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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Perhaps you’ve taken a year of Spanish, and you feel comfortable enough in your language skills to finally take that vacation to a Spanish speaking country. While you may be intimidated, if you have the basics down, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Spanish is Your Amigo is here to teach you ten key phrases that are great to begin a conversation, or to interject when you don’t know what else to say. Master these, and no one will guess that Spanish isn’t your native language.
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A unique take on a holiday classic, this 1966 recipe for Italian chard stuffing remains the most popular ever published by Sunset Magazine. Mix sweet crumbles of Italian sausage with wilted Swiss chard and milky bread to form the perfect texture for stuffing. Learn how to make this perennial favorite just in time for your Thanksgiving feast.
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With just a cooking grate, sand, aluminum foil, and bricks, you can build your own barbecue pit in minutes. Margo True, food editor at Sunset magazine, shares the blueprint (courtesy of celebrity chef Michael Fiorello). Gather some fire-building materials and invite your friends over to test out your DIY creation.
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Want to avoid (or recover from) a cold, but tired of synthetic solutions? In this lesson, eco-conscious vegan Whitney Lauritsen teaches you how a natural diet and lifestyle can help keep you healthy. Learn what foods to eat and which to avoid in order to strengthen your immune system. Discover why locally grown food has more nutrients, and why you should incorporate raw food into every meal. Hear some greener alternatives to chemical sanitizers and drugs and learn about natural cold remedies.
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Patina is the result of the process of oxidation on certain metals and glass; changing the material’s appearance over time, making it appear aged or tarnished. But with the process of patination you can also intentionally create beautiful designs or patterns on a surface, by using chemicals to speed up the oxidation process. Learn how make attractive custom art pieces for your home in this three part series from Royal Design Studio. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the chemicals and tools!
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Interested in the art history of ancient Greece? Explore the story and secrets of the frequently copied statue of Apollo Sauroktonos, the Lizard Slayer. Sculpted by the famous Greek artist Praxiteles, this classic nude depicts a youthful Apollo poised to kill a lizard climbing a tree. In this lesson, Lucas Livingston, historian at the Art Institute of Chicago, explores the Lizard Slayer sculpture as a metaphor for the struggle between the Greek gods of Mount Olympus and the primordial race of titans.
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Confused about why there are electoral votes in US presidential elections? Learn about the Electoral College and the part it plays in choosing the president. In this lesson, HipHughes will explain how electoral votes work, how they are allocated, and why the media pays such close attention to the election map.
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Installing Mountain Lion OS X needn't be as hard as wrestling a real mountain lion! This lesson from Mac and Computer Help gives you step-by-step instructions on updating your Mac's operating system. Learn how to check if your computer is compatible with Mountain Lion, and see a list of hardware requirements. See where and how to buy the system, complete the installation, and set up iCloud. You’ll be using great new features in no time!
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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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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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Want others to join your quest toward health and wellness? By framing healthy habits positively and avoiding criticism of others’ lifestyles, you can advance your own eating habits and get others interested in eating healthy, too. Darya Rose, author and creator of Summer Tomato, reveals the best ways to talk to friends, family members, and kids about healthy choices.
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If your creativity can't be constrained to a single ink color, try sponge daubing on stamps - where sponges are used to blend many colors directly onto the stamp. This lesson from Fabulously Artsy Studio reviews the different types of sponges and offers tips on how to sponge daub. Be sure to apply the lighter color first, followed by the darker colors!
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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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Try out yoga with basic and foundational yoga poses in this online video for beginners. Emma Guth teaches how to do different yoga positions - one step at a time. The lesson covers proper breathing technique, the Mountain Pose and Standing Forward Bend. Grab your yoga mat and get started on your yoga training!
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How does a law with majority support not end up getting passed? In this lesson, Hip Hughes explains what the filibuster is: where it came from, and how it is used by a Senate minority group to prevent a law from being passed. The filibuster has changed a lot since the days when Mr. Smith went to Washington; with this information, you can decide whether or not that is for the best.
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Does DNA sometimes seem imaginary, like the Tooth Fairy? Everyone learns about it in high school biology, but have you ever actually seen DNA? Well, with Myles Power’s help you can. In this lesson, learn how to extract DNA from a strawberry. Using only common household items like dish soap, table salt, and paper towels, you too can draw out the genetic material that makes a strawberry a strawberry. This experiment is easy, but amazing, and proves that science is totally fun.
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Do you love the film, characters, and soundtrack of “Frozen”? Then try learning Idina Menzel’s version of “Let It Go” on guitar, taught by Smiley Mo! This intermediate guitar lesson covers all the chords you need to know to play this song through and through, from the intro to the last note. Practice the strumming patterns and perform your new song for friends and family!
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Are you not content to just fill a scrapbook? Make your own scrapbook from scratch! In this exclusive Curious lesson, crafting expert Erin Bassett teaches you how to fold, cut, and glue paper to make a colorful and original tiny book. You'll need a 12-inch square piece of paper, a scoring board or ruler, scissors, and glue. You can even paint or decorate your paper before making your book to add a specific color or design.
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Get a forehand tennis swing like just the pros! In this lesson, Rachael from Full Swing Tennis teaches you all about the modern forehand in four easy steps. Learn about the semi-western grip, which can allow for extra topspin. The lesson also covers dropping your racket for the backswing, rotating your waist and shoulders, and swinging through with your non-hitting hand. Be sure to keep your weight on your inside foot as you step out for the swing.
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Time-lapse is a great way to show the passage of time in a matter of seconds. As it turns out, there are two methods to shoot DSLR time-lapse sequences - the easy way and the hard way. The fast and easy technique speeds up recorded video - while the method professionals use requires making a sequence out of still photos. In this lesson, learn both methods - and the pros and cons of each. Hint: to show the blur of rapidly moving objects, you’ll need to use the professional technique.
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