Q: All the techniques on your DVD are awesome! If you’re pinched
for time, which general warm-up method would you use?

A: Make sure to perform dynamic stretching before every workout.
It just takes a few minutes, but it can make a big difference in
your performance.

To recap, when performing dynamic stretches, use the pendulum
method: start slow and shallow, and gradually increase speed and
range with each repetition.

DYNAMIC STRETCHING ROUTINE

1. Squat

2. Split Squat

3. Toe Touches

4. Waiter’s Bow

5. Side Bends

6. Trunk Twists

7. Arms Horizontal

8. Arms Vertical

9. Arms Vertical Alternating

10. PNF Pattern

11. Arm Circles

12. Wrist Flexion/Extension

13. Wrist Circles

14. Shoulder Shrugs

15. Head Tilt

16. Head Rotation

Note: For a dynamic stretching demonstration, visit
http://www.strengthwarmup.com/index.cfm?t=DVD.Content

Many coaches prescribe too many repetitions for dynamic
stretching. For instance, if we go to Hartmann & Tunnemann’s
excellent text titled Fitness and Strength Training for All
Sports, the following is recommended for the repetition
stretching method:

“The repetition (also known as the dynamic or ballistic) method
involves stretching with repetitive pulls or bounces using small
intervals, rather than just one pull. An athlete begins the
first repetition over a relatively small range of joint motion,
gradually increasing the amplitude range, reaching after 15-20
movements, the maximal range. The process is then repeated 3-4
times, using body weight or an external force (weight, partner,
etc.)”

Now, the authors are quick to point out that stretching methods
should be performed after each training session; however,
dynamic stretching as part of a warm-up can be useful to
decrease muscle damage and improve performance. It will
definitely help rev up the nervous system in preparation for
activity. Keep in mind, though, that it takes only 10-15 seconds
of contractions to raise the body temperature by 1C and a
proper warm-up should raise body temperature by 1-2C
(1.4-2.8F) to cause sweating; therefore, 5-10 reps per movement
is all you really need.

Remember, the goal of a warm-up is performance not fatigue!

Q: I’m interested to know your thoughts on overshooting the
training load in a warm-up for a set of 3×3. For example, if I
were to do 3×3 in the bench press at 335 (as I will be doing on
Wednesday) my normal warm- up would be something like this:

45×10

135×8

185×5

225×4

275×3

315×2

365×1

Then I would do 3×3 at 335. I’ve done this in the past and the
set of 1 at a higher load then my work sets seemed to “wake up”
my nervous system for the work sets. This is only anecdotal,
obviously, but I’d be interested in your thoughts and any
research on the topic that you were aware of.

A: Yes, this is a very effective method utilizing postactivation
(aka post- tetanic facilitation/potentiation.) However, your
jump from 315 to 365 is rather large - I would insert 1 or 2
more singles here. Keep in mind that as you ramp up the weight
during your warm-up sets, the difference in load between
successive sets should actually decrease.

Now if we review your scheme: 225 to 275 is a 50 lb. difference;
275 to 315 is 40 lbs; then 315 to 365 is 50 lbs. again. Rather,
insert either 1 more warm-up set at 345 for a single (a 30 lb.
difference) or ideally 2 more w-up sets of 335 and 355 for
singles. Then, go ahead and perform your work sets at 335 and
you should notice an increase in strength.

Q: At one of your workshops, I remember you mentioning that
plyometrics are good during a warm-up. Other than various jumps,
hops and bounds, what other exercises can you use for the lower
body? I’m especially lost when it comes to upper body
plyometrics. Any suggestions?

A: Yes, it’s true plyometrics can be very useful during a
warm-up, but don’t go overboard! They place a tremendous amount
of stress on the nervous system - if you do too much prior to
training, it will kill performance. Then again, if you do just
the right amount, it can potentiate your strength! In general,
though, plyometrics are best reserved for your athletes.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video has to be
worth at least a million, right? I’m going to save myself a
bunch of typing and direct you to a sample clip from my latest
DVD giving you a taste of some upper body plyometric drills. Go
to http://strengthwarmup.com/images/explosiveupper.wmv. For
lower body plyometrics, I highly recommend Christian
Thibaudeau’s Modern Strength Newsletter series which you can
still access at http://www.angelfire.com/ct3/modern- strength.

Btw, the DVD has a great application of the three-stance
vertical jump test from my colleague, Chad Waterbury, that will
increase your squat in no time.

Q: In your recent warm-up article, you state the following:

“Some strength athletes actually gauge their recovery by using
an unloaded bar — or even a broomstick — during their warm-up.
If it doesn’t feel right or feels strangely heavy, then they’re
not ready to train yet and need an extra day of recovery.”

Surely, you must be kidding about the broomstick, right?

A: No, I’m not kidding at all. Something I learned from both
Poliquin and Kinakin is that Mike MacDonald would start his
warm-up by benching a broomstick. If it felt weird then he would
not train that day!

And for those that don’t know, the powerlifting bench press
world record has been held by Mike MacDonald in four different
weight classes: 470 lb. bench at 181, 540 lb. bench at 198, 573
lb. bench at 220 lb., and a 577 lb. bench at 242 lbs. These were
held at the same time for five years straight, from 1976-1981.
In fact, Mike set 36 world records in the bench press across
those four different weight classes. And here’s the kicker, he
performed those lifts raw without the aid of a bench press shirt
or elbow wraps. Success leaves clues…

Also (and perhaps not quite as dramatic!), a broomstick can be
used during a warm-up as a diagnostic. Perform an overhead squat
with only a broomstick since loading will cause compression and
greater flexibility (i.e. a false measure.) Then, look for
things like forward lean, heel rise, knee position, foot
rotation, squat depth, spine curves, position of arms and head,
etc. Address those issues with specific stretches (refer to my
Stretching For Strengthening article series for more details.)
This will help increase flexibility and strength, and will
decrease the likelihood of injury during your workout.

Note: John Paul has a DVD available with demonstrations of all
the warm-up techniques and drills mentioned in this article.
Visit http://www.StrengthWarmUp.com for more info.

DVD copying is useful for many reasons. Music DVD sales doubled last year and should continue to grow. When you buy a DVD you should think about buying DVD copying software and equipment so you can have an extra copy available. It is not legal to use DVD copying to make copies of movies, games or music you don’t own but if you have purchased a DVD, CD, or game, you can make a back up copy.

There are so many new DVD’s on the market and you may want to buy DVD copying equipment so you can be ready when you need a back up copy of a new purchase. The recording industry has suffered lately so labels are looking in vaults and archives for video possibilities. There are concert films, documentaries, and all kinds of music DVD releases that have come out recently. After you buy any of these you can use your DVD copying software to make an extra copy. Just make sure you are not selling these copies to anyone.

Now you can find a variety of video packages featuring all sizes and prices. They are beginning to compete with Hollywood movies. These music DVDs are very popular and are selling well almost everywhere. One of the new DVDs coming out this spring is Fade to Black. This is the retirement concert of Jigga at Madison Square Garden. Beyonce, P. Diddy, Missy Elliot and Pharrell also perform.

AC/DC has a two-disc set called Family Jewels, that will be released soon. The late vocalist, Bon Scott, is featured and also Brian Johnson. There is a lot of rare footage on this DVD and when you buy it, make an extra copy with your DVD copying software. The Ramones have a documentary coming out this spring called, End of the Century. This documentary is funny and kind of sad and tells about the late Johnny, Joey, and Dee Dee. Public Enemy, Devo and Phil Collins have DVDs that will be available soon.

When you have DVD copying equipment you can also make copies of game programs. You will be able to copy your entire VHS collection and any DVDs you own. You can use your DVD copying equipment to copy more than just music! Check around before you purchase DVD copying equipment and software. It is available at stores, through catalogues and on the internet. Magazines offer DVD copying software too. There are many different brands of DVD copying equipment so you should look around and do some research before you buy. Find out if the DVD copying equipment has the features you want and how difficult it is to operate.

Compare prices before you purchase DVD copying equipment and software. There can be quite a difference between brands. There can also be a difference in prices depending on where you purchase the DVD copying equipment. DVD copying equipment is readily available and easy to use. If you want to make back up copies of DVDs, CDs and games you own, consider DVD copying equipment and software.

About the Author

You may post this article on your web site as long as no changes are made.
All links must be live. http://www.cdduplicationplus.com
© 2005 CD Duplication Plus

Will memory foam mattress become as popular as spring mattresses? I believe that they will not. At first, the cost of a buying a memory foam mattress was considered too high by many consumers.

It is often thought that a person who likes the feel of their springy coil mattress, but wants less motion transfer or has a problem with the feel of the springs underneath, will find a latex or memory foam foam mattress the best of both worlds. One thing you should be aware of is that once you own your latex or memory foam mattress, you will not want to sleep anywhere else but at home, so spoil yourself if you will, but please don’t say we didn’t warn you. While overexposure from natural latex gloves have caused a small percentage of medical workers to become allergic to latex, many of the latex mattresses use a composite that takes out the natural latex proteins and seems to render the resulting latex foam hypo-allergenic.

Don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson questions, such as the different categories of polyurethane foam and the difference that could make for you. Foam density levels also make a difference, so it’s mostly a matter of trying as many out as you can, and finding which one most appeals to you. Here’s to a better night’s sleep.

I needed to learn about energy boosters. Fatigue and a lack of energy have been problems for all my life. In an effort to find out why, I’ve asked doctors, read books, and finally decided that some questions just won’t be answered in my lifetime.

Fortunately, I’ve also learned that even without discovering the root causes of my tiredness, there are things I can do to alleviate it. Below are some of energy boosters that have worked for me and others over the years. Try them to see which work best for you, and use more than one at a time if necessary.

Ten Energy Boosters

1. Energetic music. Different types of music have different effects on us, but you can learn which are best for you by trial and error. Once you find the music that wakes you up, keep it ready. Keep a tape in your car, and a CD in the player at home.

2. Sleep better. The research seems to show that as long as you get at least five hours of sleep, the quality is more important than the quantity. Try drinking something warm before bed, or relax with a simple meditation.

3. Talk about something interesting. Have you ever seen a tired person start to talk about something they’re passionate about, and suddenly “wake up.” It’s a powerful technique you can use for yourself. Have a few “favorite” subjects that get you going.

4. Coffee. For some of us, caffeine makes us more tired when it’s abused, but short-term, it can work wonders.

5. Deep breathing. Several slow deep breaths help oxygenate the blood supply better, and especially seems to wake up the brain.

6. Have an “energy drink.” The verdict isn’t in on most of them, but it’s a cheap option to try. I seem to get something from the ones with Ginkgo Biloba in them.

7. Move your body. Sometimes just getting up and washing the dishes, or walking around the house helps boost energy levels.

8. Exercise. It’s not a quick solution, but many people notice an increase in their energy level when they get regular aerobic exercise.

9. Hot and cold shower. Try a minute of hot water, then a minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn’t for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up. Incidentally, research shows that this also revs up the immune system.

10. Get outside. Often, a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing.

Write down the techniques that work for you when you find them, to remind yourself to use them. Of course you should try to find the reasons for your tiredness or fatigue. You may have more luck than I. In the meantime, though, why not try a few of these enrgy boosters?

Steve Gillman writes on many topics including brainpower, weight loss, meditation, habits of mind, creative problem solving, generating luck and anything related to self improvement. Learn more and get FREE e-courses at http://www.SelfImprovementNow.com.

One of the greatest joys of the selling profession is the
extraordinary responsibility one takes on as THE company
representative to the “outside world”. More often than not the
company sales representative IS the company to so many people
they interact with on a daily basis.

To many customers the vendor’s sales representative is the
relationship and the continued justification that drives the
business commerce between the parties. No one knows, or should
know, the customer’s product or service requirements better than
the sales representative. No one should know the customer’s
business challenges, decision makers, financial status and
history of use of the company’s product or services better than
the sales rep.

Often an effective sales representative can make or break a
critical business conflict resolution among the customer and his
company. A strategic company will always leverage the developed
relationship between their representative and the customer to
maintain the business. If the company cannot utilize their
representative in this capacity, they have the wrong person on
the account!

The Inside and Outside Selling Functions

A sales person is ultimately responsible for retaining and
ideally increasing, sales revenues from his or her existing
customers. They are also charged with finding, qualifying or
disqualifying and eventually securing new business from
alternative revenue sources. This is called “outside” selling.

A sales representative is also required to represent his or her
customer to or within his company for the betterment of the
customer/ company relationship. Betterment of the customer/
company relationship equates to more sales from that customer.
This is called “inside” selling.

For a professional sales representative to maximize their sales
revenues he or she must constantly strive to improve both their
outside and inside selling skills. Hundreds of books have been
written about how to improve one’s outside selling skills, but
little has been written about the inside selling skills concept.
Depending on the sales representative employer’s propensities or
resource levels to “service” their customers - the sales reps
inside selling skills must be better honed than their outside
selling skills.

Customers consistently demand more value from their vendors for
product or services provided. Competition among suppliers of
same products and services has traditionally increased along
with an unsettling trend of reduced customer purchase loyalty
due their cost reduction priorities, often driven by their own
competitive market environment.

When there are finite resources within the sales
representative’s employer or limited customer service focus
coming from senior management, all intensified with competing
demands for same resources and attention among other company
sales representatives, an inside sale success can make or break
the outside selling success for any given account.

Fundamental Inside Selling Tactics

Given the above circumstances of a sales representative needing
to grow his or her outside business via successful persuasion of
inside the company decision makers, one should focus on the
following tactics to improve their odds of overall selling
success:

1) Strive to get your company management to interact with
your customer’s management, professionally or socially

2) Eliminate any propensity on your part to totally control
the customer yourself, the more people who have
relationships with your customer from your company the
greater the probability business will increase over time

3) Hold people within your company accountable for their
actions or in-actions relative to your customer - you are
the voice of the customer - never forget this!

4) Be fair and honest at all times - representing both your
customer to your employer and vice versa. There is no
exception to this rule!

5) Whenever prudent, document successes to both the customer
and to your company. Copy everybody on the success in both
directions and give credit to BOTH parties for the
success. In many cases, the written document is the ONLY
means an executive from either your customer or employer
has to appreciate the relationship in hand.

6) Effectively and continuously enhance the mutual perception
that both parties have of each other to maximize their own
profitability

In conclusion, there effectively is nowhere for a sales
representative to hide if a customer decides to take their
business elsewhere. The sale representative ultimately is
responsible for either mismanaging his company’s resources and
support of the customer or not effectively communicating or
exhibiting the value of his product or services to the customer.

Hopefully this article gives another perspective as to how to
balance outside and inside selling skills for maximum sales
success.

About the Author:

Mark Smock is 30+ year veteran of business leadership and is
President of http://www.business-buyer-directory.com, the FIRST
International business buyer directory of its kind. Business
Buyer Directory provides a non-traditional means for proactive
business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide that
meet their exact registered purchase criteria.