The Labor day weekend has passed, and I was lucky enough to spend one of the days on the Rogue River here in Oregon.
Not getting to be a “tourist” in my own backyard very often, we treated ourselves to an exciting day on one of the jetboats that travel down and up the middle section of the Rogue below Grants Pass.
This is a bit of a change in river travel for me, as my usual mode of travel is either in a driftboat, walking, or rafting.
The jetboats offer a fast lane adventure-usually for tourists with limited time, and looking for the “Readers Digest” version of exploration on the Rogue. We had company visiting and since fishing is not an interest of theirs, this was the perfect trip for them to get to know the Rogue River a little better.
First off, let me say the trip is really enjoyable and exciting, with even the old and young whooping and smiling enthusiastically as the jetboats go into their patended 360 degree spins that almost always leave the passengers soaked, giggling, and begging for more spins. In fact, if someone was to start an operation of “mad tea cups” that could spin endlessly up and downstream, they would assuredly be filled with happy customers.
Puking customers– but happy!!
The trips are also very informative, with the knowledgable guides/ boat drivers giving history, pointing out wildlife and entertaining everybody with some canned “diatribes” that you would expect from this form of river entertainment.
” Yeah, I once had a Dallas Cowboy fan on board-who kept giving me an earful. I told him I would get even with him, and when I flew under this flock of Canada Goose… well they let go right on HIM….can you believe it?”….
We saw Otter, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Herons, Egrets, Deer, Ducks, Geese, and million dollar homes with park like settings.
We also saw Salmon and Salmon fishermen.
Being in the midst of the fall Salmon run on the Rogue, we encountered fishermen the entire trip. The drivers are very courteous and always slow their 1100 horsepower motors to an idle as they pass. This helps to keep a very shaky co-existence between non-motorized boats, bank fishermen and motorized boats at a balance that even the United Nations would admire.
They of course don’t tell you this on the trip, but there are some “turf wars” when it comes to river use.
Jetboats have operated on the Rogue River for a number of years-in fact- a lot longer than I have been in these parts- and there has always been some conflict between fishermen and the boats that fly up and down the river at ninety miles an hour!
I have read passages in older “river books” that talk about fishermen getting “swamped” or “bankies” hurling lead weights as the jetboats streaked by.
Everyone claimed”they owned the river”.
Arguments always ensued over the importance of jobs and tourist dollars, versus fishing rights and effect on the Salmon.
By past standards, todays co-existence is mild and really quite civil.
More than once we would pass fishermen who would either have a fish mid battle or would hoist a nice 40 pound fall Salmon
into the air, drawing applause and admiration from the jetboat crowd.
I could hear some of the “tourists” exclaiming how great it was to see the highly regarded Salmon being caught by these hearty river souls. Of course a lot of them didn’t know that a portion of these fish are snagged and harvested illegally.
Having just returned from Alaska, where snagging is legal(from the gill plate forward) and is considered standard fishing practice, it was interesting to see the different mindset between the Alaskan rivers dwellers and the” lower 48″ river dweller.
Our guide/driver more than once commented on the snagging going on and the illegal harvesting they see every day on their trips up and down the river. He even spun the boat around once so we could see a drift fisherman net a “foul hooked” fish that he correctly predicted would not be landed until we were out of view. That way the fisherman could keep the snagged fish and brag about his fishing prowess back at work on Tuesday!!
He was right on!
The only issue I had with this “holier than thou–I’m a fish conservationist attitude” was that: here you have a 1100 horsepower,ninety mile an hour,wake producing water rocket traveling up and down the river–sometimes in six inches of water– calling out these fishermen, without also saying that the cause and effect of these powerboats are sometimes not in the best interest of the migrating fish either!!
More than once in the history of jetboats, nice bright chrome Salmon and Steelhead have been “ambushed” by powerboats leaving them with more than a headache and causing them to float to the surface with an aborted spawning effort.
Dead fish don’t spawn.
As a card carrying fish thumper, it would be hypocritical of me to overly critical of the jetboats-but it would be nice if they presented the facts IN FULL , to their customers, especially since most are “out of the area” tourists.
My guess, is that jetboats have been the cause of more dead fish than the “average Joe” who occasionally snags a Salmon and whacks him on the head. Of course, I still don’t condone snagging.
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I read the morning newspaper today, and an article mentioned that the prospect of “wild Salmon” disappearing in the next century was almost assured. It also mentioned that even if we that live in the areas where Salmon have historically carried out their time honored traditions of — river-sea-river lifecycles–, were to become good stewards of rivers and tributaries, we might still not be able to reverse the inevitable loss of one of the most admired creatures on this planet.
Pretty bleak–and I hope we prove the “experts” wrong!!
What is the answer??
Don’t ask me– but I hope the conflict between jetboat, fisherman and “wild fish, remains a problem forever….. because that means we will still have the wild Salmon to fret over..
A.J. Klott
Author, writer of fishing humor,and “fly tack” peddler.A.J. writes about the people,characters and modern day events that surround the fishing world. His first book is due out in December of 2005.If you need a laugh or a fun gift, visit his website at:http://www.twoguyswithflys.com
There are many myths about martial arts training, and the general public accepts some as fact. In the following article, I have outlined general guidelines, and precautions, for parents who are considering enrolling their child, or children, into martial arts.
Below, I have listed some common issues and questions that parents often ask about martial arts for their children. Also, you will be much more informed about the benefits of martial arts, the structure with a martial arts school, and know what to realistically expect.
What should I be looking for in a martial arts school?
Safety comes as a first priority for parents who seek martial arts instruction for their children. Here are a number of key factors to consider:
Is safety equipment used when children are performing exercises and drills that require contact? This is especially important when children are sparring in martial arts. In many martial arts schools, sparring equipment is required, or the child cannot spar. The number of injuries resulting from sparring in Karate, Kung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do is surprisingly low in comparison to many league sports.
Never the less, I once had a father pull his son out of our martial arts school because he found a karate studio that would let his son “fight” without protective equipment. In our school, it is mandatory to wear martial arts equipment for the safety of the students. Sparring equipment has come a long way, so why not use it?
The flooring surface should match the martial art. If take downs, sweeps, and throws are required, there should be some kind of matted floor available. Many of the state-of-the-art martial arts schools have a floor surface specifically designed for martial arts. It makes no sense to have anyone throw a classmate on a hard floor, with the type of flooring available,
as this can result in long-term injuries.
Can parents watch Karate classes?
Let’s put it this way, if you cannot watch your child practice karate, or any other martial art, you should find another school. I can appreciate the fact that some martial arts instructors don’t want to deal with interfering parents. This is the reason for rules and signs.
Remember the “hockey dad” incident? There are a few people who, through their own conduct, create rules for the rest of us. However, you are the parent and are entitled to see your child train in karate or any martial arts class.
Fire exits, fire extinguishers, and someone who monitors visitors, as they enter a karate studio full of children, should be standard features. We have three fire exits and one main entrance, in our studio, but only one door is used for an entrance. Kids understand security because they see the same precautions in elementary school.
Also, watch out for poles in the middle of the room. Adults will spot them, but an excited child in a karate class may forget and end up crashing into one. Make sure that you feel secure about the studio, surroundings, rules, and the staff before you make a decision to have your child take martial arts classes.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote Yoga: The Key to Self-Mastery. His martial arts site is: http://www.kids-karate.com
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I have read a number of books, articles, and novels, and have watched movies and television series that touched on the origins of Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing), and the question, “Who Created Tai Chi Chuan?” made me concern very much!
Although knowing the origins or the source of Tai Chi Chuan is not going to have much effects on your learning and practicing of the art, it is my responsibility to share with the masses of what I have found out. And understanding the origins of something that we loved so much about will make us appreciate the understand it better, if not improving our skills.
The legend was too well-known. And most people will tell and re-tell the stories of a priest named Zhang Sanfeng of the Wudang Sect who found this special martial arts called Tai Chi Chuan. I was fascinated by these legends, and found myself believing them too… until I researched more deeply into its historical backgrounds. Some legends said that he got the inspiration to create Tai Chi Chuan from observing the fight between a snake and a crane, and some said in he learned it from an immortal in a dream.
Dream???
Yes, this theory is found in a recorded scripture.
Based on that written scripture, it was claimed that Zhang Sanfeng were summoned by the Emperor at that time, around the end of Song Dynasty. He was on his way to the palace when he was surrounded by a group of over 100 bandits. Unable to breakthrough, he put a night up in hiding.
That night, he dreamt of meeting King Yuan, previous ruler of China in who appeared as an immortal in his dream. King Yuan taught him a special type of martial art in that dream.
Next day, with this new skill, Zhang Sanfeng defeated the 100 over bandits, single-handedly. From then onwards, Zhang Sanfeng began to teach this mysteriously acquired skill to his disciples and this art is known as Tai Chi Chuan.
Let’s put aside the point about him defeating 100 over bandits single-handedly, which is very difficult to be accepted as a true point. Even the existence of Zhang Sanfeng is very much speculated! Some claimed that he lived in the beginning of Yuan Dynasty; some claimed that he lived during the Jin Invasion of the Southern Song Dynasty; some claimed that he lived in the Song Dynasty; and some even said in Ming Dynasty. This is quite debatable.
On top of that, why King Yuan in his dream???
This is mainly because the relationship between philosophies (some said religion) and martial arts are closely related. Since Daoism is very much rooted in the Chinese culture and it stresses on maintenance life, with the tendency towards achieving immortality, the immortal King Yuan, came into the picture in this legend.
Many Chinese scholars and writers have disagreed with this record!
Even there’s common agreement that Zhang Sanfeng is not the one created Tai Chi Chuan, there are many disagreement regarding the origin of Tai Chi Chuan. There are many schools of thought. Some claimed that it began in Liang State of the Southern Dynasty era – by Han Gongyue and Cheng Lingxi. There are claims that it was created by Xu Xuanpin or Li Daozi in the Tang Dynasty.
Based on more reliable sources and records, Tai Chi Chuan originated from Chen Wangting, the 9th generation of the Chen clan of Chenjiagou in Nanwen District during the late Ming Dynasty.
With this, there are some believed that Tai Chi Chuan was created by the 1st generation of the Chen clan – Chen Bo who was an expert in martial arts, and Chen Bo was influenced by Zhang Sanfeng’s concept. However, there are no clear
records to prove this theory.
It was argued that Tai Chi Chuan had been passed down from generation to generation in the Chen family. Only until the time of Chen Wangting (approx. 1600-1680 AD), the art was systemized during his old age.
He researched on the Huangting Jin which provided him with guidance on breathing techniques, combining ideas found in The Book of 12 Fist Motions by Qi Jiguang, and the ideas of yin and yang. And he injected these ideas into his family’s Tai Chi Chuan to systemize it into 5 sets of Tai Chi Chuan forms and 1 set of Cannon Fist.
He had also arranged Tai Chi Sabre, Tai Chi Spear and various sets of weapons yielding forms. In the same time, he created Tai Chi Push Hand and Tai Chi Sticking Spear. This was an incredible work which allowed Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan to further develop into a complete martial art system. It was even more complete than its original Tai Chi exercise.
This can be said to be the origin of Chen Style Tai Chi Chuan, which also means that, the origin of all forms of Tai Chi Chuan!
Through generations, Tai Chi Chuan had been passed on and been modified. This resulted in various styles and sects. For example, through the teaching and guidance from Chen Changxin, Yang Luchan, nicknamed “The Invincible Yang”, created the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan. Then, when Yang Luchan passed his skills to Wu Quanyou, Wu created the Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan. Chen Qingping who learned from Chen Youben created the Zhao Style Tai Chi Chuan. Wu Yuxiang who learned from Yang Luchan and Chen Qingping created Wu (different Chinese character from the earlier Wu) Style Tai Chi Chuan.
Following that, Li Yishe created Li Style; from Li, Hao Weizhen created Hao Style; and from Hao, Sun Lutang created the Sun Style. There are possibly more than what I can list!
Sorry if I sound rude, but I need to put those researched information to public so that we can appreciate the art better when we understand its historical development and the core principles behind Tai Chi Chuan.
I don’t mean doubt the existence of Zhang Sanfeng. I started learning meditation at the age of 10 and in the scriptures that I based my meditation on, Zhang Sanfeng’s name had been mentioned many, many times. His techniques and ideology influenced my initial meditation practices. I actually respect this great master of the past and had once believe in the legend, though historical evidents of his existence were not very clear!
What I want to share here is solid sources of historical records that can be proven to be reliable, until present dates. Researches have still been carried out, though many agreed that Chen Wangting should get the credit in putting Tai Chi Chuan into a systematic sets of martial and healing arts, which in another word, Chen Wangting is known to have created the Tai Chi Chuan system we had at the present days! Who knows if any further researches may uncover other records or sources that may prove whatever current theories otherwise!
May the Energy of Tai Chi be with you!
Written by,
C. Guan Soo
http://www.TaichiForYourHealth.com
*************** Note ***************
You may distribute or publish this article freely provide you do not make any changes or alteration on the article content, or remove my name and website from the article. Thank you!
C. Guan Soo is a Tai Chi Practitioner who has 23 years of experience in meditation, martial arts, Tai Chi Chuan, healing arts, eastern philosophies and Buddhism. He has a website at: http://www.TaichiForYourHealth.com to discuss how Tai Chi Chuan can help to improve you health, physically and mentally.
Golf clubs. In this article we’re not talking about the kind that you grip and use to take a swipe at a poor defenseless golf ball with. We’re going to talk about the kind that you join. More specifically, what constitutes a golf club and what exactly does it mean to a golfer to be part of one. It’s more than just a place to hang out and trade tall tales.
The first thing we need to do is define what a golf club actually is based on the United States Golf Association (USGA) rules.
A golf club is an organization of at least 10 members. The club itself must be operated under some kind of bylaws with committees, which includes a handicap committee. This committee will supervise golf activities, provide reviews and maintain the integrity of the USGA handicap system. The club itself has to be licensed by the USGA in order to use the handicap system. The club can get a license agreement directly from the USGA or through membership in an authorized golf association that is already recognized by the USGA. This association must have geographical jurisdiction in the area where the club applying for membership is located.
The golf club has to specify which type it is and there are 3 types.
1. It is located in one specific golf course with a valid USGA course rating where the majority of the events are played and scoring records are kept.
2. It’s members are affiliated to or associated with another organization. In other words, they belonged to another club before forming this one.
3. The members have no prior affiliation and get
other members through solicitation to the public through newspapers, Internet, etc.
After the club is formed it must comply to all regulations under Section 8-2m; Decision 2/7. This is a rather lengthy document with about 14 sections in it. Failure to conform to any of the regulation can result in the club being kicked out of the USGA.
To make sure that golf clubs adhere to all the rules and regulations of the USGA, they have set up an audit program for golf clubs to ensure the integrity of the USGA handicap system is being maintained. What the USGA does is randomly select licensed golf clubs to complete the audit program and to show evidence that they are using the USGA’s formulas and service marks the way they are supposed to in compliance with the USGA’s handicapping system. All licensed golf clubs are subjected to being audited by the USGA regardless of whether or not there is an issue with compliance.
There are 15 items in the audit program itself including the location of the golf club, number of members, who handicap indexes are provided to, if there is a handicap committee, if USGA revisions are clearly posted, if members are given a reasonable amount of time throughout the year to play in events, that scores are verified correct, that scores are posted home and away, that the course itself has been rated within the last 10 years, that scoring records are made available for viewing by officials, that the USGA rules of golf themselves are enforced, and providing any other pertinent information that the club has been abiding by USGA rules.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Golf Clubs
The five Concept Golf swing principles have proven themselves to be the truth many, many times with the permanent improvement of countless golfers of all levels. But a couple months ago the principles were given confirmation of a different kind.
When I returned home late one afternoon, there were four messages on the answering machine, all from the same man. The voice said he was Walter Masterson and he had found Golf Can’t be This Simple – The Swing in a Borders bookstore, read it and wanted to talk with me right away. His tone was very excited.
Walter was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox; teammate of Ted Williams. He wanted to know where I had found the five principles. He had realized some of these same truths as a pitcher, pitching coach
and college baseball coach. He also had scientific confirmation from the kinesiology professors at the college.
Walter is a special guy and we had much fun talking about baseball and golf. It was great to have the confirmation of the Concept Golf five swing principles from a thoughtful professional baseball pitcher, especially since Concept Golf uses the pitching motion to describe the five swing principles.
John Toepel is a Veteran PGA Tour Player, instructor, author, and professional speaker. He is also the discoverer of Concept Golf, the quickest way to immediate, life-long lasting improvements to anyone’s golf game. To learn more about Concept Golf, including the most comprehensive golf instruction system ever, “The Concept Golf Perfect Shot Making System”, please visit http://www.conceptgolf.com/PSMS.htm and Discover the Par Golfer in You!
Looking around on the web for an aluminum fishing boat? You’ll soon enough find out there are a number of different ways to go, depending on your needs and budget…
Are you looking for something very straightforward and uncomplicated you can quickly fit on your pickup? Or maybe you want something more sophisticated you can use for both tournament fishing and recreational fishing?
Another option – if money isn’t your biggest concern – could be to look into a custom built boat with everything just the way you want!
You will probably know why you’re looking for an aluminum fishing boat as opposed to a fiberglass or steel boat, but lightness (greater performance or fuel savings) and strength (around 35,000 pounds per square inch (psi) will deform it as opposed to 30,000 psi for mild steel) are probably the greatest advantages.
Price also come into play as many an aluminum fishing boat owner have reported looking around for similar fiberglass boats and being put off by the prices.
In addition it is not only the purchase price, but also the maintenance costs afterwards which one need to take into account.
Aluminum is practically maintenance-free. If left unpainted aluminum will form a supertight layer of aluminum oxide on its surface and then will stay that way indefinitely.
What else is great about owning an aluminum fishing boat? Aluminum is fireproof and non-toxic; it is natural, and the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust. It is easily repairable, and a great advantage for boats: aluminum won’t absorb water!
What about price? Well, you can start looking at something that was designed to fit right into small pickup truck beds like a Meyers Explorer 12 Jon Boat. This one goes for only a few hundred dollars!
Then you can move up to something much more advanced like the Tracker Pro Angler V-16. The Tracker features large lockable rod
storage that holds up to 7’6″ rods, divided aerated livewell with Flow-Rite aeration, a deluxe console with a simulated burlwood switch panel and more.
On the Tracker there’s always plenty of room for tackle, people and gear. Even an amateur would know that this was a great aluminum fishing boat after only one ride!
Then there’s the Ranger Cherokee 217, which is known for an extremely wide front casting deck. It also features an extension-deck option to make it even bigger. (Note: Unfortunately Ranger stopped making them, but if you can find one, rest assured it’s a solid boat. Crestliner’s boats can now offer a similar quality in a bass boat).
You may also want to look at unique boats like those of Design Concepts. Their aluminum fishing boats are crafted with a revolutionary hull configuration called Drop-Keel. Instead of being flat on the bottom like other boats, Design Concepts boats are engineered to drop just below the water line before turning upward at the bow. This feature keeps the cutting edge of your boat in the water at all times.
Design Concepts also offer a “true lifetime warranty”: even if you sell your boat, the warranty stays with it, ensuring you the highest value retention of any boat you can buy.
How about a custom-built aluminum fishing boat? As an example, King Salmon Marine lets you choose many details like the position of the console, overall length and hight, bottom width and thickness – even the type of aluminum alloy!
For more information visit http://www.Fishing-Things.com
Neels Theron of http://www.ArticleSnap.com – where he offers original Private Label articles with a special Rewrite Kit to webmasters and publishers of niche sites – researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: Neels Theron. To republish this article please leave the links and resource box intact!
Now that we’ve covered what nymph fly fishing is all about, let’snext take a look at what sort of fly fishing gear you’re going toneed to do it. While nymph fly fishing uses pretty much the samegear you use when dry fly fishing, there is a few small itemsthat any successfully nymph fisherman will want to have. Theseitems are strike indicators, some small weights, and a good pairof fly fishing sunglasses.
Strike Indicators for Nymph Fishing
First, you will need some strike indicators. Strike indicatorsare generally bright orange, ungodly looking things that get puton your leader well above the fly or on the fly line itself, atthe junction of the fly line and leader. These strike indicatorsare what you look at when nymph fishing – not the fly itself.With practice and patience, you’ll eventually be able to tellwhen “unnatural” movements occur in the strike indicator – whichmost likely indicates that a fish just took your nymph flyimitation.
Exactly where to put the strike indicator is a matter of somedebate, but ultimately boils down to what you are fly fishing forand where you are doing it. Wary Brown Trout in heavily fishedwaters, like the Missouri River, are not likely to be real wildabout seeing a bright orange object just a few feet above thefly. On the other hand, more gullible trout or trout that receiveless fly fishing pressure could probably care less about it. Inshort, use your judgment, erring on the side of caution (placingthe strike indicator as far away from the fly as possible, foryour
abilities).
Small Weights for Nymph Fishing
The second thing you’ll need for many rivers will be some smallweights to add to your fly line or leader. In many, if not mostnymph fly fishing situations, a floating line is still used.However, to get the fly down to the depth you want it to go willrequire weighting it (at least in faster water).
This is best done with the newer “twist on” non-toxic weightsthat are now available. Using these types of weights, an anglercan put on as much or as little weight as needed to bring the flydown to depth, while at the same time preventing the fish frominhaling toxic lead (which can kill them).
Should you plan on fishing in really deep or fast rivers whereeven a weighted leader will not get the fly down to depth fastenough, then you will also want to look at investing in asink-tip fly line. Sink-tip fly lines have the tip of the flyline weighted to sink, thus allowing it to sink the nymph flymore quickly.
Fly Fishing Sunglasses for Nymph Fishing
Another item of heavy importance is a good pair of polarizedsunglasses. It’s absolutely imperative that you be able to seethe strike indicator, and polarized sunglasses are very effective for this.
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“Martial Arts or Karate may not be a good fit for my daughter.”
We are living in the 21st century, and I still hear this one. This kind of thinking is what has been holding women back for centuries. This statement is not only made by fathers, but by mothers, too. If your daughter wants to try martial arts, let her have a chance. Martial arts classes for girls, or women, are very rewarding.
Over the years, I have coached successful female martial arts competitors who were every bit as good as their male counterparts. In the past, our kids’ karate demonstration team had female captains. At one point, we had more girls on the demonstration team than boys.
Lately, we have hit the opposite cycle, with more boys than girls, as the kids from our kids’ Karate demonstration team perform around the Providence, Rhode Island area. However, girls learn faster, understand precision, can easily grasp complicated techniques, and are usually better kickers.
Some grappling arts, such as Jujitsu, are not as popular with girls, but I have coached good female grapplers, as well. There is no reason to stop your daughter from learning martial arts, if she shows an interest. All of the life skill benefits such as, goal setting, self esteem, self discipline, success, and self defense, make martial arts training as important for girls as it is for boys.
“How can I justify the cost of Karate?”
When you consider that many Karate schools charge less than a babysitter, martial arts training for children is a “bargain.” Consider this formula based upon a fairly high priced Karate studio. Most martial arts studios, in the United States, average around $70 per month to train a child. Granted, some are more and some are less, but let’s look at your price per hour, if you paid $100 per month.
That comes to just $25 per week, and many Karate studios have a three class limit per week for children. That comes to $8.33 per session for your child to learn life skills, self defense, and play with good kids in a safe environment. Martial arts, for children, are a formula for success, and the cost is really, “peanuts.”
Most well behaved children are allowed to take more Karate classes. The children who “run the staff ragged” will be
reminded of the weekly limit. So, the truth is the real cost may be less than peanuts, since there are plenty of martial arts schools, including our center in North Providence, Rhode Island, that charge far less than $100 per month.
Using the formula mentioned above, the cost of Karate per class for a martial arts school, charging the national average of $70 per month, comes to $5.83 per session. Did I say martial arts training is a bargain? Maybe I should have said martial arts training is a steal.
The alternative to plug kids into the television, and put a joystick in their hands, is a big mistake. It’s not any cheaper, when you consider the cost of games and the ever changing video game formats.
On top of that, here’s what video games do for kids: Create anxiety, destroy social skills, teach them a lot about violence, and waste most of their time. All you need to do is throw a Big Mac in their lap every night, and within a year, you should have a child who is a nervous wreck, with poor communication skills, and an obesity problem.
Over the long-term, the wrong after school activities result in very expensive health and psychological care. Therefore, look at martial arts as preventative medicine, and as a bonus, your child is staying out of trouble.
Lastly, if cost is really an issue and you still can’t justify paying less than you would pay for a babysitter at $5.83 per session, you can still shop around and talk until you find the right karate studio.
A martial arts studio, that is “packed to the rafters” with kids, may not be as negotiable as a Karate studio that is an upstart, or a martial arts center that has plenty of room in their kids Karate classes.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Yoga: The Key to Self- Mastery. http://www.kids-karate.com
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In this continuing series, let’s address more issues and frequently asked questions that concern parents who seek to enroll their child in a martial arts program. The first question in this part is possibly the most important one of all.
How do I find the right martial arts teacher for my kids?
You will know when you have a face-to-face meeting and observe him or her teach a martial arts class. The chemistry between a prospective martial arts teacher and you should be good.
After all, your child is supposed to learn courtesy, respect, self-discipline, goal setting, and many more life skills from his or her martial arts instructor. If the martial arts teacher you are considering, displays none of the above-mentioned qualities, please continue to shop around.
It makes no difference if your child is learning Karate, Jujitsu, Aikido, Judo, Tae Kwon Do, or Kung Fu, when the teacher is not a good role model. You don’t need to expose your children to hazards or questionable characters in order for them to learn martial arts. The martial arts school philosophy, and the instructors, should meet your standard – never settle for less.
Are you looking for discipline, academic improvement, life skills, tournament competition, self-defense, or a positive activity? Martial arts studios are not created equally. A life skills school may not meet the needs of a competitive parent or child. A “tournament school” that teaches Sport Karate, Sport Jujitsu, or enters many competitions, may be lacking in life skills and so forth.
This is not meant to take away the value of any aspect in martial arts training, but to make you, as a parent, aware that the emphasis will be different from one type of school to another. Also, the self-defense aspect will be taught differently within each martial arts school. Some martial arts schools teach more of one technique such as: punching, kicking, joint locks, sweeps, and throws.
At our wellness center in North Providence, Rhode Island, we teach all of those aspects, and we also teach self-defense through communication. For example: Wouldn’t it be better to prevent a physical
conflict by talking it out? If a child is fully capable of defending himself or herself, why should he or she pursue a physical fight?
As adults, we know that the diplomatic approach to a physical conflict will not always work, but it is worth a try. Our children need to look at social skills, awareness, and courtesy as survival tools. Whether they are walking down a street, or entering the workplace, these skills are extremely important.
Know your goals and your child’s needs. Please make sure your reasons for enrolling your son or daughter in martial arts classes are sound. Martial arts for your child, is his or her personal endeavor. You can share in the feeling of accomplishment by being supportive and watch them grow to be successful. Success is one of the most important gifts we can give to our children.
The ideal martial arts instructor should have knowledge of sports medicine and CPR training. This may be one of the reasons why serious injuries are rare. Make sure that the safety of each child is a priority with the martial arts school you choose.
Some parents may feel I play it too safe within a karate class, but they have not seen a child knocked unconscious, a broken nose, or loss of blood, in my school. When I was a Sport Karate coach, referee, and judge, I saw all of those things in tournaments, and children were all wearing protective equipment.
Therefore, safety precautions are a very important factor, when deciding which martial arts school you should choose for your child.
Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Yoga: The Key to Self-Mastery. http://www.kids-karate.com
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You can buy flies for fly fishing, but you’ll want to tie your own at some point. Undoubtedly, your first fly will be the Frankenstein Fly.
Of Flies…
There is a particular fly for every fish, location and situation. There are basic flies like the Woolly Bugger and millions of exotic ones. You can buy thousands of them, but it will set you back a pretty penny. So, it’s time to tie your own.
The first step in the fly process is getting some educated advice at the bookstore. You’ll need to browse the fishing section for the hundreds of books on the subject. You’ll see books like “Flies for Idiots”, “Be One With The Fly”, “I Fly, You Fly, We All Fly” and other mythical titles. Pick the one that seems tailored to your needs, buy your tools and supplies and head home.
One of the first flies most people try to tie is the Woolly Bugger. It can be used for most situations and seems fairly simple to tie. Since this is your first time, you’ll actually be tying the Frankenstein Fly whether you realize it or not. This is true regardless of the specific fly you try to tie.
With the
Woolly Bugger, you’ll use a jam knot, a fluffy piece of marabou, lead wire and so on. You’ll follow the directions in detail. You’ll wind. You’ll strip fuzz. You’ll wrap like you’ve never wrapped before. In the end, you will have followed every step in agonizing detail. As you finish the last step, whip finishing your fly, you’ll step back to admire the best Woolly Bugger.
At this point, you’ll look at the book and your masterpiece. Then you’ll jump on the Internet and pull up pictures of Woolly Bugger flies. Then the neighborhood will shake with a piercing scream. Yes, you’ve created something that faintly looks like a Woolly Bugger, but strikingly like Frankenstein.
Congratulations, you’ve tied a Frankenstein Fly. Welcome to the league of mad tie scientists.
Have Faith
Tying flies is definitely an art. You will almost never get it right the first time. Don’t be discouraged. Keep at it. Who knows, maybe the fish will find your Frankenstein Fly to be a tasty treat.
Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com – makers of writing journals. fly fishing journals are great gifts. Visit http://www.nomadjournals.com/flyfishing.cfm to see journals for fly fishing trips and fly fishing vacations.