Posted by pad-up 29 Apr 2013, 10:43:37
Dear Customer
During the 2013 AGM the board of directors reviewed our payment methods. The key highlights of our discussion were as follows;
1. Over the past year we have seen a rise in fraudulent attempts through some of our payment methods.
2. Where as Paypal verifies the customer and their address other merchant banks may not.
3. Paypal now accepts payment via credit card without a Paypal account.
4. In the rare occasion where a dispute is raised Paypal best serves our customers offering a 1st rate dispute management portal.
5. Paypal offers improved cash flow returning funds immediately to the merchant.
6. Paypal has lower transaction costs which inturn enables us to pass on lower prices to our customers.
7. Paypal does not charge for refunds, again we can pass on the savings to our customers.
8. Eliminating alternative payment methods simplifies our accounts process.
9. Eliminating alternative payment methods reduces bank fees.
For this reason we have taken the bold step to streamline our payment methods and focus soley on Paypal.
In addition as we service Ireland as well as the UK we have enabled EURO currency display for our customers outside of the UK. We hope you will find this service of benefit.
As a valued customer we appreciate your input and will of course reverse our decision if it does not suit your requirements. Please feel free to comment on the blog discussion board.
Yours,
Jeff Edward
CEO Webmettle ltd
Posted by pad-up 26 Apr 2013, 02:12:26
Possible Outcomes of a UFC Match
When you look at it there are only three outcomes of a UFC match: win, lose or draw. However, how one reaches such a decision deserves a lot of attention. There are many ways in which a UFC match may end.
All the possible match outcomes are discussed below in detail.
A great number of UFC matches end in submissions as most
UFC fighters are trained in submission and can lock hazardous moves like Kimura lock, ninja choke and calf slicer. A submission victory is said to occur when the fighter on whom the lock is applied verbally gives up or taps the opponent or the mat to show submission.
A referee stoppage may also occur if the fighter locked in a submission shows sign of excruciating pain (yelling etc.). Additionally, a technical submission may also occur when a fighter loses conscious or runs the risk of getting seriously injured due to the submission.
There are many knockout pros in
UFC. This is said to occur when a fighter goes unconscious as a result of a legal strike that may be a punch, a kick or anything else that knocks the daylights out of a fighter.
As mentioned above, a technical knockout occurs when a fight is stopped by an external force and not by the direct act of a fighter. There are three scenarios of technical knockouts. These include:
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Referee Stoppage: The referee decides to end the match when one of the fighters is not in a position to fight or defend.
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Doctor Stoppage: When a ringside doctor decides to stop a match if it becomes unsafe for a fighter to continue fighting. This may be due to injuries or excessive bleeding.
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Corner Stoppage: This occurs when a fighter's corner man signals a loss for their own fighter.
Judges' Decision
Matches in
UFC are scored by judges who understand the business. In certain cases a match has to be decided via judges’ decision, especially when they cannot reach a winner even after walking the distance. Scenarios in this case include:
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Unanimous Decision: All three judges score in favor of the same fighter.
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Majority Decision: Two of the three judges score in favor of the same fighter and the third judge scores for a draw.
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Split decision: Two judges score in favor of the same fighter while the third scores for the opponent.
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Technical Decision: Occurs when a match ends due to the use of an illegal move or element, a decision is made based on the finished and unfinished rounds, if there are sufficient number of rounds.
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Unanimous Draw: All judges score for a draw.
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Majority Draw: Two judges score for a draw while the third scores a win.
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Split Draw: All three judges have different scores. (1 for fighter A, 1 for fighter B and 1 for a draw)
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Technical Draw: The fight ends due to a technical decision with the help of judges’ score that ends at a draw.
Disqualification
This occurs when a fighter intentionally uses an illegal move. Disqualification may be called for by the referee or the opponent.
Forfeit
This occurs when a fighter gives up due to any reason other than an injury.
No Contest
A no contest occurs when:
- One or both fighters are unable to continue due to the use of an illegal move or element, and there isn’t enough number of finished rounds to make a logical decision.
- The original result of a fight bout is changed because of illegal or unsatisfactory circumstances. For ex: a fighter, after a fight, testing positive for illegal drugs.
Note: it is not always necessary that the fighters' total
points be equal in the case of a draw. However, in a split or unanimous draw, each fighter scores an equivalent number of
win judgments from the judges (1 or 0, respectively).
Be sure to make sure you have the correct MMA
UFC gear before you train or fight, MMA UFC can be hazardous... be safe!
Posted by pad-up 19 Apr 2013, 11:04:42
MMA: The Effects On Health
The sport of
mixed martial arts (MMA) has exploded in popularity over the past several years. An increase in
MMA television coverage has made the public more aware of this sport. MMA is relatively new, so there are few studies identifying the health effects of the sport. The studies that do exist identify both short-term benefits, and long-term consequences of participating in MMA.
Individuals who train for
mixed martial arts experience a high intensity, total body cardiovascular workout.
MMA trainers and others that have been around the sport have documented the health benefits of improved fitness. Those who participate MMA in general have lower rates of obesity and related chronic illnesses. The US government recommends a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity a day, but a recent British study found that just seven minutes of high intensity exercise daily provides the same benefits. MMA participants train in short and high intensity bursts, similar to what the British study recommends.
Injuries are rare in a MMA training environment; instructors often stress safety when sparring with a partner. The vast majority of injuries occur during an actual bout. Traditional fighting sports such as boxing and kickboxing only allow blows to the head and the torso; in MMA, participants may target the entire body. Elbow and knee blows occur in MMA, which can cause more damage than similar blows from the hands and feet.
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In MMA, there is great emphasis on submitting an opponent. Submission techniques include chokes and joint locks, both of which can have catastrophic health effects. A choke submission applied for too long can deprive the brain of blood, causing permanent brain damage. A joint lock submission applied for too long can cause permanent muscle tearing or ligament damage. An attentive referee tries to prevent a fighter from applying a submission for too long, but even the best referee can make mistakes.
While there are few long-term studies tracking the effects of MMA fighting, there are many long-term studies on the effects of boxing, which shares many similarities. A recent Swedish study found that up to twenty percent of professional boxers develop a chronic brain injury. Long round times and repeated blows to the head contribute to this issue. In the sport of mixed martial arts, fighters do not exclusively target their opponent’s head. By mixing in a variety of leg kicks and body blows, a MMA fighter may not receive the sheer volume of blows to head that a boxer receives. Despite taking fewer blows, a MMA fighter takes harder blows. Boxers wear large padded gloves while mixed martial artists wear thin, lightly padded gloves. These gloves deliver much more force than a boxing glove. It is currently unknown if fewer, harder blows to the head will have the same effect that has been documented in the sport of boxing.
Occasionally, the injuries sustained by a fighter are so significant that they pass away because of them. An estimated 700 or more boxers have died from boxing injuries in the United States alone. By comparison, only two MMA fighters have died during sanctioned bouts. In boxing, if a fighter falls to the ground after another fighter hits them, the referee gives them ten seconds to stand up and continue fighting. In MMA, a knocked down fighter who appears dazed, will result in the end of the match to prevent further injuries from occurring.
Health and Fighting experts will study the link between mixed martial arts and long-term health consequences for many years to come. The benefits to overall fitness are clear, and many of the most severe effects are avoidable by merely training for the sport and not actually fighting. Whether the risk is worth the potential reward is entirely up to the participant.
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Posted by pad-up 15 Apr 2013, 10:16:40
What Is Aikido – The Myths and The Truth
Aikido is one of the most misunderstood of all martial arts. There are many ridiculous myths about the art, and even in the martial arts community there is a degree of secrecy and mystery about aikido.
Although its roots can be traced back to feudal Japan, aikido is a relatively new martial art. It was developed my Morihei Ueshiba, a highly skilled and experienced martial artist. Aikido involves throws and joint locks rather than punches, strikes and kicks associated with martial arts such as Karate. The real secrets of aikido are the ability to control an attacker’s balance and energy, and to use it against them. For a highly skilled practitioner, size and strength doesn’t matter. Age and physical fitness aren’t barriers to success in aikido.
There are many different styles of aikido and the art has moved in new directions in recent years. There are hard, practical styles, and there are styles focussing on the more spiritual aspects of the art. Morihei Ueshiba was a very spiritual man, and he did not set out purely to develop a system of combat to injure or compete with opponents. At its simplest, aikido could be said to be about avoiding an attack in the first place. It is a deadly martial art when techniques are applied at full speed and intention.
Aikido is regarded as one of the most complex and technical of all the martial arts. Because of that, it can take between five and eight years to achieve a black belt. Many new students give up in the early months of beginning their aikido studies. These early stages involve learning the basic stances and body movements, and many people become frustrated with this. If the student persists, they soon appreciate that they have been learning the foundations of aikido and that all techniques rely on having mastered these.
A typical aikido class begins with warm-up exercises and stretches. Students then practise the basic body movements and move on to ‘breakfalls.’ Breakfalls are used to recover from throws without injury, and are an essential skill for all aikido students. As the class moves on, the Sensei will call a senior student on to the mat and demonstrate a technique with him. Each student than finds a partner and practises the technique demonstrated.
Aikido students are often asked if their art is effective as a form of self defense. With foundations on the battlefields of Japan, aikido has roots from a genuine combat system. Due to its technical nature, it can take several years for an aikido student to achieve a level where his techniques have a practical application. Most styles of aikido do not have competitions or tournaments, and many other martial artists take this as an indication that the art does not stand up when compared to others.
Aikido is something which must be studied and practised co-operatively. It’s not possible to learn such a complex martial art by reading books or watching DVDs. The techniques and methods of aikido must be felt and experienced by the student to fully understand them.