American Kenpo Senior Council

Posts Tagged ‘Sports’

One favorite summer activity for many Americans is joining the summer softball league.  Softball is a team game directly descended from, and sharing most of the rules of, baseball.  It could be seen as baseball’s little sister.  The main differences include a bigger – and usually softer – ball and an underhand pitch as opposed to an overhand pitch.  Positions are often similar.

The one position that softball teams may add that is noticeably absent in baseball is the short center fielder.  This position plays directly behind second base and midway between the center fielder and the base itself.  The added advantage of this position is that the center fielder can play further back, allowing for more coverage and less holes across the field.

Softball can be played either fast pitch or slow pitch.  Aside from the speed of the ball, the most stunning visual difference is the arc the pitch takes to get to the plate.  In fast pitch the ball is sent in a mostly horizontal line from the pitcher to the catcher.  In slow pitch, the ball is required to take a highly arcing course and as a result the pitch is much slower.  Often, these pitches are called floaters.  The strike zone for these pitches is also quite different.

The ball itself can range anywhere from twelve to sixteen inches.  The smallest softballs are quite hard despite their name and require a mitt in order to catch them.  The sixteen inch balls and other larger sizes are quite soft.  These are often too big for a mitt, and so the game is played with bare hands.

Aside from these main similarities, each league is often customized to the players involved.  Each softball league has their own rules about certain aspects of the game like stealing and lead-offs.  Some leagues are held indoors while some remain outdoor only leagues.  Different versions of softball can be played co-ed, all male or all female.  Some leagues have age restrictions.  With all of the different options, it’s important to know what type of league you want to play for.

Watching football is a time honored tradition in America, and football season is just around the corner.   But how do you get a new convert interested in the game?  To someone who has never watched football before, the game often appears as nothing more than a bunch of guys running across a field attempting to tackle each other.  While tackling is always a large part of football, a true fan understands that the game has subtleties and nuances that escape the oblivious beginner.  

The only real way to help a football novice truly understand the game is to explain the rules to them as the plays happen.  But trying to explain these nuances to someone during the middle of the game can cause a fan to miss big plays. So what is a true football junkie to do?

Start with the basics.  A true football fan can explain the positions, important players and the system of downs without too much concentration.  But what appears as obvious to those who have watched the game for years can be a bit bewildering to those who don’t even know the difference between a left tackle and a defensive end.

Helping someone understand penalties takes more time than game basics and positions. The instant replays can buy a fan a little more time to explain the penalty and how each specific penalty works.  If a fan does not have to time to both understand a referee’s call and explain them in the space of a penalty time out, they can always use commercial breaks.   Otherwise, admit that not everything can be explained, and the fan can leave the penalty calls as something for a new fan to understand in their own time.

It’s important not to completely overload new football fans.  Too much information at once can be overwhelming, and may mistakenly make someone believe the game too complicated for them to understand. At the end of the day, the goal is to make help the new person enjoy the game as much as any long time fan.

This year provides a whole slew of new sports games coming out for every system. Playstation 3 games tend to be the fastest and most graphically gorgeous out there, so those are the ones this articles is going to focus on. The following games might not all be classics, but they will get your adrenaline pumping… until something better comes along.

Madden NFL 11 comes out of a very long pedigree, and it might be hard to imagine that they could go any further than they already have with it. While the graphics have been beautiful for years (in a completely manly way, of course), this year they’ve kicked up the gameplay with the GameFlow system. You can call plays like you never could before – drop the playbook, scream the audibles, and just send ‘em up the middle!

Little League World Series Baseball 2010 brings the young franchise back for its third year in the batter’s box. You can take your little league team from being nobodies to winning the World Series in either Season or Career modes. And if that wasn’t good enough, now you can show the world your accomplishments by uploading it to the Web. Victory is great, but bragging rights are the win that keeps on winning.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 lets you play in the Ryder Cup, which is about prestige instead of money. You can compete with up to three other people in a match, and even take your team (American or European) online to throw down against anybody else with a PS3 and the net. Yes, you can put together a team of up to 24 people, who can then go on to challenge pretty much anybody.

Superstars V8 racing comes out of Milestone, a game company that tends to focus on motorbikes. With 4 wheels, they’ve gone all out, combining spectacular aesthetics with performance.

Not all exercise regimes are suited for everyone. Boxing might be too physically demanding for some, while others might find yoga too mellow to fit in with their on-the-go lifestyle. However, there is at least one sport that can fit the needs of many different walks of life. For those looking to blend the aspects of active physical sports with spiritual enhancement, they should look no further than American Kenpo.

American Kenpo is a system of martial arts developed in the twentieth century by Ed Parker. Although Kenpo has its roots in ancient China, Parker worked to both modernize and Americanize the sport to be a viable source of self-defense and exercise for Americans today. The result is a blend of the circular movements used in Chinese Kung Fu with the linear movements used in Japanese martial arts. It has been established as an art as well as a system for self-defense, known for incorporating logic and the disciplines of mathematics, physics, physiology and kinesiology in its movements.

As a system that teaches self-control and self-respect, there are a plethora of benefits to becoming involved in American Kenpo; individuals practicing the sport will become physically fit, increase their stamina and reduce stress and tension.

It’s a sport that almost anyone could pick up—most people already use movements associated with Kenpo in their everyday lives without even realizing it. The sport has been known to attract all walks of life—from firefighters and professional athletes to homemakers and accountants. Even children can pick it up as a way to learn self-discipline and confidence.

For those looking to rise through the ranks and become a pro, there will be a few hoops they’ll have to jump through first. American Kenpo uses a basic belt system consisting of White, Yellow, Orange, Purple, Blue, Green, Third Brown, Second Brown, First Brown, and First through Tenth Black.

There are teaching centers across the country helping individuals master the art of American Kenpo; just search online for a site near you.

Sure, you have a few NFL and MLB fantasy leagues going with friends and you’ve waged a few dollars here and there with coworkers and neighbors on which teams will be in the Final Four. However, if you’re interested in increasing your winnings and having a blast while doing it, then it’s time to take your game to the next level with online sports betting.

All bets are on!
Whether it’s UFC, football, F1 racing or poker, online sports betting has your gambling needs covered. All you need to do is set up your account, throw in some funds, place your bets and you’re off to the races. Easy, right? The registration process is quick and depositing money is a breeze. There are several safe and secure ways to add funds to your account, including via credit card or money transfer—it’s up to you. As a new customer, you’ll receive a sign-up bonus after you have made your first deposit. Plus, you’ll receive bonuses every time you reload your account.

But the benefits don’t stop there. Once you’ve established your account, you’ll receive real-time updates on odds and analysis, up-to-the-minute wagering opportunities, and best of all, fast payouts and great bonuses on your winnings sent to you in the delivery method you choose. You’ll also be eligible to participate in free contests, all of which offer some of the best prizes out there including high-end electronics, authentic sports memorabilia and tons of cash.

You’ll also get gambler’s insurance, a twice-yearly payout of 10% of your lost wagers, best in class customer service and the latest news on sports and current events. So what are you waiting for? Say goodbye to the office pools and fantasy leagues and try your luck at online sports betting today.

In 1920, representatives from several professional football teams met in an automobile showroom in Canton, OH. The agreement reached at that session was that the teams play a common schedule and crown a champion at the end of each season. They called the league the American Professional Football Conference.

The initiation fee was set at $100. (Though, George Halas, one of the founders, remarked that he doubted that there was $100 in that showroom!).

The original teams were:

• Akron Pros
• Buffalo All-Americans
• Canton Bulldogs
• Chicago Cardinals
• Chicago Tigers
• Cleveland Indians
• Columbus Panhandles
• Dayton Triangles
• Decatur Staleys (Chicago Bears)
• Detroit Heralds
• Hammond Pros
• Muncie Flyers
• Rochester Jeffersons
• Rock Island Independents

Only two charter member teams are still in the league. The Chicago Bears (the team owned by the aforementioned George Halas and the Arizona Cardinals (formerly the Chicago Cardinals).

In 1922, the league renamed itself the National Football League. Throughout the 1920s, the league membership was erratic but eventually expanded to 25 teams.
Star Players

College football was still the predominant attraction among football fans. However, that began to change when notable college players turned professional. Red Grange (The Galloping Ghost) was one the most famous college stars to do so when he joined the Chicago Bears. He also went on a barnstorming tour in 1925 further increasing the game’s reach among sports fans.
Championships

Initially, league champions were awarded to whichever team had the best won and lost record. However, at the end of the 1932 season, the Chicago Bears and the Portsmouth Spartans both finished the season tied. In order to name a champion, the league voted to hold the first NFL playoff game ever. The weather was so cold that the game was held at the indoor Chicago Stadium where the Chicago Bears won by a score of 9-0.

That is the beginning of what would become the Super Bowl

The gamut of martial arts as a group of sports has proved an invaluable means of crossing cultural barriers. From Brazil’s Capoeira to Korea’s taekwondo, martial arts are taught and performed all over the world, often providing kids with an insight into the culture where the specific sport originated, while simultaneously they develop self-defense tactics and get fit too!
Some of the longer established organizations promoting well-supervised martial arts training include Yang’s Martial Arts Association, or ‘YMAA’ and NAGA, the North American Grappling Association, both bodies which accredits martial arts schools. By applying strict criteria before being willing to extend endorsements to individual establishments, such organizations endeavor to keep standards high. Schools which have received this approval exist in Poland to New Zealand, Italy and the United States.
As a fount of new friends, and a place to gain leadership skills and strategies for tackling bullies, classes for kids in karate and other martial arts are often a good idea. Those who have concentration difficulties can benefit from the discipline of the drills. Self-esteem can be raised through sparring, and many adults who were sent to self-defense classes in childhood now recognize the advantages in terms of increased confidence.
Realistically, however, if a child were to contemplate using the skills taught in order to fight off a would-be abductor, they could scarcely succeed. An adult’s strength and size will virtually always overpower the attempts of any but the most well-built child. No matter how well-drilled that child may be in fight moves, the odds are stacked against him. Whilst self- defense classes are a viable option when selecting sports to take up, touting them as possible training in combating real-life adversaries could be considered irresponsible.
Issues of physical size and shape aside, kids’ involvement in martial arts often has the unlooked-for benefit of opening the mind to other philosophies, eastern or otherwise. Perhaps the time has come to make the most of these barrier-busting opportunities and to hold the first international martial arts congress for kids.

There are numerous martial arts disciplines that individuals can participate in to learn discipline, self-defense, self-exploration, increase physical fitness and stamina, and lower stress levels. Common forms are Karate, Tae-kwon-do, Judo, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Kenpo, however, is a martial art form that isn’t widely known outside of the martial arts community.

The History of Kenpo

Kenpo originated with the Shaolin monks in China and from there  the martial art form flourished in neighboring Japan. Nowadays you can find Kenpo communities in China, Japan, and America.    There is some dispute as to what individual actually introduced Kenpo to individuals living in the U.S.

It is widely believed that, Kiyoka Komatsu began training a small group of individuals in the martial art style in the 1920’s, which at that time was termed Kenpo-Jiu-Jitsu. Kenpo slowly began to spread across the states and in 1940 the style was renamed Kenpo Karate.  Eastern Kenpo teachers focus as much on obtaining a spiritual goal as a physical one. Ed Parker who trained under one of the individuals that received their training from Komatsu, is known as the father of American Kenpo, which differs a bit in style from traditional Kenpo in that it is more sports oriented and less ground in eastern spirituality. The American Kenpo Senior Council is an organization dedicated to perpetuating this martial art within the U.S. as well as increasing the amount of Kenpo masters within the U.S. Borders via training opportunities.

Kenpo Techniques

There are actually a melody of techniques that are involved in Kenpo. One of the most distinguishing aspects of the technique is the placement of emphasis on using the hands, feet, elbows, and knees to take down an opponent with a rapid series of blows. Individuals that are trained in this form can go through the ranks of belts that begin with white and going continue through 10th level black belt. American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is an interesting martial art form with a rich historical past.

Tennis sensations come and go but the match that was held two weeks ago will live on forever. In a second round match to unlikely tennis players have made it both into the record and history books. A match that lasted over 11 hours and broke record after record brought John Isner of the United States and Nicolas Mahut of France to the forefront of international sports headlines. John Isner the 23rd seed of the tournament beat Nicolas Mahut who was a qualifier.

The match began at 6:13 pm on Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010 and ended on Thursday, June 24th at 4:48 PM. The final set alone was 8 hours 11 minutes long. The score of the match was 6–4, 3–6, 6–7(9–7), 7–6(7–3), 70–68. A total of 183 games. To put this into perspective the last four winners of the various grand slam tennis championships averaged around 207 games for the whole tournament. The match was unprecedented and will never likely be seen again. It now holds the record for timed match, aces served, which is held by both players and points won.

It now holds the record of longest match at 11 hours, 5 minutes as well as longest set which required 8 hours 11 minutes. Most games in a set with 138 games in the fifthe set. Most games in a match at 183 Most aces in a match by one player held by Isner at 113 and total aces in a match since Mahut had 103 aces of his own which brought up the total of aces to 216 and of course maybe the most staggering statistic of all is most consecutive service games held which stand at 84 a piece for each player the total being 168. Anyone who has walked out on a tennis court knows that this is a stagering acheivement.

The definition of sport is any type of activity, exercise, contest or game performed under a set of regulations. Most sports
require some skill, training and physical exertion.

Roots

Some sports have their roots in activities that have morphed from everyday life. These include fishing, hunting, running or
swimming. The origins of many sports are more difficult to trace. However, it is known that many ancient cultures performed
contests for fun, wagers and competition. The ancient Greeks, in particular, held competitive matches in flinging the javelin, running chariot races and other physical events. The ancient Egyptians played with balls, did competitive swimming, raced and wrestled.

During the Middle Ages, however, religion and other aspects of society hindered any real development of sports other those
played in tournaments by knights. So, it wasn’t until the Renaissance period that games became popular again. Inexpensive mass sports like soccer and sports that required wealth like polo gained momentum.

Sports in the Modern Age

The late nineteenth century saw a resurgence in sports as a worthy pursuit. This was marked by the resetting of the Olympics in 1896, the expanding collegiate athletic system in the United States as well as solidification of professional sports like
baseball, boxing, hockey, soccer and cricket in countries around the world. Sports that had mass appeal like softball, bowling and soccer also grew to absorb the energies of people particularly during the Depression. Simultaneously, spectator sports such as horse racing, bullfighting and baseball kept attracting crowds.

In the twentieth century, television made sports big business. A good example of this is that some 140 million viewers watch
the Super Bowl and the commercials are almost bigger than the game. Many more people than that watch the Summer Olympics and the World Cup, both staged every four years.

Also, in the twentieth century, the Commonwealth Games and the Pan-American Games, made their debut, further entrenching the growing internationalism of sports.