Disguised Pepper Spray - What A Surprise!

By Jim Wilkinson

There are many reasons you should consider carrying a canister of pepper spray. However, a canister of disguised pepper spray can be your best option. This is because it gives the attacker a bigger surprise, results in a better shot, looks like something else, and makes you feel more confident.

Canisters of pepper spray disguised to look like something else come in many different shapes and sizes. See that lady with the tube of lipstick? Guess what, that tube of lipstick is actually filled with pepper spray. The pen that that other lady has just pulled out of her purse might look like a fine writing instrument but don't be fooled. You do not want to be on the receiving end of that pepper spray pen. You can even find pepper spray that is hidden inside an ordinary looking pager that someone is wearing on their belt.

When a woman is using a tube of lipstick nobody pays attention. If she finds herself in a danger ous situation and pulls out her lipstick an attacker will hardly notice. What this surprise does is allow you to get a good shot of spray right into his eyes and face because he will not have raised his hands to block the shot from his face. When you are able to get a good dose of the spray right into his eyes and face your chances of escaping improve dramatically because he will be feeling the full effect of the self defense spray and be down and out for about thirty minutes. More than enough time to run to safety.

Pepper spray is a very low cost personal protection device for self defense. Violent crimes across the United States occur almost every 20 seconds. A rape, murder or even a kidnapping could be prevented with a simple $15 - $30 investment of a canister of pepper spray. Women are extremely vulnerable and it is important to give them confidence by knowing how to use a container of pepper spray.

When you get a canister of pepper spray that is disguised you have the best opportunity to stick it to him and get the best shot in the face. Although, you still must practice spraying your pepper spray and getting the canister quickly from where you carry it. If you have a pepper spray that is in the form of a lipstick container or a pager you may have different ways to use it. You must know how to activate the canister and how to get it to spray for at least 2-3 seconds.

When you are considering items for self defense you should consider disguised items. This is because when you use disguised pepper spray for personal protection you can carry it in your hand and an attacker has no idea that it is pepper spray. You can get a shot into the attacker's face with the spray that is clear and solid. This will ensure your shot is effective and you are able to get away from the assailant. - 31373

About the Author:

Check out Lipstick Pepper Spray and learn more about self defense products at Jim Wilkinson's site, Your Greatest Protection. Jim is a former Police Sergeant and knows what it takes to keep you safe.

Airsoft Guns: Firearms Or Toys?

By Anthony Carter

Hearing the word guns makes you think of weapons and firearms. However, some guns are used for recreational purposes, collecting, sports, and battle. Surprisingly, some can even be used for fun. Airsoft guns are toy replicas of traditional firearms used for target practicing and fun. What exactly are airsoft guns you ask?

Airsoft guns are for recreational purposes only. They are designed after firearms however they do not shot regular bullets; they expel pellets usually made from a soft metal such as cooper or plastic. The pellets are driven from the gun by either a spring or compressed gas such as carbon dioxide or propane. Traditional firearms expel bullets which are usually made up of lead and some sort of explosive material which creates a fire or explosion propelling the bullet out of the barrel.

These toy guns are fun but they should be treated and used with care. Recreational facilities often require users to be age 18 but there are some that will allow users age 16 and older to use airsoft guns. Airsoft guns are great for teaching proper handling of firearms and for practicing shooting with. It is recommended that protective gear be used when playing with these guns. The plastic pellets will usually not penetrate the skin but there are cases where they can when used at certain distances and when the pellets are soft metal.

Manufactured in the 1970's in Japan, the airsoft guns were originally produced with springs. It was later on in the 1990's when compressed gas was used as the firing mechanism in these guns. The airsoft guns became popular in the United States after the compressed gas firing mechanism was introduced. Anyone selling or using an airsoft gun in the United States was required to have the tip painted blaze orange as a safety precaution.

Airsoft guns can come in many different models and some are true replicas of the actual firearms. When purchasing an airsoft gun you need to make sure that you are not purchasing on that does not have trademark rights, because some do not and are considered illegal.

As with most guns, airsoft guns also have additional accessories that can be purchased. Imitation clips, magazines, sites and spotlights are just some of the accessories available. They can be modeled after real gun accessories to allow for an exact copy of the real thing. Airsoft guns can range from cheap to very expensive depending on the upgrades for accuracy and velocity.

Airsoft guns can have their firing mechanism built inside or can be mounted outside much like a paintball gun. There are also older electric models which have batteries that are rechargeable. The most popular though are the spring and compressed gas airsoft guns.

Airsoft guns are very similar to the classic BB gun but with the similarities of real guns. They shot plastic pellets, are modeled after real guns and are used for recreational fun. This toy gun is apparently much safer than a real gun and can be utilized for training and fun. Airsoft guns make great additions for any one that loves guns and having fun with guns. - 31373

About the Author:

Author: Anthoy Carter enjoys the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

Wildfire Pepper Spray - Why It's Right For Everyone

By John White

They really are out there, dozens upon dozens of those self defense products we hear about all of the time. For the most part, they all started as military and police tools and are so effective that they are still being used even today. If they work well enough for this type of use, aren't they more than enough for your own use? Wildfire pepper spray, for example, is a highly popular product in this market because of its great track record.

Pepper spray is probably the most popular personal protection choice there is. It uses oleoresion capsicum from the cayenne pepper which measures around 2 million Scoville Heat Units. To put this in to perspective, a habanero pepper only registers at about 300, 000 SHU's

One small spray is all it takes, from a canister of pepper spray, to cause choking, coughing, shortness of breath, pain and even temporary blindness.

Wildfire pepper spray is one of only a small number of sprays that has over a 10% content. It actually ranks in at about the 18% range making it one of the strongest and most effective pepper sprays available. This stuff has about 3 million SHU's itself!

Wildfire pepper spray comes in five different sizes, half ounce, one and a half ounce, four ounce, nine ounce and one pound. These range from key chain size that work well for a purse all the way up to bounty hunter style containers that have a pistol grip attached. This is why you are sure to find one that meets your needs.

Because of how strong it is, Wildfire can be used in the home, vehicle, office or even outdoors. It's wide range of applications make its your first and last choice for self defense needs.

You should keep in mind before any purchase, however, that while pepper spray is legal in all states it may have restrictions. It is best to inquire about any restrictions at your local law enforcement office just to be sure. - 31373

About the Author:

Looking to find the best deal on Wildfire Pepper Spray, then visit number1defense.com to find the best advice on Pepper Spray for you.

It is Possible to Absorb High Grade Karate in Three Months.

By Al Case

While MMA is popular, there are problems with it. Let's be honest, while some fellow is using Jujitsu, he is rolling around and vulnerable to an attack from his opponents friends. Not to mention that it is not always the most intelligent thing to roll around on the ground with some fellow who has a knife or broken bottle.

I know I have offended some MMA stylists out there, but these are questions that people should not hide from. After all, the ring looks like the final statement on fighting, but biting is a problem in a real fight. And getting your fingers broken or your eyes gouged is always a possibility when you fall on the ground and wrestle around.

No, it is better to keep a distance, be able to evade, manipulate, and even, in the extreme, run. Yes, you have to watch what kind of a surface you are on, but mobility in warfare is a crucial matter. And talking about the ability to move around, we are talking something like Shotokan, or Shorin Ryu, or Kenpo.

The problem is that people have bought into the idea that it takes decades, a life time, even several lifetimes, to learn good Kung Fu, like Shaolin or Mantis. But it doesn't have to take a lifetime or three. All you have to do is find a system which is built upon the most important principles and then concentrates on those principles.

We are not talking about Jeet Kune Do of Bruce Lee here, because we don't want a grab bag of sample all and take what works. What we want are the actual core concepts behind this thing called the classical martial arts. We want the truth of arts such as the Shaolin styles of Hung Gar or Choy Li Fut, or other classical styles.

The best way to do this is to learn how to apply the concepts of matrixing to what you are studying. When you matrix your martial art, be it classical karate like Wado or Israeli survival like Krav Maga, it will suddenly become logical and easy to understand. And, being logical, a martial art will suddenly be ten times easier to understand.

And here's something most people have not understood in the martial arts, logic leads to prediction to intuition. Those sixth sense abilities of the martial arts are sometimes difficult to come into, but they don't need to be. Once you start applying matrixing concepts to your martial arts, and I don't care if it is tae kwon do or one of the Korean Kwans, your ability to perceive on a different level, your ability to understand and generate chi kung, sometimes called gi gong, will start to come to the fore.

Really, what we are talking about here is dragging the martial arts into modern times. We are talking about evolution when we are talking about learning how to Matrix. So, you walk behind that ox, or you can ride the race horse by learning the fundamentals of Matrix Martial Arts. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has studied martial arts for over 4O plus plus+ years. He began developing Matrixing in the 1970s, and he began writing for the magazines in the 1980s. He has written a manual on Matrixing, which is available for free at Monster Martial Arts.

An Overview Of Airsoft Guns

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft guns are replica weapons that are usually highly detailed. They are built for recreational purposes. The games they are involved in entail the opposing players attempting to shoot at each other as one would in a paintball match. Airsoft guns fire pellets, not real bullets, which can travel as fast as 260 mps.

These pellets are usually propelled by some kind of compressed gas or perhaps a spring based piston. An electric piston may also be used. The guns can be fired manually or by an electric motor or by compressed gas, which is usually propane, green gas or Co2.

Airsoft guns are designed for people aged sixteen and over. With proper care they can be perfectly safe, although some safety concerns have arisen because of the airsoft guns. The pellets are almost always non-metallic and usually travel at to low a velocity to actually penetrate the skin. However, although metal pellets are banned on all Airsoft sites, they are still available from specialist stores. Some players even manufacture their own metal pellets.

A plastic or rubber pellet could, in theory, pierce the skin at close range. A gun would have to be upgraded to shoot faster than 150 mps. There are one or two sites that will suggest that guns set up in this way must not be used to play with. There has also been much concern over airsoft guns being used by criminal gangs.

During the 1990s there was a brief spate of robberies that involved the criminals using fake or replica guns in place of actual guns. The fakes were a lot easier to buy than real weapons, but could still be used to intimidate victims. To counter this, the American government has made it illegal to buy or sell airsoft guns that do not have an orange tip at the end of the barrel.

1970s Japan is the unlikely origin of the airsoft gun. Back then it was against the law to own a real gun, and so there was a great demand for replica weaponry. One or two companies began to manufacture a realistic looking gun that had a spring loaded firing system. Many different sizes of bullet were used in the original run of these replicas. However, the projectiles were eventually standardized at 6 and 8 mm caliber. The gas powered guns followed in the late 1980s.

The hobby became popular in America in the mid 1990s. The early Japanese guns would become known as classic airsoft. Ten years later a new generation of guns arrived, the automatic electric guns designed by Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd. The release of these guns coincided with a recession in Japan. Many Japanese manufacturers folded and eventually the only main producer was the inventor of the automatic electric gun.

Marui then worked to improve the accuracy and range of these guns. It developed an advanced Hop up system, which forms the basis of the modern gun. At the beginning of the 2000s a new company came to challenge Marui's dominance. Classic Army of Hong Kong began to introduce more and more accurate guns to the market. Since then dozens of Chinese brands have flooded the market with more basic entry level guns. - 31373

About the Author:

Author: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

The History Of Airsoft Guns

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft guns are highly detailed replica firearms that are manufactured primarily for recreational purposes. Games are organized where players attempt to shoot each other in a similar manner to paintball. They fire small pellets, rather than actual bullets, at speeds of 30 to 260 miles per second.

These pellets are usually propelled by some kind of compressed gas or perhaps a spring based piston. An electric piston may also be used. The guns can be fired manually or by an electric motor or by compressed gas, which is usually propane, green gas or Co2.

Airsoft guns are aimed at people over the age of sixteen. When handled carefully they can be safe, though some have voiced concerns about the use of airsoft guns. As the pellets are usually non-metallic and travel far too slowly, they cannot actually penetrate the flesh. However, though pellets made of metal are banned on every Airsoft site, they can still be bought from specialists. Some people also manufacture metal pellets for their own use.

A plastic or rubber pellet could, in theory, pierce the skin at close range. A gun would have to be upgraded to shoot faster than 150 mps. There are one or two sites that will suggest that guns set up in this way must not be used to play with. There has also been much concern over airsoft guns being used by criminal gangs.

During the 1990s there was a brief spate of robberies that involved the criminals using fake or replica guns in place of actual guns. The fakes were a lot easier to buy than real weapons, but could still be used to intimidate victims. To counter this, the American government has made it illegal to buy or sell airsoft guns that do not have an orange tip at the end of the barrel.

1970s Japan is the unlikely origin of the airsoft gun. Back then it was against the law to own a real gun, and so there was a great demand for replica weaponry. One or two companies began to manufacture a realistic looking gun that had a spring loaded firing system. Many different sizes of bullet were used in the original run of these replicas. However, the projectiles were eventually standardized at 6 and 8 mm caliber. The gas powered guns followed in the late 1980s.

The hobby took America by storm in the 1990s. Classic airsoft, as it would become known, used the early Japanese guns. About ten years later the new generation of airsoft guns arrived. These were designed by Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd. And were termed the automatic electric gun. At this time Japan had just entered into a recession. Hundreds of Japanese manufacturers collapsed and eventually only Tokyo Marui remained as the main producer of airsoft.

Tokyo Marui spent a lot of time in the following years improving the range and accuracy of their guns. To this end it developed the advanced Hop up system that forms the basis of most modern airsoft guns. The early 2000s saw a new company arrive to challenge Tokyo Marui's dominance. The Classic Army of Hong Kong started to produce its own guns in competition to Tokyo Marui. In even more recent years there has also been a flood of Chinese and South Korean guns introduced on to the market. - 31373

About the Author:

Author: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

How Much Martial Arts Do You Really Need?

By Al Case

Here's a question I should probably not address. After all, as a fellow who sells instructional DVDs on the martial arts, I should be trying to sell you large amounts of everything, right? Because I prefer satisfied customers over confused customers, let me answer this question.

The truth is that you don't need much, when it comes to martial arts. The truth of the matter is that when a fight starts you only need a few techniques that are going to work. And, sad truth of the matter, most of the martial arts being taught these days are pretty much filled with filler.

Karate, such as Shotokan, Uechi or isshin ryu, has dozens of forms, hundreds of techniques, fancy ways of taking apart an attacker, yet, all you need are the five or six that work. You need to isolate the five or six techniques that really appeal to you, and then work them until they are second nature. There's where the true discipline of the martial arts is, in spending the long lonely hours concentrating on the important stuff until it always works.

Shaolin Kung Fu has amazing routines filled with acrobatics, yet, when was the last time you saw somebody do a somersault in a fight, unless he was the one that got hit? Or, maybe you want the mysterious chi building exercises of Tai Chi or Pa Kua or Hsing I, but, again, how many fights have you seen where people use chi gung to win?

Or, take Chinese American kenpo, such as that taught by Ed Parker or the Tracy brothers, which has over five hundred death dealing techniques, virtually none of which work in the ring. Or Tae Kwon Do, with its amazing arsenal of high flying kicks, but which kicks are of little value once the distance has collapsed. Or jujitsu, which has a throw for every attack, but who can afford to take the time to roll around on a parking lot with more than one attacker to handle?

These arts that I have mentioned, you see have certain flaws within them. And it would appear that I am just bad mouthing the various martial arts. Actually, there is a madness behind what I am saying.

If you are interested in quick self defense, find a course, maybe even just hang a punching bag and get to work. A few months of sweat, and you are there. This is going to be all you need.

And, if you are like me, with the martial arts monkey on your back, just cannot get enough of that sweet stuff, then I have removed you from my arena, and given myself less distractions in the pursuit of my art. You see,all of those faults I have mentioned, I study all the arts and eliminate all the faults, and I am an artist of The True Art. You want quickie stuff, go away, if you want the real thing, then be willing to go all the way. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has taught martial arts for forty++ years. A professional writer for the magazines, you can see how he has eliminated system flaws and weakness in the martial arts by getting his free ebook at Monster Martial Arts.

How to Make the Tough and Iron Fists of Old Time Karate!

By Al Case

I know there will be people who are going to object to what I say, but I was there forty years ago, and I know the truth. The truth is that forty years ago the karate fighters, students of such arts as Shotokan and Wado Ryu and Uechi Ryu, and especially Kyokushinkai, could have taken todays mma gladiators apart quickly and easily. There are quite a few reasons for this, and I will outline one main reason here.

Before I tread where fans don't know about...let me say that yesterdays culture was drug free, full of physical cultists, and we had our share of martial maniacs. We did things that todays martial artists would not dare to do. All of the things that were done were done with fanaticism and dedication far beyond that shown by todays UFC fighters.

One of the most important things was that we didn't stop our training and shift to some other field because we might get tired. Cross training was something you did for fun, go skating with your girlfriends, or something like that. No, if we were going to have the toughest strikes we would just stay in the dojo and pound the fist against the makiwara.

Toughening the fists, contrary to todays scared cat take out lots of insurance types, was done with relentless dedication. We would hit soft, but continually, taking the time to massage the fist and flicking it to keep the energy from locking up. Eventually the fist, without becoming injured or insensitive, would become so hard and tough that the famous one strike one kill punch was a reality.

Heck, you see instances of this type of conditioning today. You see people who can break numbers of bricks, boards, and what have you. These people have touched upon the true power that fanatic, dedicated training can bring to a student.

The only MMA fighter in recent years who showed any touch of the degree of mental toughness required for true Karate, a fellow name of Luke, was shown pounding upon boulders with his hammerfist. In the ring, he showed a doggedness and determination above his fellow competitors. More important, he showed a fist that overcame any lack of ability and threatened to do some very real damage, if he had just concentrated his training in that direction for any year or so.

Have you heard of Mas Oyama, or other old martial artists? They would stand under freezing waterfalls in the dead of winter, commanding their bodies to an enduring toughness that would be frightening to todays fighters. In Mas Oyamas case, he disabled or outright killed half a hundred snorting, steaming bulls, and I haven't heard of any MMA fighters dispatching any bulls lately.

You think that big, high school wrestler bully type is tough? If you train with the dedication and fanaticism of the old time fighters found in martial arts such as Wado, or Isshin, or Uechi, or Shotokan, then you would know that todays grappler is nothing compared to stepping into a ring with a live and snorting old bull. And the only way to deal with those old bulls was to snap the horns off their boney heads, or just kill them dead. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has studied martial arts for 4O plus plus years, written dozens of articles for the magazines, and written the ultimate book on having The Most Powerful Punch in the Universe! Visit him at Monster Martial Arts.

Airsoft Guns For Beginners - On Choosing The Right One

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft newbies are often confused on which gun to choose from the many airsoft guns available today. The key to knowing the kind of gun you should buy is the type of airsoft game you play and the way you play the game itself. Different airsoft guns are available in the market and it would be wise if you first examine your playing style so that you can get your money's worth when you buy a gun.

A sensible approach in determining the kind of gun you should use is to first know the different kinds of airsoft guns that are available today. Research will tell you that airsoft guns are either powered by pressurized gas, electric power, or spring action. Aside from this categorization, airsoft guns can be further classified into five different types as in machine gun, rifle, shotgun, hand gun, and sniper rifle.

When you know this information, you can now move on to knowing what your needs are during game play. Are you in for airsoft as a pastime or as a more serious endeavor? Upon knowing your airsoft goals, including your budget, you can now start looking for the right airsoft gun for your needs.

Your friends and teammates can help you decide on a gun by getting their recommendations on the best one available in the market. You can also try out their guns so that you know if you are comfortable with a particular model or not.

An airsoft supply store in your neighborhood is another source of excellent gun recommendation. Their salesmen will be able to tell you the kind of gun that is suitable for you. With their expertise in airsoft guns, you can surely trust their recommendations.

You can also buy used airsoft guns because they are generally cheaper and will therefore allow you to have money to buy more guns. With a number of airsoft guns, you can try one out for every game you play and see if it fits your needs during a game.

You can likewise do an online research and visit forums that are dedicated to airsoft guns. Here you will find many airsoft players discussing the differences in airsoft guns. You can ask recommendations from these players for your ideal gun.

Visiting manufacturers' websites can also help you choose airsoft guns. These websites will give you an in-depth feature specific view of the gun you are interested in. There are also links to users' reviews in these websites so you know how other people rate a gun.

These are the steps an airsoft beginner can use when choosing airsoft guns. If you are yet to buy your first airsoft gun, make sure you take your budget and playing needs into consideration because this heavily determines the gun that is right for you. - 31373

About the Author:

Author: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

The History Of Airsoft Guns

By Anthony Carter

Airsoft guns are highly detailed replica firearms that are manufactured primarily for recreational purposes. Games are organized where players attempt to shoot each other in a similar manner to paintball. They fire small pellets, rather than actual bullets, at speeds of 30 to 260 miles per second.

The pellets are often launched by some type of compressed gas. A spring powered or electric piston is also common. Airsoft guns can be operated manually or by using an electric motor or by using compressed gas, which is usually Co2.

People under the age of sixteen should not use airsoft guns. When they are operated carefully they are completely safe. However, some have muttered concerns about the use of these guns. The pellets they use are normally non-metallic and are traveling at a slow speed. This means that they cannot pierce the flesh. Pellets made of metal are not advertised on any Airsoft site, but they can still be purchased from specialists. It is also possible for someone to manufacture their own metal pellets.

Additionally, a plastic or rubber pellet could break the skin when fired at short distances, if a gun is upgraded to fire faster than 150 miles per second. A few sites will state that guns of this kind should not be used to play with, especially when they are upgraded in such a manner. There has also been a lot of concern over these guns being used during criminal activities.

There was a spate of holdups during the late 1990s where the perpetrators used airsoft guns. These were obviously much easier to obtain than real weapons, but could serve a similar purpose. To counter this it is now illegal to import an airsoft gun that does not have a bright orange tip on the barrel.

1970s Japan is the unlikely origin of the airsoft gun. Back then it was against the law to own a real gun, and so there was a great demand for replica weaponry. One or two companies began to manufacture a realistic looking gun that had a spring loaded firing system. Many different sizes of bullet were used in the original run of these replicas. However, the projectiles were eventually standardized at 6 and 8 mm caliber. The gas powered guns followed in the late 1980s.

The hobby took America by storm in the 1990s. Classic airsoft, as it would become known, used the early Japanese guns. About ten years later the new generation of airsoft guns arrived. These were designed by Tokyo Marui Co. Ltd. And were termed the automatic electric gun. At this time Japan had just entered into a recession. Hundreds of Japanese manufacturers collapsed and eventually only Tokyo Marui remained as the main producer of airsoft.

Tokyo Marui spent a lot of time in the following years improving the range and accuracy of their guns. To this end it developed the advanced Hop up system that forms the basis of most modern airsoft guns. The early 2000s saw a new company arrive to challenge Tokyo Marui's dominance. The Classic Army of Hong Kong started to produce its own guns in competition to Tokyo Marui. In even more recent years there has also been a flood of Chinese and South Korean guns introduced on to the market. - 31373

About the Author:

Author: Anthoy Carter is very into the sport of airsoft and is very knowlegdeable about airsoft guns. Go to this website to find the best place to find airsoft guns.

The Secret of Cultivating the True Power of the Martial Arts!

By Al Case

When I was growing up, in the middle of the last century, there was this strange beast called the martial arts. People could defend themselves merely through the use of this strange energy called ki. Heck, women could beat up mugs and rapists, and even children could defend themselves using this thing called Karate.

I explored Kenpo, and Goju, and judo, and several other martial arts, and I found little trace of this mysterious energy. Mostly, you just stood in line and hit the air, and I began to believe that ki might be more of a myth than a reality. Still, I saw pictures of people breaking bricks, and doing other things which, even though they seemed a bit muscular, touted this strange energy called Ki.

As years passed, and as I practiced my martial arts techniques thousands and thousands and thousands of times, something strange happened. I began to sense a world beyond myself. I began to understand the world without de[ending on eyes and ears, and with a sense of myself that went beyond body. Slowly, I began to understand there might be truth to this ki thing, and to understand that circus tricks were the icing, and enjoyable, but that real intrinsic energy was something else.

I studied Tai Chi Chuan and Aikido, and other internal arts. I began to feel a strange energy permeate my body, and I began to enjoy a profound health which made me feel more spry than even when I had been young. And I began to realize certain things about this mysterious subject called ki, or chi, which should be understood, should people wish to really delve into the truth of the subject.

When you do your forms you must attain a low center of gravity, for this will create a better energy connection to the planet. A better energy connection means more real energy will pass through the legs and into the energy center of the body. I realized that the tan tien is nothing but a simple energy generator on the body level.

If you can excite the energy center through the use of forms, then you can cause an energy to seep upward through the body. This energy will excite a tan tien in the upper body, and then cause a person, through the excitation of the tan tien in the head, to view his body from outside his body. Thus, the body is filled and becomes a battery charged with supernormal energy which is called ki or chi.

The energy of the body can be used in many ways, and this provides a whole new education for a student of such things. To explore this education one should attempt to not use muscles, for energy locked into muscles stops the intention which drives the energy, and stops the emission of intrinsic energy. Instead, when striking, one should use ones body like a noodle, not even tightening the fist, merely driving it through the attacker, and occupying the space of his body, and to loosen the motion and sensitivity of the body so it is empty, and able to seek an imbalance of the attacker even in combat, and further the guidance of his energy in a profound and magnitudious manner.

Ki, whether it is called pneuma or chi or prana or intrinsic energy or whatever, is not mysterious. It is simple to find and define and use, if one only pay attention to the simple things I have written in this article, and are willing to practice endlessly. Whether you study goju or uechi or shotokan, whether you practice tai chi or yoga, this thing called ki, or chi, is available to you, and it defines The Path of The True Art. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has practiced the martial arts for forty years. He has written dozens of articles for the magazines and had his own column. You can find out if his Ki is worth a darn by getting his free ebook at Monster Martial Arts.

The Truth About Achieving Real Strength in the Martial Arts!

By Al Case

I first learned about the importance of strength through ads in the back of old comic books. The bully kicking sand in your face, Charles Atlas, and the need to lift big hunks of iron would save your life. Why, lift enough of those clanking plates and roles would be reversed, you suddenly could do the bully to the bad guy, the girl would love you, and life would be grand.

Then, as life proceeded, I found out that many people considered weight lifters a bit empty in the head. Weight lifters were the new bullies of the world, they were the ones kicking all the sand. And, heck, they even started taking drugs to make themselves bigger and badder.

The truth behind lifting weights is, of course, not entirely as I have portrayed it here through my youthful and naive observations of life. It is true that you have to lift weight; you have use muscles if you are going to gain the benefit of muscles. But, there are alternatives to lifting bars weighted with immense plates of iron that are much more efficient, much less dangerous, and, in this writers opinion, a heck of a lot more fun.

I began studying martial arts in the sixties, and I was unaware that, with my practice I was really lifting weights. I was doing with the martial arts was lifting the weight of my body and throwing it around in a manner that was much more efficient and far reaching than simple weight lifting. The competence of motion, the ranges of motion I was experiencing, it was building my body in ways that I had never imagined.

A few decades into my practice, already realizing an enduring health and physical conditioning that was far beyond my oxygen tank toting, walker using compatriots, I heard of body calisthenics. These were simple exercises that brought home the theories I had been practicing without realizing it through the martial arts. Furthermore, I wasn't experiencing health problems, the muscle to flab syndrome, injuries to muscles and joints that unreal stress can achieve.

Interestingly enough, I had started doing the martial art known as Tai Chi some years previous, and had discovered what I called Suspended Strength. When you hold a limb up for a while, moving it slowly, this is suspended weight, and this practice increases strength without increasing bulk, which is good if you want to develop physical, and mental, attributes specific to the martial arts. So, to coin a nifty sounding phrase, I was doing Extreme Suspended Weight Body Calisthenics.

The truth of this whole matter of weight lifting and body motion, however, eluded me until I injured myself. I suffered a separated shoulder, and I was reduced to rehabilitation, and I started doing light Yoga postures. Here was something slower than Tai Chi, in which I suspended strength even longer, and I began doing something that moved me into ever higher realms of fitness and martial arts ability. I realized that true strength is increased more by the channeling of awareness through the body than anything else.

This is the key to the whole mess, you know, for the body is a device in which energy is stopped, blocked, not flowing, no matter how much weight somebody might lift. By doing yoga postures, adapting them to my martial arts practice and realizing that the increase of awareness was loosening energy flows, I began to experience the wellness and true strength that the body is capable of. Karate and Shaolin Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Yoga, life is made whole by the increase of awareness, and I recommend this sequence of motion to non-motion to all who wish to find true strength through the martial arts disciplines. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has taught martial arts for 4O years. If you want to sample a little of his strength through a free ebook, go to Monster Martial Arts.

Pepper Spray and MACE: Great Protection

By Jim Wilkinson

Pepper spray is an excellent choice for a self defense weapon. Stun guns and tasers are good mind you, it is just that the effects of pepper spray last much longer. An attacker will find that when they are sprayed they will have difficulty breathing, seeing, choking, and just all around being able to function. Not only that but they will feel like their skin is on fire because of the burning sensation produced by the Pepper Spray.

Pepper Spray is extremely easy to use. It is as simple as "Point - Press". Point it at an assailant's face and press the button. In addition to the ease of use it is also less expensive and most of the time just as effective. It has the capability of saving your life if you find yourself in a dangerous situation. A lot of people have used it to successfully get out of a bad scenario.

Compared to other deterrents, pepper spray is superior in many ways. For example, a stun gun will only work for a few moments by temporarily disabling the nervous and muscular system. Not only that, but in order for the stun gun to have any effect at all you must be in very close proximity to the attacker and you must be touching him with the stun gun.

Where as with pepper spray the effects will last MUCH longer! An attacker will not be able to see, he will be choking and gasping for air for up to a half an hour. This incapacitating effect for such a long time period gives you the time you need to remove yourself from the situation. And, even the smallest pepper spray canister can shoot up to 10 feet so that you can stay as far away from him as possible.

How many of us have taken a bite of a really hot pepper, maybe on a dare? Many of us remember how our nose started running right away and our eyes teared up and oh my gosh, the burning feeling in our mouth! Well that is what pepper spray is made from, cayenne pepper. Of course the level of cayenne pepper in pepper spray is much, much higher then in biting into one hot pepper. When sprayed in the face with this self defense spray an attacker will stop thinking about coming after you and try to figure out how to make his pain stop!

When pepper spray is introduced to the eyes of the attacker, it will cause the eyelids and surrounding skin to become very swollen and irritated. The eyes will eventually become very swollen from the reaction to the pepper spray, and as a result the eyes will completely shut down causing temporary blindness. This will allow a safe exit from the scene and will also prohibit the attacker from seeing the direction in which you fled.

The effect caused by pepper spray are not permanent, and most effects will start to clear within 30 minutes. There has been no reported casualties from the use of pepper spray as a deterrent, and no long term side effects have been detected as a result from it being sprayed into the face.

Bottom line is that pepper spray is an effective, excellent choice when buying a self defense product. It works and it is the least expensive personal protection device that you can get. Effective, inexpensive, and easy to use make pepper spray a good buy! - 31373

About the Author:

Watch Pepper Spray in use and learn more about self defense products at Jim Wilkinson's site, Your Greatest Protection. Jim is a former Police Sergeant and knows what it takes to keep you safe.

Stun Baton - An Effective Self Defense Weapon

By Jim Wilkinson

Stun Batons are a great self defense weapon when you want to keep an attacker away from you and not let them get close. Stun batons pack a high voltage punch and can be intimidating looking.

If confronted by an attacker very often all you have to do to deter him is to test fire the stun baton. Seeing the electrical charge and hearing the loud crackling of electricity will make him think it is not a good idea to approach you any closer. He might decide to turn away and find an easier target. Keeping him a safe distance from you is the key.

With any self defense product, be it a stun gun, pepper spray or a TASER, the last thing you want to occur is to have an attacker take your self defense weapon from you and use it on you! Not good.

That is why you should look at all of the features of a stun baton before you purchase it. One good feature is to have not only the tip of the stun baton be charged but also the entire top 6 inches or so charged. By having this feature if the attacker goes to grab it from you, and you are pressing the button, he will receive a disabling shock and let go right away.

A stun baton that comes with a wrist strap and disabling pin is very useful. The disabling pin is attached to the wrist strap. The disabling pin, once removed from the stun baton, stops the stun baton from firing. Always make sure you have the disabling pin inserted and the wrist strap on your wrist. If he does pry it out of your hands the disabling pin becomes dislodged and renders the stun feature useless.

"How long of a stun baton should I buy?" Of course the answer depends on how you expect to have to use it. One good alternative is to look at an expandable stun baton. These new models are terrific because when in a closed position they are a very comfortable 12 inches long. About the size of a closed compact umbrella. When you need it you simply press one little button and you will see it extend to more than 20 inches! Comfortable to carry and very easy to use.

Using a stun baton to ward off a dog attack is one other great use of this self defense weapon. If you do a lot of walking you have probably been confronted by either one or two vicious dogs. Keeping them a safe distance away from you can be a problem. One tap with your stun baton will send them on their way to find a place to lick their wounds! They will not be bothering you anymore. - 31373

About the Author:

Find out how a Stun Baton can help you. Visit Your Greatest Protection for quality self defense products.

Buy Pepper Spray Instead of Stun Guns!

By Marko Johnson

So when you finally decide whether or not to buy a self defense product, which one should you buy?

Since you are an intelligent person I know that you know the difference between buying pepper spray and buying stun guns.

When you are deciding, which one should you pick? Should you buy pepper spray or should you buy a stun gun?

All throughout this article are several different ways and suggestions you can use to pick the right pepper spray or stun gun.

When you buy pepper spray, there are a couple of advantages you take over owning a stun gun. The main thing is the cost. Now I know that stun guns are really good and I even own a couple myself, but they are a little more expensive than buying pepper spray. You can pick up pepper spray for around $15 or so and a stun gun for almost double that.

This economy we are going through has been a real pain in the butt. Because of that, saving as much money as possible is the key to keeping yourself afloat. One thing to remember though is that when saving money, never skimp on self defense products. You get what you pay for.

Another great advantage to owning pepper sprays instead of stun guns are their versatility. When you have a stun gun you have to be in close proximity to the person you are using it on for it to be effective. With pepper spray you can be as far as 15 feet away when you spray someone. I know you cans see the advantages to this already.

I have so many family members and friends that sometimes when speaking with them I always advise to buy more than one pepper spray. When you have a couple you can have one in your car and one in the house as well as one on your person. Its always a good deal.

Finally we have size. When you buy spray's you are buying a small 3oz bottle that easily fits anywhere you want it to, well...almost. A stun gun is a little bigger and takes up more room. I know this isn't a huge factor but it plays a part none the less.

So I hope so far all of your questions have been answered. Because of this you should now start seeing the reasons why it is better to buy pepper spray over stun guns. - 31373

About the Author:

So now that you have all of that awesome info, do you think I would let you leave without first hooking you up with the most awesome info out there?as to where you might buy this awesome product called pepper spray? Did you really think I was that mean of a guy? Here you go: http://www.peopleprotection.com

The Wonderful Secret of the Everlasting Energy Known as Chi!

By Al Case

Chi, that mysterious vapor that the ancient masters used to defeat attackers without touching them. A secret force of the body that enables people to live long and healthy lives. Heck, there is even evidence that Chi was behind the success of the Jedi Knights...grin.

Lots of mystery surrounding Chi, lots of things that people don't understand. Yet, it has to follow rules. If it manifests in the universe, then there are ways to define and describe the way chi functions.

We are afloat in an ocean of Chi. Have you ever observed people that had the glow of good health? Have you ever finished a particular duty and stood back in satisfaction and noticed that the world is just a little more relaxed, a little brighter.

The trick is to make this feeling last all the time. Tai Chi can enhance your health immensely, and this will make you glow. And, if you can throw yourself into work and avoid distraction you will feel immense satisfaction, which ability is immensely enhanced by the practice of tai chi.

Chi is not something that is not perceivable, it is merely not seen by those who haven't honed their perceptions. One can easily detect this energy if they hone their perceptions, and perceptions are easily sharpened through the practice of tai chi. When practicing the tai chi form, for instance, one creates a separate universe about themselves, and this universe is quite extra sensory in nature.

As one grows and cultivates this separate universe they begin to perceive within it without using the normal senses. People sense what is occurring, feel, like radar, the movements of the world about them. This is an appreciation of how life works on the level of chi perception.

Chi is generated through the simple act of breathing, and relaxing, so that the body can function the way it was designed to function. Do you see a wild animal performing calisthenics? The reason is that the wild animals movements that are relaxed, and this allows his body to function the way it was designed to function.

There should not be a lot of mystery concerning the subject of the mysterious energy known as chi. Indeed, chi responds wonderfully and empirically on levels that are quite mechanistic in nature. Chi, to be truthful is one of the most empirical concepts in the universe, the problem is that people don't know how to understand and use it it on an empirical level. - 31373

About the Author:

With 4O years in the martial arts, Al Case has thoroughly solved the puzzle of chi. You can begin tapping into his method by getting a free ebook at Monster Martial Arts

A Few Thoughts on How You can have Perfection of Form

By Al Case

After forty years of practicing the martial arts, of studying Karate and Shaolin and Aikido and other arts, one thing about learning to fight has become very apparent. This truth is that people who study classical martial arts become better fighters. And, inversely, people who don't study classical martial arts don't always become better fighters.

The very interesting thing about all this is that most people don't really know what fighting really is. People are locked into the bang and pow of such things as reaction time, and they never really open up to the subject of developing intuition. Only through classical forms, such as are taught in such classical martial arts as wing chun or Shaolin, will a person make serious inroads into and start to develop the reality of this subject of intuition.

Most training methods, you see, rely on making muscle, on increasing speed, on being bigger and better and faster. Yet, the sad truth is that the best fighters are not always the biggest, bestest fastest. The best fighters in the world are the ones who see what is coming before it arrives.

Most martial arts training methods in modern times, you see, because they rely on reaction time, have reaction time built into them. Reaction time means that you are moving because something else has already moved, which means that you are moving too late, you are moving after the punch is on the way and nearly there. To not learn to move too late you must train in a classical method, such as Krav Maga or ninjitsu or Aikido, which teaches you to move before the punch is thrown.

Thus, to accelerate yourself as a fighter, to improve yourself on every possible level, you need to study martial methods, such as form training in classical styles such as hung gar and wado ryu, which address you in areas other than just muscle and reaction time. The forms of the classical arts accelerate your ability to fight as I am discussing here. Yes, they sometimes seem unweildy and one does often have to adapt and change what they learn to make the various teachings work, but the benefits are great and far in advance of meat and muscle and bone, and a person will be vastly improved, on an intuitive level, as a fighter.

When you do a classical form, you see, you are traveling down the same street. After a while of traveling down that street you see the same sights. After a while you can predict what is going to happen on that street before you make passage.

This kind of prediction is at the heart and core of the real and true martial arts, and of fighting. The real key lies in building the peculiar silence that develops as you practice your forms, which is available through such arts as Uechi ryu and Goju ryu. In the middle of such profound silence, silence that is spiritual in nature, you can find and define the exact thought that motivates every action.

Nothing in this universe is ever going to move unless a thought moves it first. Thus, the study of the classical martial arts, done with correct forms, with correct training methods, aid the fighter in developing his intuitive abilitiess. Yes, studying forms, such as in Isshin ryu and shito ryu, opens your mind and allows you to build the real qualities of the martila arts that are not found by the fellow who just fights. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has been perfecting his form for 4 decades++ years. You can see the results of his endeavors with a free ebook at Monster Martial Arts.

Can that Thing Called The Force Really Be with You Always?

By Al Case

Luke, Feel the Force. Close Your Eyes, Luke. May the Force be with you.

Wow, something really neat, like an invisible ocean that surrounds you. And everything in the universe was built out of this ocean stuff! And, heck, if you train at the Jedi Academy...you can control the Force!

Well, now that we?ve completed the introduction to Martial Arts 101, we can get down to the reality. Chi, or Ki, is an invisible ocean from which everything in the universe is made. And, oh yeah, you can learn to control it.

The difference, of course, between the cinematic timewaster and reality is that one you get fat over popcorn with, and the other one takes hard work. And, of course, the movie stuff, if you think about it, never seems to come true.

But, hey! You got to spend $10 bucks, and then rent it for $5, and then see it on cable for a buck, then, finally, see it for free, uh, with a few dozen advertisements to break it up and editing so you don?t see the good stuff, and so on! The question, however, is when are you going to start doing the work and make the dream come true?

So, they have instructional courses on DVDs. To get into a field of study, such as Karate or Krav Maga or Jujitsu or, the list goes on, and a DVD will cost you about as much as a movie. The difference, of course, is that you are paying for the movie every time you see it, and once you have the martial arts DVD there is no more cost, it?s like the difference between renting a car and owning a car.

Now comes the fun part of this whole thing, you actually get to do something. You are no longer holding down a couch eating endless amounts of popcorn, you are now able to hone your body into a sleek exotic car that runs good, drives the chicks (guys, if you?re a girl) wild, and that good conditioning is going to last you long into your lifetime. Slowly, a half hour here or a few minutes there, you copy the DVD, go along with the instructions, and, zingo bingo, you feel the changes.

Good health starts to seep through the ocean of your body, improving your hearing and vision, and you can work longer, harder, and more efficiently. Discipline starts to grab a hold of you, making you able to conquer new tasks, tasks which you previously thought daunting and difficult. And, here is the fun part, the world starts morphing to keep up with the new you...new friends, more money, the ability to make enough money to go to the best restaurants, maybe a real play, maybe a huge sporting event...and now the Force is truly with you. - 31373

About the Author:

Al Case has studied the martial arts for forty+ years and he can control The Force. Find out how through the free ebook he offers at Monster Martial Arts.