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terça-feira, 30 de setembro de 2008
Meet a sports video website
terça-feira, 22 de julho de 2008
Get the best football boots
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análisis via zync
segunda-feira, 21 de julho de 2008
Learn to use your credit card wisely
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Learn all about mortgage
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Learn all about auto insurance
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domingo, 20 de julho de 2008
Finish with their debts
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quinta-feira, 19 de junho de 2008
Portugal gives goodbye to Euro Cup
With the result, Germany expects the winner of the clash between Croatia and Turkey, this Friday.
Top arrasador
Portugal, even with more technical players, surrendered the attack early departure and opted for counter-attacks as a weapon to reach the German goal. And when they had the ball, the team of Luiz Felipe Scolari was unable to threaten. Cristiano Ronaldo and Deco, the main organizers of the team, took to find in the game, which Portugal did suffer.
Germany, without taking anything with this, valued possession of the ball. Schweinsteiger, on the right side, and Ballack, in the central strip of the field, were the two main players of the team. They had the help of Lahm, fast side that incomodou Bosingwa all the time.
Click and see the gallery of photos of confrontation
At 21, after losing good chance with Ballack, Germany opened the score with a beautiful goal by the left. Podolski received a deep pass after table and went to the fund. The attacker crossed strong to the area, and Schweinsteiger in the first, hit the corner of Ricardo, who could do nothing.
Germany followed better after the goal. And it took the advantage to enlarge. Schweinsteiger lack charged the head of Klose, who, in a legal condition, made the head.
The goal awakened Portugal and Germany to put to sleep. Scolari sacou the steering wheel Joao Moutinho and launched the half Raul Meirelles. The Portuguese grew and equalled the shares. At 41, reduced the advantage of German move in Cristiano Ronaldo. The long pass and half received chutou in the output of Lehmann. The goalkeeper made partial defence, but Nuno Gomes, in turn, picked up the spare. Metzelder also tried to rebut, but the ball died at the bottom of the goal.
Germany secure the second time in Portugal
The game started in a way very similar to the end of the first time. Portugal kept the pace, but Germany came from the locker room with the hand brake pulled. More rearward. Less aggressive with the ball on the feet. The decision drew the Portuguese for the attack, and the confrontation was tense.
At 11, the Brazilian defender Pepe lost an incredible goal within the small area. After crossing Bosingwa, he, head, put on top of the dash.
The Portuguese fans were encouraged and pushed the team forward. Much more on the basis of will than of inspiration (because Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo did not have good performances), Portugal, master of the game, had several chances to empatar, but who mexeu in scores was Germany, with its pragmatic football, often boring. At 16, Schweinsteiger lack charged the head of half Ballack, who took the bad exit of Ricardo to enlarge.
In the final minutes, Portugal was launched to attack and reduced the difference with Postiga, at 42 minutes, to head. The game was dramatic. The pressure of time, Scolari was great, but it was already too late. End of line for Felipão.
Schweinsteinger: 'Portugal is my preferred opponent'
Elected the best player on the field in the victory of Germany over Portugal by 3 to 2, this Thursday in the St.Jakob-Park in Basle, the half Bastian Schweinsteinger recalls always have luck against the opponent.
-- It seems that Portugal is my favorite opponent. We are among the four best and that is fantastic. We eliminated the team that, for me, was the best of the tournament - said, referring to two goals marked the victory of 3 to 1 on the Germans in Portugal dispute the third place World Cup 2006.
The player left from villain to hero after being expelled at the end of the match in defeat to Croatia and have remained outside of the victory over Austria. On this departure sat in the gallery of the stadium in Vienna near the German Prime Minister Angela Merkel. And it received some advice.
-- She told me not to do anything stupid again and for that I play the same as two years ago, the World Cup. If the chancellor calls something to you, as not comply? -- Plays.
After elimination, Cristiano Ronaldo will have surgery
The striker Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Thursday that this should go through a surgery in the coming days. The player ended its participation in the Euro with the defeat by 3 to 2 from Portugal to Germany, in Basle.
"I'll do an operation now. I had a small problem in the foot by some three months," said the player, that this Thursday also expressed its desire to defend the Real Madrid in Spain.
"I have an operation and then have a good time for me to recover," complemented the player.
Podolski: "I wanted to play at any cost"
The player of Bayern Munich said he "wanted to play at any cost" and managed to "bear the pain."
"Play very well. It was a great game. Now we can celebrate," he said.
Brazil and Argentina draw in Mineirăo
The Brazilian National Team draw this Wednesday evening with Argentina at 0 to 0 in Mineirăo that it has received an audience of 52,527 paying. With the result, Brazil has reached nine points earned and is in fourth place in Rounds of the World Cup of 2010. Paraguay leads with 13, followed by Argentina with 11 points.
The game was equal and much disputed in the first time. Both teams concentrated most of the bids in mid-field, using the touch of ball to find a way to penetrate the defenses.
The two teams had two opportunities to mark. The first, from Brazil, was clearer, with the chute of Julio Baptista stopping the defense of Abbondanzieri in the rebound of Robinho chute, after move that began with Adriano.
Messi had a chance to Argentina, but wasted, chutando out.
The Brazilian National Team still has a bid in which the Argentine defender chutou the chest of Juan, in a bid that the penalty was called.
The second time, Brazil to reach faster in front of shots, but can not overcome the defense argentina to get done.
Argentina has had a bid of more danger in the final minute, but the tie ended up prevailing.
Brazil: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, Juan and Gilberto, Gilberto Silva, Anderson (Diego, after Daniel Alves), Mineiro and Julio Baptista, Robinho and Adriano (Luis Fabiano). Technical: Dunga.
Argentina: Abbondanzieri, Burdisso, Coloccini, Heinze; Zanetti, Mascherano, Gago, Riquelme (Battaglia) and Gutierrez; Messi (Palacio), Julio Cruz (Agüero). Technical: Alfio Basile.
UPDATE: World Cup 2010 - Brazil v Argentina Line-Ups: Barca's Messi, Arsenal & Spurs' Gilberto's, Man Utd's Anderson Start
TEAM UPDATE: Full starting line-up’s for Brazil v Argentina in their World Cup 2010 Qualifying Match at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte, Brazil on Wednesday evening.
Paraguay are currently leading the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying table after defeating the Brazil’s Seleçao 2-0 on Sunday, with Dunga’s team currently in 5th place in the CONMEBOL table, behind Uruguay and Colombia, in 4th and 3rd respectively.
Argentina managed to scramble a late-point against Ecuador in Buenos Aires in the Albiceleste’s last World Cup qualifying match at the weekend, with Alfio Basile’s team now in 2nd place in the South American table.
Seleçao head coach Dunga, speaking after the loss against Paraguay at the weekend, is upbeat about their chances against their local-rivals, saying: “The Paraguay result was very bad for us and it's increased the pressure ahead of the Argentina match.
"Sometimes things just work out that way, sometimes they don't. I'm optimistic about Wednesday's game and we'll be going there to win."
Brazil start with Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva starting alongside his North London rival and namesake Gilberto (full name Gilberto da Silva Melo) from Tottenham Hotspur, with Man Utd's Anderson and former Gunners loan player Julio César Baptista also in midfield.
Full Teamsheets for Brazil v Argentina in their World Cup 2010 Qualifying Match:
Brazil Team: Julio César, Juan, Maicon, Gilberto, Lucio, Miniero, Gilberto Silva, Julio Cesar Baptista, Anderson, Adriano, Robinho.
Brazil Substitutes: Doni, Luis Fabiano, Josué, Daniel Alves, Thiago Silva, Alexandre Pato, Diego.
Brazil Head Coach: Dunga.
Argentina Team: Roberto Abbondanzieri, Javier Zanetti, Gabriel Heinze, Jonás Gutiérrez, Fabricio Coloccini, Nicolas Burdisso, Juan Riquelme, Julio Ricardo Cruz, Javier Mascherano, Fernando Gago, Lionel Messi.
Argentina Substitutes: Sebastián Battaglia, Jonathan Bottinelli, Juan Carrizo, Rodrigo Palacio, Gonzalo Javier Rodriguez, Maxi Rodriguez, Sergio Leonel Aguero.
Argentina Head Coach: Alfio Basile.
Euro 2008 Result: Portugal 2-3 Germany - Ballack, Schweinstieger & Klose Seal Quarter-Final v Croatia Or Turkey
Germany have beaten Portugal 3-2 in the EURO 2008 Quarter Final match, with Portugal being eliminated from the tournament after goals from Bastian Schweinsteiger, Miroslav Klose and Michael Ballack sealing the win for Germany, despite Gomes & Helder Postiga scoring for Portugal.
The game started off at a fairly high pace, with Portugal having the majority of possession in the opening minutes of the match.
Chelsea new-boy Jose Bosingwa delivered an excellent cross for Joao Moutinho in the 20th minute, but the Portuguese striker somehow thighed his shot over the bar from just 4 yards out.
Germany started to find their feet in the match and took a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute, with a strike from Bastian Schweinstieger giving the Germans the lead in their first true attack of the game.
Lukas Podolski was the provider, after making a great run down the left channel, crossing the ball into the penalty area for Schweinsteiger to knock the ball past Ricardo to make it 1-0.
Germany doubled their lead just four minutes later. Miroslav Klose scored his first goal of the tournament after latching on to a Schweinsteiger free-kick, beating the offside trap to head past Ricardo and give Germany a two goal advantage before the half-hour mark.
Portugal pulled a goal back in the 40th minute, with Nuno Gomez scoring off a rebound from Cristiano Ronaldo’s shot which was saved by Lehmann.
Gomes’ shot proved too strong for Christoph Metzelder to stop the ball deflecting into the German goal to make it 2-1 before the break.
Portugal took the game to Germany in the beginning of the second-half, with Lahm and Friedrich seeing bookings early in the second half for Germany.
But despite the Portuguese revival, Germany re-gained their two-goal advantage in the 61st minute with a header from Germany captain Michael Ballack.
Ballack seemed to push Chelsea club team-mate Paulo Ferreira out of the way to find space to head past Ricardo to make it 3-1 from another badly defended set-piece.
Lukas Podolski had a stunning effort on goal in the 78th minute, which flashed just wide of Ricardo’s left-post as Germany looked to run the game out.
Portugal scored a second goal with just three minutes of normal time remaining.
Manchester United midfielder Nani made a superb run down the wing, cut back and crossed to fellow substitute Helder Postiga, who headed past Lehmann to make it 3-2 to Germany.
Germany now face either Croatia or Turkey in the first Semi Final of the tournament.
Full Teamsheets For Portugal v Germany EURO 2008 Quarter Final Match:
Portugal Team: Ricardo, Paulo Ferreira, Jose Bosingwa, Cristiano Ronaldo, Petit (Helder Postiga, 73), Joao Moutinho (Raul Meireles, 31), Simao, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Deco, Nuno Gomes (c) (Nani, 67).
Portugal Substitutes Not Used: Nuno Espirito Santo, Rui Patricio, Hugo Almeida, Jorge Ribeiro, Bruno Alves, Fernando Meira, Miguel Veloso, Miguel, Ricardo Quaresma.
Germany Team: Jens Lehmann, Arne Friedrich, Simon Rolfes, Bastian Scweinsteiger, (Clemens Fritz, 83), Miroslav Klose (Marcell Jansen, 89), Michael Ballack (c), Philipp Lahm, Thomas Hitzlsperger (Tim Borowski, 73), Per Mertesacker, Lukas Podolski, Christoph Metzelder.
Germany Substitutes Not Used: Robert Enke, René Adler, Heiko Westermann, Torsten Frings, Oliver Neuville, Mario Gomez, Piotr Trochowski, David Odonkor, Kevin Kuranyi.
sexta-feira, 13 de junho de 2008
Success Or Flop?
This past Saturday brought the birth of Live MMA on Network TV in a prime time slot. Was the endeavour a success or did the show flop and give the sport a black eye?
Elite XC aired the first ever live event on NBC this past Saturday. The internet has been alive with comments since and is showing no love for what should be heralded as an amazing step forward for the sport.
The night was filled with questionable early stoppages and poor officiating but the main event with Kimbo Slice vs James Thompson was the icing on the cake. Both the Brett Rogers-Jon Murphy heavyweight bout and the middleweight fight between Joey Villasenor and Phil Baroni were waved off as soon as Murphy and Baroni were dropped to the mat. Kimbo vs Thompson however was a different story, Kimbo weathered several elbows and punches to the face while on his back for 40 seconds near the end of round 2. Then in round 3, Kimbo pops a fluid filled ear on Thompson, lands a few more solid shots and the ref stops the fight with both fighters still on their feet.
Even the Gina Carano-Kaitlin Young fight which in my opinion was the fight of the night could have been argued to have an early stoppage. Then there was the Smith vs Lawler fight stoppage by the doctor, not even giving Smith the allotted time to recover after a accidental finger to the eye.
To say the biggest step forward in making MMA seem legit and break into prime time was a failure would be an understatement in my opinion. While the show did draw record numbers of viewers and the viewership grew as the event broadcast played out, the quality of the show was severely lacking.
The only way to salvage what took place would be to learn a great deal from the first event and make changes to be sure it does not happen in the second event. If Elite XC can not step it up then what was perceived to be a huge step forward for the sport could end up being one of its biggest failures. Only time will tell but as all fans I have to hope for the best.
Arlovski Signs With Affliction
Sources say that at tomorrow's Affliction press conference, Donald Trump will be announcing that former UFC heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski, has officially signed with the upstart promotion. The Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization and the Special Counsel to Donald J. Trump, Michael D. Cohen, confirmed the news.
Trump will also announce that he has become an equity partner in the Affliction promotion. When asked what percentage of the organization he now owns, Mr. Cohen would only say "a significant amount."
First, the fight with Ben Rothwell is now officially a go. Second, the UFC has now officially lost another top heavyweight talent. Third, it's hard to speculate so early as to how Donald Trump's involvement in Affliction means for their MMA arm or efforts. I sincerely doubt Trump has the sort of commitment to this sport that Dana White has, but nevertheless, add Trump to the growing list of big money heavyweights throwing their hat in the MMA arena. Perhaps Trump can assist in marketing or television opportunities, but for now, we'll have to wait and see.
Is Matt Hughes Finished?
Georges St. Pierre beat him as if he were a rookie and then submitted him at UFC 79, Matt Hughes admitted that thoughts of retirement had crossed his mind.
Saturday, in the main event of UFC 85, Hughes became a notch on the belt of Thiago Alves as he suffered another defeat in overwhelming fashion.
At the UFC 79 post-fight news conference in Las Vegas, Hughes vowed that he would retire before he'd become anyone's highlight reel but now it has happened 2 fights in a row.
Has Matt Hughes past his prime? Should Hughes hang up his gloves and retire to just teaching his once finely sharp honed skills?
Both the UFC and other promotions are over run with fighters and several are a new breed of well trained, hungry and on the edge fighters. While Hughes was one of the greats, it may be time to cut his losses and retire before he becomes another of the once great fighters who are now stepping stones for the up n comers to make a name off of.
Twist Dutch invades Berne. Again
The number of Dutch fans who invaded Berne for the match against Italy on Monday, was so great that the organization of Euro decided Botar another telão for fans of the Netherlands in the area dedicated to fans without tickets, the Fanzone, Berne. On this Friday, once again there was an orange invasion, but at least the Dutch have more space to attend the match against France. It is estimated that 50 thousand fans from the Netherlands are in the Swiss capital.
The number of Dutch in the city exceeded the expectation and planning of the Prefecture of Berne. And the city is that the Netherlands will also do the final departure of the first phase of Group C, against Romania, on Tuesday. The number of French fans in Bern is greater than that of Italians on Monday, but nevertheless does not compare to opponents of the streets of the capital of Switzerland.
Italy tie with Romania and is a complicated situation in the Euro
Os gols da partida foram marcados por Mutu e Panucci. O atacante da Romênia chegou a desperdiçar um pênalti no fim do segundo tempo.
O técnico Roberto Donadoni ficou decepcionado com a atuação da Itália na derrota para a Holanda por 3 a 0 e decidiu fazer quatro alterações na equipe. Del Piero, uma delas, deu mais força ofensiva à equipe, principalmente por causa da sua movimentação pelos lados do campo.
Os primeiros minutos foram tensos e estudados. Depois, a Itália, até pela derrota na estréia, saiu um pouco mais para o ataque. Luca Toni, enfiado entre os zagueiros romenos, tinha papel importante. Em determinados momentos, ele fazia o pivô, escorando as bolas para as chegadas do meio. Em outros, era a referência na área.
Aos 20, depois que a Romênia acertou a trave em cabeçada de Niculae, um lance assustador. Na disputa de uma bola aérea, Radoi se chocou violentamente com o companheiro Rat e caiu no gramado. O golpe na cabeça deixou o rosto do meia muito inchado e ele precisou deixar o campo na maca (Dica entrou em seu lugar).
A Itália continuou melhor após o lance. A pressão foi grande. Luca Toni teve algumas boas chances para abrir o placar. Na melhor delas, já aos 47 minutos, chegou a balançar as redes após cabecear cruzamento de Camoranesi, mas o árbitro marcou impedimento erradamente, mantendo o 0 a 0 no placar.
Etapa complementar
O segundo tempo começou diferente. Com gols. Aos 9, o lateral Zambrotta falhou ao tentar recuar a bola para o goleiro, e Mutu, livre, chutou no alto, sem defesa para Buffon. E dois minutos depois, a Itália chegou ao empate em lance de escanteio. Chiellini desviou para a pequena área e Panucci escorou para empatar e colocar fogo na partida.
Donadoni mexeu na Itália e pôs o atacante Cassano no lugar do meia Perrotta. A Itália ficou ainda mais ofensiva. Só que a Romênia, com um contra-ataque veloz, também ameaçava. As chances surgiram. A principal delas foi da Romênia, em pênalti de Panucci sobre Nicolita. Mutu cobrou no meio do gol, e Buffon, primeiro com a mão, depois com o pé direito, salvou em linda defesa.
No final, o empate foi pior para a Itália, que fica com apenas um ponto em dois jogos e precisando de uma combinação de resultados para avançar às quartas-de-final.
After Euro, Real paid $ 203 million by C. Ronaldo, English newspaper says
The complaint from Manchester United in Fifa seems insufficient to undermine the dream of Real Madrid to take the craque Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo to the Spanish team. In this edition Tuesday, the British newspaper "The Times" says that Real would be willing to pay € 80 million (U.S. $ 203 million) by the player after the end of the Euro.
The technician of Real Madrid Bernd Schuster also expects a happy ending for the club. The German never tires of praising the Jersey 7 of the Portuguese selection and expressed the desire to have craque for next season.
-- The hiring of Cristiano Ronaldo does not concern me, because it is not an obsession. We must wait to reach Madrid. Obviously it would be a great recruitment. He would not have problem of adaptation in time - say, a Spanish newspaper interview to "make".
segunda-feira, 9 de junho de 2008
Is Paul Williams Now The Top Welterweight In The World?
With last Saturday’s one round destruction of WBO welterweight champion Carlos Quintana, once beaten Paul Williams (34-1, 25 KOs) may have once again cemented himself in as the top welterweight in all of boxing, bar none. Forget all about WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, because he has his hands full with former WBO welterweight champion Antonio Margarito, whom he fights on July 26th at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Williams, 26, has already done the business of beating Margarito, having done that that by a 12-round unanimous decision on July 14th, 2007.
Once Cotto can do the same, or do it in even more impressive fashion, boxing fans can pretty much stay quiet about Cotto. Williams, though, he’s showed his worth as a champion by not only beating Margarito, but now having beaten a second welterweight champion in Quintana. Many fans and ring experts alike were giving Williams little chance at winning against Quintana, saying that the Puerto Rican fighter “had his number,” that there was “no way” that Williams could fix the problems in his game in only four months. Yet, that’s exactly what he did, not only fixing the problems but making himself almost invincible in the process
Boxing
Boxing (sometimes known as pugilism, Anglais boxing, Fistfighting, or English boxing) is a combat sport in which two participants (generally) of similar weight fight each other with their fists. Boxing today is conducted in a regulated way, typically in a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. Victory is achieved if the opponent is knocked down and unable to get up before the referee counts to ten seconds (a Knockout, or KO) or if the opponent is deemed too injured to continue (a Technical Knockout, or TKO). If there is no stoppage of the fight before an agreed number of rounds, a winner is determined either by the referee's decision or by judges' scorecards.
Although fighting with fists comes naturally to people, the ancient Greeks were the first to make a sport of it, by giving rules and staging tournaments with professionals. The birth hour of boxing as a sport may mark its allowance as an Olympic game as early as 688 BC. Modern boxing evolved in Europe, particularly Great Britain.
In some countries with their own fighting sports, the sport is referred to as "English Boxing" (e.g. in France to contrast with French boxing). There are numerous different forms of boxing practiced across the world.
Surfers and surf culture
Surfers represent a diverse culture based on riding the naturally occurring process of ocean waves. Some people practice surfing as a recreational activity while others demonstrate extreme devotion to the sport by making it the central focus of their lives. Within the United States, surfing culture is most dominant in California and Hawaii. Some historical markers of the culture included the woodie, the station wagon used to carry surfers' boards, as well as boardshorts, the long swim suits typically worn while surfing. Today, the modern clothing retailer of Hollister Co. has marketed surfing culture to mainstream America.
The sport of surfing has become so popular that it now represents a multi-billion dollar industry specially in clothing and fashion markets. Some people make a career out of surfing by receiving corporate sponsorships, competing in contests, or marketing and selling surf-related products, such as equipment and clothing. This rise in popularity has also led to the creation of surf schools and camps, where lessons are taught to novice or beginner surfers. Other surfers separate themselves from any and all commercialism associated with surfing. These "soul surfers," as they are often called, practice the sport purely for personal enjoyment and many even find a deeper meaning through involving themselves directly with naturally-occurring wave patterns and subscribe to ecological philosophies, or ecosophies. While often classified as a sport, surfing is also considered a lifestyle and to a lesser extent a religion.[citation needed]
On September 2, 2007 in Brazil, 84 surfers (from Australia, South Africa, Portugal, Britain and the US, to beat the former record of 73 surfers on a wave) caught the same wave. But while 300 turned up in Cornwall and Cape Town, the Brazilian waxheads won. With only 120 people, surfers in Santos, south-east of Sao Paulo, smashed the South African record.
Hydrodynamics
Swell is generated when wind blows consistently over a large area of open water, called the wind's fetch. The size of a swell is determined by the strength of the wind, the length of its fetch and its duration. So, surf tends to be larger and more prevalent on coastlines exposed to large expanses of ocean traversed by intense low pressure systems.
Local wind conditions affect wave quality, since the ridable surface of a wave can become choppy in blustery conditions. Ideal surf conditions include a light to moderate strength "offshore" wind, since this blows into the front of the wave making it barrel or tube.
The factor which most determines wave shape is the topography of the seabed directly behind and immediately beneath the breaking wave. The contours of the reef or sand bank influence wave shape in two respects. Firstly, the steepness of the incline is proportional to the resulting upthrust. When a swell passes over a sudden steep slope, the force of the upthrust causes the top of the wave to be thrown forward, forming a curtain of water which plunges to the wave trough below. Secondly, the alignment of the contours relative to the swell direction determines the duration of the breaking process. When a swell runs along a slope, it continues to peel for as long as that configuration lasts. When swell wraps into a bay or around an island, the breaking wave gradually diminishes in size, as the wave front becomes stretched by diffraction.
For specific surf spots, the state of the ocean tide can play a significant role in the quality of waves or hazards of surfing there. Tidal variations vary greatly among the various global surfing regions, and the effect the tide has on specific spots can vary greatly among the spots within each area. Locations such as Bali, Panama and Ireland experience 2-3 meter tide fluctuations, whereas in Hawaii the difference between high and low tide is typically less than one meter.
In order to know a surf break, one must be sensitive to each of these factors. Each break is different, since the underwater topography of one place is unlike any other. At beach breaks, even the sandbanks change shape from week to week, so it takes commitment to get good waves (a skill dubbed "broceanography" by a few California surfers). That is why surfers have traditionally regarded surfing to be more of a lifestyle than a sport. Nowadays, however, surf forecasting is aided by advances in information technology, whereby mathematical modelling graphically depicts the size and direction of swells moving around the globe.
Surfing in the wake of the Upper Sluice, Thun, Switzerland
Surfing in the wake of the Upper Sluice, Thun, Switzerland
The regularity of swell varies across the globe and throughout the year. During winter, heavy swells are generated in the mid-latitudes, when the north and south polar fronts shift toward the Equator. The predominantly westerly winds generate swells that advance eastward. So, waves tend to be largest on west coasts during the winter months. However, an endless train of mid-latitude cyclones causes the isobars to become undulated, redirecting swells at regular intervals toward the tropics.
East coasts also receive heavy winter swells when low pressure cells form in the sub-tropics, where their movement is inhibited by slow moving highs. These lows produce a shorter fetch than polar fronts, however they can still generate heavy swells, since their slower movement increases the duration of a particular wind direction. After all, the variables of fetch and duration both influence how long the wind acts over a wave as it travels, since a wave reaching the end of a fetch is effectively the same as the wind dying off.
During summer, heavy swells are generated when cyclones form in the tropics. Tropical cyclones form over warm seas, so their occurrence is influenced by El Niño & La Niña cycles. Their movements are unpredictable. They can even move westward, which is unique for a large scale weather system. In 1979, Tropical Cyclone Kerry wandered for 3 weeks across the Coral Sea and into Queensland before dissipating.
The quest for perfect surf has given rise to a field of tourism based on the surfing adventure. Yacht charters and surf camps offer surfers access to the high quality surf found in remote, tropical locations, where tradewinds ensure offshore conditions. Since winter swells are generated by mid-latitude cyclones, their regularity coincides with the passage of these lows. So, the swells arrive in pulses, each lasting for a couple of days, with a couple of days between each swell. Since bigger waves break in a different configuration, a rising swell is yet another variable to consider when assessing how to approach a break.
Surfing
Surfing is a surface water sport in which the participant is carried along the face of a breaking wave, most commonly using a surfboard, although wave-riders may make use of kneeboards, body boards (aka boogie boards), kayaks, surf skis, and their own bodies. Surfing-related sports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking do not require waves, and other derivative sports such as kitesurfing and windsurfing rely primarily on wind for power, yet all of these tools may as well be used to ride waves.
Two major subdivisions within contemporary stand-up surfing are reflected by the differences in surfboard design and riding style of longboarding and shortboarding.
In tow-in surfing (most often, but not exclusively, associated with big wave surfing), a surfer is towed into the wave by a motorized water vehicle, such as a jetski, generally because standard paddling is often ineffective when trying to match a large wave's higher speed.
SriLankan Airlines Pro off & running in the Maldives, building swells to deliver an awesome week of surf!
Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 9 June, 2008 : - - Pasta Point on the beautiful Chaaya Island in the Maldives greeted 200 of the world’s top ASP World Qualifying Series surfers with waves that built throughout to an excellent 1.5m by the end of day one of the SriLankan Airlines Pro.
What started as wind effected and quite small conditions transformed to the typical quality and rippable perfect left point peeling waves as an expected new swell filled in and the surfers delivered excellent performances with high 8 and 9 point rides common.
Former world top ten surfer Phil MacDonald (AUS) was the standout performer of the morning with an ominous performance which included the day’s top scoring single ride of 9.33 to easily win his heat.
MacDonald was a surprise non qualifier for the 2009 ASP World Tour following six years of high performances that had him firmly inside the world’s top ten on the ratings. The powerful natural footer put on a performance today that was stamped with determination to get his world career back on track and after his heat MacDonald commented on his present position saying –
Blake Wilson : photo Steve Robertson
“I’ve had time to really get back to enjoying my surfing this year and I think a break from the ASP World Tour could be just what I needed to get my focus back. That heat was fun, the waves here suit powerful backhand surfing and in the past I’ve done well here so hopefully I can do well again and get the right waves. The 9.33 I scored in that heat I feel I can really surf way stronger than that and build significantly, especially with what appears like some seriously good swell for the rest of the week.’
Other strong opening day winning performances came from Fredrico Pilurzu (Costa Rico), Joan Duru (France), Jay Quinn (NZ), Jack Perry (AUS) and Marlon Lipke (Germany).
Brazilian surfers have always stood out at this event and the large contingent here which includes defending event champion Heitor Alves cheered on two barnstorming winning performances from compatriots Jadson Andre and Robson Santos. Andre, a former World under 18 surfing champion posted the days highest scoring heat with 17.66 in his demolition victory over Australian’s Dion Atkinson (2nd) and Luke Cheadle eliminated in 3rd.
With the events top seeds set to enter the water tomorrow and most of them fine tuning their performances today and acclimatizing to the 30 degree waters in the excellent nearby surf breaks at Sultan’s and Honkies this afternoon, tomorrows action is not to be missed, particularly with perfect swells predicted to remain with the event throughout the week!
Fredrico Piluzo : photo Steve Robertson
Just a few of the top seeded surfers off enjoying excellent nearby waves today included Hawaiian 2000 world champion Sunny Garcia along with Shaun Cansdell (AUS), Travis Logie (ZAF) and Patrick Gudauskas (USA). Sixteen round one heats were completed today and tomorrow will see the remaining 8 round one heats completed before going straight into round two.
Pasta Point is located on beautiful Chaaya Island, Dhonveli in the exotic Maldives. The 6 Star Prime Rated SriLankan Airlines Pro is a key event in the ASP World Tour offering bonus in ratings points as one of the limited Prime Rated events conducted around the globe, the SriLankan Airlines Pro is a focus point on the tour for the elite of the ASP WQS tour members.
THE SriLankan Airlines Pro prides itself on being an ASP 6 star Prime Rated event, regarded by many as the World’s Premier ASP World Qualifying Series Events held in possibly the HOTTEST waters on the ASP Tour! The Maldives presents SriLankan Airlines Pro is proudly sponsored by SriLankan Airlines, Maldives Tourism & Promotions Board, Dhiraagu, Chaaya Island, Bank of Maldives, Inner Maldives Holidays Atoll Travel & Atoll Adventures
Check the Live Coverage
Event Brief: The SriLankan Airlines Pro is widely regarded as one of the premier events on the prestigious ASP International World Qualifying Series. Held in the Maldives each year since 2001 during early June the event has always delivered high quality surf and the event is famous for being held in the warmes surfing waters of any event world wide, at an amazing approximate of 30 degrees.
Hugo Savali : photo Steve Robertson
The number one seed this year is Michael Campbell (AUS), a former world number 2 rated surfer and the field includes the likes of 2000 ASP World Champion Sunny Garcia (HAW), Travis Logie (ZAF), Masotoshi Ohno (JPN), Aritz Aranburu (SPAIN), Jay Quinn (NZ), Brett Simpson (USA) to name just a few of the outstanding surfers here this year. The defending champion is Heitor Alves (BRA) who is scheduled to surf in heat 16 round 5 which is expected to surf on Wednesday with the finals expected to run through Saturday and Sunday.
Day two of Euro 2008. Austria 0-1 Croatia, Poland 0-2 Germany.
The second day of the European Championships followed a very similar pattern to the first.
The joint hosts Austria, like Switzerland before them, put up a decent showing against one of the ‘outside bets’ for the tournament, Croatia, who like the Czech Republic before them, looked far from impressive. The hosts lost the game 1-0.
In the second game one of the favourites, Germany, like Portugal before them, played well and looked pretty impressive against one of the outsiders, Poland, who like Turkey before them, huffed and puffed and played well, but had no penetration. The favourites won the game 2-0.
On the positive side, and most of it has been very positive so far, all four games have contained some excellent football. On the negative side, it has all turned out to be quite predictable in the end.
Today, the ‘group of death’ takes over and that will buck the early trend because nothing in that group is predictable. The games between Romania and France and particularly Holland and Italy are very difficult to call.
The facts from yesterdays matches are that in the early game Croatia were handed on a plate what proved to be a fourth-minute winner when new Tottenham recruit Luca Modric drilled home a penalty after Austria’s Rene Aufhauser clumsily fouled Ivica Olic in the area. It was an obvious foul and the Austrian protests were surely out of frustration at their teammate rather than the decision.
Croatia dominated for the next twenty minutes or so with Modric looking impressive but Austria gradually took a hold on the game. They played some excellent football and created a number of half chances. In the end they couldn’t find the net and ultimately paid for having a lack of real quality in the final third.
Although Croatia won the game, the same could indeed be said of their quality in the opponents penalty area. The team, who looked a long way from being potential winners of the tournament, don’t appear to have adequately replaced injured Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva.
In the later game, Germany had what was in the end a fairly comfortable victory against a spirited but ultimately limited Poland side. A goal in each half from Polish born striker cum wide man Lukas Podolski was enough to see the tournament favourites cruise to a deserved win.
Poland had a good period in the second half when they were only 1-0 down but they never seriously troubled Germany. As well as the two goals, Klose and Gomez managed to combine to make a total mess of one great chance, Gomez missed another good opportunity and Poland keeper Boruc made some decent saves and one stunning one to deny Chelsea’s Michael Ballack.
In the second half, Poland introduced Brazilian born Guerrero to the side and he looked the most likely player to unsettle Germany. One cross he provided was headed towards goal by Marek Saganowski, but Jens Lehman saved easily.
So, after four games we have seen nothing to suggest that the tournament will provide any major shocks. The group of favourites look about right, the ‘outside bets’ have won but not looked good, and the ‘no hopers’ have battled and played with pride but lost. It looks like the bookies have got it right, as usual.
One thing that I feel I should comment on after these first four games is the quality of the refereeing. With one or two exceptions when play has been prematurely stopped when the offended against team were in a good position and advantage should have been played, the standard has been particularly high. The referees have been under-stated. They have hardly been noticed. That is exactly as it should be. In the Premier League in England we are used to referees trying to make themselves the star of the show.
The four referees so far have not been ‘card happy’ and have run the games with a great deal of common sense. When players have fallen theatrically to the ground the refs have simply told them to get up and get on with it. When the referee was confronted with the difficult decision to award a penalty against the host nation after just three minutes yesterday, he didn’t hesitate.
The refereeing has been refreshing so far. The games have been refreshing so far. The football has been refreshing so far and the spirit in which the games have been played has been refreshing so far.
As an Englishman, I am truly hoping that all of the above is not true mainly because England aren’t there and we haven’t yet seen an English referee! That is what I’m hoping, but it isn’t necessarily what I believe!
Deco: I’m Headed To Either Chelsea or Inter
Jose Mourinho only took charge of Inter on June 2nd, but he has already moved quickly in the transfer market.
The Italian midfielder has been one of the Nerazzurri’s prime targets ever since Mourinho took over at the club, although he was also a target for predecessor Roberto Mancini.
The 30-year-old had a disappointing season at Camp Nou and will definitely leave the club. Rumours from news agencies in Italy say that the Inter club has agreed to pay Barca between 12 and 13 million Euros, with Deco signing a three year contract worth five million Euros per season.
“At this moment I have only two possibilities – Chelsea or Inter,” the Barcelona man told El Mundo Deportivo.”
“I have not sealed a deal with either of them, though. I have not yet decided upon my future, as I have to meet with me agent and see what is best for me.”
“I certainly will not go to a club that I don’t like or that won’t allow me to win trophies, as that is my objective.”
Mourinho has been brought in with the immediate goal of aiming for the Champions League victory which he has already won with Deco at Porto.
“Undoubtedly my rapport with Mourinho is excellent and that does factor into my decision, but I have to view many other elements too,” continued the Portuguese international.”
“Inter are a good squad that satisfy the aspirations of any player. So do Chelsea, where many of my friends currently play.
Ronaldinho To Turn Down Manchester City
Ronaldinho seemed to be set on moving to Manchester City from Barcelona next season, but representatives of Ronaldinho are now saying that he will be turning them down unless the current offer is increased.
City are said to have offered Ronaldinho a set contract worth £8million with an added £1.6m in bonuses, if the club qualify for Europe next season. This would seemingly beat his current deal at Camp Nou which has 2 years left on it, but that might not be enough.
As a quick comparison, The Guardian reports this new deal would equate to eventual weekly wages in the region of £200,000, which is close to what Ronaldo will probably be getting next year at an estimated £220,000 per week if he stays at Manchester United.
There is a possibility Ronaldinho is just unhappy about some personal terms, and less concerned about the financial offer, but Manchester City is still confident that they will land the transfer of the summer. Eastlands directors are to travel to Brazil in an attempt to reach an agreement with his brother and agent Roberto De Assis Moreira.
US 0-0 Argentina - Player grades
Let's see, amazing showing by a goalkeeper, horrible calls from the ref, an engaged, pro-USA crowd and Mastroeni walks off with a red, if only Brian McBride showed up bleeding from his face, it would have been World Cup 2006 against Italy all over again.
Sunday night was a great night for the US men as they played their best match since 2006 in front of almost 80,000 passionate fans. Argentina pressed and pressed, but the US was able to hold thanks in huge part to goalkeeper Tim Howard. The fact that he went 1 on 1 with Julio Cruz on four occasions and won every one of them is proof to his talent.
But the Americans did not just sit back and bunker down, instead they actually put together some good combinations that saw them open up the field and push towards goal. The bad news, when it came to the final third, the red, white and blue were still lacking.
As great as the play on the pitch was, the two biggest moments of the game were due to referee Joel Aguilar Chicas channeling his inner Jorge Larrionda and blowing calls. One, the missed penalty kick call against Tim Howard when he took down the on rushing Sergio Aguero in the 52'. Howard didn't get a single finger on the ball and took our Aguero's legs, it should have been a pk. Two, the phantom second yellow card to Pablo Mastroeni in the 71'. For once Pablo was completely innocent of anything as he wasn't even involved in the play that resulted in the foul. The reason given was unsporting behavior, but to earn a second yellow, in a friendly no less, Mastroeni must have said something really awful.
Both of these missed calls changed the flow of the game. The US was just starting to gain momentum when the Aguero mistake was made. Had the proper call be given, the game would have opened up for both teams. The Mastroeni red changed the entire mindset of the squad as they went from trying for a win to hoping for a tie.
In the end, this was a good way to end their three games of death. It showed us the weaknesses that still exist (forwards) and the strengths that we have (goalkeeping, defending).
Now the team moves on to the real matches as World Cup Qualifying starts next Sunday.
Here are the player grades:
Starting XI
Tim Howard (GK) - If anyone had any questions as to our number one in the nets, he shut them down last night. He was lucky with the pk call, but that still doesn't take away from his first half heroics. A+
Steve Cherundolo (D) - Beat a lot by Messi, but could hold his own with others. B-
Oguchi Onyewu (D) - He covered the mistakes of others and provided us with the best scoring opportunity of the night (which is also kind of sad). Still, he missed his marks a couple times. A-
Danny Califf (D) - Slow start but picked up as the game moved along. Held his spots and blocked a bunch of centering passes. He deserves more looks. B+
Heath Pearce (D) - This was his breakout night. He kept the left flank tamed and pushed the ball forward. I think we have our left back. A
Michael Bradley (M) - Bad night for the little Bradley. Wasn't controlling the ball or supply. Maybe a couple weeks off will do him good. C+
Pablo Mastroeni (M) - Up to the red, he was looking good. Provides coverage for defenders and placed some good balls forward. B
Clint Dempsey (M) - The most consistent attacking presence, but passed instead of shot a few too many times. Has good ball control and helped in defense, but needs to take the shot. B+
DaMarcus Beasley (M) - Nice speed along the side that surprised Argentina more then a few times. His crossing is still in need of some help. B
Landon Donovan (F) - Not a bad 100th cap, but nothing spectacular. He wasn't given many balls to run onto, but still caused some trouble. Getting better with corners and passing. B+
Eddie Johnson (F) - Time to move EJ to the sub list. Three starts and nothing from them. Last night saw more of the same. He's good at getting in but he doesn't know how to take a shot. C-
Subs
Maurice Edu (M) - On for Bradley in the 46'. Held his own and started a number of the second half attacks. B+
Jay DeMerit (D) - On for Onyewu in the 61'. Looked good and make some smart plays while his team was down a man. B
Freddy Adu (M) - On for Dempsey in the 61'. Did not take over the game like he did in Spain but gave the US some sort of push, especially late. Wasn't the best technical decision to go 1 on 4 while trying to kill the clock but I like his effort. A-
Sacha Kljestan (F) - On for Johnson in the 74'. The fact that this change only seemed to happen because Johnson get an injury is frustrating. Kljestan gave the side energy and make some good passes. Would have liked to see more then 20 minutes form him. B+
Eddie Lewis (D) - On for Pearce in the 78'. He still has something, which is good to know if the injury bug comes along. B
Frankie Hejduk (M) - On for Beasley in the 91'. Ran down the balls in his few minutes on the grass. Much like Lewis, he can bring some experience and calm to the side. No grade.
Sub not used: Brad Guzan
Bob Bradley (Coach) - Other then starting Eddie Johnson and then not subbing him out earlier and not giving Adu a bit more time, it was a good night. When Mastroeni was sent off, his changes to the team's setup proved capable of holding off the number one team in the world. Still needs to figure out the offensive problems. B+
sábado, 17 de maio de 2008
Muay Thai techniques
Muay Thai consisted of an arsenal of nine weapons - the head, fists, elbows, knees and feet - known collectively as na-wa arwud. Although in modern Muay Thai, both amateur and professional, headbutting an opponent is no longer allowed. Muay Thai is unique in the way it uses all parts of the body, including the elbows and knees, for both training and competitions.[6]
To strike and bind the opponent for both offensive and defensive purposes, small amounts of stand-up grappling are used: the clinch. Formal Muay Thai techniques are divided into two groups: Mae Mai or major techniques and Luk Mai or minor techniques. Muay Thai is often a fighting art of attrition, where opponents exchange blows with one another. This is certainly the case with traditional stylists in Thailand, but is a less popular form of fighting in the contemporary world fighting circuit. With the success of Muay Thai in mixed martial arts fighting, it has become the de facto martial art of choice for competitive stand-up fighters. As a result, it has evolved and incorporated much more powerful hand striking techniques used in western style boxing and the Thai style of exchanging blow for blow is no longer favorable. Note: when Muay Thai fighters compete against fighters of other styles (and if the rules permit it), they almost invariably emphasize elbow (sok) and knee (kao) techniques to gain a distinct advantage in fighting. Almost all techniques in Muay Thai use the entire body movement, rotating the hip with each kick, punch, and block. The rotation of the hips in Muay Thai techniques, and intensive focus on "core muscles" (such as abdominal muscles and surrounding muscles) is very distinctive and is what sets Muay Thai apart from other styles of martial arts.
[edit] Punching techniques (Chok)
English Thai Transliteration
Straight punch หมัดตรง Mud Dhrong
Hook หวัดเหวี่ยงสั้น Mud Wjang San
Swing หมัดเหวี่ยงยาว Mud Wijang Yao
Spinning backfist หมัดเหวี่ยงกลับ Mud Wjang Glab
Uppercut หมัดเสย ( หมัดสอยดาว ) Mud Seuy
Cobra punch กระโดดชก Kra-dod Chok
Undercut หมัดฮุก Mud Khouk
The punch techniques in Muay Thai were originally quite simple being crosses and a long (or lazy) circular strike made with a straight (but not locked) arm and landing with the heel of the palm. Cross-fertilization with Western boxing and western martial arts mean the full range of western boxing punches are now used (jab, straight right/cross, hook, uppercut, shovel and corkscrew punches plus overhand or bolo punches).
Muay Thai judges score punching techniques less highly than other strikes as they are generally less powerful than knee strikes or kicks and the fists are padded by gloves (while knees, elbows, shins, and feet are not).
As a tactic, body punching is used less in Muay Thai than most other striking martial arts to avoid exposing the attacker's head to counter strikes from knees or elbows.
[edit] Elbow techniques (dhee sork)
The elbow can be used in seven ways: horizontal, diagonal-upwards, diagonal-downwards, uppercut, downward, backward-spinning and flying. From the side it can be used as either a finishing move or as a way to cut the opponent's eyebrow so that blood might block his vision. The blood also raises the opponent's awareness of being hurt which could affect his performance. This is the most common way of using the elbow. The diagonal elbows are faster than the other forms, but are less powerful. The uppercut and flying elbows are the most powerful, but are slower and easier to avoid or block. The downward elbow is usually used as a finishing move.
English Thai Transliteration IPA
Elbow Slash ศอกตี Sork Dhee sɔ̀ːk tīː
Horizontal Elbow ศอกตัด Sork Dhad sɔ̀ːk tàd̥
Uppercut Elbow ศอกงัด Sork Ngad sɔ̀ːk ŋád̥
Forward Elbow Thrust ศอกพุ่ง Sork Poong sɔ̀ːk pʰûŋ
Reverse Horizontal Elbow ศอกเหวี่ยงกลับ Sork Wjang Glab sɔ̀ːk wìːaŋ klàb̥
Spinning Elbow ศอกกลับ Sork Glab sɔ̀ːk klàb̥
Elbow Chop ศอกสับ Sork Sap sɔ̀ːk sàb̥
Double Elbow Chop ศอกกลับคู่ Sork Glab Koo
Mid-Air Elbow Strike กระโดดศอก Gra-dode Sork
There is also a distinct difference between a single elbow and a follow-up elbow. The single elbow is an elbow move independent from any other move, whereas a follow-up elbow is the second strike from the same arm, being a hook first with an elbow follow-up. Such elbows, and most other elbows, are used when the distance between fighters becomes too small and there is too little space to throw a hook at the opponent's head.
[edit] Kicking techniques (dhe)
Low kick
Low kick
English Thai Transliteration
Straight Kick เตะตรง Dhe Dhrong
Nutcracker Kick เตะผ่าหมาก Dhe Paa Maak
Roundhouse Kick เตะตัด Dhe Dhad
Diagonal Kick เตะเฉียง Dhe Chiyang
Half-Shin, Half-Knee Kick เตะครึ่งแข้งครึ่งเข่า Dhe Krueng Kheng Krueng Kao
Spinning Heel Kick เตะกลับหลัง Dhe Glab Lang
Down Roundhouse Kick เตะกด Dhe Kod
Axe Heel Kick เตะเข่า Dhe Khouk
Jump Kick กระโดดเตะ Gra-dode Dhe
Step-Up Kick เหย่บเตะ Yiep Dhe
The two most common kicks in Muay Thai are known as the teep (literally "foot jab,"), and the TAE(kick)chieng (kicking upwards in the shape of a triangle cutting under the arm and ribs) or angle kick. The Muay Thai angle kick has been widely adopted by fighters from other martial arts. The angle kick uses a rotational movement of the entire body. The angle kick is superficially similar to a karate roundhouse kick, but omits the rotation of the lower leg from the knee used in other striking martial arts like Karate or Taekwondo. The angle kick draws its power entirely from the rotational movement of the body. Many Muay Thai fighters use a counter rotation of the arms to intensify the power of this kick.
If a round house kick is attempted by the opponent the Muay Thai fighter will normally block with his shin. Thai boxers are trained to always connect with the shin. While sensitive in an unconditioned practitioner, the shin is the strongest part of the leg for experienced Muay Thai fighters. The foot contains many fine bones and is much weaker. A fighter may end up hurting himself if he tries to strike with his foot or instep.
Muay Thai also includes other varieties of kicking, such as the axe kick, side kick or spinning back kick etc. These kicks, are only used in bouts by some fighters. It is worth noting that a side kick is performed differently in Muay Thai than the traditional side kick of other martial arts. In Muay Thai, a side kick is executed by first raising the knee of the leg that is going to kick in order to convince the opponent that the executor is going to perform a teep or front kick. The hips are then shifted to the side to the more traditional side kick position for the kick itself. The "fake-out" almost always precedes the kick in Muay Thai technique.
[edit] Knee techniques (dhee kao)[7]
English Thai Transliteration
Straight Knee Strike เข่าตรง Kao Dhrong
Diagonal Knee Strike Kao Chijang
Curving Knee Strike เข่าโค้ง Kao Kouwng
Horizontal Knee Strike เข่าตัด Kao Dhad
Knee Slap เข่าตบ Kao Dhob
Knee Bomb Kao Youwn
Flying Knee Strike เข่าลอย Kao Loi
Step-Up Knee Strike เข่าเหยียบ Kao Yiep
* Kao Dode (Jumping knee strike) - the Thai boxer jumps up on one leg and strikes with that leg's knee.
* Kao Loi (Flying knee strike) - the Thai boxer takes step(s), jumps forward and off one leg and strikes with that leg's knee.
* Kao Tone (Straight knee strike) - the Thai boxer simply thrusts it forward (not upwards, unless he is holding an opponents head down in a clinch and intend to knee upwards into the face). According to one written source, this technique is somewhat more recent than Kao Dode or Kao Loi.[citation needed] Supposedly, when the Thai boxers fought with rope-bound hands rather than the modern boxing gloves, this particular technique was subject to potentially vicious cutting, slicing and sawing by an alert opponent who would block it or deflect it with the sharp "rope-glove" edges which are sometimes dipped in water to make the rope much stronger. This explanation also holds true for some of the following knee strikes below as well.
The clinch version of this move was scientifically proven recently to be the strongest blow using the legs in martial arts. The test subject delivered the strike to a high-tech dummy. On a person the blow would have fragmented the ribs, caused two inches of chest compression, and caused severe internal bleeding in the organs.
* Kao Noi (Small knee strike) - the Thai boxer hits the inside upper thigh (above the knee) of the opponent when clinching. This technique is used to wear down the opponent or to counter the opponent's knee strike or kick.
[edit] Foot-thrust techniques (teep)
Foot-Thrusts also known as Push Kicks or literally "foot jabs" are one of the most common techniques used in Muay Thai. Teeps are different from any other Muay Thai technique in terms of objective to use. Foot-thrusts are mainly used as an offensive technique to block opponent's attacks, and get an opponent off balance. Foot-Thrusts should be thrown quickly but yet with enough force to knock an opponent off balance.[8]
English Thai Transliteration IPA
Straight Foot-Thrust ถีบตรง Teep Dhrong tʰìːb̥ tròŋ
Sideways Foot-Thrust ถีบข้าง Teep Kang tʰìːb̥ kʰâːŋ
Reverse Foot-Thrust ถีบกลับหลัง Teep Glab Lang tʰìːb̥ klàb̥ làŋ
Slapping Foot-Thrust ถีบตบ Teep Dhob
Jumping Foot-Thrust กระโดดถีบ Gra-dode Teep kràʔ dòːd̥ tʰìːb̥
[edit] The clinch
In Western Boxing, the two fighters are separated when they clinch, in Muay Thai however, they are not. It is often in the clinch where knee and elbow techniques are used. The front clinch should be performed with the palm of one hand on the back of the other. There are three reasons why the fingers must not be intertwined. 1) In the ring fighters are wearing boxing gloves and cannot intertwine their fingers. 2) The Thai front clinch involves pressing the head of the opponent downwards, which is easier if the hands are locked behind the back of the head instead of behind the neck. Furthermore the arms should be putting as much pressure on the neck as possible. 3) A fighter may incur an injury to one or more fingers they are intertwined, and it is harder to release the grip to quickly elbow the opponent's head.
A correct clinch also involves the fighter's forearms pressing against the opponent's collar bone while the hands are around the opponent's head rather than the opponent's neck. The general way to get out of a clinch is to push the opponent's head backwards or elbow him or her, as the clinch requires both participants to be very close to one another. Additionally, the non-dominant clincher can try to "swim" his or her arm underneath and inside the opponent's clinch, establishing the previously non-dominant clincher as the dominant clincher.
Muay Thai has several other variants of the clinch, including:
* arm clinch, where one or both hands controls the inside of the defender's arm(s) and where the second hand if free is in the front clinch position, this clinch is used to briefly control the opponent before applying a knee strike or throw
* side clinch, one arm passing around the front of the defender with the attacker's shoulder pressed into the defender's arm pit and the other arm passing round the back which allows the attacker to apply knee strikes to the defender's back or to throw the defender readily
* low clinch, with both controlling arms passing under the defender's arms, which is generally used by the shorter of two opponents
* swan-neck where one hand around the rear of the neck is used to briefly clinch an opponent (before a strike).[citation needed]
[edit] Defense against attacks
Defenses in Muay Thai are categorised in 6 groups:
* Blocking - defender's hard blocks to stop a strike in its path so preventing it reaching its target, (eg the Shin Block described in more detail below)
* Redirection - defender's soft parries to change the direction of a strike (eg a downwards tap to a jab) so that it misses the target
* Avoidance - moving a body part out of the way or range of a strike so the defender remains in range for a counter-strike, eg defender moving the front leg backwards from the attacker's low kick: then immediately counter-attacking with an angle kick: or defender laying the head back from the attacker's high angle kick: then immediately counter-attacking with a side kick from the front leg:
* Evasion - moving the body out of the way or range of a strike so the defender has to move close again to counter-attack, eg defender jumping back from attacker's kicks
* Disruption - Pre-empting an attack. eg with defender using disruptive techniques like jab, teep or low angle kick (to the inside of the attacker's front leg) as the attacker attempts to close distance
* Anticipation - Defender catching a strike (eg catching an angle kick to the body) or countering it before it lands (eg defender's low kick to the supporting leg below as the attacker iniates a high angle kick).
[edit] Defense against attacks — punches and kicks
Defensively, the concept of "wall of defence" is used, in which shoulders, arms and legs are used to hinder the attacker from successfully executing techniques. Blocking is a critical element in Muay Thai and compounds the level of conditioning a successful practitioner must possess. Low and mid body roundhouse kicks are normally blocked with the upper portion of a raised shin. High body strikes are blocked with the forearm/glove, elbow/shin. Mid section roundhouse kicks can also be caught/trapped, allowing for a sweep or counter attack to the remaining leg of the opponent. Punches are blocked with an ordinary boxing guard and techniques similar, if not identical, to basic boxing technique. A common means of blocking a punch is using the hand on the same side as the oncoming punch. For example, if an orthodox fighter throws a jab (being the left hand), the defender will make a slight tap to redirect the punch's angle with the right hand. The deflection is always as small and precise as possible to avoid unnecessary energy expenditure and return the hand to the guard as quickly as possible. Hooks are most often blocked with a motion most often described as "combing your hair," raising the elbow forward and effectively shielding the head with the forearm, flexed bicep, and shoulder. More advanced Muay Thai blocks are usually counters, used to damage the opponent to prevent another attack being made.
[edit] Conditioning
A fighter doing some heavy bag work in a training camp in Thailand.
A fighter doing some heavy bag work in a training camp in Thailand.
Like most competitive full contact fighting sports, Muay Thai has a heavy focus on body conditioning. Muay Thai is specifically designed to promote the level of fitness and toughness required for ring competition. Training regimens include many staples of combat sport conditioning such as running, shadowboxing, rope jumping, body weight resistance exercises, medicine ball exercises, abdominal exercises, and in some cases weight training.
Training that is specific to a Muay Thai fighter includes training with coaches on Thai pads, focus mitts, heavy bag, and sparring. The daily training includes many rounds (3-5 minute periods broken up by a short rest, often 1-2 minutes) of these various methods of practice. Thai pad training is a cornerstone of Muay Thai conditioning which involves practicing punches, kicks, knees, and elbow strikes with a trainer wearing thick pads which cover the forearms and hands. These special pads are used to absorb the impact of the fighter’s strikes and allow the fighter to react to the attacks of the pad holder. The trainer will often also wear a belly pad around the abdominal area so that the fighter can attack with straight kicks or knees to the body at anytime during the round.
Focus mitts are specific to training a fighter’s hand speed, punch combinations, timing, punching power, defense, and counter-punching and may also be used to practice elbow strikes. Heavy bag training is a conditioning and power exercise that reinforces the techniques practiced on the pads. Sparring is a means to test technique, skills, range, strategy, and timing against a partner. Sparring is often a light to medium contact exercise because competitive fighters on a full schedule are not advised to risk injury by sparring hard. Specific tactics and strategies can be trained with sparring including in close fighting, clinching and kneeing only, cutting off the ring, or using reach and distance to keep an aggressive fighter away.
Due to the rigorous fighting and training regimen (some Thai boxers fight almost every other week) professional Muay Thai fighters have relatively short careers in the ring. Many retire from competition to begin instructing the next generation of Thai fighters. Most professional Thai boxers come from the lower economic backgrounds and the fight money (after the other parties get their cut) is sought as means of support for the fighters and their families. Very few higher economic strata Thais join the professional Muay Thai ranks; they usually either don't practise the sport or practise it only as amateur Muay Thai boxers.
[edit] The rules
Muay Thai is practiced in many different countries. There are different rules depending on what country the fight is in and under what organization the fight is arranged. These rules, however, are gathered from the rules section of the World Muay Thai Council's web site. This is not the complete rulebook, but it contains a selection of the most important or most interesting rules.
[edit] Weight divisions
Category Weight (up to)
Super Heavyweight 209 lb+ (95 kg+)
Heavyweight 190 lb+ (86 kg+)
Cruiserweight 190 lb (86 kg)
Light Heavyweight 175 lb (79 kg)
Super Middleweight 168 lb (76 kg)
Middleweight 160 lb (73 kg)
Junior Middleweight 154 lb (70 kg)
Welterweight 147 lb (67 kg)
Junior Welterweight 140 lb (64 kg)
Lightweight 135 lb (61 kg)
Junior Lightweight 130 lb (59 kg)
Featherweight 126 lb (57 kg)
Junior Featherweight 122 lb (55 kg)
Bantamweight 118 lb (54 kg)
Junior Bantamweight 115 lb (52 kg)
Flyweight 112 lb (51 kg)
Junior Flyweight 108 lb (49 kg)
Mini Flyweight 105 lb (48 kg)
According to rule 8, section 2, the minimum weight to compete is 100 pounds (45 kg).
[edit] Boxing gloves
Category Weight (up to)
Junior Middleweight and upwards 10 ounce (280 grams)
Featherweight - Welterweight 8 ounce (230 grams)
Mini Flyweight - Junior Featherweight 4 ounce (130 grams)
[edit] Dress Code
A. BOXER'S ATTIRE
5.1. Only boxing shorts are to be worn, the colour of which depending on the corner; red, pink, or maroon or with a red stripe for the red corner; blue, bright blue, black for the blue corner. The dressing gown will be as specified by the World Muay Thai Council.
5.2. To ensure the boxer's safety, a groin protector must be worn and tied only at the back.
5.3. Long hair and/or beards are prohibited. A short mustache is allowed but the hair must not extend over the lip.
5.4. The Mongkol should be worn when performing the Wai Kru (paying respect to one's teacher), prior to the match start. Amulets are only to be worn on the arm or waist and covered by material to avoid injury.
5.5. Single elastic bandages are allowed to be worn on the arm or legs to prevent sprains, however insertion of a shin guard, etc, is not allowed.
5.6. No metalized material, decoration or jewellery are allowed to be worn.
5.7. The use of Vaseline, fat or any similar substance by the boxer to gain unfair advantage is not allowed.
5.8. Boxer may wear elastic ankle bandages to protect his feet.
B. Any infringement to the dress code may result in the fighter's disqualification. In the case of any problem with the boxing gloves themselves, the referee may temporarily halt the match until they are corrected.
[edit] Wai kru, ram muay and round definition
Prior to the start of the first round, both fighters shall perform the Wai Kru (paying respect to the teacher[citation needed]), and Ram Muay (boxing dance[citation needed]), accompanied by the appropriate Thai traditional music, incorporating the Ching (cymbal[citation needed]), Klong khaek (tom-tom[citation needed]) and pi Java (Thai reed pipe). A Muay Thai match shall consist of five rounds, 3 minutes per round with a 2 minute break between each round.[citation needed] Any stoppage during the match for any reason, will not be counted as part of the 3 minute round time.[citation needed]
[edit] Scoring
The standard scoring practice is as follows :
A: A strike either by a punch, kick, knee or elbow.
1. Scoring from a strike:
1.1. Points will be awarded for a correct Thai Boxing style, combined with hard and accurate strikes.
1.2. Points will be awarded for aggressive and dominating Muay Thai skill.
1.3. Points will be awarded for a fighter actively dominating his opponent.
1.4. Points will be awarded for the use of a traditional Thai style of defense and counter-attack.
1.5. Points will be deducted from a boxer who fouls or breaks the rules.
2. Non scoring strikes:
2.1. A strike which is against the rules.
2.2. A strike in defense against the leg or arm of an opponent.
2.3. A weak strike.
B. Fouls.
1. The judges will deduct points for any foul as directed by the referee.
2. Any foul observed by the judges but not by the referee, will be penalized accordingly.
C. Method Of Scoring
1. The maximum score for each round is 10 points, the loser scoring either 9, 8 or 7.
2. A drawn round will be scored as 10 points for both boxers.
3. The winner and loser in an indecisive round, will score 10:9 respectively.
4. The winner and loser in a decisive round will score 10:8 respectively.
5. The winner and loser in an indecisive round with a single count, will score 10:8 respectively.
6. The winner and loser in a decisive round with a single count, will score 10:7 respectively.
7. The boxer scoring 2 counts against his opponent will score 10:7.
8. Any boxer who commits a foul will have points deducted from his score.
[edit] Fouls
18.1. Biting, eye gouging, spitting, or head butting.
18.2. Wrestling, back or arm locks or any similar judo or wrestling hold.
18.3. Deliberately falling on his opponent.
18.4. Holding the ropes for any reason.
18.5. Swearing or the use of abusive language during the match.
18.6. Knocking out or injuring his opponent after the referee has ordered the match to stop for any reason.
18.7. Deliberately striking the groin area.
To be penalized by the deduction of 1 point for each time committed.
A boxer who has been hit in the groin may request a 5 minute break before continuing the match.
[edit] Medical Inspection
22.1 All boxers will be certified by the doctor prior to the start of any fight and must not be suffering from any sickness or exhibit any prohibited symptom or disease, as specified in the medical manual of the Council.
22.2 Any boxer due to fight in a foreign country, will be physically examined by a doctor appointed by the Council Committee. He must also conform to the medical regulations of that country.
[edit] Procedure After Knock Out or Technical Knock Out
23.1 If a boxer is knocked unconscious or injured, only the doctor and the referee are allowed in the ring. Any others may only enter at the doctor's discretion.
23.2 A boxer losing by a K.O. or T.K.O. will be immediately treated and undergo a physical examination by the doctor.
23.3 Recovery Period - After a match, a boxer is required to rest for a minimum of 21 days prior to fighting again, with the following exceptions:
23.3.1. A winner in the first round is required to rest a minimum of 7 days prior to his next fight.
23.3.2. The winner in the third round is required to rest a minimum of 14 days prior to his next fight.
23.3.3. A boxer losing by T.K.O. or K.O. must rest for a minimum of 30 days prior to his next fight.
23.3.4. A boxer specified under Items 23.3.1 - 23.3.3, must be examined by the doctor at the end of each fight, who will then specify his rest period.
The Tradition of Wai Khru
One of the most important traditions of Muay Thai is Wai Khru (Paying Respect to Teachers). In order to become a fully-fledged Muay Thai fighter, a person has to pass through a series of ceremonies. First comes the Initiation as a Trainee Fighter Ceremony (Kuen Khru), in which the khru muay accepts young fighters as his students and pledges to teach them to the best of his ability. After fighters have been accepted, they must demonstrate a good conduct, diligence and endurance, in addition to training as hard as they can, following implicitly all the teacher's rules
During their apprenticeship, young fighters will experience the second type of Wai Khru ritual, the Annual Homage-Paying Ceremony (Wai Khru Prajam Pee). This annual ceremony is usually held on Muay Thai Day (March 17) for young fighters to pay respect to their teachers and souls of teachers long passed away. The ceremony then progresses to the students honoring all the teachers present, who will mark sacred symbols on the fighters' forehead in order to bestow prosperity and success upon them - a custom known as jerm. The ceremony culminates with the third form of Wai Khru, the Ritual Dance of Homage (Wai Khru Ram Muay) performed by the fighters as a mark of respect.
It is only when fighters have passed all these three milestones (initiation, training and participation in contests) that they are entitled to call themselves as real Muay Thai fighters. When fighters have satisfied their teachers on all these counts, then they can participate in the fourth Wai Khru ritual, the Initiation as a Teacher Ceremony (Khrob Khru), which bestows on them the rank of khru muay and again involves a performance of the Ritual Dance of Homage.[3]
[edit] Approaching the Ring Rites (Kuen Suu Weitee)
In ancient times, Siamese people believed in the power of incantations and protective amulets, the common belief was that everything was ruled and inhabited by unseen spirits, and that places were either blessed or cursed. Because of these beliefs, it was necessary to perform special rites before a fighter entered the ring, asking the spirits' permission to do so.
Even today, before entering the ring many fighters perform rituals. It is very much a matter of individual preference these days, with no prescribed rules. Some may kneel before the ring, others might pray with their khru muay or perform a series of repetitive movements, such as touching the ring ropes 3 times and avoiding the bottom stair before taking the first step up to the ring.
Fighters always leap over the ropes into the ring, because the head is considered to be more important than the feet and therefore it has to stay always above the feet while entering the ring, then they will go to the center and pay respect (panom muae wai) in all four directions to the spectators.
[edit] Ritual Dance of Homage (Wai Khru Ram Muay)
"The Kneeling Sequence" Wai khru ram muay.
"The Kneeling Sequence" Wai khru ram muay.
"The Standing Sequence" Wai khru ram muay.
"The Standing Sequence" Wai khru ram muay.
Wai Khru Muay Thai is a tradition which goes back to ancient times, it is not an optional ritual or reserved for special occasions: the official Muay Thai regulations[2] specify that both fighters must perform the Wai Khru Ram Muay before each and every bout. It's a tradition in which fighters pay respect to their teachers, parents and things they hold sacred and pray for their safety and victory. The ritual has been developed in different ways, in different regions, even under different teachers and therefore it is theoretically impossible for two fighters to perform identical Wai Khru.
The Wai Khru is graceful and aesthetic ritual, both practical and spiritual. In a practical sense, it functions as a final pre-fight warm-up and gives the fighter some time alone before the fight to collect his thoughts. It can be divided into three main sections:
* The Royal Homage Sequence
This was originally intended to show devotion to the King, going back to the days when fighters were selected to display their skills in front of him. It has three subsections: Prostration, Outstretched Arms and Act of Homage.
* The Kneeling Sequence
This section is performed in a kneeling posture, one knee on the ground and the other leg out in front. the fighter pivots around on the spot to repeat the same sequence facing all four sides of the ring, a tradition which comes from Krabi Krabong.
* The Standing Sequence
In this section, the fighters go out from the center of the ring in one direction, to perform the Dramatic Interlude. Some fighters imitate the motions of "Rama Shooting an Arrow" from the Ramakien, a hunter, a soldier, or an executioner. Some fighters use this ritual to attempt to scare their opponents, commonly by stomping around them. But in a deeper sense, the fighter is expressing religious devotion, humility, and gratitude. Transcending both physical and temporal limitations, he opens himself to the divine presence and allows it to infuse his heart.[4]
[edit] Removal of the Head Circlet (Pitee Tod Mongkon)
After the Wai Khru is completed, the fighters return to their own corners for the Removal of the Head Circlet Ritual (Pitee Tod Mongkon). The fighter stands in his own corner, lowers his head and raises hands to his chest for panom mue wai pose, while khru muay standing outside of the ropes facing the fighter, raises his own hands to return the wai. A fighter maintains the posture while the teacher utters an incantation and blows three times on top of fighters' head before removing the Mongkon. On the completion of this ritual and after a review of the rules by the judge and a glove shake, the contest may begin.