One fundamental movement of both Parkour and Freerunning is the Vault. The Vault is a basic maneuver that you can use to safely hurdle over obstacles, including low walls, railings and fences. If you are looking for a movement that will allow you to navigate the landscape while maintaining your forward momentum, this is it! In this fun and quick lesson, you learn how to do the Speed, Reverse and Monkey Vaults.
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Somewhere between gymnastics and martial arts is Parkour, a challenging, physical discipline requiring speed, body control, and flexibility. In this essential lesson for Parkour and freerunning novices, review two essential skills: warm ups and landings. If you want to start practicing Parkour and freerunning safely as a beginner, this lesson is a great place to start.
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Parkour is a free-style method of exercise and exploration, in which an individual propels him- or herself through a urban landscape using only their surroundings and their own body—it requires agility and good form in order to prevent injury. In this lesson from Zoic Nation, learn how to do a parkour cat grab. Andy starts by outlining baby steps to get started with, as well as the often-injurious mistakes that people often make, before demonstrating a perfect cat grab.
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Both a “punch” and a “plyo” are two-footed jumps in the sport of parkour. But a plyo is not a punch. In this lesson from Zoic Nation, learn how to do a plyometric jump, safely. Andy demonstrates how to step into a plyo (instead of hopping or hurdling into it) for a quiet landing on the balls of your feet, as well as how to swing your arms forward into your jump for momentum. Finally, he illustrates common mistakes that people make and shows what a well-executed plyo should look like.
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Ready to learn how to do a side flip? In this lesson, teacher Christopher Tung uses stop-action footage to show you exactly how to take off and jump higher. You'll see how to position your arms to generate torque when spinning, control your tuck, and spot the ground for a smooth landing. With some practice, you'll be able to add this trick to your free running and parkour moves!
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Pack a lunch that packs a punch using these reusable snack bags! Crafty Gemini teaches you how to make a sandwich bag that is easily cleaned and environmentally friendly using only basic sewing skills. All you'll need is an 18 by 7 inch piece of laminated cotton and a sewing machine. While laminated cotton has the advantage of being waterproofed and easy to wipe clean, you also can use plain old cotton fabric for this project and just toss it in the washing machine between uses.
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Cycling is an environmentally friendly way to get exercise, enjoy the outdoors, and even save on gas money. The first step to getting started cycling is getting the right bike; the second step is getting the right fit. In this lesson from Art’s Cyclery, Luke demonstrates how to get the correct saddle height, and the right saddle fore and aft positions. Finally, to take pressure off of your back and wrists, learn how to flip the stem for a more comfortable angle on your handlebars.
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Show off your slideshow skills with this tutorial in the basics of PowerPoint! In this beginner lesson from Motion Training, learn to create professional and engaging slideshows. See how to: add slides; create bullet points; write and edit text make custom slide layouts; format your presentation with themes; add images, animate your presentation; and much more. Although this lesson is specific to PowerPoint 2010, the concepts presented here can be applied to any edition of PowerPoint.
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Knitting is an excellent way to make your own clothing or craft elegant gifts for loved ones. It allows you to express yourself artistically through the stitches and designs you use in your piece. In this lesson from Fabin BC, watch and learn how to knit a cable cast on. Start by learning how to do a slip stitch and how to hold your needles. Lynne shows you how to knit the cast on stitch and then demonstrates what to do when you get to the last stitch, to create a lovely cabled edge.
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Want to add a little spice to your kitchen wallpaper? Use a stencil to paint a border running above your counters and appliances! This lesson from Cutting Edge Stencils teaches you to tape your stencil in place, apply your paint evenly with a roller, and remove your stencil without smearing or bleeding your paint. This simple technique for stenciling a border can add an simple but classy accent to any room.
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Scrapbooking is an excellent way to preserve memories for future generations. Although typically scrapbooks are graphically focused (with pictures, ticket stubs, cards, or other memorabilia creating the bulk of the contents), consider enhancing your books with creative journaling. In this lesson, Susan shows you how to add journaling to your scrapbook. Your life and your memories are unique; ensure that those once in a lifetime moments truly are unforgettable with creative journaling.
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Inspired by the leading ladies of Mad Men? Achieve their classic cat eye look by following the beauty tips outlined in this lesson. Learn how to smoothly apply eye makeup to create a beautiful and subtle look that can be worn day or night. Spoiler alert! Use a counter or table to steady your hand as you apply your eyeliner - this will help avoid wobbly lines!
For more beauty and style tips, check out the [Cat Eye](http://www.pinkpistachio.com/the-cat-eye/) post on Pink Pistachio's blog.
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Make your own stamped greeting card for any special occasion! This lesson from Catherine Pooler of Life Scraps shows you how to transform cardstock into 3D cards, perfect for birthdays and holidays. Learn to make a basic background for your card, and then see different ways to embellish your card with buttons, ribbons, embossing paper, stamps, or brads. It is easy to create many of these cards at once so that you can have them on hand whenever you need them.
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Do you dream of building robots, or at least digitally controlling your home’s appliances? The applications of microcontrollers are limitless! In this lesson, Jeremy Blum introduces you to Arduino—an open source platform microcontroller that is programmed with its own language (which is easier to learn than C). Learn what you’ll need to begin a project with Arduino (Jeremy uses Arduino Uno), how to install the software and update drivers, and how to create your first program.
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Knock it out of the park with help from this power bag drill! This lesson from Performance Factory Baseball teaches you an exercise to improve the explosive power and drive of your baseball bat swing. The lesson offers tips for the stance, form, angle, and direction of your swing. This drill will also develop hand, wrist, and core strength.
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From gathering tools and materials to devising a final script, planning a high-quality lesson is a challenge. If you’re having trouble, take some tips from crafting experts and producers of over a dozen Curious lessons, the O’Neil Sisters. Whether you are thinking about creating your own how-to videos or you’d like to improve the quality of an upcoming series, use these tips and tricks to create clear, structured, and attractive lessons.
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Stumped by integral notation? Wonder how to denote the constant that would disappear when taking the derivative of a function? Just plain confused about calculus? In this lesson on integrals from Krista King of IntegralCALC, build off of your knowledge of derivatives to understand how to calculate an “antiderivative” to find the exact area under a function.
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How can you win when playing Rock, Paper, Scissors? Not with a pure strategy, that’s for sure! This lesson from William Spaniel's Game Theory 101 series teaches you the theory behind this classic game. Do the math and check the payoffs to discover why you just can't beat randomness. Bummer, right? Learn about cycling arguments and why equal payoffs mean you can't easily pin down even a mixed strategy Nash equilibrium.
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Time to hang ten, man! You've managed your surfing takeoff, now ride your first wave. Part 4 of 8 from Canggu Surf School, this lesson teaches you to stand on and steer your surfboard. Learn to hold your body in the mid position with your knees slightly bent - and turn by shifting weight to your back foot and looking toward where you want to go. Be sure to look straight ahead rather than down when turning, or you'll find yourself in deep water!
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Raphael’s painting, “The School of Athens” depicts two of the founding fathers of western philosophy, Plato and Aristotle, surrounded by other famed intellectuals from various years and countries, all in a very Roman space. It’s a visually pleasing painting, but what does it mean? What was Raphael’s purpose for creating it? In this art history lesson, learn the meaning behind “The School of Athens,” as well as the physics behind the hallmark of Roman architecture: the arch.
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Create an elegant clutch to match any outfit! This lesson from Professor Pincushion takes you through every step of transferring the pattern, cutting, lining, and sewing a silk purse with a metal frame (no sow's ear required). Learn how to embellish your external fabric with a folded design, and then embroider the lazy daisy stitch on the corner of your purse. The lesson comes with a downloadable pattern for the purse, and the video includes handy tips for stitching corners.
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Have you been looking for healthy vegetarian meals that taste good? Korean recipes might be the way to go. Learn how to make a simple and mild soybean sprout soup that beautifully complements this colorful bibimbap recipe with a side of namul, or cooked vegetables. This vegetarian dish still packs plenty of protein, and its colors will make your mouth water. Watch this lesson to learn about Korean foods, ingredients, and culture!
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How do you determine right from wrong when human lives are on the line? Follow along with Professor Massimo Pigliucci as he considers the philosophical and neurobiological answers to this question. This lesson offers a review of Aristotle's virtue ethics, Kant's deontology, and Bentham and Mill's utilitarianism, and then analyzes the classic philosophical thought experiment, the Trolley Dilemma. Learn how different parts of the brain are used for making rational versus emotional moral judgments.
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Carving a turkey has never been so easy! Learn how to cut roast chicken, duck, or turkey for any formal occasion, including Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. This online tutorial from Rouxbe Cooking School will teach you how to carve your poultry, whether you’re carving at the table or in the kitchen. Use these tips and you’ll be able to offer guests a clean thigh, drumstick, wing, or breast at your next holiday dinner.
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Viva la salsa! This video will teach you how to dance salsa and do turns like a champion - in the privacy of your own home! This dance lesson breaks down all the moves of a basic turn - in a fun and simple way. First, you will learn the steps without music, and then with music. Learning how to salsa was never easier!
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