that happens. You can also see options to email your documents when you are done, and also how to print. Each is very self explanatory if you go through them step by step.

Advanced

Once you are done learning Microsoft Word basics, you can go on to learn the more advanced options on your own, or you can find some other type of help. There are web sites and other programs that you can find that help with learning Microsoft Word from the comfort of your own home or from your desk at work. Your employer may also send you to a few classes to learn the program if you need to learn it quickly for your job. Take the time to learn all that it can do and you may find that you can not live without it in both your personal and professional life.

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Learn the basics first

It is a mistake to start off learning billiards trick shots when you aren’t very good at the game. After all, almost every billiards trick shot there is requires a perfect knowledge of geometry combined with an ability to precisely control where your shot goes. As a matter of fact, the most simple pool trick shots aren’t really trick shots at all. For example, jumping a ball is often considered a trick shot, but it is actually a useful strategy for many pool games. To jump a ball, you have to hit it low down with just the right spin to get it to vault over the balls in front of it and hit what is behind them. You have to precisely calculate the jumps so it lands correctly and continues in a straight path.

In my opinion, this is the first billiards trick shot that you should learn. It isn’t that you can’t learn how to do other trick shots before you learn this one, but you will have more difficulty. The thing is, if you don’t have the  precise control over the ball That you need to jump it, you probably won’t be able to do other difficult shots either. Being able to control such elements of the game as backspin, power, and precise placement are absolutely crucial to almost all of the good billiards trick shots.

Understanding geometry

Of course a big part of pool trick shots is just understand geometry. Once you can control the ball perfectly, you can basically set up any trick unimaginable. You can position five or six balls just right so that, when you hit the cue ball, all of them will go into different pockets. There are literally dozens of different ways to set them up like this. Then it is just a matter of placing the balls correctly, shooting a shot absolutely straight, and receiving applause from the people around you. It is gratifying to have people admire your abilities when you really master the game.

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How to Play Popular Piano

How to Play Popular Piano in 10 Easy Lessons by Norman Monath is a fine example of a user-friendly book. Step by step instruction takes the novice through the basic chords and scales and explains the concept of harmony and melody. Soon, the budding pianist will be able to play simple tunes and there is information on how to play in a specific style. Keyboard diagrams make everything understandable. There’s also a section on improvisation. The instruction is suitable for playing by ear or from following sheet music.

How to Play the Piano Despite Years of Lessons

How to Play the Piano Despite Years of Lessons: What Music Is and How to Make It at Home is written by Ward Cannel. The author understands that some people have struggled with beginner piano lessons in the past and he sets out to demystify music. The book’s ten sections chart the pupil’s progression with notations and keyboard diagrams. Scale exercises are avoided, to the delight of all those people still having nightmares about doing their scales as a child!

Piano for Dummies

The Dummies series of books is very popular and Piano for Dummies, written by Blake Neely, is a welcome addition to the series. It’s an ideal format for teaching the fundamentals of music theory and it doesn’t require the novice to read music. There is a play along CD to accompany the book with favorites from childhood, blues and classical tunes. Chapters also include advice on buying a piano, maintaining a piano, a history of piano styles, and a Top 10 List of Pianists. This book is also suitable for anyone who has played piano in the past but needs a refresher course.

It’s Never Too Late to Play Piano

It’s Never Too Late to Play Piano by Pam Wedgwood is a tutor book with a CD. The book explains playing technique and music theory, a history of piano music, fact files, technical information and a recommended listening list. Pupils learn how to play familiar classics, pop songs, show tunes and the author’s own jazz tinged compositions.  The CD contains more than 90 backing tracks and there are interactive activities. This beginner piano lesson book has been revised and updated.

Lisa Child’s Piano 1

It shouldn’t be a chore for anyone to learn piano and children can be encouraged by making lessons fun. Lisa Child’s Piano 1 is the first in a series of four books, designed to be used on its own or with the help of a teacher. The book is respected by piano teachers and the series is often used in schools. Usborne is a popular publisher of children’s material and the First Book of the Piano, by Eileen O’Brien is in a fun cartoon presentation, suitable for any age. The book comes with a CD.

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Selling the image

In rock music in particular, you need to be fresh and a tiny bit outside the box for people to listen to what you have to say. You need to be accessible, yet you need to promote this image of an elite coolness that not everyone can have. This makes your fans feel like they are part of something special. Remember, with popular music fans, you are selling an image as much as you’re selling music.

Myspace

One of the most important steps to band promotion nowadays is getting a Myspace music page. Everyone has to do this. It is easy, straightforward, and essential. You don’t even need to set it up that well. It just gives people who like your music a convenient way to check out what you’re doing, see dates for upcoming shows, and link to your page to feel like you are a part of their life.

Official band web site

You should also have an official  band website. My space pages are alright, but having your own well-made website can take your band promotion to the next level. You can sell merchandise, show live videos, and do it all in a style that is more unique and expressive. This can really help you give your band a certain look.

Merchandise

Another important band promotion step you can take is to get some good merchandise. The fact is, people won’t buy shirts they don’t like even for bands they do. On the other hand, I know a lot of folks who will buy a rock band t shirt just because they like the way it looks. Having band patches, pins, and posters is also important. You don’t need to print out a lot of merchandise at first. Just having a few on hand so that people can buy a piece of the show to take home with them is enough to get you started.

Networking

Many bands have made it to the top through networking. You need to meet a lot of local bands, music organizers, and other people in your scene, and find ways to work with them. You will get your start opening for other local bands,so be sure to always be nice to people and make connections with your scene. Ultimately, the more you connect, the easier it will be to get your music out. After all, playing in front of an audience is the best kind of band promotion there is. If you are good enough and know how to put on a live show, you won’t have to worry about promoting your music for long.

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Overseas courses

Still, I never mastered how to speak French until I finally took a course overseas. I did a study abroad program, staying in a French academy in Paris. It was one of the best experiences of my life. Learning to speak a foreign language is easy if you can really immerse yourself in the culture. When you have to know how to speak French just to get by, order food, or get directions, you can pick it up pretty quickly. The thing is, you don’t even really need to work on it that much. The desire to learn is so strong when you’re trying to immerse yourself in a culture that it comes almost naturally.

Practice makes perfect

My sister had a lot more trouble learning how to speak French, and I know her experience isn’t uncommon. If you have a natural affinity for foreign languages, learning one can be extremely easy. Still, even for these people, studying French abroad is probably the best way to go. It is true that the more you work on something, the faster you pick it up. If you work on a new language for several hours every day, it will take you no time at all to get the basics down. You might never master it and speak truly fluently, but you can at least make yourself understood. After taking a course in France, even my sister could speak fluent conversational French – well, fairly fluent anyway. People can tell that she is not a native speaker, but she never has trouble getting her point across.

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Message boards

Since my first online days I have sought out expert advice. One of the oldest internet protocols, Usenet, is a place where we used to get advice and expert opinions. USENET has groups for a wide variety of hobbies and academic disciplines, where anyone can answer questions. Although you are never certain a question is answered by an expert, the groups are often self-regulating and moderated. If low quality answer is given, an expert will most definitely step in and give you the correct details. Today, forums have taken over the role for USENET. Finding a specialized forum on your subject can be a great way to learn.

Web sites

Web sites like About.com are forum-like, where you can ask questions and get answers from other visitors at the site. This is just one example of probably thousands of examples. Learnnewskills.net is another type of site where popular skills, and how to learn them, are described.

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Choosing between all the different telescopes that are available can be a challenge, but following these simple ground rules should make it pretty straightforward.

Check out your location

Do an area “recon” to see what is going to be visible on your site. The moon is of course one of the easiest objects to spot, as it is near the earth and quite bright. Even a small telescope will be sufficient to also view Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn, however a high-power eyepiece will help you. Venus is the brightest object in our solar system, aside from the sun and moon, and is therefore a favourite object for astronomy for beginners.

Magnification

Do not purchase the first cheap model that claims very high magnification. Magnification is generally not the most important feature, as the image’s sharpness and brightness does not correlate with the magnification factor. You will be able to see most observations under 50 x magnifications, so it is ultimately the optics that determines good results from bad.

Reflector telecopes

It is common for the amateurs to buy a reflector telescope, as these are affordable to most people setting out to embark on astronomy for beginners. With regards to optics, aperture width is important, as the wider the aperture the more the image will be bright and sharp. Purchasing a steady mount is also important, as even an expensive telescope will do you no good with out a tripod of reasonable quality.

Astrophotography

Taking picture of the objects and images seen is also very popular among astronomers. The term for this is Astrophotography, and even the amateur can have a go at this. If you are interested in taking pictures, you need to choose a digital camera and a film. Professionals usually go for film, as the quality is generally superior, as digital cameras can not produce long exposures. Ease of use and price might make digital the ideal choice for a beginner though, and it can easily cope with capturing the bright objects you will be photographing, like the Moon and close planets. It is also very practical to be able to see the image immediately after you have taken them, now that digital cameras sport LCD screens. Same goes for the camera as for the telescope, a quality tripod is essential for stability.

Books about Astronomy

As a final thought, astronomy for beginners is a popular subject for books, often including guides to the constellations and star charts. Check out the reviews on the books below and see if they fit your needs.

Astronomy For Beginners

Author: Jeff Becan

Turn Left at Orion: A Hundred Night Sky Objects to See in a Small Telescope–and How to Find Them

Authors: Guy Consolmagno and Dan M.Davis.

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“Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm.” Wikipedia.org

Everybody can learn to sing

Reading the lines above you might be thinking that often singing is rather “the act of producing awful sounds” and that the person exalting this noise would never be able to sing a clear tone. However, I assure you that with the correct practice, over time, anyone and everyone can learn to sing.

First things first, you have to want to sing and you should probably like to sing. If you don’t like to sing because you sound terrible, that is ok as long as you are willing to learn. Second, remember that while I recommend that you use every chance you have to sing, like in the shower, in the car, while you clean the house, this should not substitute your daily, or every other day, practice.

Note: The goal in this article is how to learn to sing as cheap as possible. If you can afford regular singing lessons, that would probably be the best path to go. Be sure to read the advice on singing teachers at the bottom of this article though.

Getting started

Getting started is easy, and you probably already have if you like to sing. Get out your favorite cd and sing along. If you are not used to singing at all and find it embarrassing, wait until you are home alone and put on the cd loud so you, or at least your neighbors, can’t hear you sing.

Try to get in at least 30 min. of practice in every other day. Do not practice every day when starting out, you might strain your voice and cause you problems from the get go.

Now, as the weeks pass by, decrease the volume on the stereo so that your voice gets louder in comparison to the cd. This way you will hear more of your mistakes and be able to adjust, as you get used to hearing it.

After 1 month

This could easily be the first thing you do, and if you have sung  for some time and are used to your voice, be free to skip the Getting Started advice. Now it is time to practice more effectively, and what I recommend for this stage is to open the yellow pages, search for singing teachers and schedule one lesson. Ask that you be able to record the session, if the teacher says no call a different teacher. Remember, this article has been to those that do not want, or can afford, regular song lessons by a teacher.

Now, when you have this practice session with the singing teacher, bring along a tape recorder, or other recording device. Set it up so that it records best records the song teachers piano and the instructions he or she calls out.

If the recording is a success you will be able to practice to this tape every day if you like, and it is free. Remember, what you don’t get when you follow this route is correcting instructions, so pay extra attention to your own voice while practicing.

Singing like a super star

Every, or every, other month

Book a session with a singing teacher so that you can pin down your weak spots. Do this once per month, or every other, if you can afford it. Bring your tape recorder and tape these sessions so that your warm up practise’s reflects your increasing reach. 

Things to look out for when choosing a singing teacher

Just like in any other profession, there are good teachers and bad teachers. I want to give you two main advice that you should look out for when reviewing your first lesson.

1. Chemistry: Do you feel comfortable with this person? There is always a bit discomfort in the first session, after all you are singing to someone that is judging your voice, it can be scary. But, is this a person that gives you constructive feedback or hard, cold, criticism? Are you a person that perhaps prefers the cold reality? Find someone that matches you, but can still push you to do better!
2. Pedagogy skills: Too many good vocalists/singers turn bad singing teachers, because their pedagogy skills are weak. Look for a teacher that is specific in their instructions and feedback. Look out for teachers that try to teach you trough vague phrases like “think big” to get a larger volume in your voice, or “let your lunges guide you” (I made that one up) to better your performance. If the teacher can’t explain the mechanics of the voice, lungs, neck, and how they work together (or against each other), this might be a weak teacher. Since the vocal cords aren’t visible to you, it can be frustrating some times to figure out what you are doing wrong. Choose a teacher that is able to “force” you to do it right through specific practice lessons for that particular weakness.

Thats about it for now. Remember, sing to have fun!

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