How to Give a Gift

It is amazing how much thought someone will put into picking out the perfect present yet uses very little imagination on how to give it. In many ways, the presentation of a gift is just as important as the item itself. Imagine buying someone a gold ring and leaving it on the kitchen counter with a note that says "thought you might like this." Or contrast that with the gift of a ring hidden inside a rosebud that will "magically" appear as the rose blossoms in the sunlight.

The next time you are giving a gift, consider presenting it in a creative or meaningful way.

On one Saturday morning while my wife was sleeping in late I ran a string all through the house, beginning at the location where I hid her gift. The string went through cabinets, under seat cushions, in the bathtub, behind the sofa and throughout all the rooms in the house. Had I been thinking ahead, I would have attached small gifts all along the string as a teaser for the big present at the end. After I ran the string through our home, I brought the other end of the string to my wife in bed and explained that I had bought a present for her and it was at the other end. I had never seen her get out of bed so quickly on a Saturday morning.

Another way in which I like to give presents to my wife is by having her find them. I will write about 7 or so clues which lead from one written clue to the next until the final clue leads to the hidden gift.

If you want to go all out on the "treasure hunt" theme, you can give your spouse a tape in the "Mission Impossible" style giving them their assignment to locate the missing gift. Depending on the time you have and equipment available, you can even include videotaped clues which definitely would add to the overall excitement of the quest.

There are dozens and dozens of ways in which you can transform the presentation of even an ordinary gift into a truly romantic occasion. Just "think" about it.

Credit to : Michael Webb [ http://www.sosuave.com/romance/gift.htm ]

How to Kick (in Martial Arts)

Martial arts have become very popular in the Western world as a recreational/competitive sport. One of the most common and useful moves in nearly any martial art is the kick. There are multiple types of kicks, each with its own use.

Front Kick

The front kick ("Mae Geri" in Japanese, "Ahp Chagi" in Korean) is generally used to attack a target's legs, groin, solar plexus, throat or face. Because of its simplicity, the front kick can be used rapidly with little sacrifice to power. It is one of the first technique a martial arts student often learns.

1. Stand in a fighting stance. The preferred fighting stance differs between different disciplines, but the general rule is that your dominant leg is behind your other leg - the dominant leg's toe pointed to its side. Your secondary leg is in front, its toe pointed straight forward. Your torso is generally facing the direction of your dominant leg (righties' bodies will face right & vice-versa). Your hands can be in a guard position or relaxed. For a kick, your hands are (obviously) less important.
2. If you want a faster kick, you will use your front foot (secondary leg). If you want a more powerful front kick, use your back leg (primary)
3. Raise your kicking-leg's knee so your thigh is parallel to the ground, about hip/waist level. Breathe out as you do this.
4. Kick your leg, snapping it forward quickly. With a front kick you can use the ball of your foot or your instep as a striking surface. As you kick, rapidly release the air in your lungs. Doing so will ensure that if you are doing kicking drills, you don't forget to breathe (which is easier to forget than it sounds!). Remember, breath in when you contract, breath out when you expand. This also will relax your body, allowing for proper technique, because holding air in means your muscles are too tense, and you are trying to control your kick too much, which weakens the kick, slows it down and will tire you out faster.
5. Unsnap your leg so your thigh is once again parallel to the ground.
6. Set your leg back on the ground. If you used your secondary leg for the kick, it will go back where it started. If you used your back leg, place it down as if it were your secondary leg (switching sides on your stance)
7. Variations in execution include height, power, speed, and whether or not you return your foot to the ground. Many disciplines have techniques where you do multiple kicks with one foot, and it never returns to the ground.

How to kick (side kick)

Side Kick

The Side kick ("Yoko Geri" in Japanese, "Yuhp Chagi" in Korean) Is a significantly more powerful pushing kick. Not meant for rapid attacks as much as it is to deal significant damage to the target. It is also slightly more difficult to execute. One mental image trick that seem to work very well even with younger children is the 'chamber' 'explode' metaphor. Get the student to visualize a bullet being chambered in a gun while picking up the kicking leg as high as possible. Then being fired with the 'explosion' out of the chamber. This trick really seems to help the student pull up their leg as high as possible then push with their heel to generate a lot of power. Just a metaphor tip.

1. Stand in a fighting stance
2. Bring your back leg up so your knee is near your chest, and your foot is somewhere near your hips (early on, don't worry about bringing it up quite this high, but the goal is to have the sole of your foot facing down, and the outside ("knife side") of your foot facing your target). This is sometimes called the "cocked position" because you are ready to fire.
3. Kick your leg such that your kicking foot will draw a straight line from the cocked position to its destination. Kick with the heel of your foot, or if you are more advanced, the knife side of your foot.
4. Return to the cocked position.
5. Return your foot to the ground, in front of you. Your back leg now should have been your front leg before the kick, and vice versa.

Credit to : http://www.wikihow.com/Kick-(in-Martial-Arts)

How to punch harder

Punching harder is a matter of technique more than strength. Having big muscles doesn't hurt, but strength without good form results in wasted energy and softer punches. Learning proper punching technique along with strengthening your punching muscles will produce the best results.

How to Punch Harder

Step1

Understand what a punch is. The power of a punch does not come from your hand or arm. To punch hard you must punch with your entire body. This involves your legs, your hips, your shoulders, your arm and finally your fist.

Step2

Start with your feet. Stand with your legs comfortably shoulder width apart then step forward with the foot on the side of your non punching arm. If you are right handed step forward with your left foot. Raise your arms in front of you in punching position.

Step3

Crank your hips as you load up for the punch. As you throw the punch your hips will turn. This is the power in your punch. The more your hips whip around the more powerful your punch.

Step4

Cock your shoulders for the punch. Twist them back like your hips and draw your punching arm back. Tighten your punching hand into a tight fist. The tighter the better. Be sure that your thumb is outside of your fingers.

Step5

Eye your target. Do not guess at your impact point. You should zero in on a specific spot where you want your punch to land. Focus is important. If you punch wildly you could hurt yourself.

Step6

Unleash your punch. It starts from your feet. They should be solidly planted on the ground. Power should launch from your back foot. Push off the ground as you rotate your hips and shoulders toward your target. Your arm then extends forward in a straight line from your shoulder. Timing is key. Your fist should meet its target at the precise moment your arm, shoulders and hips are fully extended. The power should be from the ground, up your leg, through your hips, shoulders, arm and into your fist. All your energy is now transferred into your target. Be sure to keep your wrist straight and hit the mark with the two knuckles closest to your thumb. They are the toughest bones in your hand.

Step7

Practice, practice, practice. Good punching technique comes from constant practice. You must develop muscle memory of what a perfect punch feels like. That is the only way to teach your body to do it. Hit a punching bag while focusing on perfect form. As you feel more comfortable increase the intensity and speed.

Step8

Get stronger. Once you have perfect punching technique you can work on making yourself stronger. A perfect punch involves most of your body's muscles so a full body workout is beneficial. Your back and hips are especially important. Any strength exercises that emphasize your core will help you punch harder.

Credit to : Kent Ninomiya [ http://www.ehow.com/how_4424840_punch-harder.html]

How to Use Chopstick

Practice makes perfect when it comes to using chopsticks. It may look complicated but the key is that the bottom chopstick remains still while the upper chopstick moves to grasp the food. Here are a few steps to eating with chopsticks in no time.

Step1

Hold one chopstick between your thumb and middle finger. Position the chopstick so that it lies at the base of your thumb (on the joint) and at the lower joint of the middle finger. This chopstick shouldn't touch the forefinger.

Step2

Place the other chopstick between your thumb and forefinger. The side of the chopstick should rest against the tip of your thumb; the top of the chopstick should rest against the pad of your forefinger.

Step3

Be sure the tips of the chopsticks are parallel.

Step4

Keep the first chopstick stationary as you practice moving the second chopstick toward the stationary one.

Step5

Use this technique to position the chopsticks around a piece of food.

Step6

Hold the food firmly as you lift it toward your mouth.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have trouble maneuvering the chopsticks, try leaning the second chopstick against your middle finger as well for extra support.
• Though you may be tempted to spear food with your chopsticks as an act of desperation, spearing is considered impolite.

Credit To : eHow Food & Drink Editor [ http://www.ehow.com/how_3261_chopsticks.html ]

How To Play Basketball Part 2

7. Defense. The defenses' goal is to steal the ball from the other team. You may do this by intercepting a pass or stealing the ball during someone's dribble. You may not shoulder, push, or make direct physical contact with the player (subject to the discretion of the referee) in order to get the ball. If you do, a foul is called. If you can get the ball cleanly, you and your team are on offense and should go towards your defense's goal to score points.

8. Defense: Zone vs. Man-to-Man Defense. A zone defense is one that covers area, not specific persons on the opposing team. Zones can be organized in a variety of ways-2-1-1, 1-2-1, etc. A Man-to-Man defense is one in which every player "marks" another player on the opposite team. Zones work well against teams strong at driving to the hoop where as man-to-man works best on teams that struggle with the dribble.

9. Fouls. You are allowed five fouls per game. After you get five fouls, you are removed from the game. This rule is intended to prevent a very rough game.

If a player is fouled mid-shot, he is entitled to a "free throw" or "foul shot." A free throw is taken on the free throw line, which is located 19 feet from the baseline (under the basket). The player who was fouled gets to take two unobstructed shots from the line, or three shots if he was fouled while shooting behind the three-point line. His feet cannot touch or go over the free throw line in order for the point to count. If a player is fouled while shooting and makes the shot, she will only be granted one free throw shot. After a team reaches over ten fouls, the opposite team is entitled to free throw shots per foul regardless of the kind of foul.

10. 3-Second Violation. On offense, you cannot remain in the "key" (area designated underneath and directly in front of basket) for more than 3-seconds. If there is a 3-second violation, there will be a subsequent change of possession.

11. Rebounds. One of the most important elements of the game is getting rebounds. Rebounds are the missed or deflected shots that are recovered by either team. Having a team strong in rebounding is an important asset. Rebounds can be the root of what is called a "fast break," where the team rebounding is able to move the ball quickly down the court through a series of long and hard passes. Teams with good endurance and strong rebounding skills excel at the fast break, and as a result, gain an advantage on a slower team.

12. Positions: Guards. The guards are primarily in charge of dribbling and passing the ball. One guard, known as the shooting guard, takes outside shots regularly. The point guard runs the offense and is known for dribbling skills and passing expertise.

13. Positions: Forwards. Forwards play below the basket on offense. They do much of the shooting because of their positioning near the basket.

14. Positions: Center. The center is the tallest person on the team. The center usually hangs out near or under the basket for passes, shots and rebounds. He also takes the tip-off at the start of the game.

Basketball, although it has its share of rules and regulations, is a simple game

to play and enjoy.

Credit to : Grace Bloodwell [ http://www.howtodothings.com/sports-and-recreation/a3447-how-to-play-basketball.html ]

How to Play Basketball Part 1

History

Basketball is the only major sport that is completely American in origin. The inventor was James A. Naismith, a physical education instructor at the YMCA Training School in Springfield, Mass. Because there were 18 students in the calisthenics class for which he devised the game, he began play with two nine-man teams. They used a soccer ball for their first official game, played on Jan. 20, 1892. Through the exhibitions played by Naismith's students at YMCA branches, the new game spread. The small training school has grown into Springfield College and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. At first a ladder was set up to get the balls out of the peach baskets. When metal baskets were substituted, a pole was needed to poke the ball out of a hole in the bottom. The metal hoop was not invented until 1906. A bag of braided cord netting was attached to the hoop, and after a score the ball was popped out by pulling a cord. Backboards were introduced to stop spectators from interfering with shots. The soccer balls were replaced by laced leather balls with rubber bladders, then laceless balls, and finally the molded leather- or composition-covered balls in use today.

The barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters were masters of the fake throw and other trick shots. In an era when basketball was perceived as a nonintegrated white man's game, the team of athlete-comedians was developed from a black squad that played exhibitions in a Chicago ballroom. Their founder-owner-coach was Abe Saperstein, who took them on the road in 1927. Once their superior ball-handling ability was demonstrated, they began to develop the trademark comic style spinning the ball on their fingers, drop-kicking it toward the goal, and head-bouncing it into the basket, with behind-the-back dribbling and blind passes. In 1961 Saperstein formed the short-lived American Basketball League (ABL), which pioneered the three-point basket.

The American game practiced on playgrounds and driveways has become a sport without boundaries. The world governing body of amateur basketball is the FIB (Federation Internationale de Basketball). It sanctions such events as the McDonald's Basketball Open, which was inaugurated in 1987 with competition between the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Soviet and Italian teams. In 1989 at its world congress the FIB abolished all distinctions between professionals and other basketball players. Some of the top players from European Champions' Cup competition have tried to break their European contracts in order to play with NBA teams.

Here is what you need to know if you are interested in learning how to play basketball.

1. Equipment. Easy. One basketball and two basketball hoops on opposite ends of the court. The hoops should be ten feet high. In a classic game, these and two teams of five apiece will be the requirements. If a full court and fewer players are available, a casual game with one hoop can be played using alternate rules.
2. Object of the Game. The object is to score more baskets (successful shots in the hoop) than your opponent.
3. Length of game. The National Basketball Association teams (NBA) play a 60 minute game with four 15-minute periods, but you can determine the length yourself.
4. Start of Game: Tip Off. To start the game, the two teams line up around their two centers (see positions below for description). Each player matches up against another based on height and skill (ideally). The referee throws the ball straight up and the two centers jump up to gain possession. The goal is to "tip" the ball to you teammate to gain possession.
5. Offense: Scoring. Basketball is as an offense vs. defense game. When you have the ball, all members of the team are on offense. On offense you are trying to score points by shooting the ball into the defending team's basket. Each "field goal" or "basket" is worth two points. Baskets scored outside the 3-point line (an arc-shaped line beyond the free throw line) are worth 3 points.
6. Offense: Advancing the Ball. On offense you can advance the ball two ways: passing and dribbling.
   • The Dribble. Take the ball and bounce it on the floor in a continuous motion. This is dribbling. You can move your feet and body in any direction as long as you are dribbling. The goal for the team on offense is to move towards the defending teams' basket, so this is usually the direction people on offense dribble in. Once you cross mid-court, you cannot cross back over it.

     Once you stop the motion and hold onto the ball, your dribble has ended. At this point, you must stop your forward (or backward) motion and either pass or shoot the ball. You do, however, have one remaining option to gain ground before you pass or shoot: the pivot. You may pivot on one and only one foot (no switching during a pivot) to increase your passing or shooting options. If you fail to stop after the dribbling or pivoting, your motion will cause a "traveling" foul. Also, if you begin to dribble again, a foul is called and the ball is given to the opposite team. If you hold the ball for more than five seconds, you incur a penalty and lose possession as well.

   • The Pass. You may choose to pass the ball in order to advance your offense. Again, if you cross mid-court, you cannot pass the ball back behind the half-line. This action will result in a change of possession.

Credit to : Grace Bloodwell [ http://www.howtodothings.com/sports-and-recreation/a3447-how-to-play-basketball.html ]