Jane says…..

Almost everyone thinks they know how to write a screenplay. We’ve all heard someone watching TV saying “I could write a better script than that”!

The truth is that just about everyone does have a story worth telling. Unfortunately most do NOT know how to write a screenplay.

Most professional artists are very particular about their tools. The screenplay writer is no different. The key to writing is being organized. Before even writing a single word, you must have an inner road map that your characters are going to follow.

If you are writing a novel, you CAN take the time to ramble and develop your descriptive talents. A screenwriter cannot!

Just like any muscle, the writing ‘muscle’ has to be exercised on a regular basis. The simple process of sitting in front of a computer for set periods of time is critical in training the subconscious that THIS time is when you are going to call on your creativity. In order to learn how to write a screenplay you have to understand STRUCTURE. Unlike a novelist, you do not have the luxury of allowing your script to develop into 300 plus pages. It will not get read if it does not conform to an industry standard of around 110 pages.

The structure of most contemporary screenplays: 1) Establish the character and general situation, 2) force them up a tree and throw rocks at him and 3) get the hero down again.

Firstly: you get the audience to know something about the character and his situation.

Secondly: a situation must be created that goes against your characters comfort zone. He must have a nemesis trying to destroy everything he stands for. This ‘bad’ guy takes pleasure putting your hero up that tree and making it as uncomfortable as possible.

Thirdly: our hero needs to overcome all odds and ‘payoff’ the bad guy.

If it really is that simple, then why isn’t everyone a screenwriter? The answer is they do not know how to write a screenplay.

So let us say that you have a clear idea of what your three acts are going to be. Well now you begin to develop the characters. They have to play off each other and either support or destroy our main character. Any time the characters are neutral, the screenplay is dead. Just remember: conflict equals drama. No conflict, no drama.

So what does it take to become a screenwriter, besides learning how to write a screenplay? It takes discipline - to sit at your workplace, even when you are not sure what you are going to write. It takes having a thick skin, so that when the inevitable rejections come, you do not BELIEVE in their judgment as to your potential. It takes major BELIEF in yourself. But MOST of all it takes LUCK!

The film industry is littered with great scripts that never got made. - Directors fall out with producers. A great idea yesterday turns into a pariah today. The studio that WAS going to make your picture has changed hands and the new studio head wants to stamp his own directorial policy on his new position - and you were chosen by the previous head! There are a million legitimate reasons why Hollywood should not immediately fall at your feet - but YOU are going to overcome this. If you do not believe this, then do not even attempt to learn how to write a screenplay! If you DO believe in yourself, then hey - why shouldn’t you be the one that gets lucky?!

So yes, learning how to write a screenplay isn’t so difficult. The difficult part comes AFTER you have written the screenplay.

Richard Patton is the CEO of http://www.pitchmyscripts.com , the UNIQUE system for pitching screenplays directly to Hollywood. Whether you are a writer looking for the best screenplay writing software or simply trying to learn how to write a screenplay, you will find all the information you need . Having worked on movies from “Cliffhanger” to “Max Headroom” , Patton has a unique insider perspective on what works!

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Training speed properly is essential for any team or athlete that wants to be successful. It’s that simple. In order to run faster, you must break down your speed training into a simple progression to maximize improvements.

Let’s start with the most important aspect of speed: acceleration.

Acceleration

Speed is a product of stride length (the distance your hips travel in a stride) and stride frequency (the number of steps you take in a given time period). However, you will not reach top speed by focusing on increasingly larger steps to increase stride length or taking short, quick steps to increase stride frequency. Instead, top speeds are created by applying ‘optimal’ force to the ground. Both length and frequency are improved by strength so better strength application results in faster speeds. Really, acceleration training is a form of strength training.

Ground contact times (the amount of time each foot spends on the ground) are another important factor to consider during acceleration. During the earliest parts of acceleration, especially the first two steps, you are trying to overcome (inertia) the weight of your body by moving it forward as quickly as possible. This takes a great deal of strength and power. The stronger and more efficient you are, the more you can extend your acceleration phase. Since high intensity sprint work involves recruiting specific groups of muscle fibers improves the efficiency of neuromuscular firing patterns, sprinting is taxing to the central nervous system. Once the CNS becomes fatigued, workouts quickly lose their effectiveness. Any type of speed work must be done with full recovery. Generally speaking, that means approximately one minute of rest for every 10 yards that you run. Sprinting is a highly technical activity.

Without full recovery, both your muscles and your central nervous system will begin to fatigue quickly, reducing the short and long term effectiveness of your training. For this reason, acceleration should not be trained with fatigue present. To optimize your success, full recovery must be adhered to both in your individual workouts as well as your weekly plan. It takes roughly 36-48 hours to fully recover from a speed workout.

Acceleration Cues

• Drive the lead arm (same as front leg) up as you begin to sprint.
• Drive out so the body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground.
• Keep the heel recovery low during the first 6-8 strides.
• Drive the elbows down and back. Keep the hands loose, but not open. Arms should remain at approximately 90 degrees from the elbow.
• Step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.

Don’t force yourself to ’stay low’. This will limit the amount of force you can apply to the ground and leads to poor acceleration. Let your upper body unfold naturally. ‘Staying low’ will occur naturally if you are already strong enough.

Get Vertical!

At the beginning of your speed training season acceleration work is used. You can’t be efficient running longer distances without getting the proper strength levels and neuromuscular efficiency of the shorter intervals. As your athletes get stronger, you can extend out the acceleration distances. You want your athletes to be driving out as far as possible. The stronger the athlete is the further the acceleration phase will be and will set-up the athletes’ top speed better later on.

During acceleration, the foot should strike directly below or slightly behind the hips. You must be able to drive out so your body is at a 45 degree angle to the ground and step over the opposite knee and drive the foot down into the ground to create maximal force.

Horizontal to Vertical

Some athletes aren’t strong enough to hold and maintain that ideal drive phase. So, you must trick the athlete’s body and make it so that they have to get into the right position.Start your acceleration work on the ground and work your way up. In order to put the athletes in the best mechanical position, even without great strength levels, athletes will start with short intervals, in a horizontal position. As the athletes get stronger, the acceleration intervals are lengthened and/or the starting positions are more vertical.

Sample beginning of the season acceleration workout:

4 X 25 yards each (400 yards total)
2.5 minute rest between each rep/4 minutes between each exercise

a) Push-up ‘Down’
b) Push-up ‘Up’
c) Seated Start-Backwards
d) Seated Start-Forward

As the athlete shows that they can handle these positions and their form doesn’t break down at all during the 25 yards, you can start lengthening the interval distance and/or change the starting positions.

Patrick Beith is a Performance Consultant for Athletes’ Acceleration, Inc,

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I’ll always remember my visits to San Francisco and passing groups of older adults in the parks, practicing Tai Chi. Just watching them brought peace, and you could tell they were entirely involved in their activity. It has always interested me, but I have to admit I have yet to experience it. However, just recently, at a Mindful Eating workshop, we did ‘purposeful walking’, taking very slow and controlled steps ‘with intention’. We could feel every single muscle working as we minutely and consciously lifted a foot, moved it forward, and placed it in front of the other one. This reminded me of what Tai Chi might be like.

But what is Tai Chi, why do people practice it, and can anyone do it?

Tai Chi was originally a deadly art, guarded by a few families and used for killing. Traditionalists believe that it is important for students of this ancient art to remember its roots, because the techniques of relaxation and breath control were developed for the express purpose of injuring the opponent in an efficient, scientific manner.

Today, of course, we no longer need to practice this martial art for the purpose of killing our enemy. However, some say that now we can use this practice to fight the enemy of fatigue, stress, overwork or lack of understanding of oneself and one’s body. Daily practice of Tai Chi promotes mental clarity and a healthy body, assists with balance and helps the circulation of the blood.

Someone doing Tai Chi (pronounced “tie chee”) will move slowly and gently, while breathing and meditating. This is why it is sometimes called “moving meditation”. Many practitioners believe that Tai Chi helps the flow throughout the body of a proposed vital energy called qi (pronounced “chee,” it means “air,” “puff,” or “power”). In the United States, Tai Chi for health purposes is part of complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM. People who practice Tai Chi do so to improve their health, yet it is not fully known what changes occur in the body during Tai Chi, and whether it does, in fact, influence health.

Over the years, several styles and variations have been developed. Taoist Tai Chi was introduced to the US by Master Moy Lin-shin, which emphasizes more elongating and stretching movements. Tai Chi Chuan is descended from the Lang family, but has several family variations. Someone doing Tai Chi for health moves in a slow and relaxed and graceful way, either on one’s own or in a group. These movements make up forms (or routines). Some movements are named for animals or birds. The simplest style of Tai Chi uses 13 movements, while more complex styles can use dozens - Taoist Tai Chi has 108 basic moves. Each of these movements flows into the next. The whole body is in motion, with movements performed gently and at the same speed. It is important to keep the body upright.

Like other CAM approaches, there are aspects of Tai Chi which everyone does not agree. Since there is little known scientifically about it, accepting its teachings is a matter of faith rather than evidence-based science. Also, in addition to more traditional styles, some blends of Tai Chi styles have evolved, such as those mentioned above. This creates a differing of opinion of which styles represent “true” Tai Chi.

Other important elements in Tai Chi are breathing and meditation. It is important to concentrate, breathe in a deep and relaxed manner. The benefits of this breathing and meditation include massaging the internal organs, helping with the exchange of gases in the lungs, helping the digestive system, increasing calmness and improving balance.

Health benefits of Tai Chi:

People practice Tai Chi for several health reasons, such as:

• To gain benefits from exercise. It is a low-impact form of exercise. It’s also weight-bearing, which is beneficial to the bones. Additionally, it is an aerobic form of exercise.

• To improve muscle strength, coordination, and flexibility.

• To improve balance. To have a lower risk for falls, beneficial for the elderly.

• To easy arthritis pain and stiffness.

• For health benefits from the meditation.

• To improve sleep and overall wellness.

Although Tai Chi for health is considered a safe practice, it is always recommended to check with your healthcare provider before beginning any type of exercise.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

• If your body is improperly positioned while doing Tai Chi, you could not only end up with sore muscles, but even sprains.

• Instructors recommend not practicing Tai Chi after eating, when tired, or when you are ill.

• Caution should be used if you have any of these conditions: Pregnancy, hernia, joint problems, back pain, sprains, fractures or osteoporosis.

In the US, people do not have to be health professionals or licensed to practice or teach Tai Chi. It is not regulated by state or Federal governments and there is no standard training for Tai Chi teachers. If you are considering learning Tai Chi, ask about your teacher’s training and experience. Learning Tai Chi from a teacher is encouraged over learning from videos or books. This will help you to know if you are practicing the movements safely and correctly.

The idea that sickness and disease arise out of imbalances in a vital energy field is part of some other CAM (complementary and alternative medicine) therapies, such as Reiki and homeopathy. Within CAM, Tai Chi is a type of mind-body medicine. Mind-body medicine focuses on the interactions among the brain, body, mind and behavior, and the ways in which emotional, mental, social, spiritual and behavioral factors affect health.

More information on Tai Chi, and NCCAM-Funded Research on Tai Chi, can be found at the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) website at http://nccam.nih.gov/health/taichi/.

Tai Chi has been around for centuries, but practicing it as a healing activity is relatively new. If it’s something you have ever had an interest in, find someone educated in the practice and give it a try! I’ll look forward to seeing you out in the park one day, totally focused on balancing your qi.

Marjorie Geiser helps people overcome the confusion and distress they may feel when trying to add healthy eating and fitness into their busy lives. One specialty is working with people who suffer from food sensitivities, helping them overcome various health conditions caused by reactive foods. She is a Registered Dietitian, Personal Trainer and Life Coach offering services locally and globally. To learn more about her services, go to her website at http://www.megfit.com or email her at margie@megfit.com.

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Hi,

Would you like a simple, yet effective way to feel great and stay healthy? Experiencing a lack of energy and just feeling drained?

My name is Max Woody and I’d like to share some great information that could change your life for the better.

It’s about a company I found a few years ago that produces the best all natural vitamin products available today. This company has thousands of satisfied customers in over 30 countries worldwide, including myself.

For years I’ve searched for a better vitamin supplement and finally found what I feel is the best all natural vitamin supplement available. Compared to others, these supplements are very reasonable in price.

For the past 2 years I’ve noticed a big change in my over all health while taking these supplements. First of all I’m 41 years old and work about 50 hours a week, so it’s not always easy to eat healthy foods or exercise every day.

I’ve experienced problems with high cholesterol over the years until I started taking my Men’s Plus vitamins. After taking them for about 6 months, my cholesterol was retested and amazingly the levels went down to normal again.

About 1 week after taking these supplements, I noticed a big change in the way I feel. My energy level increased and I’ve also noticed a big difference in the way I sleep at night. I don’t have problems with falling asleep and wake up feeling much more refreshed.

I’ve recommended these products to both family members and friends over the years. They’ve also experienced positive results and were very pleased with the products.

These vitamins come in both Men and Women’s formulas. They contain about 80 nutrients, most of which are rarely found in other supplements. The company also offers excellent all natural weight loss products as well.

These vitamins include nutrients shown to be helpful in preventing degenerative diseases common to both men and women. They contain vitamins, minerals, trace minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, neuronutrients, bioflavonoids, carotonoids, herb extracts and enzymes, to name a few.

The problem I found with everyday vitamins sold through health food stores is the absorption process. Studies have shown that up to 50% or more of traditional supplements fail to get absorbed into a persons system.

Many of the nutrients found in every day vitamins get flushed from peoples systems, instead of getting absorbed into the body were they are needed. This is one reason people notice a bright yellow color in their urine while taking vitamins that are not effective.

This company has solved that problem with a unique delivery system for their products. They are produced with a special “enteric coating” that releases all nutrients in the upper intestine. This ensures a 100% bioavailability and ensures that you get the total benefit of the products your taking.

To get complete details on these products, including a list of ingredients and much more, visit their website at: http://www.xtend-life.com/index.php?id=973604

Max Woody has taken these all natural products for over 2 years now. While experiencing very positive results, he has recommended them to both family members and friends. Try them out for yourself, the company offers a 100% customer satisfaction policy. Visit their website to get complete details at: http://www.xtend-life.com/index.php?id=973604

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How many times have you said to yourself “I just can’t lose those last 10 pounds”?

If losing those last 10 pounds is your passion, then you will appreciate the benefits of L-Carnitine supplementation!

It’s no doubt that weight loss and supplements are controversial issues in the fitness industry. The basis for true weight loss is proper eating and regular exercise. Supplements are beneficial for an added kick to super charge your weight-loss program. While supplements do serve their place in a fitness program, don’t rely on them as the bulk of your regimen, they are a tool.

Of the many fat-loss supplements bombarding the fitness and weight-loss industry, L-Carnitine is one that I always found useful when trying to drop extra pounds. It can help mobilize fat so it can be burned more efficiently when your rotate your calories on the lower end.

L-Carnitine is an amino acid and may aid in fat-loss endeavors. Its main function is to transfer long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria where they can be used to produce energy and burn fat. L-Carnitine can also aid in preventing fatty build up in the liver and heart.

Other benefits of the wonderful supplement are reducing triglyceride levels and improving muscular strength. L-Carnitine can also help lessen the nervousness and irritability associated with low carbohydrate eating plans. Additional advantages are suppressed appetite, increased energy, and reduced muscle fatigue. L-Carnitine can also protect against liver disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.

Your body can make L-Carnitine if you receive proper amounts of the amino acids lysine and methionine. You also need suitable amounts of vitamin B and C, as well as iron. This can also be received through nutrition, from such foods as animal protein.

Those who exercise a great deal use a lot of L-Carnitine. Therefore, it needs to be replenished to prevent a deficiency. If you are not receiving enough of these vitamins, minerals, amino’s through your diet you could possibly have an L-Carnitine deficiency, making those last few pounds stubborn to remove.

A lack of L-Carnitine can result in muscular weakness and low energy levels, as well as weight gain, and cramps. Long-term deficiencies can lead to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and Alzheimer’s.

Vegetarians are more likely to have an inadequate amount of L-Carnitine due to the lack of animal protein in their nutrition. Therefore, L-Carnitine is an excellent supplement for vegetarians.

Recommended Dosage

Liquid L-Carnitine is an easy way to receive the recommended dosage of L-Carnitine quickly. Supplement with 3 to 5 grams of L-Carnitine 20 to 30 minutes before cardio. Use L-Carnitine consistently for 6 weeks and then take 4 weeks off of L-Carnitine.

This product is absolutely safe. However, if you have a weak stomach, take it with a meal.

Since L-Carnitine helps to release fat more efficiently during cardio, provided your carbohydrates are not in excess, it is important that you eat foods of quality and exercise consistently. These factors are what make the fat burning process possible. L-Carnitine is the spark plug to get the fire burning!

Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry since 1988. She is a nationally qualified bodybuilder and holds two personal training certifications. She has written 6 ebooks on fitness and has helped hundreds of clients transform their bodies. http://www.lose-weight-forever.com/

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Unless you have been living in a cave, you have read by now multiple articles about the brain training and brain exercise craze: sudoku, Nintendo BrainAge, multiple online games, software like MindFit and Posit Science…

How do you know which of them can help you more, or whether you need any of them? Well, that’s why we are publishing the SharpBrains Checklist below, to help you navigate through the overwhelming and conflicting media reports and company announcements.

We have spent over 18 months interviewing scientists and reviewing available Brain Fitness and Exercise Programs worldwide, and we are going to share with you, right now, the research-based criteria we use to evaluate them.

***** 10 Questions to Choose the Right Brain Fitness Program for You (and a brief explanation of why each question is important)*****

* 1. Are there scientists, ideally neuropsychologists, and a scientific advisory board behind the program?

(Neuropsychologists specialize in measuring and understanding human cognition and brain structure and function.)

* 2. Are there published, peer-reviewed scientific papers in PubMed written by those scientists? How many?

(PubMed is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine that includes millions of citations science journals. If a scientist has not published a paper that appears in that database, he or she cannot make scientific claims.)

* 3. What are the specific benefits claimed for using this program?

(Some programs present the benefits in such a nebulous way that it is impossible to tell if they will have any results or not.)

* 4. Does the program tell me what part of my brain or which cognitive skill I am exercising, and is there an independent assessment to measure my progress?

(The question is whether the improvement experienced in the program will transfer into real life. For that to happen we need assessments that are distinct from the exercises themselves.)

* 5. Is it a structured program with guidance on how many hours per week and days per week to use it?

(Brain exercise is not a magic pill. You have to do the exercises in order to benefit, so you need clarity on the effort required.)

* 6. Do the exercises vary and teach me something new?

(The only way to exercise important parts of our brain is by tackling novel challenges.)

* 7. Does the program challenge and motivate me, or does it feel like it would become easy once I learned it?

(Good brain exercise requires increasing levels of difficulty)

* 8. Does the program fit my personal goals?

(Each individual has different goals/ needs when it comes to brain health. For example, some want to manage anxiety, others to improve short-term memory…)

* 9. Does the program fit my lifestyle?

(Some brain exercise programs have great short-term results but are very intense. Others may be better over time)

* 10. Am I ready and willing to do the program, or would it be too stressful?

(Excess stress reduces, or may even inhibit, neurogenesis-the creation of new neurons-. So, it is important to make sure not to do things that stress us in unhealthy ways.)

We hope this information is useful. Now, go and exercise your brain!

Copyright (c) 2007 SharpBrains

Alvaro Fernandez is the CEO and Co-Founder of SharpBrains, which provides the latest science-based information for Brain Health and Brain Fitness. Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University. He has been teaching the class Exercising Our Brains at the San Francisco State University, and will be teaching The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute. Learn more at http://www.sharpbrains.com/hottopics.

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Is there really anything new under the sun when it comes to training? Perhaps nothing new, but innovation, maybe. As a consumer, bodybuilder, and overall purveyor of freaky muscle, this is how you must think of any workout that’s offered via magazine or website. It isn’t that there is so much out there you or I haven’t heard of at this point, it’s more about what we do with what we already know, to come up with something that is creative and becomes a means to a successful end.

One reason innovation is so important as a bodybuilder, is that the body figures out what you’re doing fairly quickly, with training, diet, exercise, etc.. So it becomes crucial to find different ways to engage each body part, or system, as a whole, to continue getting any appreciable result. This is particularly the case with a muscle that is typically seen as the pinnacle of a person’s success in the gym. I’m talking about the biceps…

Truth is, if you have small biceps, it’s like you’ve failed all around. In reality, small biceps is like having small calves - one is no different than the other. If something is missing, something is missing, period, no matter what it is. But that’s not how people judge the situation. This almost necessitates having big arms, whether it’s a struggle for you or not. So how can you ensure success in your biceps training? Well, give us a month and we’ll give you an extra inch!

One of the things about the limbs that distinguishes them from other body part training is this: Leg workouts and arm workouts can go so against the grain of logic and reason and you can still have success. You may see this as maddening, but it’s actually really a great thing. Here’s why…

You can overtrain, under train, do high reps or low reps, use heavy weight or employ set complexity with 21’s, negatives, concentric overload, or anything in between, and get success. And this is the key: You need to do it all. We call that shot-gunning with AAS use, but it’s the same for training…. Throw enough mud against the wall and some of it is bound to stick. And the truth is, you have nothing to lose by doing it.

SHOT GUN BICEPS TRAINING

Week 1 - This week is about heavy, low rep training, and super slow movement. You’ll be doing just two basic movements: Standing Barbell Curl and Preacher Curl. You’ll do two workouts - one Monday and one Friday.

The weight you use is going to be substantial, but it must still be manageable. Try for 85% of max, if not 95%, as long as you can go super slow with it. It’s all about using both concentric and eccentric portions of the range of motion. However, in the final few sets of each of these two exercises, you’ll use concentric overload, by doing the curling part of the motion and letting your partner take the weight and hand it back to you to start again at the bottom.

Standing Barbell Curl (Straight one workout/ EZ Curl in another workout) 4 x 8 (remember to perform slowly)

Preacher Curl (EZ Curl - Inner grip and outer grip, alternating) 3 x 6 (no cheating with body - good form - slow)

Finish off with 2 sets to failure of alternate dumbbell curls - 60% of max weight

Rest: 2 minutes in between is correct if you are using heavy enough weight

Week 2 - Standard Workout - Do a workout that is varied and has 3 exercises and a pull up. Use standard rep ranges and don’t do more than 9 or 10 total sets

Pull-ups - body weight only as warm up - 10 reps minimum with body, try to use biceps

Barbell Curls - Wide and Narrow grip 3 x 8

Seated Alternate Dumbbell Curls 3 x 10

Concentration Curls - seated 3 x 8

Rest: Take 1-2 minutes in between sets

Week 3 - 21’s, Drop sets, Super sets. This is the week of varied set scheme. Since the type of sets you do is important, it’s crucial that you get a week of two workouts in where you are utilizing all of these techniques that you may just save for pre-contest workouts. You need to have a partner work with you in this week, as well as the first week.

Standing Straight Bar Barbell Curls - Do 2 sets of 21’s using moderate to heavy weight

Standing Alternate DB Curls - 2 sets - Drop DB’s to lighter within set to go to failure at the lowest weight

Super Set: One armed (low or high pulley) cable curls/ Concentration curls - 2 sets of 8 to 10 reps each exercise.

Rest: 2 minutes between 21’s, 3 minutes between drop sets on dumbbells, no rest within superset, but 1 minute in between supersets.

Week 4 - Cables only - all angles - this week. This accentuates both the eccentric and concentric portion of the range, and forces super control. Moderate weight and moderate reps earmark this week, but what is most important is the use of low cables and high cable attachments, as well as single arm exercises and double arm exercises. You must use these attachments: EZ Curl, Short straight bar, long straight bar, handle attachments

High Cable One Armed Pulley (alternate arms for rest - successively - 3 x 10 each arm

Low Cable Pulley Straight Bar from lowest attachment. Try to pull elbows high and use within that range, as well as pulling from bottom to mid-range in 3 x 10

EZ Curl High Cable - Top of range 3 x 8

Rest: No rest in alternating high cable one arm exercise, 2 minutes rest in all others in between. Set should take longer because you are accentuating the movements of each rep and still using moderate to heavy weight.

Varying training is something all bodybuilders ought to be doing, but with limbs, such as arms and legs, this kind of variety isn’t just random and haphazard, it actually nets results. Limbs require wicked pumps to grow. But wicked pumps don’t just come from heavy training… they come from heavy training, light training that burns into failure, odd attachments, varied sets, eccentric vs. concentric work, or both, and varied rest times in relation to varied work ethic.

Yours may not be to question why here, yours may be to just buckle down, give us a month, and we’ll give you an inch on those stubborn biceps.

Dane Fletcher is THE Training Authority and writes exclusively for GetAnabolics.com, a leading provider of Bodybuilding Supplements and alternatives to Steroids. For more information, please http://www.steroidpimp.com.

Blog building, creative, exercise, innovation, lease, success, supplements, time

It is a known fact that our health is being effected by the degree of happiness we feel inside of us. We know that the happier we are, the healthier we become. The more we can avoid a stressful life and live happy the more disease resistant we are.

If we go through turbulent times in our lives most of us are able to find peace in the idea that bad times will pass eventually.

However it is important for us to realize that we have the power to change if we choose to.

If we want to feel happy our social environment is of course of the utmost importance. Therefore we must learn to be less judgmental about the people we care for and learn to accept them the way they are. After all we are all unique individuals.

So, make the decision to be a happy person and follow the self motivation tips here under. Use them as self motivation exercise in order to acquire the necessary self motivation skills, which will help you to become a much more happy and healthy person.

- Be Grateful

There is so much to be grateful for. Take some time each day to think about the things that are good in your life. Make a list of these things and look at it from time to time, so that you are regularly reminded.

Take some time to specially thank the cook for preparing you that wonderful dinner, thank the taxi driver or the friend who drove you home safely, thank the dustman for taking away your garbage, thank the mailman for bringing you your mail each day. By doing this you will make a shift and feel different inside.

- Laugh As Much As You Can

We all know the expression: Laughter is the best medicine. So, if you know a good joke, tell it to your friends and family. Also try to see the humor in some of your own funny habits. Believe me, we have some real peculiar ones.

- Exercise

Run, jog, go to the gym or do something that stimulates the endorphins in your body. By doing regular exercise you change your physiology, you change your body chemicals, which will make you feel different, so you start focusing on different things.

- Leave The News For What It Is

Are you one of these people who can not start the day without having to know what’s going on in the world? Let go of that urge. News is stressful. Over 99% of it is bad news. Believe me, you can do without it.

- Practice Time Management

One thing we all have in common is that we share the same amount of hours in a day and the same amount of days in a year and although we say it often enough, we don’t realize enough that time is far too valuable to waste.

Time Management is basically a list of rules. And the rules of it can help us to waste less time. First we have to set our goals, then we need to plan them, we have to make our To Do lists and we need to prioritize them.

If you use these basic skills you will be able to work through and finish your list on a daily basis, which will help you to experience feelings of happiness and contentment.

- Work Hard

Working hard creates enormous personal satisfaction. When you have finished certain tasks you will feel that you are capable to accomplish things. And that will help to have a sense of value about ourselves.

- Learn New Things

Learning is an enriching exercise. Try to learn something new each day. It will literally expand your world and it will create more opportunities for you in the long term. Use the internet, for instance. It can provide us with infinite amounts of information.

- Express Your Feelings

Learn to express what you feel. Learn to show affection and warmth to the people around you and in that let go of your fears. Remember that fear is our worst advisor and it’s bad for our health.

- Find Spiritual Connections

It would be good for you to find some sort of spiritual connection. By being in touch with spirituality on a regular basis you would foster deep inner peace. Part of this could be meditation, which is a great way to gain inner peace.

- Help Other People

Each individual feels energized, good and warm about himself after helping another person. Be a volunteer somewhere, be a practical or financial help to someone or see how you can otherwise contribute to society. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

I hope this article is of value to you and I hope you realize that these self motivation tips are the key to happiness. Therefore I recommend you to use these ways as self motivation exercise in order to obtain the necessary self motivation skills.

Ab van Deemter (http://www.passiontogrow.com) is a Personal Growth specialist and a spiritual person, who believes in sharing his knowledge of personal perseverance. He has studied metaphysics and other holistic methods for many, many years and embarked on a life of success. With successful tools for personal freedom he has made it past a life full of obstacles and now mentors and teaches business owners, their staff, his own employees, as well as a large group of private individuals.

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I have unfortunately been on both sides of this article. I have spent time visiting friends and family when they have been sick, but I have more often been the patient everyone is visiting. Many of the visits went very well, but unfortunately others didn’t go so well for them or me. Hopefully my mistakes or my tips from experience will help you.

Visiting someone who is sick isn’t always easy, but it can be an enjoyable time and it should primarily be a comfort for the patient.

Many family members and friends find it difficult to visit someone who is sick. If the person is in the hospital, it may be more difficult for some to visit because of past negative experiences they have had at a hospital. Many visitors are anxious or find it stressful to be around a patient because they are dealing with their own fears of sickness. It is natural to hesitate in seeing someone you love or care about, who is in pain or seriously ill. Unfortunately, many people end up not visiting, because they do not know what to do or say to help.

Most patients I have spoken to just want the company. They want to feel loved and thought about. They do not want to be forgotten, though they might be out of the “social loop”.

I know when I was sick and had visitors it was a welcome distraction from the reality of what was going on. It was nice to at least try to forget and feel “normal” even for only a short time.

When visiting someone who is sick, here are some suggestions that may help both the visitor and the patient.

1. Before visiting the patient, phone ahead to let him or her know you are coming. That is just plain common sense. Your friend or loved one will appreciate you finding out a convenient time to visit. Some times a patient has had too many visitors, has gone through painful treatments or just needs to nap. If the person is sick at home and being cared for by a caregiver, knowing when you are coming may give that person a chance to run errands or plan for some personal time alone. At least it will give them a chance to tidy up the room or help the patient get ready for your visit. I know I have wished people had called first when I was receiving visitors, because I might not have been dressed appropriately and a robe or change of clothes would have made me more comfortable, etc.

The simple act of a phone call creates the anticipation of a visit, something to look forward to. Calling in advance also puts the patient in charge. Being sick often results in a forced passivity. When you phone and ask if it is all right to visit, the patient is able to exercise some control in whether they feel up to visitors at that time.

2. Do your research. If the person you are visiting is in a hospital or rehab facility, then call ahead to see when visiting hours are. Ask if there are any other restrictions. Some facilities do not allow children or pets. Find out if it is all right for the patient to receive flowers or food of any kind. You do not want to bring your friend’s favorite brand of chocolate, only to find out that they are on a special diet and can not eat it right now. Inquire as to what you are allowed to bring. Can the patient eat food brought in from the outside? Can she have flowers etc? Some patients are very sensitive to perfumes or smells, so check if this is the case and leave those types of things at home. The most important point here is to ask questions.

3. Don’t plan on a long visit. Hospital patients have a busy schedule and sick people often tire easily. It is better to visit briefly but more often, than to visit once for a long time. When the patient tires, leave courteously with a promise to return another time or to call. Stay long enough to put a smile on their face, but not too long as to see their smile tire. Most people would rather have many visits, then one long dragged out one.

This should also help to put the visitor at ease. If you plan on a short visit, you do not need to worry about what to say or how to “fill up” time. A 15-20 minute visit is just long enough to say hello, catch up, help out and leave. You can play a game for 20 minutes, or take a walk. Stay as long as the patient wants.

4. Bring the patient a small gift. This is not about money spent- the gift can be something you made, like a card. Let’s face facts, we all like receiving gifts, especially when we are not feeling our best. A newspaper or magazine can reinforce a sense of connection to the outside world. Besides being pretty- flowers, plants or cards leave tangible evidence of the visit. I remember when I was in the hospital I spent hours looking at my “wall of cards” and reminisced about who came to visit me. It always brought a smile to my face, even if it was days after the person left.

Bring something that can be a distraction after you have left. Crossword puzzle books, reading books, even lotto scratch off’s. Anything that they can easily do on their own. Many places do not allow visitors after certain hours, so your gift will help with the boredom at night and be a welcome relief.

Bring something that will help make the experience nicer. Blankets, new pajamas, slippers, new lotions, soaps, or a soft pillow can make the time spent in bed for a patient more enjoyable. Gifts like these will be much appreciated.

Ask nurses or caregivers if it is ok to give the patient food or treats. Bring the patient their favorite candy or snack. If they are having appetite trouble maybe a gift of their favorite food might help.

5. Have Fun. Bring an activity with you. Sometimes we learn the most about someone while doing something together. It takes the pressure off coming up with conversation, while providing a non-threatening atmosphere. The focus becomes the activity and not the person and their disability and that is refreshing. It could be a board game, craft activity, movie, or even food. If the individual has a computer, you could surf the net for helpful resources or community services. Bring the newspaper and talk about current events. Give her a manicure or fix her hair. Bring a friend or children to visit. Be creative.

Some of my best memories in the hospital were when my mom played Scrabble with me all night until I fell asleep. It was great to get my mind of being sick and it also was a great way for us to pass the time.

6. When visiting, help with concrete tasks. After getting the sick person’s consent; help by straightening the bed, watering plants, straightening up the room, or any other chore that helps the patient or makes their surroundings look well attended.

It also might be helpful to offer to do things in the “outside” world for the patient. When we are sick, we do not have the energy, ability or time to do simple things, but quite often those are the very things we worry about not getting done. Picking up mail, helping go through bills, watering the lawn, or even cooking meals, can truly make someone’s day. What might seem like an easy task for you can really help someone who is too sick to do these things for themselves or their own family.

It is very hard not to be able to do for yourself. Many times when I am not feeling well, I might be too embarrassed to ask for help, but I am very happy to accept it when it is offered.

7. Don’t be afraid to sit in silence. As with any situation where we are trying to bring comfort and friendship to someone who is suffering, the primary statement we can make is not through any words we speak, but through our presence. Do not force conversation, but let it come naturally. Fight the need to fill up every bit of silence. Just being a good friend and making the effort to be there is enough.

If you can’t think of anything to talk about, feel free to simply say, I love you, I care and I am here for you if you need me. Those few simple words will mean more to the person then you will ever know, and will definitely be better then making up chatter.

8. Help the Helper. Besides being the patient, there is nothing harder then being the primary caregiver. Most times these are the people that are right there with the patient, often both day and night. The caregiver has the daunting task of trying to juggle the life outside and the life with the person who is sick. Usually they are going on little or no sleep and are filled with worry and concern for the one they love, while trying to show a strong face. Ask if you can help them in any way also. Offer to baby-sit kids, even for a ½ hour, make dinner, or offer to order in, ask if they want you to go get a rental movie or if you can sit and talk with the patient while they shower or make phone calls, etc.

9. Prepare for when they come home. Depending on how long the patient is in the hospital, or depending how long the person has been sick, it might be hard to get back into the swing of a normal daily routine. Offer to help with laundry or help clean or dust so they come home to a less stale smelling place. Help clean out the fridge, or maybe help re-stock it before they get home. Open the windows and let some fresh air in. If they need help now to do things, offer to drive them to the store or doctor’s appointments. It is the little things that go a long way to make the patient feel back at home.

10. Do not forget about them the second they get better. Being sick gives you many different types of attention, whether you like it or not and the fact is that it can be very lonely when it all goes away. I have heard from many patients that the worst thing about being sick is when they started to feel better! That is when they were alone with no one offering to help or to lift their spirits. Still make visits, send cards or offer to help for the next few weeks during this transitional time. They might not need the same things, and it might not feel as “urgent” but still visit. They need to feel loved now too. They need the strength to continue to feel better.

Do Something! All the tips listed above are to help you, but they are not “rules”. Do what your heart tells you to do. Do what you feel is best. It is never too late and no gesture is ever too small. If it is from you then it is just right. Do not let your fear, anxiety or busy schedule stop you from being there for someone who could really use it, and will appreciate it

The worst thing you can do for someone who is sick is nothing.

Christine Miserandino is a writer, speaker, and patient advocate from NY.She also happens to be someone living with Lupus. Her writing has been featured in numerous newspapers, magazines, medical newsletters and television media. Check out http://www.ButYouDontLookSick.com to read more of her articles, to shop at the online store and to receive her monthly newsletter.

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Given their worldwide recognition as experts in the area of health and fitness, it’s not surprising that ab-information.com receives hundreds of questions each week on the topic of abdominal training. The following are the most common questions on developing six-pack abs that we answer of a weekly basis.

Q. Are sit-ups good for fat loss and shrinking my waist?

A. The key to shrinking the waist is getting your diet under control and performing effective abdominal training exercises for the muscles. Sit-ups are no longer recommended for the abs as they primarily target the hip flexors and can be very stressful on the lower back for many individuals.

Q. Should I train abs every day?

A. There is no easy answer to this question. Some experts consider the abs to be just “another set of muscles” and as such you only need to train them a couple of times per week. Other experts counter that the abs are designed for repeated training and can be worked every day. Our advice is to try both abdominal training approaches and see which one seems to work best for you.

Q. Should I work my whole body or just my abs?

A. The real key to overall health and fitness and developing six-pack abs is dropping your body fat levels. Performing a half hour of abs will burn a few calories and perhaps lower your body fat, but training the whole body will do it much quicker and much more effectively.

Q. Do supplements help?

A. Yes absolutely. Despite a clean diet and regular exercise it’s extremely difficult to develop amazing abdominals. You’re fighting a couple of million years of human evolution and your body will fight you for those last 10 or 12 pounds. Check out the Super Abs with Super Supplements page for more information on the most effective fat loss supplements.

Q. What is the best ab exercise?

A. It’s always risky to suggest that one exercise is “best” as what works for one person may not work for another. Still most people find that crunches seem to stimulate the abdominal muscles the best. Unlike those old-fashioned sit-ups that were all the rage for decades, crunches eliminate most of the hip flexor involvement that plague sit-ups. Crunches are far less stressful on the lower back than sit-ups as well. You can do crunches on the floor or using one of those big colorful exercise balls.

Q. Can I target my upper and lower abs?

A. The answer to this question is yes……and no! From an anatomy point of view there is really no upper and lower abs. The abdominal muscle fibers don’t run sideways but up and down (from pelvis to sternum). The reason that most people assume that there are upper and lower abs is because a well-defined midsection has that six-pack look. You’ll see a couple of muscle ridges high beneath the ribcage and a couple low around the bellybutton region. Even though that the abdominal muscle is really one large muscle, it is possible to target the upper and lower sections by performing different exercises. Exercises where the torso moves and legs remain stationary primarily target the upper abs, while the lower abs are hit most effectively by moving the legs and locking the torso.

Q. Will abdominal training help my posture?

A. You bet. Many posture-related problems are related to insufficient abdominal and lower back strength. One of the first things physiotherapists do with rehab patients is start working on their core muscles - the abs and lower back. But why wait until you have posture problems before you start training your abs. You should be training them a minimum of two to three times a week RIGHT NOW!

Q. Will ab exercises hurt my lower back?

A. No. In fact training your abs will actually help prevent lower back problems. Ab exercises are also go therapy for existing lower back problems. Just be careful to perform your exercises with good form and eliminate movements that are stressful to the lower back such as sit-ups and straight leg, leg raises.

Q. Are side bends a good way to get rid of my love handles?

A. Not a chance. Doing side bends to get rid of love handles is based on the myth of spot reduction. Many people think that by doing high reps for the fat deposits around the waist they can somehow stimulate fat loss in this area. But as we keep saying you can’t spot reduce. Only cardio, healthy eating, and weight training to boost the metabolism will effectively get rid of the love handles.

Q. Should I buy one of those home ab-training gadgets?

R. A. Absolutely not! Most of these gadgets are designed to cash in on people’s willingness to do virtually nothing but get great results. Unfortunately it’s not that easy. Most of those crazy contraptions are either dangerous or just not that effective. You can rock back and forth all day but you won’t lose and fat from your waist. If you truly want a rock hard midsection you must clean up your diet. You’ll also need to do 3 to 4 sessions of both cardio AND weight training every week. Save your hard-earned cash for healthy food and a gym membership rather than buying one of those foolish ab-training gadgets.

Bob Howard expert on bodybuilding and steroids. Are you looking for more of his Abdominal Training Questions articles? http://abs-information.com.

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