Let's just skip the intro and get straight to it. This tutorial is for 700AMP BOOSTER CABLE the Windows XP Operating System. If you don't have it I recommend you upgrade to it.

This portion of the tutorial will apply to people with Comcast High Speed Internet. For other Internet Providers I will include another tutorial specific to those.

Let me start off by saying that despite what Comcast might tell you, you do not have to have Comcast come and set up your wireless network. In addition, you do not need to pay them an additional monthly fee in order to have a wireless network in your home or to have additional computers on your home network.

Let's talk a little about where to buy the equipment . In most walk in retail stores you are going to pay about 20% to 30% more than if you order online (with the exception of Walmart, but the one near me is always out of stock of the wireless products I need.) If you feel more comforatable buying from a retail store because you can easily return something that is defective or that you don't like, keep in mind some retail stores will take back a defective product for a full refund within 14 to 30 days, but some will tell you to ship the defect to the manufacturer for a replacement. If the item is opened and you simply don't like it, most retail stores will take it back within 30 days but you will have to pay a restocking fee, which is usually 30% to 50%. My point here is that I don't see too many advantages to buying wireless equipment at a retail store.

I order almost everything online unless I need to test it first or I can't wait a few days for it to ship. I don't mind waiting a few days in order to save 20 ? 30%.

Equipment

There's a lot of different equipment you can use, but what I'm going to list here is what I've found to be the best, and is what I use myself. If the text is blue it means you can click on it to be taken to a page where it can be ordered online, either from Amazon or Buy, both reputable online retailers.

The following portion of the tutorial applies to the following: I have a Desktop Computer that sits near the cable modem.

First you will need a Wireless Router. I recommend the Linksys Wireless-G Broadband Router.

If you are connecting a desktop computer to your wireless network and the desktop computer is sitting near your cable modem, your desktop computer will need to have an ethernet card. How do you know if your desktop computer has an ethernet card? If you bought your desktop computer within the last 3 years chances are it has one already. Best thing is to get behind the computer and look. If you have one you will have a port in the back of your computer that looks similar to a phone jack port but bigger. If you do not have this then you will need to purchase one. The Linksys LNE100M EtherFast 10/100 PCI card will do fine.

To install this card you will have to unhook your desktop computer and open the case. Before you start to panic let me tell you, in most cases it's really not that hard. In most circumstances the hardest part is opening the case.

The first thing you need to do is open your computer case. Since each computer maker makes a different case and in turn a different way to open the case, I cannot list the steps for all manufacturers. In addition for just one computer maker, the way cases are opened differs from model to model. If the computer is a Dell or HP then the instructions on how to open it should be online on their website in the help section. It may take a little digging to find it but it's there. Sometimes a case is designed well enough that it can be opened simply by unscrewing the two round screws and pulling it off.

Once the case is off it's time to take a look inside.

The slot that you are looking for looks like this picture to the right. You may have several open slots like this or just one. Take a look at the slot and then take a look at PCI Ethernet card that you bought. As you can see the Ethernet PCI card is shaped to fit nicely into the PCI slot in your computer.

There will probably be a small metal cover covering the PCI slot. Holding this cover on will be a screw. You need to unscrew this with a Phillips head and take off the cover. Once you've done that align the ethernet PCI card with the PCI slot. Once you have it aligned it will take a small amount of force to get it to click in, just make sure you have aligned correctly. There is only one possible way it can go in.

Once you have the Ethernet PCI card in put the cover back on the computer and hook your computer up again.

There are other options for wireless adapters that do not involve opening the case but I don't recommend them as they can cause more headaches then they are worth.

Laptop Computer that is fairly new

If you are trying to connect a laptop computer that was bought after 2005 you most likely have wireless capability already so there is nothing you need to add to your laptop. You can check for sure by doing the following:

Click on Start > Control Panel > System > Click on the Hardware tab > click on the Device Manager button in the middle of that window > You will see a list of your hardware here, find the one that says ?Network Adapters > Click on the Plus sign next to Network Adapters > This will show all the network adapters on your computer > If you see something with the word ?Wireless? or ?Wireless Adapter? then you are in good shape, your laptop has a wireless adapter.

If your laptop is older and you do not have a wireless adapter then you will need to add one to your laptop.

Let's talk for second about what kind of adapter to get. Most laptops have what's called a PCMCIA slot in them. If your laptop did not come wireless ready I recommend you get a wireless adapter that goes into your laptop's PCMCIA slot. The Linksys Wireless-G Notebook Adapter will do fine. The instructions that come with this product are pretty good and will tell you step by step how to install and load the software. In a nutshell you are going to load the CD into your cd drive and follow the instructions to load the software for the adapter. Once the software is installed you will shut down your computer, slide the card into your laptop's PCMCIA slot and turn the laptop back on.

Once you have the appropriate adapter installed for your computer you are ready to move onto the next step.

Installing The Linksys Wireless Router

The following directions apply to the following: I have a Desktop Computer that sits near the cable modem. In addition the desktop computer is hooked up directly to the Comcast Cable Modem.

If there is an Ethernet cable going from the Comcast Cable Modem to your desktop computer, disconnect this from both the computer and the modem. If it is a USB cable disconnect it from the computer and the modem.

In the wireless router's box you should find its power supply as well as an Ethernet Cable. Take them both out. Plug the power adapter into a power outlet.

Take the Ethernet cord and plug it into one of the Ethernet ports in the back of the Linksys Wireless Router (plug it into any of the ones on the back except the one that  says ?Internet? over it.)

Take the other end of the Ethernet cord and plug that end into the Ethernet adapter that you put into your desktop computer. Now power up your desktop computer. Once it is powered up, open up Internet Explorer, or if you use Firefox open that up.

An Internet Explorer window comes up and it says ?Page Cannot Be Displayed?.

In the Internet Explorer address bar, type in the following numbers exactly like this

192.168.1.1 and then press Enter on your keyboard.

If your computer is talking to the Linksys Wireless Router you should get a window asking you for a username and password. Leave the username blank.

Go down to the password field and type in admin

Then press the enter key.

You are taken to the Linksys set up screen. This is where changes are made to the routers set up.

Look towards the top, you should see something that says Host Name and Domain name. Just above this you should see a drop down menu. By default it probably says Obtain an IP automatically.

If it has ?Obtain an IP automatically? there already you do not need to do anything. Just exit the window.

If it does not have ?Obtain an IP automatically? click the arrow for the drop down menu and choose ?Obtain an IP automatically?.

Scroll down towards the bottom until you see a 'save? button. Click save. You will be told that Settings are successful and you will be returned to the Setup screen again.

That's all you need to do on the router status screen for right now. Exit the window.

Setting up the wiring of your network operations centre (or the rest of your facility) for network access requires a fair bit of work. If you want to make sure the work is done only once, it also requires some planning. There are entire courses on how to set up a properly configured network; this article is not a substitute for one, but should give you the bare bones basics.First, the old adage of carpenters of "measure twice and cut once" applies to cables, and to configuring your network. 

Unless you have an excellent reason to do so otherwise, you'll want a hub-and-spoke (or star) configuration for your network. This puts a central router at each network node that has cables running to each machine. This is the standard OUTDOOR EXTENSION CORD and has been for going on 20 years, since commodity routers became cheap. Its advantages are that so long as the router is up, one machine going down or losing connections does not impact the others on the same switch; it's also much easier to troubleshoot - if everyone is off the net, it's the router.

When running your physical cable plant out, remember the differences in types of cables, and their transmission lengths. Never run a cable to its full transmission length; 90 to 95% is a good safe point to start; this leaves you with room to be selective in placing the computers in the room.When running cable out, remember that cable is (despite all appearances) fragile. Don't put more than 10 kg of pull stress on it, avoid bending the cable to a curve tighter than 4x it's diameter (so for a 7.5 mm diameter cable, no curve should be tighter than 30 cm, and absolutely avoid kinking it, crushing it, stepping on it, rolling a chair over it, or rolling a cart over it, or otherwise flattening it out. Doing so can break the insulators inside the cable where you can't see them, and troubleshooting that is a pure pain.When terminating cables don't strip more than 25mm of housing from the end of the cable. 

Make sure your terminating connectors are solidly constructed and haven't been damaged. (Cable pros tend to have a crimper on their belt and terminate after running them out. When tying down cables, do so loosely and don't put the ties at regular intervals - leave some slack. If you're suspending cables, use broad supports rather than narrow hooks; the weight of the cable on a narrow hook can be sufficient to crush it over time. 

Don't assume that ceiling tiles can support cables, and route them as far away as possible from light fixtures or other items that use electricity along the length of the cable; this cuts down on interference. (The European standard cabling run has fewer issues with this, because the cable is shielded from stray electromagnetic phenomena).Once the cable's installed, it's not entirely maintenance free, but it's close, so the first thing you do once it's done is document it. Take a floor plan and draw out with coloured pens where all the cable runs are, and ID them. Make two copies and store one in a safe place. Whenever you pull new cable (and you will) update the document to preserve the sanity of whomever has to deal with it again. What makes sense to you now and is blindingly obvious now will look like a plate of coloured spaghetti in four months.When in doubt, replace rather than patch or mend. Cable is cheap and the time you think you're saving is usually illusory.

What is a fiber optic cable tester?A fiber optic cable tester is a hand-held troubleshooting device that sends red light from a semiconductor laser (635nm) down a fiber to check for faults such as cracked fibers or defective splices.The visible red light travels along the fiber core until it reaches a fault, where it leaks out of the fiber. Light leaking through the fault can be seen through plastic coatings and jackets under suitable illumination. Infrared light in the signal leaks out at the same point, but your eyes cannot see it. 

The tester emits Class II red laser beam, making the light escaping from the damaged fiber easily visible from a distance.Attenuation of glass fibers is much higher at 630 to 670nm wavelengths of red light than in the 1300 to 1650nm transmission window, but the red light can still travel up to 5km through standard fibers. Note that the fibers must be exposed to use fiber optic cable tester effectively. If the red light leaks out inside a thick cable wrapped in black plastic, you can't see it.This technique is particularly valuable in equipment bays and other places inside buildings where fibers are exposed.Shining a flashlight beam down a multimode fiber can serve the same function, and has long been used to trace fiber continuity as well. 

However, the flashlight couples little light into a single mode fiber.Whether installing or troubleshooting, the fiber optic cable tester is an essential tool that quickly and easily locates problem areas in fiber cables. By pinpointing the exact location of fiber damage, technicians can diagnose, troubleshoot, and fix the problem effectively. The cable tester is also used for conducting continuity tests and performing fiber identification.The Continuous/Flash control button lets operators choose between continuous or flashing illumination.

 ApplicationsFiber optic cable tester can be used to locate sharp bends, breaks, and damages in fiber. It can also conduct end-to-end continuity tests. The other function is to perform fiber tracing and identification.>> What types of tester are available?There are two unique versions of fiber cable tester that are ergonomically designed for comfortable handling and portability. Both versions are equipped with a 2.5mm interface and are compatible with connectors such as SC, ST, and FC, while the 1.25mm adapter enables connection to LC and MU connectors.To ensure ruggedness, it features rubber seals, a fully enclosed laser head and a long-lasting On/Off switch. It has been tested to provide reliable operation under intensive use and harsh conditions.>> How do I use the fiber cable tester?1. After connecting the tester to the connector ferrule (with the included patch cord), turn the tester "on". Notice the red glow in the connector ferrule.

 While carefully inserting the cleaved field fiber into the connector using constant light pressure, notice the red glow diminish as the cleaved field fiber approaches the pre-polished fiber stub in the connector. The insertion mark on the fiber will also approach the end of the 3-OUTLET UTILITY EXTENSION CORD connector ferrule.The red laser light from the tester will continue to radiate from the end of the pre-polished fiber stub until optimum contact is made between the cleaved field fiber and the pre-polished fiber stub in the connector. As the field fiber approaches the pre-polished fiber stub, less red laser light radiates from the end of the pre-polished fiber stub as it begins to continue through the field fiber.

 When the cleaved field fiber stops solidly against the pre-polished fiber, the red glow will diminish until it is barely noticeable or disappears. The insertion mark should be even with the back edge of the connector ferrule. Continue to maintain light pressure until a slight bow forms in the fiber to maintain contact between the cleaved field fiber and the pre-polished fiber stub. Crimp the connector one time. The red glow should remain diminished (barely noticeable) after crimping the connector.>> How do I maintain the cable tester?1. To turn on the tester, press and hold the ON/OFF button for approx. 2-3 seconds. The green LED will illuminate to indicate that the unit is on. The green LED will link if the batteries require replacing.2. To toggle between continuous and pulsed modes, use the 2Hz button. In continuous mode, the red LED will be off and in the 2Hz mode the red LED will be on.3. Always clean the ST connector on the fiber jumper cable before connecting to the tester.4. Never rotate the cable tester when mated to the jumper cable or another connector. This will cause damage to the tester and the connector.5. Always replace the connector dust cap and switch the unit off after use.

The alarm control is the brain of your security system. It is typically placed in Outlet Power Strip GL-211-PTS25W an area that is out of the way like a basement, attic, closet or office. The motherboard and additional components such as radio receivers, backup power supply and zone expanders are inside this metal box, which is often locked. You will have little or no interface with the alarm control. Your alarm technician will need to access this unit to program it and wire it to general standards, or your custom standards.

There are many manufacturers of alarm controls. Each manufacturer will also produce several models within a particular product line. Alarm companies purchase direct from the manufacturer or more often buy their products through one of a few available alarm distributors in their area. These distributors and manufacturers do not sell product to the non- professional consumer. You can buy this equipment on line if you have the ability to install it and service it yourself.

As a general rule the controls that are most dependable and have the most programming options are more costly. I will teach you how to get the best control you can find as this will greatly affect your ease of use and your ability to have your alarm adjusted to fit your lifestyle.

In the interest of keeping this device as understandable as possible for you, I will forgo the intense and hundreds of differences among these units and I will break them into a few categories that should make more sense to you.

BASIC        There are many basic units available to the alarm dealer. They will often use these units knowing that the average consumer does not know the difference, and they will stock them at very little expense. A less qualified installer can also install these basic units, because there are few or no programming and wiring options.

(HOT TIP!) What you should be most concerned about when it comes to these basic units is that we professionals refer to many of them as ? CROWBAR SYSTEMS.? These systems come as a control, keypad, siren, communicator and backup power supply all built into one unit. If a burglar breaks into your place and hears a siren coming from this unit, they are going to take the proverbial crowbar and smash it off the wall. At this time you would no longer have a control, keypad, siren, backup power supply or communicator to call for help. A lot of good that would do for you!

Now that you are educated in the pitfalls of a self contained unit I doubt that anyone will be able to sell you one, or even give you one for that matter.

AVERAGE The majority of systems that professional alarm companies install fall into this category. They are dependable for the most part based on how long the model has been on the market. Some of these manufacturers have stuck with their dependable product lines for well over 20 years. Some of the newer models have nice new features but when it comes to mid-range units I have always avoided turning my clients into product testers. These units are comprised of any number of separate components that are wired together to make your complete system. This way if someone knocks a siren or keypad or any other component off the wall the alarm still does what it needs to do. The control panel in this range typically comes with at least eight zones. Zones give you the ability to use all or part of your system; you will also be able to pinpoint with some accuracy where a violation has taken place. An example of using part of your system would be as follows:

*You are staying home and want only your perimeter devices on and your interior devices off.

* You are lounging in the back yard and want to go in and out of the back door so you bypass that door and motion detector while protecting the remainder of the house.

* You are leaving work for the evening and your employees are staying late so you bypass the work area and arm the office so no one can enter that area.

When choosing your alarm company avoid the dealer that has many brands and models available to you in this range. That could mean that they are buying whatever is on sale that week from the distributor. The dealer that has used the same model for many years is more proficient when it comes to installing, programming options and servicing of that model.

HIGH END   If you know what you want in an alarm system and realize that these high-end systems can be programmed to do exactly what you want  them to do for many different scenarios, you would settle for nothing less. All of your presets can be activated usually with the touch of one button. It is my experience that all of the many different features of these type of controls are designed for ease of use by the end user (That's You!) and not the alarm dealer. They come with many zones so you have complete control over every aspect of your protection. These units can even be serviced remotely when changes are requested saving everyone time and money.

It takes a more qualified professional to properly install, find out what your requirements are, program the alarm to fit your lifestyle, and then teach you how simple it is to operate. I would assume you are like me and want the best-qualified installer you can find to work inside your home.

(HOT TIP!) Find the dealer that places the highest number of installs in your area. Because of the volume they buy in, they will get the high-end equipment for the same price the rest of the dealers pay for the average equipment. They should always be willing to use the high-end equipment without extra cost to you, because it sets them apart from the others and due to the quality of equipment, they don't carry the expenses of maintaining a large service team.

WHO CAN YOU CALL?      BBB, Burglar Alarm Associations (both local and national), State licensing authority or my favorite the promotions or sales manager of your potential alarm dealer, and let them know you know the difference!

Lets look at a typical zone layout for a control panel so that you can understand the way it is wired and programmed works.

ZONE 1- (DELAY) This zone is where the doors from which you most often enter and exit are. When you turn your alarm on, the exit delay will start a timer (programmed to your specifications, if requested) allowing you time to get out. Once the exit time has expired, (usually about 30-60 seconds.) the alarm will be in the on or ?armed? condition.

When you return to your home or business and enter through the delay doors an entry timer begins. This timer is usually set at about 15-30 seconds. You do not want to have a long entry time as a burglar entering through a delay zone has the same amount of time in your protected area before the alarm goes off. During this time you would go to the nearest keypad and enter your code to turn your alarm off.

(IN THE KNOW!) The delay doors have a chime feature that can easily be turned on or off. Most people elect to leave this feature on all the time, so that they can hear a tone when the alarm is off and someone enters. The high-end systems can be programmed to have a different tone for each door. If you can spare a zone have your delay doors put on separate zones as opposed to having them share one, and request that your control be programmed for different tones.

ZONE 2- (INSTANT PERIMETER) This zone would be for other than delay doors. The back yard door and the master bedroom to deck doors are good examples of these types of doors. There is no delay timer on these doors and when the alarm is on and entry is made the alarm will go off instantly.

ZONE 3- (INTERIOR) This zone is for your motion detector on the main floor. When you enter through a delay door the motion will delay also, giving you the ability to get to the keypad to turn off or 'disarm? your system. If you do not enter through a delay door first and the motion sees you it will go into an alarm condition instantly. When you are staying home or arming your business system without leaving, you can arm your system in the stay mode. This will bypass your interior zone or zones allowing you to move around without restrictions while still having your perimeter secured.

ZONE 4-(INTERIOR) This zone is for your basement motion detector. It will function the same as your main floor motion detector.

(HOT TIP!) Most alarm technicians will put multiple motion detectors on a single interior zone. I like to be sure these are separated, so that you have the flexibility of deciding which stays on and which are bypassed, when armed in the stay mode. This would be handy if you have an unfinished basement with windows, and you have no need to access that area while armed in the stay mode. This also gives you pinpoint indications of which area has been or is being violated when the alarm sounds.

ZONE 5- (INSTANT) This zone is for basement or lower level door or window contacts.

ZONE 6- (INSTANT) This zone is for main or upper level window contacts.

ZONE 7- (INSTANT) This zone is for main floor glass break detectors.

ZONE 8- (FIRE) This zone is for smoke and heat detectors. Any zone that is designated as a fire zone is on 24 hours a day even if the alarm is not armed.

As you can see there is great flexibility in the way your alarm control gets set up for you. In all my years in the business I have rarely seen an alarm company discuss this with the customer. Typically they will create a general setup standard and tell the client this is how this works. Understanding that you should be involved in this process helps you design a system that fits into your lifestyle instead of having to adjust your lifestyle to your new alarm system.

This is yet another reason to be sure you are getting the most bang for your buck when selecting an alarm control.

(INSIDER INFO!) The alarm installer most likely has the ability to program a lockout code into your alarm control. This code prevents a different monitoring or service company in the future from re-programming your system, rendering it useless unless you do business with the installing dealer. Insist on ?NO LOCKOUT CODE? in writing from your installing dealer. This way they have to earn your future business, leaving your freedom of choice intact.

Hardwired Systems vs. Wireless- Hardwired systems are those that have the devices wired directly to the control. Wireless systems send radio signals to a receiver in the control, which processes the signals. There is nothing more dependable than a pair of copper wires to send a signal from point A to point B. I would recommend a hardwired system over a wireless system in all instances where one can be installed. However there are times when the only thing that can be installed in your place is a wireless or ?radio frequency? system.

If there is no basement or a finished one, and there is no accessible attic to run wire through, you would have to go wireless to have your system installed. In the wireless world there is a great range of quality available. Wireless equipment is more costly than hardwired equipment in general because each device has a radio transmitter built into it or attached to it. If you need to go wireless make sure you are getting the highest quality radios available. Some use common frequencies like 900 megahertz and others use licensed frequencies to transmit signals. The latter is the better one because there is little that will interfere with the signal. Some of the things that could interfere with the common frequencies are airplanes, CB radios, cell towers etc.

A good way to look at the differences in the quality of wireless equipment is to think of a wireless home telephone. The cheap $20.00 unit uses common frequencies. It works, but often has static and drops out. Sometimes you hear a neighbor with the same phone frequency talking. The range you can wander from the base is often less than desirable. The $100.00 unit makes all the difference in the world and, although you hated spending the extra money on the replacement, you appreciate the quality gained.

I would rather not have an alarm system at all, before I would have one that I don't use because it is always going off for no apparent reason. The high- end wireless equipment is extremely dependable and you must be prepared to spend a little extra to assure you are at this end of the quality spectrum.

(FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION!) If you have an area such as a basement or accessible attic to run wires in, and your alarm company wants to sell to you or give you a wireless system, consider not doing business with them. They are most likely going to use low quality, inexpensive wireless equipment and also save on the cost of installation. A wireless system takes less time for workers to install because they don't need to take the time or to have the skill to hide the wires.

Wireless equipment has several other shortcomings that are unavoidable no matter what the quality of equipment you get:

* The transmitters are large and having one on each of your doors is not as aesthetically pleasing as the small hardwired devices.

* The transmitters have batteries in them that have to be changed periodically.

* Many wireless systems will not tell you if a transmitter is not working, so you have a false sense of security.

* Wireless devices are frequency and brand specific so they must match the manufacturer of the control. Updating your control in the future could thus render all your devices useless or restrict your choices in control features.

Hardwired devices of any brand with a few exceptions can be wired directly to any brand control. So if you are upgrading an existing hardwired system you will most likely be able to use the old contacts, motion detectors, smoke detectors, glass break detectors, etc.

One advantage of wireless equipment is that you can place devices exactly where you want them in what would be a complicated hardwire situation. There are great high quality systems at your disposal if a wireless system is a necessity for your installation.

You can also add a wireless receiver to any hardwired control at any time, so that you can transmit one or several devices to it. We call this a hybrid system, since it is now both hardwired and wireless. Reducing the amount of wireless devices on your system will reduce your cost and increase your dependability. The same rule applies to a wireless system since you can hardwire in any device that you can get a wire to.

Be advised that even if you have a wireless system, there are still a few things that must be hardwired to it, such as the keypad, power transformer, sirens and phone line. This may restrict placement of the control panel to an area that is wire accessible to all of these devices. It is worth repeating. There is nothing more dependable than a pair of copper wires to send a signal from point A to point B. If any wire would happen to get cut, it would open the circuit causing an alarm if the system is on.

Compare Apples to Apples- As you can see there is, as with most things in life a great range of quality available to you when choosing an alarm system and its components. Taking the time needed to compare all features of each component of your proposed alarm system will always be to your advantage. Most any alarm consultant will jump to the high end of available equipment, if their potential customer is asking for the differences to be explained.

Ba Gua (or Bagua, as it is sometimes spelled) translates as 8 diagram or shape palm. It is built on the 8 basic trigrams found in the I-Ching. It is one of Outlet Power Strip GL-211-PT6DS   three internal martial arts. (The other two are Hsing-I and Tai Chi.) These internal arts use chi energy for combat purposes as well as body mechanics and alignment of the body - both internal and external. This devastating martial art is known as the barbed wire ball because a person being attacked would feel like they were being wrapped in barbed wire. 

The more they struggled to get out, the more they would become tangled up and hurt. Although the barbed wire could change direction at any moment, an opponent could not get in any kind of strike without coming out the worse for the exchange.Of the three internal arts, Ba Gua is the most complicated. There are many different styles of this art. It also trains in many different kinds of movements and the movements used can be very elaborate. Ba Gua is also a combination of hard and soft. Many arts simply go for hard hits. Hsing-I is an example of this kind of hard martial art. In contrast, Tai Chi discourages hard hits of any kind and instead focusing on softness. Ba Gua is like neither of these, using a mixture of both hard and soft hand and footwork. This martial art also trains in many internal energy palms. 

Among others, these include iron palm, poison hand, vibrating palm, and penetrating palm. These kinds of hand strikes can be deadly.While other arts are quite linear in their fighting style, going directly for the opponent, Ba Gua is an art of circles. The most common trained movements involve circular walking patterns. These circles can range from pivoting around in a circle in one place to moving around a cirlce of about a 30 foot diameter. The art also places emphasis on training its practitioners to be able to change direction quickly.Compared with Hsing-I and many other martial arts, Ba Gua as a style of fighting focuses on evasion. Where Hsing-I and many other arts rely on direct attack, Ba Gua's practitioners get out of the way and move. 

Most of the movements are flanking or evasionary movements. In this way, a skilled practitioner can move in on an opponent, land a disastrous blow without getting hit, and then get out of the way so that even if the opponent survives the blow, they will not be able to retaliate because the practitioner is already gone.To illustrate this evasionary element of this style of fighting, in a legendary fight between Dong Hai Chuan, the founder of Ba Gua and Kuo Yun Shen, a well-known and accomplished Hsing-I practitioner, it took 3 days before Dong Hai Chuan finally landed a blow on Kuo Yun Chen. (After their fight these two famous martial artists became friends and also became proficient in each other's arts.)Ba Gua is a deadly martial art form that is well worth the time for any martial artist.