Posted on February 25, 2014 by Michael Beecroft

What is Mixed Martial Arts?

Mixed Martial Arts or MMA as it is referred to is a full contact, combat sport.

As opposed to boxing, karate, judo etc, it is isn’t just a single form a martial art. It encompasses many forms of martial arts and that’s where the sports gets its name from.

Although it can take in any martial art, there are 5 main styles of combat that are the base of MMA. These styles are:

Boxing – A style of combat, where the punches are the main focus. It is a form of stand-up striking that fighters use in MMA when they are on their feet.
Kickboxing – A style of combat, very similar to boxing but kicks are added into the equation. Again it is a form of stand up striking that is used while standing up in MMA.
Muay Thai – It also is a stand-up striking combat but where elbows and knees as well as kicks and punches are allowed. Also it incorporates the ‘clinch’ which is where a fighter can grab the head and the body of his opponent while standing and manipulate their movement.
Wrestling – A style of combat where the main goal is to seek the ‘takedown’. This is when you manage to get your opponent to the floor on their back and control them.
Jiu-Jitsu – A style of combat where the takedown is also a goal but once that has been achieved the aim is to ‘submit’ your opponent. This can be done by making them tap out through locks, or chokes that either cause the opponent pain causing the tap or by restricting blood flow to the head causing the tap.

To see a live MMA event there are many UK based promotions. The main UK based promotions are BAMMA and Cage Warriors.

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Posted on February 25, 2014 by Robert Liam DArcy

Five tips for starting to play Guitar.

By far one of the most popular and appealing instruments to any aspiring musician, here are five tips that should help you pick up a guitar and start learning today.

Choose your style. With lots of different styles of acoustic and electric guitars on the market, it can be confusing for any beginner to know what to go for. Acoustic guitars around £50 – £80 are ideal for beginners. You can often get bundle backs with a free carry case, or a strap etc. with a good quality guitar as well. Once you have learnt the basics and are moving onto intermediate skills, then it may be time to purchase your first electric guitar and amplifier.
Learn some things online. Not every player can afford one to one tuition and guitar lessons. Don’t worry, there are lots of online resources aimed at developing players of all abilities. Ultimate Guitar has free lessons for various skills. YouTube also has lots of channels dedicated to guitar tutorials and lessons, Mahalo is highly recommended.
Don’t get too frustrated. Learning guitar is a very complicated hobby, it takes years for some players to develop their skills. Players often get too frustrated when they can’t do something, a good motivational tool is to picture yourself a month ago, then look where you are now, and see how much you have improved!
Don’t rush the basics. Too many people pick up the guitar and stop playing because they aren’t Jimi Hendrix after a week of practice. Taking time to perfect your knowledge and playing abilities of major and minor chords, single notes, barre chords and more, will undoubtedly benefit your chances when you come to learn anthems and harder guitar songs.
Enjoy it! Without doubt the most important factor, whether you are playing along to songs in the comfort of your own bedroom, or jamming with your friends in a rehearsal room, playing guitar can make you relaxed, excited and proud of yourself.

For readers who are interested in buying an electric guitar, but are unsure which amplifier to play it through, check out Hobby Umbrella’s guide to amplifiers!

Now go and enjoy learning guitar!

Posted on February 24, 2014 by Michael Beecroft

Maybe try basketball?

Basketball is a team game, but as a hobby it can be played on your own or with friends. It is a physical sport and helps keep the body fit and it can exercise your mind through having fun.

Although it originally is a team game, it doesn’t have to be. This is because a hobby is all about having fun, and fun can be enjoyed with others or by yourself.

How would you get involved?

On your own or with friends: All you need is a basketball and a hoop. The beauty of this is that it is very cheap to play the only thing you need to buy is the ball, then seek out a local court and start playing.
Join a club: You may want to start playing basketball in a more serious manner where not just basketball skills will be involved but also fitness programmes too. Obviously the may be joining fees and weekly/monthy fees to pay but there are basketball clubs everywhere that are looking for players so don’t be afraid to join one. You can find basketball clubs all over the UK.

At the end of the day, if your looking for a sporty hobby that keeps you fit and active basketball may be the hobby for you.

Check out the video below, no one is expecting this from you but you may find it inspiring, if not, at least entertaining.

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Posted on February 24, 2014 by Shelley Knowles

Using Facebook as a tool

Use Facebook to help you sell

While you are starting up your craft business you are likely to have a small budget, which you need to use mainly to buy supplies and equipment.

You can set up a Facebook business or community pages as a free way to promote your products.

You can use your business name and it can help you increase the amount of exposure you get for your products.

Facebook is:

one of the largest social networks, with more than 750 million
it gives you access to a large audience of users, who can check out your pages and products at home, at work and even on-the-go
you can upload pictures of your products and display them on your walls and in online photo albums
it is good to interact with the people who like your page, ask their advice on colours or designs, it makes them think that they can have a say.There is more chance that they will buy from you if you make them feel like a friend.

Next page Networking

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Posted on February 12, 2014 by Shelley Knowles

Networking

A craft fair is a good place to sell your products and meet new people

Now that your business has started and you have sold a few things, unless you have found a golden egg the hard work still continues. In other words you have to work hard to keep getting the sales figures you need and want.

It is important that you keep the momentum going and not get complacent, if you don’t keep promoting, the orders will dry up.

If you use the internet keep your website updated, sell your products on eBay, Etsy and as many other sites as you can. Keep ‘chatting’ with your followers on Facebook, and offer incentives, discounts or give-aways. Be prepared to vary your products if the customer is wanting something slightly different.

Another good way of getting your products known is by attending craft fairs, there are many around, and a lot of them will be very local. Check out your local papers, schools and church halls.

If it is your first craft fair it can be a daunting experience. How much stock do you take? How do you display your products? How do you price them? What else do you need to take? Well the Crafty Network have some good tips and advice!

Good luck and enjoying building up your business!
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