In Taekwondo, a student must strive to perfect their patterns so as to win tournaments. The following are some of the tips that you could use in order to perfect the patterns: 1. You don't have to think of the patterns; the primary goal is to execute them. This therefore means that you have to learn your patterns thoroughly. You can further sharpen your skills by performing them on both your right and left side. It might seem like it is unnecessary but it is still essential.                                   2. Your every move should have power and conviction. Students may have a flawless technique but they do not execute it properly. For instance, a student may just stick out their legs and arms. This is incorrect because every move should be executed as if you were actually striking, attacking or blocking an opponent.   3. Judges look for a variety of factors in every competition. When they call out your name, you must stand up and answer loudly; not like someone who was forced to come to the competition by their parents.   4. In a competition, the most critical movements include the first and the last. Judges use this to determine which competitor is superior. If your pattern is longer than that of your opponent's, ensure that you pay particular attention to the final move of your pattern. You should also finish in the spot where you started. PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE

Yoga: a brief introduction In ancient times, yoga was a practice to achieve spiritual peace. Monks and priests who followed it did so solely for its perceived philosophical & religious benefits. During those times, it was practiced by a few people in particular areas of the world. Recently, however, yoga has become an increasingly popular activity with a much larger and diverse demographic. The reasons cited by these “yogis” are just as diverse.   The conflict Two thousand years ago, no one did yoga for its physical benefits. Things are not the same today. Gyms across the country offer yoga classes or memberships, which are being rebranded as a fitness activity. This has complicated matters, with little consensus on what yoga is classified as. While there is no doubt that it used to be merely a religious or spiritual practice, today, it is much more than that. Many argue that since it has a more physical focus, it should be classified as a Sport. Others, however, argue that yoga’s uncompetitive nature pushes it out of the realm of sport.   The consensus One must first elaborate on what “sport” really means to understand and solve this issue. According to most dictionaries, sport is “an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature.” No, don’t go back to reread it! We’re here to break it down for you, and we’ll do so by dividing it into three parts. The first part argues that a sport must be an athletic activity. This means that much like basketball or football, yoga’s focus must be on the physical aspects over the mental. Yoga does fulfill that requirement, and if you want to disqualify yoga for not being physical enough, you will also have to disqualify Chess. Since Chess is recognized globally as a sport, yoga should be too. After all, you can’t do yoga mentally, can you? The next part elaborates that the activity must require skill or physical prowess to be considered a sport. Yoga fulfills this pretty quickly. Have you ever tried yoga? The positions are complex, and the techniques needed to hold them could go over an amateur’s head. The complexity of yoga also qualifies it across the second part of the definition. The last part, and probably most difficult, is that sports if OFTEN of a competitive nature. This is an aspect where yoga cannot win since there are no winners or losers in yoga. Since most sports are competitive, you can’t blame those who argue yoga should not be a sport since it is not competitive. The answer to whether yoga is a sport will be argued upon for many years. One must recognize both arguments, but we cannot deny that yoga is catching on very quickly among people. Whether you recognize it as a sport or not, one thing is sure: Yoga is here to stay.

Introduction To Sparring In many combat sports, including taekwondo, sparring is commonly used. It is way for opponents to practice taekwondo moves on one another without getting into a real fight. Sparring in taekwondo is a great way for children as well as adults to utilize their skills as well as gain enough confidence to face everyday situations in the real world.   What Are Some Of the Strategies Involved In Taekwondo? Strategy in martial arts is a very essential factor and taekwondo is no exception to it. It usually involves a close analysis of the situation, judging the options that are available and executing an appropriate action. In taekwondo, the fighter has to be aware of the regulations and rules of the game. They also have to be updated on the current strategies that are used by international fighters. In every taekwondo game, strategy is the only thing that will help you to win.                                PREVIOUS PAGE  |  NEXT PAGE

Boxing is a contact sport with rules order to ensure each fighter competes on an even playing field and to minimize the chance of unintentional deaths. The rules of boxing are designed to create a set of guidelines that govern the environment in which the fighters compete and set limitations on what they can do.                               What Are The Rules Of Boxing? 1. Clinching A clinch refers to the act of a fighter holding each other's arms or heads against their own body with the intent of restraining them. The rules of boxing prohibit the use of any striking techniques such as elbow strikes, shoulder thrusts, or headbutts while in a clinch. The clinch is a dangerous position because it allows both fighters to strike at will and is considered one of the most dangerous positions for a competitor in boxing.   2. Rounds A round is a segment of the fight that is completed when both fighters have had an opportunity to strike any legal area on their opponent's body once. The rules of boxing require each round to last for three minutes or a maximum of ten non-stop punches being delivered by the competitors. 3. Weigh-In The rules of boxing require all competitors to weigh in for their fight the day before the match. Each competitor weighs in front of a judge and witnesses to prevent any attempts at weight cheating during the fight. This is the most common way for boxers to gain advantages over their opponents because competitors usually lose a lot of weight during the fight. 4. No hitting below the belt The game of boxing has strict rules against hitting below the belt which means striking an opponent in the groin area or any other body part below the waist. This can be risky for the competitor and the referee may disqualify a fighter if they do not discontinue striking after being warned. 5. No headbutting The boxers are prohibited from delivering a headbutt or any of the techniques known as a "sleeper punch" during their matches. The rules of boxing consider these techniques to be an important part of the sport and their use of them can lead to a disqualification in the ring. 6. Knockdowns A knockdown occurs when a boxer is knocked down by their opponent and unable to immediately continue fighting. The referee will call a knockdown when they are deemed too injured to continue fighting. If the competitor who is struck can show enough of an attempt at self-defense the fight can continue. After a knockdown, the rules of boxing require that the fallen fighter be given eight seconds to recover before continuing with the match. 7. Fouls Fouls occur when a boxer uses an illegal punch or action during a match. Each foul has a designated penalty from the referee based on its severity. The most common foul that occurs often is called "holding" or "punching down". This refers to striking an opponent with the intent to hurt them and is considered illegal as it causes no contact. The penalty for holding an opponent is usually a warning from the referee while punching down has caused a disqualification that means the opponents will lose the fight. 8. Disqualifications Disqualification is considered the most severe penalty that can occur during a fight. This occurs when a boxer intentionally breaks one of the rules of boxing or cannot defend themselves while hitting an opponent. The rules of boxing maintain that the referee will disqualify a competitor if they feel they are unable to defend themselves against their opponent. This often occurs when they are knocked down so many times that they are unable to continue in the match and gain little to no offensive opportunities during the play-out. Boxing could be considered a dangerous sport, especially in the early 20th century when bare-knuckle fights were legal. The rules of boxing offer a level playing field for both competitors and are important to maintaining an environment where the fighters can compete safely.   Written by: Alice_daisy PREVIOUS PAGE |  NEXT PAGE