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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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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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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Your favorite jeans may be expensive, or maybe they just fit perfectly. But just because a hole appears in your favorite Levis or Lucky’s doesn’t mean that you need to retire them. Extend the life of your jeans (and save some cash while you are at it) by learning how to repair them. All you need is a thick piece of cloth, scissors, straight pins, thread and the zig zag stitch on your sewing machine. They may not last forever, but your favorite jeans just got a new lease on life.
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Take a picture to show off your new sewing skills! Don't have a pair of jeans to repair? Try using a scrap piece of fabric instead!
If you are skilled at teaching and have knowledge that you want to share, learn how to educate others by making the best lesson possible! This lesson from Curious Teacher Support is designed to help you grasp the fundamentals of shooting a lesson, from how to light your filming environment (no matter where it is), to recording the highest quality audio possible, to how to frame your shots for maximum impact. We know you’ve got something to say, so say it well with a quality lesson.
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This delicious banana twist on a pancake recipe will delight all everyone at your next breakfast or brunch. Learn how to make your pancakes fluffy, delicious, and golden brown. This online tutorial makes cooking pancakes easy and fun for the whole family. A great recipe for kids - they’ll love mashing the bananas!
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Want to store your stuff with style? Crafty Gemini teaches you how to stitch your very own quilted zipper pouch with boxy corners. All that you'll need is two kinds of fabric, batting, a lapel stick, a zipper, and a sewing machine. These bags are easy to make and perfect to use as pencil cases, make-up bags, travel dop kits, or what you will. This video offers handy tips for sewing zippers onto fabric using a zipper foot.
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Hitting a tennis ball may seem pretty straightforward, but there is more to the technique than meets the eye! In this lesson, learn the four ways not to hit a tennis ball, before learning the correct method: using a half grip on your racket while compressing and rolling a tennis ball away from you upon impact. When you are conscious of how your racket interacts with the ball, you will have more control over where the ball goes, and more control is always a good thing in tennis.
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Everything's coming up roses when you make these gorgeous crêpe ribbon flowers! Part one of two, this lesson from craft addict Erin Bassett teaches you how to fold, sew, and paint your ribbon. Select a patterned crêpe ribbon that is thin, flexible, and delicate, then fold and sew the ribbon into a circle with needle and thread to create your flower’s petals. Paint the ribbon's edges, and then spray your whole flower with glitter mist and add color accents.
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Learn how to create a journal as unique as you are, with customized pages and cover. In this lesson from Aly is Writing, discover the basics of bookbinding. Start by folding index cards and nesting five cards at a time to create a “folio;” put three to five folios together to form a “signature.” Then learn how to punch holes in your signature and bind everything together before creating a custom cover and spine. The finished product will be perfect for displaying and capturing your creativity.
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Did you know how important the pole plant is to great skiing technique? Many people make the mistake of planting poles too late and become unbalanced as a result—don’t become one of them! Instead, learn the optimum time to add support from your poles from this pole plant ski drill. Proper pole technique not only stabilizes your body through a turn, but also ensures that you don’t turn up the hill you just came down.
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Think that all you need is a good camera and a good bit of know-how in order to take great pictures? While that might be true, a tripod is a tool that can help improve your photography skills—and not just for portraits. In this photography lesson, Julie Waterhouse offers two reasons why you should use a tripod the next time you are out shooting.
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Your time is priceless; so make the most of it with these quick interval drills from Kacie Fischer! In this workout lesson, learn how to use an interval timer for rapid-fire exercising using only a jump rope and a bar for overhead squats (Kacie improvises by using a broom handle). Using an interval timer will allow you to move through multiple rounds of these five drills in a matter of minutes! Added bonus: an interval timer beeps, so you don’t have to watch the clock.
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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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Do you love Greek mythology and the art of ancient Greece? Learn about a mythic monster from the Classical World, the original femme-fatale, the Gorgon Medusa. Through Greek sculpture, painting and poetry, this lesson explores Medusa’s lineage, background, and tragic curse. In this lesson, Lucas Livingston, a historian at the Art Institute of Chicago, discusses the possible origins of this haunting myth. As Lucas tells the tale of Medusa, he will also cover the Clash of the Titans, Perseus, Poseidon, and Athena.
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Turn heads with your fabulous booty! In this lesson from Kacie Fischer, learn how to shape and tone a fabulous derrière using only a weight and a pair of good shoes. Kacie shows you how to maximize three drills that target your glutes: the single arm snatch, the reverse lunge, and squat jumps (and remember, if a drill uses only one arm or leg at a time, make the most of your workout and repeat the drill with the other arm or leg). Maximize this workout for a perfectly sculpted backside!
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Need a great gift for a cold climate? Crochet fabulous fabric! Part 1 of 2, this lesson from Yarn Obsession teaches a variation on the single crochet cluster stitch. The cluster combines single crochet and chain stitches, and creates a lovely lace effect and rich texture. This step-by-step demonstration is easy to follow and will have you crocheting merrily away before you know it!
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Tired of failing to capitalize on your self-improvement kicks? In this lesson from Darya Rose, creator of Summer Tomato, learn how to take advantage of natural habit-building tendencies and enhance your daily routine. Once you identify your bad habits, rewire them without losing the rewards. Whether you want to start eating healthier or focus on physical fitness, these tips will help you achieve your goals.
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The game of chess has persisted in relevance for centuries because it forces players to use the fundamental elements of time, space, and force. In this lesson, William Karneges discusses different strategies: leveraging these elements, checking your opponent’s king (using not only common means like back rank weakness, but by making supporting pieces like your rook and knight work together), and avoid unsatisfying stalemate.
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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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You want to play golf, but your friend wants go surfing, and you'd both rather be together than not. It is in your best interest to make the same decision, but you have a few options, and you have to decide without knowing your friend's decision. Learn how to run a mixed strategy algorithm to determine if there is a mixed strategy equilibria. Once you can calculate the payoffs for a mixed strategy, you can make an educated decision and choose the option with the highest probability of success.
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Javascript is not only one of the main languages used in contemporary web development, but it also has many non-web based applications, from.pdf files to desktop widgets. Thus, Javascript is an extremely versatile and valuable language to have command of. In this lesson, Mark from LearnToProgram.tv demonstrates how to begin coding with Javascript, as well as how to test your code using a text editor (Mark recommends Komodo Edit). Finally, learn how to use Javascript to manipulate HTML pages.
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Do you love Korean BBQ? Now you can grill Korean style beef at home following this simple recipe - and you don’t even need a barbecue to make this delicious treat! Learn how to marinade your beef in soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, red pepper flakes, honey, and garlic. Honeysuckle Catering teaches you how to grill your beef perfectly.
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