o Cable T.V. and Customer Retention By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 25 May 2011 23:02:00 +0000 Recently, I decided to test the waters for a less expensive television experience. I have been a loyal cable subscriber for thirty-five years, but friends have told me that other systems, especially satellite, are cheaper. I went online to DirectTV.com to check their packages. We have been spending about $112 a month. The equivalent package from DirectTV appeared to be about $81 a month. I was shocked at the size of the price difference. DirectTV was more than 25% less expensive than Comcast, my cable supplier. Given the size of these price differences, I did some investigation in what is happening in the market. Today there are four potential television service suppliers: cable, telephone companies, such as AT&T and Verizon, satellite and internet companies, such as Netflix and Hulu. The cable companies command 60% of the market. Phone companies have less than 15% of the market. The satellite firms, including DirectTV and Dish, control most of the rest. The internet firms are still small, though they may become larger in the future. Over the years, the cable companies have held a high price umbrella over the satellite companies. Now the phone companies are getting under this umbrella as well. The cable companies lost two million subscribers last year. The phone companies picked up most of that loss, while the satellite firms picked up a bit. The combination of the phone and satellite companies took virtually all the growth there was in the market. Customer retention is a big deal. Even in fast-growing markets, you would like to be able to retain your customers when competitors seek them out. The cable companies have sought to retain customers by emphasizing more services to higher spending customers. These customers tend to be less price-sensitive. It appears that the cable companies are going to have to alter their courses. They simply can not afford to let their competitors take away their market share. Eventually, the competition will be as big and as strong as they are. They will lose the market leverage that a leader enjoys. For examples see GM in autos, IBM in the PC market and U.S. Steel in the steel market. The T.V. market is speaking in clear tones. The phone and satellite companies offer a better value proposition. The cable companies have to listen soon. Full Article ATandT Comcast Cable competitor success and failure customer segmentation DirectTV Hulu industry evolution Netflix price umbrella pricing strategy Verizon
o Nestlé’s Cost Reduction in the Coffee Business By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 02 Jun 2011 02:47:00 +0000 Nestle is the world-wide leader in the coffee business. They offer coffees at virtually all price points. They invented instant coffee in the 1930s. After the buffets of the commodity markets over the last few years, the company has created a global push to reduce its costs and to increase the quantity and quality of the coffee it buys. We have found four generic approaches to reducing costs. • First, reduce the rate of cost of a cost input. • Second, reduce the cost inputs that do not produce output. • Third, reduce unique activities and components in processes and the product • Fourth, spread fixed cost activities over additional product output Nestle is using the first three of these approaches in its world-wide investment in cost management. First, Nestle redesigned part of the process. Its scientists developed a new generation of Robusta and Arabica coffee plants for Mexico. The Robusta beans are relatively inexpensive and make up the bulk of the beans in instant coffee. The Arabica beans are more expensive, harder to grow and go to the higher end coffees. Today, Nestle has planted 100 thousand coffee trees in Mexico using its newly designed coffee trees. Once this experiment is complete, the company plans to distribute 220 million plants to coffee growers world-wide over the next ten years. The use of these new plants will enable Nestle to reduce its rate of cost for the beans it buys. The new plant design increases yields so it eliminates some inputs that do not produce the output of coffee beans. Many long-term coffee farmers are using older trees, which yield fewer beans and lower quality beans. Many of these farmers are leaving the industry since they cannot compete. This magnifies the commodity price problem Nestle faces. Nestle’s new trees fit the region’s climate. They resist disease and allow for larger and easier harvests. These trees will make coffee beans more consistently and predictably available. Nestle will give these trees to the farmers without asking for a firm long-term contract or ownership of any part of the farm. But it should be obvious that Nestle will engender a great deal of farmer loyalty with this program. Nestle also expects to reduce the rate of cost it pays for its beans with two other cost reduction initiatives. It will offer farming and investing advice to up to ten thousand farmers world-wide. As these farmers become more efficient, Nestle’s costs will drop. In addition, Nestle will also increase the amount of coffee it buys directly from the nearly 170 thousand growers who produce its coffees. This kind of foresight and innovation suggests why Nestle commands its market leadership. Full Article business skills competitor success and failure cost reduction Nestle productivity productivity improvement
o A Likely End Game to Hostility By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:06:00 +0000 The hard disk drive business has been a lousy place to compete for nearly twenty-five years. It has been the graveyard of many competitors. Twenty years ago, there were eighty disk drive manufacturers. By the mid-90s, there were only fifteen. By 2001, there were eight, and today it appears there are only four. But the fact that we are at four competitors, especially the size of the leading competitors, means that the industry is likely to come out of its recurring bouts of overcapacity and hostility. As 2011 began, there were five hard disk drive manufacturers. Western Digital led the market with a 31% market share, followed closely by Seagate with a 29% market share. Hitachi enjoyed an 18% market share, while Samsung and Toshiba shared the remaining 22% of the market. Recently, Western Digital agreed to purchase Hitachi. This acquisition would bring Western Digital’s potential market share to 49%. The top two of the remaining four competitors would then have a potential market share of 78%. The top three would have more than 85% of the market. Hitachi was not just any other competitor in the market. It had a well deserved reputation for being the most aggressive price discounter in the market. Hitachi was the major reason that pricing stayed under pressure in the hard disk market. Western Digital’s acquisition removed the major discounter. In the past, acquisitions among the hard disk drive manufacturers brought somewhat better margins to the remaining players, but not as much market share as the acquisition would suggest. The reason was customers rotating other strong suppliers into their relationships to maintain low prices. With only four players left, and a dominant leader in the market, there is little purpose for the three followers to discount against Western Digital. A discounter might pick up some temporary share in a market saturated with “last look” arrangements, but it might face a very aggressive pricing response by one or both of the remaining leaders in the market. No, rather than discount, the economics for all the players would argue for firm industry pricing. That is the most likely outcome of this acquisition. Over the years, we have studied many industries in overcapacity. Overcapacity produces a hostile market, where returns are low and price competition remains intense. These kinds of markets end in one of two ways, either demand picks up and sops up the industry’s overcapacity, or the industry consolidates to the point where the top four competitors control 85% or more of the industry’s volume. The remaining players then demur from competitive price discounts. The majority of industries see demand growth pull them out of hostile conditions. There is one potential fly in this hard disk ointment. Computer tablets and other portable devices don’t use hard disk drives. Instead, they use NAND flash drives. These are solid state drives. They are more expensive than hard disks, have a much smaller form factor and are generally more reliable. Samsung, Toshiba and SanDisk are the leaders in this market. It could happen that Samsung and Toshiba, two of the four remaining hard disk drive suppliers, use low prices in the hard disk market to create customers for their more expensive flash drives. It is more likely, however, that these two companies, who are distant followers in the hard disk market, would prefer to see higher prices for hard disks. These higher prices on a competitive product would help some customers in the market transfer alliance to flash drives. This acquisition should be a good deal for the remaining four hard disk players. While some analysts have argued that the hard disk drive market will slowly die under the pressure of the growth in the applications of flash drives, industry observers still see an 8% per annum unit growth for this market over the next five years. That unit growth should come with better margins for the remaining players. Full Article acquisitions company strategy Hitachi industry leader overcapacity pricing strategy Samsung SanDisk Toshiba Western Digital
o The Mobile Phone Industry and Customer Retention By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:14:00 +0000 The mobile phone industry’s growth has slowed. It is now operating more like a stable, moderate to slow growth market. This is particularly true in Europe. To face the challenge of slower growth in the industry, European mobile operators are turning to customer retention, but they are careful of the customers they seek to retain. The Europeans have observed that less than 20% of an operator’s customers generate to 80% of the operator’s total revenue. This pattern repeats itself in many industries. When we have seen these patterns in other industries, we have also noted that less than 10% of the total customers generate an astounding 50% of total revenues. These are the really important customers in an industry. A company must retain its key customers. In the mobile phone industry, as in most industries, the largest 20% of the industry’s customers are likely to be what we would call Core customers for the industry’s larger competitors. A Core customer allows supplier company to earn at least the cost of capital through a business cycle. The retention of these core customers is of paramount importance to long term company success. It costs a great deal more to find a new customer than to retain and build the relationship with a customer you already have. In the European mobile phone industry, carriers have found that it costs ten times more to acquire a customer than to retain one. The industry has found another important phenomenon associated with customer defection. Recent research has told it that defection is a social phenomenon. If defecting customers leave an operator, they usually are not quiet about it. They tell their friends. In turn, some of their friends defect as well. So, the loss of a Core customer to an operator will often bring with it the loss of several other Core customers. The mobile phone operators in Europe are working on retention by focusing particularly on those Core customers most likely to defect. These operators have analyzed the value of their customers and have assigned a rating to each customer. When a customer calls a call center, the information about the customer, including his rating, is readily displayed on the service representative’s screen. This customer specific information enables the service representative to respond with different value offers, depending on the importance of the customer. Most of these offers reflect lower prices for a potential defector. But the industry is responding to potential defections with more than simple price reductions. Some companies are developing personal calling rates and plans tailored to individual Core customer habits. One European company instituted this individual approach and cut its percentage of customers defecting each year in half, from 20% to 10%. The industry has found another important phenomenon associated with customer churn. Recent research has told it that defection is a social phenomenon. If defecting customers leave an operator, they usually are not quiet about it. They tell their friends. In turn, some of their friends defect as well. So, the loss of a core customer to an operator will often bring with it the loss of several other core customers. Customer retention is an important, strategic management imperative, even in fast growing markets Full Article competitor success and failure customer analysis industry evolution pricing product innovation
o Failures in Reliability Lead to Share Loss By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 06 Jul 2011 23:04:00 +0000 We have written several times before about the Customer Buying Hierarchy (i.e. customers buy Function, Reliability, Convenience and Price, in that order). We have also written, on several occasions, about companies winning and failing customers in a marketplace. In a stable market, failure of a supplier causes more market share to move than does another competitor’s “win” of market share against its peers. Most failures occur in Reliability. Recently, two of America’s paragon companies have failed their customers on Reliability and are now struggling to catch up. Other leaders have had a similar problem and have recovered nicely. Macy’s is a clear leader in the department store market. Over the last several years, Macy’s has purchased and integrated other large department store competitors. For example, in 2005 Macy’s purchased May Department Stores. As the company worked to integrate these acquisitions and obtain synergistic savings, their attention swerved from customer service. The company’s failings were greatest in customer interactions with the company’s sales associates. Nearly half of customer complaints focused on actions of sales associates. These are failures in Reliability. A customer expects to be well treated by a department store that charges relatively high prices for its goods. Macy’s failed to do that. The company’s market share began to drift lower as a result of these failures. Now Macys is investing a great deal more money and time into the proper training of its sales associates. This investment is beginning to pay off. A recent survey of customer satisfaction indicated that the company was making strides in improving its reputation. Still, it lags the performance of some of its important rivals. This is still a Macy’s work-in-progress. Wal-Mart is another industry paragon who drifted from its Reliability promises. Wal-Mart committed two notable sins. First, it removed some products that were important to its core customers. The company did so in an effort to improve the product mix and the margins a better product mix would bring. Some of its core customer volume began to drift away. The company also moved away from its aggressive pricing. Instead of every day low prices, the company began to promote deals on some products while raising prices on others. Customers didn’t like that either. Recently, a survey by a retail consulting firm has found that Target Stores offered prices below those of Wal-Mart. So, Wal-Mart has created Reliability failures in both product availability in its stores and its promise to have “always low prices, always.” The company’s market share has also drifted lower. Wal-Mart now promises to return to its core values and core customers. It is bringing back the products it once eliminated in favor of higher margin products. It is getting more aggressive in pricing once more. This, too, is a work-in-progress. Certainly, these leaders can recover from these miscues. We have seen other leading companies struggle with Reliability and yet recover nicely. For example, several years ago McDonald’s went through a period of time where it was losing market share. As the company examined the reasons for this market share loss, it noted that customers began to see its prices as high in the quick service restaurant industry. In addition, its products in stores had developed a reputation as being about the same as or, in some cases, lower in quality than some of its big competition. Under the leadership of a CEO well versed in operations, the company returned to its roots by emphasizing its core quality values and aggressive pricing. Today, McDonald’s is the unquestioned leader in the quick service restaurant industry. Many of its competitors struggle to keep up with McDonald’s. Most fail to do so. McDonald’s again has gained share in the industry over the last several years. McDonald’s success in reversing its Reliability failures suggests that the pathway is open for both Macy’s and Wal-Mart. They both should be able to enjoy similar success. The odds are they will. Full Article competition customer analysis industry leader Macy’s market share volatility McDonald’s pricing Target Stores Wal-Mart
o Does the Withdrawal of Capacity Help? By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 23 Jul 2011 01:04:00 +0000 As industry prices fall, and companies’ fortunes decline with the resultant squeeze on their margins, some companies, especially the leaders, seek to withdraw capacity from the market. The leading companies expect the capacity withdrawal to do two things: redress the imbalance between capacity and demand; and raise prices to more attractive levels because of this better balance. In practice, the withdrawal of capacity often fails to achieve either of these objectives. Whenever a leader in an industry reduces its capacity to force price increases, it must consider how competitors will respond. In many, if not most, cases low-cost competitors expand their capacity to make up for the withdrawal of capacity by the industry leaders. The end result often is even more capacity available in a marketplace and the same or lower prices available for the industry leaders. After several quarters of improving profits, the airline industry is again slipping into hostile market conditions as rising fuel prices reduce margins and force higher prices. Higher prices limit demand growth. In response to the margin squeeze these tougher times bring to the industry, the industry leaders are restricting the growth in their capacity and, in some cases, reducing the capacity they offer in the domestic U.S. market. The problem is that several of the industry followers are not going along. United Continental Holdings and AMR Corporation’s American Airlines have both posted losses for the most recent quarter. Both of these industry leaders plan to reduce their domestic capacity as a result. They will be reducing seats available flying into and out of selected domestic markets. The pattern of leaders reducing capacity and followers adding it seems to be holding in the current airline industry. Southwest Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Alaska Air Group derive most of their revenues in the domestic U.S. market. Each of these companies reported profits in the most recent quarter. This profitability of the three follower airline competitors indicates that their costs are lower than are the costs of the two legacy airlines that have reported losses, United Continental and American Airlines. Southwest plans to increase its capacity by 5% to 6% in 2011. JetBlue plans to add 6% to 8% this year, while Alaska Air plans to grow its capacity by 9%. The industry followers are able to add capacity in the face of capacity withdrawal by their larger industry-leading competitors because they have these lower costs. The lower costs enable the follower companies to make a profit while their larger competitors suffer losses. In the long run, the only way that the industry-leading competitors will be able to stop the expansion of these follower competitors will be to match or beat their lower cost structures Full Article Alaska Air Group American Airlines change in capacity competitor success and failure jetBlue Airways low-end competitor market share pricing strategy Southwest Airlines United Continental
o Benefits of Intense Competition: Lower Prices and Better Products By strategystreet.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:06:00 +0000 No segment of our economy has been under more intense pressure than the manufacturing sector. Lower labor costs in many parts of the international economy have forced manufactured product prices down and shifted manufacturing jobs out of the United States. Competition has indeed been intense. Over the years, we have done in depth studies of more than fifty industries who have faced intense competitive markets. We found both what you might expect and, also, what you wouldn’t expect. You would expect that costs in a difficult industry would fall as companies work to make a profit despite the falling prices that accompany intense competition. What you might not expect is that product quality and supporting service levels increase at the same time as costs and prices fall. Customers simply will not buy a poor product even if its pricing declines. The broad measures of the manufacturing sector illustrate these same conclusions. Manufacturing in the U.S. is finally growing again. In 2010, manufacturing jobs increased for the first time since 1997. Today manufacturing is growing at three times the rate of the domestic economy. Consider, as well, the following facts as noted by Jerry Jasinowski, a former President of the National Association of Manufacturers: American exports of goods rose 21% in 2010. Conclusion: the quality of our goods is rising. Manufacturing output in the U.S. today is twice that of the rate of the 1970s, in real terms. Conclusion: we are more cost competitive today than we were in the 1970s. Between 1987 and 2008, manufacturing productivity grew by more than 100%, while the rest of the business sector’s productivity increased by less than 60%. Conclusion: we get far more out of our workforce today than we did in 1987 and than many businesses do today. Between 1995 and 2008, manufacturing prices decreased by 3%, while the overall price level in the economy increased by 33%. Conclusion: while product quality has improved, and costs have fallen, prices have also declined. The overall picture the manufacturing sector portrays, over the last twenty-five years, is that hostile market conditions produce better products and lower prices for customers, both at the same time. Full Article competitive success and failures cost management hostile markets pricing product innovation
o The Floating Bubble City By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Thu, 10 Oct 2024 16:30:30 +0000 Another world building exploration with AI… this time a floating bubble city. The post The Floating Bubble City appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article artificial intelligence AI generative video
o Another Place Beside Us By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:01:00 +0000 An idea for a space opera. The post Another Place Beside Us appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article artificial intelligence ai music composition generative image to video video
o Unlocking The Sphinx By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Thu, 17 Oct 2024 20:01:00 +0000 More experimentation with image to video… now with AI audio experimentation too! The post Unlocking The Sphinx appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article artificial intelligence AI ai audio generative image to video video
o Another Gallery of Ideas By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Sun, 20 Oct 2024 20:01:00 +0000 More from the MidJourney archive… The post Another Gallery of Ideas appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article artificial intelligence AI generative
o Can You Help Me With an Experiment? By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Tue, 29 Oct 2024 23:31:00 +0000 Hey awesome blog reader… can you help me with an experiment? Below you’ll find five of my favorite videos from my YouTube channel. A mix that covers photography, travel, post-processing, AI and Machine Elf. I’d love it if you’d pick whichever one appeals most to you and watch a bit. That can be a minute […] The post Can You Help Me With an Experiment? appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article Camera Gear Fine Art Fractal Art Quadcopters Travel vlog
o Curious Cats on the Catwalk By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Mon, 04 Nov 2024 02:45:00 +0000 That’s all… The post Curious Cats on the Catwalk appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article artificial intelligence AI Cats fashion feline generative video
o The Fantasy Forest By stuckincustoms.com Published On :: Sat, 09 Nov 2024 03:01:00 +0000 An AI forest exploration… The post The Fantasy Forest appeared first on Stuck in Customs. Full Article Travel
o MI40 Birthday SALE!!! $30.00 OFF! By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 01:00:00 +0000 AS FEATURED IN CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO GET A FREE 43 PAGE REPORT: CLICK THE IMAGES BELOW TO GET THE PROGRAM: First off, I want to thank you for your interest in my product. I aim to give you the absolute best quality product that exists, as well as the best possible technical support for all of your questions, concerns, and comments. I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about my new Muscle Building Program. My name is Ben Pakulski , the author and creator of MI40. I will start off by answering the question most commonly asked. What is the significance of the name? The name, MI40 - “Mass Intentions” is significant to this program because it is representative of the conscious INTENT, to create TENSION in the muscle, as well as the pun of overall mass creation. The number 40, is the most important number in this program because it is the number that has the most scientific significance in MI40. 40 is representative of the number of days in the program (40 days), the amount of time in a set (40 seconds), the rest between sets (40 seconds), and the number of exercises used in constructing this muscle building protocol. Many of you will immediately recognize the scientific significance of all of these numbers and some of you may not. The number 40 was chosen because of it being the MOST optimal number for many of these variables. As will be explained in the program, 40 days has been proven to be the most optimal amount of time to adapt to any new training program (6weeks). 40 seconds is the ideal amount of “Time under Tension”(TUT) to illicit muscular hypertrophy. 40 seconds rest is the ideal amount of time to allow your CP and ATP Glycolytic energy pathways to recover before the next set (these are the energy pathways that drive muscular contraction of fast twitch muscle fibers which are responsible for growth!). To tell you all a little about myself, I am a graduate of the University of Western Ontario. My areas of study were primarily Kinesiology, and Biomechanics. My passion for health and fitness is second only to my passion for helping others improve their lives. I live my life by the acronym “CANI” – Constant And Never-Ending Improvement. 1% Improvement Every Day. I have never viewed myself as an overly blessed individual, which is why my life is always centered on learning the best information, from the best resources and brightest people that exist. 14 years of seeking the best information and applying just about every possible technique on myself , has brought me to where I am today. A very successful, happy, healthy, motivated -professional bodybuilder, author, public speaker, nutrition coach, celebrity trainer and success coach. Sounds like a lot of hats, but they all tie into one balanced life…. Sometimes! ☺ The 2 main principles (or as Vince would reference them – “hooks” and Unique Selling Propositions) set forth in MI40 are the concepts that I deem to be most greatly contributing to holding people back from achieving their goals! “The WEAKEST LINKS!!” Here are the two problems MI40 Solves: 1) Most people have no idea how to feel how to “feel” their muscles, and therefore have little idea how to exhaust and build these muscles. ‘Intentions’ the ideal tool to assist them in doing so. 2) Then there is the idea of creating sufficient overload to stimulate a muscle to grow. Many people spend way too much time in the gym trying to “train” and exhaust a muscle group. NOS has been designed to get the MAXIMUM efficacy in the shortest amount of time. It will fatigue the muscle faster and create the most optimal hormonal environment to illicit the growth response. Keeping the workout time shorter, means less cortisol (muscle breakdown) and therefore better body composition and muscle growth! As many of you may already know, in a manner consistent with my approach to all aspects of life, I have gone out and sought “the best”. I have hired marketing genius and fitness pro, Vince DelMonte as my campaign manager for MI40. After spending quite a bit of time with Vince in prepping him for his competitions in 2011, I knew Vince was the guy to help me launch my muscle-building baby to the world! Vince is becoming renowned for his consistent low-to-mid 6-figure launch records. I believe in the product I have created, and I want to share my knowledge and expertise with as many people as I can. I truly believe that this product has the science, the practical basis, the structure and format to help anyone that comes in contact with it. I want your help in spreading this knowledge and passion with the world! Yours in fitness, health and passion, Benjamin Pakulski A short message from your launch manager… Vince Del Monte MI40 – What is the hook? We have more than one – earning it’s rightful tag line, “Twice The Muscle, Half The Time!” First, MI stands for MASS INTENTIONS and INTENTIONS is Ben’s trademark technique that addresses the problem of not being able to go heavier and heavier with your weights unless you wish to carry more risk than reward. Going heavier isn’t your best option, especially after a few years of lifting, if you want to stimulate muscle growth and you most look to other solutions. With INTENTIONS you change the angle of pushing or pulling by means of a technique almost imperceptible to an observer. You push inward or pull outward with your hands or feet as you perform an exercise. I was introduced to intentions in December 2010 and ever since, my body has never looked the same. You’ve seen my pictures! Intentions literally RE MOLDED my body. On lat pulldowns as I pulled the bar down, I tried to pull my hands apart. They didn’t actually move on the bar, but that different motion made my lats fire in a different way, and my back was more sore the next day than it had been in months. In the MI40 DVD, Ben teaches you how to apply INTENTIONS to virtually every exercise, not an easy task if you’re untrained in biomechanics and kinesiology (Ben holds a degree from the University of Western Ontario in Kinesiology). On barbell presses for chest, for example, you try to push your hands together. One thing is certain: Forget about using your normal weights. Typically, I do work sets with 180 to 230 pounds on lat pulldowns to the front; at that recent back workout I didn’t need to go any heavier than 150. As I said, though, the feeling in the lats was completely different. We often play around with grip widths and experiment with pushing and pulling angles, but with intentions you introduce a variable that can awaken dormant muscle fibers and stimulate them in fresh, new ways. Pakulski has used intentions to get more out of exercises like leg presses, squats, barbell rows, bench presses and overhead presses—really anything that has you pushing or pulling both limbs at once on a bar or roller pad. It’s helped him become ripped at 270, place Top 10 at the Arnold Pro Show, Top 5 at the Flex Pro show and on his way to qualifying for the Mr. Olympia next year! INTENTIONS is 100% unique and will breath new life into your workouts. More important, it stimulates new muscle growth based on science and biomechanics, not bro science. MI40 – What’s up with the number 40? Ben already explained this but lets review it once more to ensure you know exactly what you’re endorsing. You and your list are going to LOVE the simplicity of the mechanism that makes MI40 so effective. 40 days! 40 second sets! 40 second rest periods 40 minute workouts! 40 exercises! 40 foods! 40 day meal plans! This is the exact workout I followed in prep of the WBFF World Championships and here’s a reminder that it works! As you can see, MI40 did not transform my body, it literally RE MOLDED it and it’ll do the same for you. MI40 – How is MI40 different than every other muscle program? Aside from Ben’s trademark technique Intentions and the science behind the number 40 (we can explain why 40 is scientifically optimally for every variable above), we have…. NOS! I’ll let Ben explain NOS to you… Join the NOS revolution: For years, I had been searching for the best way to overload my muscles each and every time I go in the gym. I know you can relate to those days when you worked “hard” but still feel like you could have done more. Leaving the gym feeling like there was more in the tank or maybe getting home and regretting not pushing harder?! I CRAVED something that would ensure that my muscles are taken to their limit, and CREATE NEW GROWTH! This is when I discovered NOS! My training partner and I had been coming up with creative ways to inflict pain on each other during leg workouts for years. I remember daydreaming of ways to make workouts harder. My goal was to leave the gym knowing I had BLASTED every last muscle fiber, and to have my training partner talking about how he had never experienced muscle pumps and growth like this. “Straight sets” just didn’t seem to do the trick anymore. Ya sure I felt a decent pump, but it just didn’t seem to be the type of intensity that I KNEW I needed to grow! FACT: A “straight set” will NEVER cause the type of neurological adaptation, hormonal response, and thereby GROWTH that a NOS set will. NOS WAS BORN ON A LEG PRESS! Being a research junky I had always read about overloading the muscle and overloading the nervous system to stimulate new muscle and strength gains respectively. Time under tension was proven to be the number one factor correlated with muscle growth and overload! Something clicked in my brain! Time under MAXIMAL TENSION! This had to be better than just time under tension!! And so, my GROWTH BABY was born! If I could use the maximum amount of weight I could handle for strict form for the greatest amount of time possible, growth was inevitable! The only catch is, that ITS HARD! NOS is something that I have been using religiously ever since. Perfecting its components. I use it to get ready for my contests and in my offseason. Straight sets are now a thing of the past. The science behind NOS: Neurological Overload Set. The NOS system has been specifically designed to ensure a maximal MUSCLE OVERLOAD! The greatest number of muscle fibers are broken down or exhausted. Taking your muscles to such an exhausted state also causes the highest possible release amount of growth hormones and growth factors within a working muscle! Without these, you can train all day and eat a perfect diet and expect ZERO growth. This is one of the main reasons why so many people train often, train “hard” and see minimal results. They never reach that “overload-anabolic state.” GREATER OVERALL STIMULUS=GREATER MUSCLE GROWTH! Now this Math I LIKE! How to: NOS NOS is completed by performing an “extended set”. The goal here is to extend the set for as long as possible while maintaining tension on the working muscle, and perfect form! Start the set with a weight that you can use for a strict 8 repetitions. After completing your first 8 repetitions, decrease the weight by 20%(if youre using 100lbs, you would decrease by 20lbs, etc.) Immediately continue to perform as many repetitions as you can with the second weight (usually 5-8 reps). Repeat this process 4 times total. (You will complete 3 drops, therefore 4 “sets”-100,80,60,40lbs). DO NOT allow your form to stray in an attempt to complete more reps. If anything, decrease the size of the Range of Motion (ROM) (“partials”), just make sure to be initiating the movement with the working muscle from a fully stretched position. MI40 – What does the product look like? FRONT END OFFER: Component 1 The 40 Day MASS Intelligence Training Manual Component 2 The 40 Day MASS Consumption Nutrition Manual Component 3 The 40 Day MASS Instruction Workout Videos Component 4 The 40 Day MASS Proportions Exercise Demo Guide Component 5 The 40 Day MASS Prescription Printable Workout Sheets Component 6 The 40 Day MASS Pursuit Calendar Component 7 The 40 Day MASS Supplement Stack Protocol Component 8 The Sciene & Story Behind NOS & Intentions Audio Interview Full Article
o Vince Delmonte "Minimum Effective Dose By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 24 Feb 2012 14:50:00 +0000 Hey Guys, Hope all is well and you are keeping up with your goals and taking ACTION. Speaking of action I had this thought the other day of why so many people have wishful thinking and never taking action. I wrote this short story myself and it will only take a few moments of your time. Now I want to talk about DEATH! DEATH? How often do you think about death, your own death? Most of the population does not think about death. We think we have all the time in the world. Well I can tell you that time is not on your side. What if one day you're not feeling like yourself and you started to feel a little discomfort? You felt like the best thing to do was to go see your doctor. You walk in and wait nervously in the waiting room and the person at the front desk says your name. Your next. You open the door and walk in behind the wall and down the hall to a room. You sit down and the receptionist tells you that the doctor will be with you shortly. He finally comes in and runs some test. He returns with the results and tells you that you have a diseases that's incurable and that you only have 6 months to live. How will you spend the next 6 months of your life? Now you really don't have time on your side. I think that most people would come up with their own bucket list and do all the things that they always wanted to do. Well what's stopping you from doing all those things now? You can do anything that you put your mind to. You want to loose weight, do it. You want a different life for yourself? Do it. You want to live healthy and change your physique for good? Then DO IT! I'm not going to say that it's easy to get the physique you want but, with persistence and focus YOU CAN DO IT! The choice is yours. I don't know about you, but I don't want to live my life with regrets. It may be hard, but if you stick with it the results are worth it. I've learned most of my muscle building techniques from Vince Delmonte. Here is a short video I posted on my site. Its a really good video. I have been following him for a few years and have met him in person. Here in this video he talks about The Ultimate Muscle Building Tip: "Minimum Effective Dose." Take ACTION, Tim. Full Article
o How to Build Muscle and Loose Fat At The Same Time By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:48:00 +0000 How to build muscle and loose fat at the same time. By: Tim Ernst Is it possible to gain muscle while at the same time loose fat? Some argue that you either have to do one or the other. I'm here to tell you that it is possible, but the secret is all about nutrient timing. There are certain times of the day when you want to be in a caloric surplus. The only way to build muscle is to be in a caloric surplus and the only way to loose fat is to be in a caloric deficit. How do you do both at the same time? Research shows that your most optimal time for muscle growth is what you consume after your workout. If you are not consuming enough calories after your workout, then you are just wasting your time. Here is an example on how to start your day. 8:00 am: Low-carb protein shake with a greens product. 10:30 am: 2eggs plus 4 whites scrambled with cheese, spinach, onions, peppers, and mushrooms. 1:00 pm: 2 oz of dry roasted nuts. 3:00 pm: Chicken Breast with sweet potato or brown rice. 5:00 pm (workout) Consume your a favorite pre workout shake if you want for energy but, it's not necessary. 5:30 pm 30 minutes into your workout consume a high carb drink like Karbolyn, Power Carb, or Vitargo. 5:45 pm (immediately post-workout): quickly digested protein/carb beverage. 6:15pm: 2 oz of pasta (dry weight); 4 oz of Ground Turkey mixed with egg whites.; 2 slices of 12-grain bread; package of broccoli or green beans. 7:45 pm: 1 cup brown rice, cous cous, or quinoa 4 oz of chicken breast; 2 slices of 12-grain bread, asparagus. 10:00 pm: Hand full of mixed nuts or avocado and fish oils. That's it! Get ready to GROW. Full Article
o Shoulder For Busy Guys. By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 06 Mar 2012 23:38:00 +0000 Here is a shoulder workout that's quick yet very effective. If you don't have a whole lot of time to spend in the gym or you want to get a quick shoulder workout at home, all you need is some dumbbells and a bench. The shoulders is the starting point when you are striving to get a V-Taper Physique. I will be releasing a program that's tailored to getting that v taper physique in a few short months. Be on the look out for that one. 1. First exercise 8 reps 2. Second 8 reps 3. Third 15-20 reps Note: All these exercises are done back to back to back. These are called Giant sets, there is no rest in between exercises. After you complete the first circuit you can rest for only 60 seconds. Rinse, Wash, and Repeat for four more circuits making it a total of five. Full Article
o 21 Must Known Facts To Muscle Building By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 24 Mar 2012 15:43:00 +0000 As you continuously approach your fitness goals, you eventually hit a plateau, which occurs when you've nearly reached your ideal fitness level. At this point, you're basically stuck at one level, but you can take it to the next level easier than you make think. Everyone who does resistance training―from newbies to professional bodybuilders―will hit this point, but what's important is knowing how to increase your productivity and enhance your workout, and with these 21 facts, you can definitely reach your fitness goals faster. 1. Are you exactly the same as your neighbor, or for that matter, even your sibling? Since we'll assume you answered, “No,” you must understand that everyone is different and doesn't respond to the same muscle building techniques; therefore, you should alternate the speed of your repetitions for optimal results. 2. What your parents gave you doesn't have to determine your goals. You should achieve your fitness objectives despite any genetic barriers you may have―i.e. a high BMI. 3. Establish your goals on paper. Research indicates that when a person writes down detailed goals with deadlines to meet, that the individual has a specific path to follow and is more likely to be successful at achieving that goal. 4. Age is nothing but a number, so don't let your age be a factor in achieving your goals, especially since you can't change this number. Focus on what you can control, such as your sleeping patterns. 5. Find a workout buddy. When you have someone to push you, you'll work harder than you would alone. 6. Keep in mind the ratio 10:1, because you generally need to gain 10 lbs for every inch of girth you add to your arm size. For instance, a majority of people gaining 50 lbs during the course of five years will also gain five inches in their arms. 7. Prior to increasing speed or resistance, increase the range of motion first, meaning you should fully contract and stretch your muscles. If you don’t, you’ll only receive partial results. 8. You need at least eight hours of sleep per night to build muscles, so aim to get this many winks as much as possible. Remember, a few late nights won't hurt, but making it a habit will take a toll on your target fitness level. 9. Stay hydrated! Your body needs at least 1 gallon or 16 cups of water per day for proper muscle growth. The composition of your body is 70 percent water, and in order for your body to maintain an anabolic state, water is essential. 10. Consume raw vegetables whenever you can. Cooking veggies removes much of their nutritional value. In fact, boiling these healthy treats removes between 50 to 75 percent of their nutrients. You may steam them, if you can't eat them raw, but never boil them. 11. Eggs are an excellent source of protein and despite their bad reputation, they're one of the healthiest foods you can select, especially for bodybuilding. 12. If you don't have one already, go out and purchase a blender. The amount of calories that you must eat as a bodybuilder are much easier to consume in liquid form. This vital piece of equipment is definitely important if you have a busy lifestyle that doesn't allow you to eat every three to four hours. 13. When you go grocery stopping, stick to shopping in the outer aisles. These aisles are typically where the fresh dairy and meat are located. The inner portion of the grocery store consists of processed foods and canned goods that should be avoided if you want to build muscle fast. 14. Never use a supplement in place of a meal. You must put food before supplements, so that you're consuming all the nutrients you need for bodybuilding. The nutrition you receive from foods surpasses that of a supplement. 15. In regards to supplements, creatine stands out as the top bodybuilding supplement. Beginning in the 90s, creatine has been at the top of supplement charts and has not seen a decrease in popularity since. The daily dosage recommendations vary; however, the most common dosage schedule consists of taking 20-30 grams for the first 5-7 days, then reducing the amount to 3-5 grams per day. 16. Maybe you don't have enough energy to workout, or maybe you want to increase the amount of time you workout. If either of these scenarios are the case, you should choose coffee for a pick-me-up, since it contains a mild stimulant known as caffeine. Caffeine is an inexpensive and safe performance enhancer. 17. You wouldn't drive your car without warming it up on a cold day, so why would you exercise without getting your body warmed up? Get those muscles warm to avoid injury while working out. Complete at least five to 10 minutes of stretching, in addition to some light cardio before you begin heavy lifting. 18. You've heard before that cheaters never prosper, but in certain cases, this isn't true. Although cheating to finish a set quicker or to lift more weight isn't positive, cheating on the last few reps makes the weight feel easier. This stimulates more muscle fibers with greater intensity. 19. Play nice and take turns! The you-go, I-go concept leads to an intense workout, because after you do a set, your partner immediately does one after you, then before you know it, it’s your turn again. You both use the same weights, but you take turns without any rests in between, and you see who can do the most reps per set. Try this technique with your workout buddy when you do barbell curls or other simple exercises. 20. During the 1940s and 1950s, Reg Park and Vince Gironda made a super intense technique for bodybuilding popular, which consisted of doing 10 sets of 10. This old-school procedure may have a modern name of “German volume technique;” however, this has been a preferred method to build muscles for quite some time. It causes your muscles to grow rapidly. Basically, you should do 10 sets of 10 reps for one body part at a time. Then, you should superset at two different body parts each workout. Make sure you don’t rest for more than a minute in between each exercise. Use this regimen for three weeks, and then return to a more traditional approach. 21. Switch up your routine. After three weeks, you should change your program completely. Basically, it should be opposite of the original order you did the exercises in. For instance, if you worked on your chest first, you should do it last next time. If you worked on abs on Monday, you should do them on Friday next time. Change up the amount of sets you do, as well. Vince Delmonte Full Article
o A Beginner’s Guide to a Muscle Building Program By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:29:00 +0000 A Beginner’s Guide to a Muscle Building Program By: Vince Delmonte If you’ve only been training for a under a year, then you’re considered a beginner. For guidance as beginner, you should look toward the muscle-building workout that is illustrated below. The best part of being a newbie is that the most muscle gain will come during the first six to 12 months. This exciting time is when you will see the biggest change in your body and in your life. The only downside is that there isn’t a magic potion or a shortcut to muscle growth. Nevertheless, if you stick to the program, in three month, you’ll be heading in a positive, forward direction, rather than on a negative, backwards path. Here are a few guidelines to take into consideration prior to beginning: Think big, but too not big. This is not meant to deter you from wanting big muscles or having big goals; however, you must be realistic or else there’s no real definable point in your goal, and it may actually be counterproductive. Being honest with yourself is crucial to success. Evaluate your level of fitness as it stands to date, and factor that into the equation that defines where you want to be three months from now. Think long-term where you want to be, as well. So set a plan that includes where you want to be in a year and even in two years. You’ll need to be focused on both types of goals, but always keep in mind that short-term goals lead to completing your long-term goals. Don’t assume you weren’t successful if you don’t see overnight results. My advice to you is to obligate yourself to bodybuilding for at least three months before you evaluate your progress. I’m sure you’re just like me and wish to see results quickly and yesterday. But, this isn’t practical. Overnight results exist, but they’re not the deciding factor, so don’t become frustrated, especially since a total transformation takes time. Celebrate every gain you earn, and make sure you appreciate that sculpting an entire body takes time and patience, and the real victory occurs over time and not in overnight spurts. The time you spend in the gym only comprises part of your to-do list. When you examine how you’re going to accomplish your goals, the time you spend muscle training is only part of the equation. The time you spend in the gym essentially lays down the foundation for potential muscle growth. Your sleep patterns, the supplements you select, the foods you eat, how much you eat and even when you eat plays a role and acts as the building blocks with which you must lay your foundation. Each one of these aspects will manipulate the rate at which you’ll notice changes in your physique. We’ve cleaned house; now it’s time to get started on developing your muscle-building program. A Beginner’s Guide to Muscle Building When you muscle build as a beginner, you must include 15 different exercises that utilize basic movements You have to factor in a pyramid rep/set scheme, incorporate a change in the order in which you do exercises, train at least three times per week and continue this pattern for three months. You should start every workout with a warm-up consisting of 10 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as running, rowing, walking on an incline or even skipping. Do arm circles (when you move your arms in a circular pattern in both directions) as a light stretching exercise to loosen up tendons, ligaments and tissue in your shoulders. Sweating before you exercise is an excellent way to determine that you’re ready to hit the floor. Sets, Reps and Rest…oh my! During your first month, you should perform one to two sets that consist of 15 to 20 reps, increasing the weight of each set. Make sure that each workout is a little heavier than the one before. The time you rest between sets must only be 30 to 60 seconds long. When you reach month two, you should perform three to four sets that consist of 10 to12 reps, and you should increase the weight after each set. Begin your next workout with a slightly heavier weight than you did the last workout and continue increasing, taking a 60-second breather between each set. Once you’ve hit month three, start doing three to four sets of six to eight reps, and make sure you’re increasing the weight after each set. Again, begin each workout a little heavier than you did the last one and rest between 60 and 90 seconds between each set. Switching Up the Routine If you find that the workout plan is a little too difficult, you may want to break it down into two different days. Do exercises one through seven on Mondays and Thursdays and do exercises eight through 15 on Tuesdays and Fridays. Ultimately, you would have four different muscle building workouts each week, as opposed to two. Extra Notes · Make sure you are learning the exercises correctly. Either pick up my muscle-building program or hire a personal trainer to teach you the correct way to do each of the exercises. · Think about stretching after each exercise. This benefits your muscle growth and recovery, as well as your flexibility. · Observe the changes you’re making to the order in which you train your muscles, because this prevents muscle imbalance from occurring. Varying your workout regimen gives each muscle group an opportunity to be the first to be trained, which results in these muscles being fresh and being able to go harder. · Familiarize yourself with the exercise. If you’re lifting weights with bad form, you can injure yourself, and you’ll never reach your goal. Remember, it’s not about lifting the heaviest weight. · You’ll have good days and bad days. Some days the weights may seem very heavy. This is normal to have both low-energy days and high-energy days. After you take charge of your diet and recovery, you’ll be able to control your performance better. · Focus on success in the first month, not failure. Reach your rep goals each time and do extra reps for a more difficult workout. Keep progressing each month and just be patient. Know the movements, before you push your weight limits. · In some cases, changes to your body will not occur until your second month or sometimes even the third. Trust the program and allow your motivation to increase - don’t let this hinder you in achieving your goals. · Complete each of your workouts with at least 10 minutes of cardio and conclude with some light stretching that focuses on your tighter muscle groups. Conclusion Once you’ve reached your third month, you’ll have a strong base to continue to work on. You’ll be strong with a shapely physique. Even your mental and physical state will have been affected in a positive manner. After you’ve arrived at this pivotal point, it’s time to make alterations to your program and concentrate on the larger goals. With this being said, your first three months need to be the same, in order to create that strong foundation. Remember, there is not a single perfect product or program. You’ll learn what works best for you as you progress. Please leave comments about your training experience as a beginner. If you’re not a beginner, leave some tips for the beginners. If you enjoyed reading this, please click the “Like” button below. Full Article
o Shoulder Training By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:17:00 +0000 Here is a shoulder workout for those who don't have a lot of time to spend in the gym, but is very effective for maximal muscle gains.NOTE: These 3 exercises are done right after the other making them a GIANT set. No rest between exercises. Rest for 2 minutes. Wash, Rinse, and Repeat.1. Shoulder Combo Press 5 sets of 82. Shoulder Y Press 5 sets of 83. Rear Delt Reverse Fly 5 sets of 15-20 reps www.facebook.com/TimmErnstFitness Full Article
o How To Get Ripped Fast By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 13:40:00 +0000 How To Get Ripped Fast By: Vince Delmonte Those with perfect bodies have the following: muscles, a symmetrical and balanced shape, and abs that are well defined. Basically, the idea is to be ripped to the bone and maybe even a little shredded. For those who are unsure of where to begin, I’ll assist you by discussing the points you should concentrate on, such as proper nutrition, aerobic exercises and weight training. With these tips, your body can be ready to hit the beach by next summer. Figure out Your Starting Point The people who have not met their bodybuilding goals tend to fall into one of two categories. Either they're the big man who looks ripped in clothing, but when the shirt is stripped from his body has no muscle definition and excess body fat, or he is the skinny guy who has it in his own mind that he is built, but has no muscle mass to support his frame. Whether you’re the big guy who eats the recommended calories and continues to get bigger or you’re the skinny guy with veins bulging from your arms, but lack the big body to be intimidating, you may need some help in the bodybuilding department. Both categories will get a laugh, when entered into a bodybuilding contest. Start by determining your body type. Are you the lean string bean who needs to add muscle mass, or are you the buff man who needs to lose some of the excess weight? If you said yes to needing to add more muscle mass, then you need a bulking program; however, if you said you need to lean down a little, then you need a fat loss program. Remember, you can’t achieve all your goals at once. A Guide to Weight Training Training sessions should last less than 45 minutes, for skinny guys; The main focal points should be on compound movements, rather than isolated movements, for skinny guys; There should be a five percent increase in strength every two weeks for skinny guys; One to two forced reps are the maximum a skinny guy should do to avoid wasting energy; At max, skinny guys should split body parts into a three-day program; If you’re a bulky guy, you can train for 1 hour to 1½ hours to burn extra calories; Unlike a skinny guy’s workout, bulky guys can utilize isolated movements to burn calories; Maintaining strength is a vital aspect of guaranteeing you will not lose muscle, when you’re a bulky guy; Drop sets and pre-exhaust work well for extra energy expenditure, for bulky guys; As a bulky guy, you can spend an increased amount of time on each muscle group, and you can split up body parts over a five-day period. Nutrition and Getting Ripped A skinny guy should consume approximately 15 times their own body weight in calories to increase muscle mass; Eating at least 1 gram or even 1.5 grams of protein per pound can be beneficial for skinny guys to bulk up; For skinny guys, carbs should be eaten at a 2:1 ratio of carbs to proteins; As a skinny guy, you should include high-quality fats every time you eat a meal; Workout nutritional drinks are an excellent source of calories that skinny guys should be drinking For skinny guys, your largest meals should be consumed at breakfast time and before and after a workout; Potatoes, whole grains, oatmeal and rice contain beneficial nutrition for the skinny guy, and should be consumed in large quantities; For bulky guys, your caloric intake should be equivalent to 10 times your current body weight; As a bulky guy, you should eat about 1 to 1.5 grams of protein for each pound of lean muscle mass you have; A ratio of 1:1 should always be followed. This means bulky guys should eat 1 gram of protein for every 1 gram of carbs; If you’re a bulky guy, you should eat healthy fats only. This includes olive oil, avocados, nuts and flax oil; Bulky guys should never eat solid carbs during a workout. Liquid carbs are the way to go; Carbs that come from fruits and vegetables are the best source of nutrients for a bulky guy. Cardio is Just as Important as Resistance Training If you’re a skinny guy, only do cardio if your calorie intake is in a 1000-calorie surplus; As a skinny guy, your cardio workout should be as far away from your weights as possible; Skinny guys need less than 20 to 30 minutes of cardio per session; When you’re a skinny guy, you should only do cardio two to four times each week; Prior to doing a cardio workout, skinny guys should always consume enough calories to have a full stomach; A protein-carb workout drink is ideal after a skinny guy works out; Long endurance training should be avoided, for skinny guys; As a bulky guy, you should do cardio directly after your weights; Bulky guys should combine long, slow and interval cardio; If you’re extremely bulky, you may want to consider doing cardio seven to 10 times per week. Don’t exceed this recommendation; In order to lose fat, bulky guys need to do cardio on an empty stomach to lose weight quicker; Sipping on a protein drink will help bulky guys avoid muscle loss. Now, you have everything you need in order to get ripped fast, no matter if you’re the bulky man or the skinny guy. Full Article
o 6-12-25 Leg Workout Review By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Apr 2012 02:49:00 +0000 Go here: http://vtaperphysique.com/stage-shredded-status NOTE: The workout is a "GIANT" set or "Tri" set. You will do all three exercises together for quads for 3-5 circuits. When finished with quads move on to hamstrings (QUADS) Barbell Squat 6 reps Bulgarian Split Squat (Dumbbell Lunge) 12 reps Leg Extensions 25 reps Rest for 2 minutes and repeat for 3-5 more circuits. (HAMSTRINGS) Deadlifts 6 reps Lying Leg curl 12 reps Hyper extensions 25 reps rest for 2 minutes and repeat for 3-5 circuits. If you want to know more about Vince Delmonte's training programs he as a FREE video of an awesome presentation on how he got his pro card at the WBFF and went on to be a pro fitness model. He takes you behind the scenes at a rare look of what it takes to get super RIPPED and Shredded, just in time for summer! This video will not be up for VERY LONG!!! Go here: http://vtaperphysique.com/stage-shredded-status Full Article
o My Review and Questions Answered on Vince Delmonte's Stage Shredded Status By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:33:00 +0000 Alright, today we're going to cover some common questions you may have about the Stage Shredded Status DVD's before they sell out... ==> Click here to learn how this transformation went down... If you've seen the video but have some questions before ordering: Question: Is SSS a documentary of Vince Delmonte's transformation or is there an actual program included? Answer: Yes, SSS includes an entire program (covered on 3 of the 8 disks) and it was filmed with former NFL lineman and NPC level bodybuilder Ryan Watson! They are both pretty jacked up in this workout so it's pretty motivating too! What Vince is going to do for anyone who orders is send you the printable workout sheets of the Stage Shredded Status workout program! Just email him your receipt to the help desk for proof of purchase! You'll love this program because it relies on a variance of rep ranges to target, specifically, the Type 11a & Type 1a muscle fibers which create the training effect of hypertrophy and strength-endurance. The combos generate a lot of lactate to boost growth hormone levels to assist in fat loss. You don't do super heavy loads because heavy lifting does not involve enough mechanical stress to promote fat loss. Plus, you would not normally lift super heavy when you get leaner because your joints have less fluid and fat to protect them from the bigger forces. Question: What if I have more than 50 lbs to lose? Answer: Heck, Vince had 30 lbs to lose so you're programming is going to be no different than his. The only difference is that you have an extra 8-10 weeks to travel. Let's go! ==> Get 6-Pack Abs By Summertime! Question: Is SSS for a complete beginner? Answer: If Vince only cared about selling his DVD's I would say yes but if you have less than one year experience in his crazy fitness world, you'll probably find his approach a little too hardcore for now. Sit this one up unless you're absolutely intrigued to see how this goes down. The weight training program is far too advanced and you would be better off learning the nutritional principles in No Nonsense Muscle Building, which focuses on a balanced approach to eating. You need to master a balanced approach before implementing some of the more advanced things they did. Question: I noticed you had an ENTIRE cupboard full of supplements. Am I supposed to take all of those?!?! Answer: When it comes to supplementation, that's a personal choice. In the DVD's Vince explains WHY he takes what he takes and encourages you to just sit back and consider it an educational experience. Then, as you choose, start to add one new supplement a month and measure the response. There are SO MANY supplements he's interested in trying himself but he likes to add one new thing at a time so he will get there when he gets there. Question: What if I only have 10 lbs of fat to lose? Answer: Again, the same principles apply and you'll learn how Vince adjusted his cardio intensity and frequency as he gets closer to the show to ensure he does not lose muscle the last few weeks. You'll see EXACTLY how he changed his diet from phase to phase (He changed it three times throughout the 16 weeks) and you'll see some creative ways to switch around your macros and food sources that assist with fat loss, WITHOUT dropping your calories. ==> Get 6-Pack Abs By Summertime! Question: Is Ben Pakulski in any of the DVD's? Answer: YES! The first 2 DVDs start off in Toronto when Vince is looking pretty bulky and they get 2 hours of coaching on the gym floor with Ben & Intentions! If you bought MI40 then you already have this footage but it's worth reviewing and owning it on hardcopy. I know that every time I watch this footage, I re learn something new and then BOOM, I have a better workout! If you don't have this footage, heck, the first 2 hours is worth 3x the price of the DVDs because Ben bills $150 an hour! This is the kind of information that propelled him into the ranks of the top ten bodybuilders in the world this past month! Question: How long are the DVDs on sale? Answer: It depends... we have about 550 left in stock now and the $50 off sale ends Sunday night or whenever he sells out... Whatever comes first. Trust that helps and THANK YOU for your interest in Vince's work. This is, by far, the best fat loss resource he's ever released. Grab it while you can! Here is the $50 Off Discount link to get your DVDs shipped right now! Get 6-Pack Abs By Summertime! P.S. Vince ships all over the world! Full Article
o Recovery By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:57:00 +0000 When it comes to building muscle and the ultimate physique you desire there are many factors that come into play. Going into the gym day in and day out without any type of proper recovery can lead you to over-training. Your body needs time to recover. So many people think that if they go to the gym everyday, they'll reach their goal quicker. This type of mindset appears to make logical sense but, this is not the way to properly build muscle. You build muscle when you are out of the gym. Most people don't know that it is when you are out of the gym, you grow. Recovery is so important to achieving your physique goals. Do you know that when you are in the gym crushing it as hard as you can, you actually are tearing the muscle and getting smaller. Getting smaller? I used to think that by going to the gym you should be getting bigger. You are actually getting smaller because you are breaking down the muscle. It's when you recover that you start to build muscle. Here are some methods to properly recover from your workout 1. BCAA BCAA are Branch Chain Amino Acids that are super beneficial to your recovery. They help repair muscle when they are broken down. Try taking at leas 20g during your workout. You can take it in pill form or powder form during your workout. 2. FISH OILS Fish oils are great to speed up the process of your recovery. They are considered to be healthy fats that reduce inflammation. Take these after your workout and before you go to bed. Fats increase testosterone and we all know that testosterone is responsible for muscle growth. 3. COLD SHOWERS. Why do you think that athletes soak themselves in an ice bath or a baseball pitcher rests his elbow in an ice bath? Cold Showers reduce inflammation and the swelling of your muscles. When you take a cold shower your muscles tighten up leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to get back in the gym. 4. Green's Product. Greens products are great if you don't have time to cook a lot of veggies. Do you know that after you work out your body becomes very acidic? When you take a greens product after your workout you alkaline your body and reduce that acidity resulting in a speedy recovery. 5. REST This is a big one that most people screw up. Sometimes more is not the answer. Haven't you heard that less is often times more? Your body needs a lot of rest and you should be at least sleeping for 7-8 hours a night. Working out for 12 weeks consecutively, you should take a week off. For every 6 weeks you should take 3-4 days off. Your workout split could be 3 days on 1 day off, 2 days on and 1 day off. If this doesn't work for you the best thing to do is too listen to your body. Everyone is different. Some recover faster than others. If you are not ready to hit the gym and you are still worn out or sore, don't go. You need to recover longer. I hope this helps and keep crushing your goals. Tim Full Article
o What supplement companies don't want you to KNOW By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:59:00 +0000 The Facts You Need To Know About Supplements that have proprietary blends. Nearly 75% of the world population takes some type of supplement each day. There are literally thousands of brands and millions of products to choose from. Is there really a difference between them? The FDA allows questionable fillers and binders such as; cork by products, chemical FD&C dyes, sodium benzoate, dextrose, ethycellulose, and propylene glycol to name only a few. Although these ingredients may be legal, what are the nutritional benefits? Reports have indicate that some of these ingredients can be toxic at certain levels with prolong use. The FDA does not monitor the contents or purity of a supplement nor the source of a nutritional ingredient. Purity: What does it really mean? ---Defined: The quality or state of being pure or unmixed with any other element. In most cases, Impure ingredients are used by many companies. The FDA does not require manufacturers to list these ingredients (on the nutritional labels) if they are not added when making the final dosage form. Many times the raw materials may contain only 90% or less of the listed ingredients along with 10% or more corn starch and lactose. Lactose and corn are known allergens for some people. These items have been known to cause digestive disturbances and weaken the immune system. A conscientious company will not compromise the integrity of a product with such raw materials. There are 3 types of grades but, we are going to talk about 1 here for the purpose of this article. 1. Pharmaceutical Grade supplements meet exacting pharmaceutical production standards. Pharmaceutical Grade supplements are manufactured to a very high standards of potency, purity, dissolution, and a higher degree of bioavailability – the degree at which the vitamin is absorbed into a living system.The term pharmaceutical grade was originally taken from the standard of certification of the facilities in which pharmaceutical grade supplements were made. Pharmaceutical grade also refers to the ingredients in the supplement. Pharmaceutical grade vitamins meet the highest standards for purity and concentration. Finally, pharmaceutical grade supplements have a high bioavailability. This means that when you take a pharmaceutical grade products, your body absorbs an optimal amount of nutrients. Better nutrient absorption means greater health benefits. If you want to know what supplements to buy, look for the "GMP" or "CPMG" stamps on the container. These two stamps indicate that they were manufactured in a pharmaceutical company. Be careful with products that have proprietary blends. Proprietary blends have ingredients that are not listed on the container so you really don't know what you are consuming. choose-health.org pharmanutrients.com 2009 healingedge.net 2012 Full Article
o Video Testimonial/Vince Delmonte By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 21 Apr 2012 16:43:00 +0000 Here in this video I talk about where I was and where I am now with my fitness progress. I give a lot of credit to Vince Delmonte pertaining to my fitness achievements and where I am in my personal/ business life. On this site you will find a lot of my own articles and Vince's articles pertaining to building muscle. You can reach me on my Facebook fan page here http://www.facebook.com/TimmErnstFitnessVince Delmonte is the real deal and cares about his followers progress and muscle building goals. His philosophy is, "If you can Live Large inside of the gym, You can Live Large outside of the gym. Full Article
o Protein/When and How Much? By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:56:00 +0000 If there is one nutrient that you need to support your training and recovery, protein would be it! All the exercise in the world won’t help you build muscle or get lean if it is not supported with proper nutrition, which should always include a good dose of some high-quality protein or high quality protein powder. Read the full article here==>How Much Protein? Full Article
o How Hard Do You Train In The Gym? By timernstfitness.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 09 May 2012 13:38:00 +0000 How Hard Do You Train In The Gym? By: Tim Ernst Are you serious when you train in the gym? Are you getting the results that you really want? Are you easily distracted by outside influences? I can't tell you how many times I see people in the gym socializing with other people or their friends. I'm not saying that you have to be a complete jerk and ignore people, but if you are serious about your training your mission or job is to get in and get out of the gym. You have a life outside of the gym right? The most successful people in life have a goal that they want to accomplish and they do not allow any outside influences to dictate or distract them from that goal. We all get distractions and interruptions in life and when they come, successful people put into place boundaries. When you are in the gym you have to set up boundaries for yourself. I mean whose life is it anyway, yours or theirs? There are clearly things that are out of your control and things that are in your control. Take control and get your life back! One thing that I do to keep people from distracting me in the gym is such a quick fix. I simply put on my headphones and put on my favorite work out music and it's ON! Most people won't bother you if you have your headphones on and if they do just simply answer their question quickly and move on. There will be times when people will ask you if you are on or using some type of machine, that's o.k. If they want to talk to you any further than that, simply tell them that when you are finished with your training, you will be happy to get back with them with any questions that they may have. Here is a list of things you can do to decrease the amount of distractions when in the gym: 1. Headphones/MP3 Player/I-Pod 2. Hat (Optional) This will help you not to make clear eye contact or others seeing you making eye contact. Some women will do this to avoid any men coming up to them. 3. Set clear goals for yourself of what you want to accomplish in the gym. 4. Answer any small questions and move on. 5. Set yourself a time limit. Setting a deadline is very effective. It pushes you to finish on time. Implementing some of these strategies will help you decrease your distractions while in the gym, only if your serious about your training. Focus on your goals, set deadlines/boundaries, and watch success begin to unfold. Whatever you decide to do, do with all your strength. Train Hard! Full Article
o SLC-2L-12: Two-Light Bike for the Bucks By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 11 Jun 2020 23:18:00 +0000 UODATE: The bike sold, quickly, for the full asking price to the first person who showed up. Which was cool. And even better, the guy was like, "Who did the pictures? They jumped out at me." (Tiny speedlights FTW...) Have you tried to buy a new bike lately? Or even a used bike? The coronavirus pandemic has made them very tough to find. Between homebound people snapping them up and all of the various broken supply chains, most of the bike inventory — other than very pricey specialty bikes — has pretty much vanished. Which means that if you have a functional bike in your garage that you don't need, it will likely never be worth more than it is right now. My daughter Emily has an unneeded bike in the garage. It's a Trek 7100, which is decent hybrid. She rode it to middle school. But she's just graduated college and won't be bringing it to her new job. But right now it should fetch a nice price in the Craigslist Bicycle Hunger Games. Especially if it is photographed and presented well. So that's exactly what we are going to do today: photograph a bike with a basic two speedlight kit.Read more » Full Article
o SLC-2L-13: Shoot Through Your Sunset By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 22 Aug 2020 20:35:00 +0000 Whenever you have control over the time of day in which you'll be shooting a location portrait, always remember that the hour that wraps around sunset will offer you at least five different lighting environments in which to work. And for today's portrait of birders Jo (left) and Bob Solem, we're going to use three of them. Read more » Full Article
o SLC-1L-12: A Garden of Ideas By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Oct 2020 01:04:00 +0000 At first glance: a simple, one-light portrait of activist gardener Janssen Evelyn.Dig deeper: a look at tonal mapping via specular highlights, stretching the range of your modestly powered flash, and how to discover your next project.Read more » Full Article
o SLC-OE-08: Turning the Corner By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Dec 2020 15:38:00 +0000 Whew. What a year. But if you're reading this, you made it through! As we all move into a hopefully much better 2021, here are three things you can do to improve your experience as a photographer for the coming year.Read more » Full Article
o SLC-2L-15: Cross-Pollination By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Sun, 28 Feb 2021 01:01:00 +0000 Lighting with flash can give you more than just the ability to control the quality of your light. With the inherent consistency of light from (manual) flash, you can layer in slices of time as well. But first, you’ll want to lock down two things: the ambient light portion of your exposure, and your camera’s physical position.Read more » Full Article
o Notes on the Paul Buff Link 800ws Flash By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 29 May 2021 00:09:00 +0000 The Paul C. Buff Link monobloc studio strobe ($895.95) delivers 800ws of portable power, and deserves consideration from anyone in the United States who is considering a big gun for use on location. Please note: This is not a full review. There have been several thorough examples already published — most notably this one by Mike McGee. There are many others, from the usual suspects, a Google search away. Rather, this is a quick write-up of some first-hand impressions, thoughts and features I have not seen much mention of elsewhere. Read more » Full Article
o iPhone Users: Put an AirTag in Your Camera Bag By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 02 Jun 2021 05:35:00 +0000 Apple’s new AirTags are a straight-up gift for photographers. After testing one for the past couple of weeks, I’ll be hiding an AirTag in my scooter, one in my car and another one in my camera bag. Read more » Full Article
o SLC-1L-13: Conservancy Critters By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Wed, 30 Jun 2021 03:16:00 +0000 When lighting with small subjects, a speedlight is generally all you’ll ever need. Further, because of the scale and distances involved, even with a small flash you’ll be working at low power settings. For these photos of some of the resident animals at the Howard County Conservancy, we used a single speedlight generally at one-eighth power, and let the environment of the impromptu studio to the rest of the heavy lifting for light modification. Read more » Full Article
o So Long (for Now!) and Thank You. By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 01 Jul 2021 15:26:00 +0000 In 2006 I started a lighting blog while working full-time as a staffer at The Baltimore Sun. By early 2007, it became obvious that I didn't have the personal resources to give 100% to both Strobist and my job at the newspaper. That’s exactly the position I find myself in today. For the past year I have been working on a new project. It is photography-based, and will be as unique to the photo space as Strobist was back in 2006. But, as I found with Strobist in 2007, this project will require all of my focus. So I am shifting Strobist into archive mode to allow myself the time and mental space to do that. If I had more available brain cells/hours in the day, I would be happy to do both. Alas, I do not. So I am choosing the one I think can make a bigger difference to photographers. When the new project launches, I’ll do my best to make sure you hear about it. So please, stay tuned! For those of you who are interested in our in-person lighting workshops and/or our X-Peditions trips (both of which are currently on pause during the pandemic) we absolutely are planning to restart them once the coast is clear. Please make sure you are on the relevant notification list(s) by clicking through to the links above. Finally, I want to take this moment to say thank you to the countless people I have met, and new friendships made, as a result of publishing Strobist over the past 15 years. It is impossible to express how much you all have enriched my life, and that of my family. Thank you so much, David Full Article
o I've Been Working on Something By strobist.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Jun 2024 22:22:00 +0000 Hey gang, it’s David. It’s been a while! In 2021, I archived Strobist as a completed project. I can’t honestly say that I’ve missed the breakneck pace of running a solo site. But I’ve definitely missed interacting with so many cool people all of the time. That said, I am still teaching. X-Peditions gives me the twin advantages much smaller class sizes, plus being in Hanoi every fall. And that’s been wonderful. Better yet, my new schedule has given me the breathing room to be able build my current project. Like Strobist, this project is designed for photographers. But unlike this website, it has nothing at all to do with flash. Today I’m introducing my new book, The Traveling Photographer’s Manifesto. It aspires to be for traveling photographers what Strobist always tried to be for lighting photographers. The premise of the book is that your camera can, and should, be much more than just a pricey recording device when you travel. It can also serve as a passport, opening up new connections and possibilities that otherwise might not have happened. Using a photo trip to Southeast Asia as a framework, the book walks through many things that you can do to help this to happen. I have uploaded three documents to help you to know if TTPM might be suited for you: 1. A 5-minute summary: This will quickly give you a feel for the book. 2. A 27-page supplement: Only a small portion of the book, which is unillustrated, is about camera operation. This visual supplement is available for readers who are more visual learners. And it will give you a quick skim of parts 4 and 5. 3. A sample chapter: How to become more comfortable meeting and engaging with people as a photographer. As you'll see from the summary, most of the book is not about camera operation at all. It’s more about the countless little things that working photojournalists do while on assignment that an enthusiast might not think of. These little habits, taken together, can start to form the impression of a photographer being consistently, conspicuously lucky. When in reality, luck had very little to do with it. So, if this is the sort of thing that interests you, I hope you’ll give the book a spin. It is available now, on Amazon.com worldwide. Just as with Strobist, I welcome your feedback from this project as well. My email is listed on the copyright page and elsewhere. And of course, I will read and take to heart every Amazon review. Because my goal is for the project to continue to evolve and improve over time, just as the material on this website did. Thanks for your interest, and for your readership of Strobist. As always, please say hi at any time on Twitter at @Strobist. Cheers, David The Traveling Photographer’s Manifesto (Amazon.com) Full Article
o My Social Life By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 20 Jun 2011 22:04:00 +0000 I have been busy this month! I took my mom to Pit Ed a couple of weeks ago to show her the ropes and I got to see some of my special old Bad Rap friends.I had a "dog sitter" experience this month, too. This man and lady called Aunt and Uncle came and stayed at my house while my family went away for a couple of days. At first I wasn't sure I was going to have fun with them, but once I saw that they had my magical purple leash I figured they must be great. Here I am wrestling with Uncle.This is my friend Gordon. He belongs to a lady called Grandma. He's 15 years old and can't play much anymore so we lick each other's faces and sniff stuff on short walks. I really like him.This is my neighbor, Cooper. Even though he is only 9 months old, he is giant. I kind of like him. He has good manners. I think he has potential. Here we are having some down time, but Cooper told me his dad's command for this is "chillax".So, that's my report on my social life lately! Grace Full Article
o Happy 4th of July! By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:31:00 +0000 From Grace! Full Article
o My Summer So Far By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:09:00 +0000 This summer has been a whole lot of fun so far. I've been going to nosework class and learning circus tricks. When I'm not at school we go for walks at my favorite park and sniff things and look at the squirrels there.I get to play with my spring pole outside now its not raining all the time.I've spent a little time doing famous dog stuff and hanging out with friends.I look at the squirrel in the tree in the back yard every day and I've taught him how to bark just like me.The only sad part of this summer was saying so long to Winnie when she went to her forever family. I love Winnie, but I'm really glad she found her family.I wonder who my next foster sister will be? I can't wait to find out.I hope you're enjoying your summer as much as I'm enjoying mine.hugs,Uba Full Article
o Two Weeks With My New Knee By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Sep 2011 00:14:00 +0000 It has been almost two weeks since my surgery and it has been boring. I have destroyed two and a half beds and let myself out of my crate one time before she put carabiners on the door. Also, I have destroyed one hard plastic cone,one nice soft cone that was borrowed and now my mom has to find a new one to replace it,one horrible blue donut thing from my last post, one pair of pants,and one stuffy. The stuffy was my reward for not destroying anything on Friday.I have not removed any of my sutures though. I'm sure everyone will be proud of me for that.Today my mom stayed home with me to talk on the phone, make faces at paper and stare at the computer all day. I got to go outside and spend some time helping her talk on the phone while staring at paper. It was nice and sunny so I nibbled on some grass, checked on some of the plants,and looked for my squirrel friend (without running over and looking up his tree).Ubas are meant for bouncing and running and having fun. There is nothing fun about all this sitting around in crates. I feel a whole lot better, my knee isn't acting so naughty and I keep telling her I'm healed, but she doesn't believe me. She says I have WEEKS more to go before I can jump and twirl and leap and play with my flirt pole. I only had a tibial crest transposition, a wedge recession sulcoplasty and lateral fascial imbrication. Can someone please tell her that my knee is all better now? hugs, Uba Full Article
o Road Trip! By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:41:00 +0000 This weekend we piled in the car with my bff Abbie the Golden Retriever, and headed south to San Luis Obispo for my first Nose Work competition. Nose Work is a dog sport and my job is to do what dogs are especially good at, using my nose. I train like K9 police detection dogs who search for drugs, but unlike police dogs, I search for the scent of birch oil on a q-tip, all for fun and sport.We arrived in Cayucos, a few minutes outside of San Luis Obispo and took off to the beach for a quick swim. My bff Abbie dove into the ocean, so I followed. Apparently my brick-like physique is suited for sinking, not swimming. I’m sure glad she didn’t take off my leash. I shook the water out of my ears and decided it was much warmer and safer to watch the action from the sandy beach.Back at the hotel, we crammed ourselves into the dog bath. I’m not fond of baths, but it felt good to get the sand out from between my toes.Next day, I nailed three of four elements of the Nose Work trial. My interior, exterior, and vehicle searches were some of the fastest of the day. But I goofed on the container search so no title for me. Oop… maybe next time. I cheered for all my dog friends who were also trialing and I got lots of pets from their people. A couple of people who learned of my beginnings were surprised to see that I’m a content and friendly guy. I’m glad I met them and I’m glad to change minds.We packed up and headed for home the next morning, stopping at two California missions to stretch our legs while our people read plaques screwed to walls (how strange is that!). Back home, I hopped up on my chair and went to sleep. I have the life of a lucky dog. Full Article
o I'm a Canine Good Citizen! By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:02:00 +0000 Hi Everyone, it's me, Grace. You might remember that a couple of years ago I earned my Canine Good Citizen award with my foster dad. Well, my mom said to me about a month ago, "Hey Grace, I know you already know this stuff, but what do you say you and I take the Canine Good Citizen test again?" So I told her I would do it again, just for her if it would make her feel good. So we practiced all these things like sitting, staying, coming, not pulling on the leash, and passing by dogs nicely without staring at them. I didn't mind it at all, because she gave me lots of treats for doing it. This past weekend I went with my family to this place with a ton of dogs. They called it a "dog show", but there was no TV there. Anyway, I had to wait for a long time and finally, I heard them call my me and my mom's names and we went into this fenced area. There was a lady with a blue shirt and she told my mom to have me do all these things. She kept saying "nice" after I did them. After about 10 minutes of doing what she asked me to do, my mom looked very happy and gave me a delicious beef tendon and told me we had passed the Canine Good Citizen test. It was a great day. Full Article
o Floppy Uba By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 28 Oct 2011 03:11:00 +0000 Since my surgery I have learned that there is a new kind of Uba. Its called floppy Uba. I think floppy Uba has something to do with this little bright pink treat that she says is helping my knee heal. Every morning on my breakfast there is one of the special pink treats.Then, after breakfast my mom makes a little meat ball with a special treat tucked in the middle. She puts it in the fridge and my friends who come in the middle of the day to help me walk around the back yard on leash and check on the squirrel give it to me.After I eat the pink treats I feel all floppy. My body is all heavy and I just want to rest in the sun. She says this is good for me because it lets my new knee get ready for all the fun I have planned. If my mom is home, she helps my floppy body get up on the bench in the sun so I can snuggle with Lulu. Lulu is always kind of floppy and I guess thats why her knees aren't naughty.I sometimes even get floppy while I'm working on the blog, which is why its taken a little while for me to get this post ready.My new knee feels really good when I try it out on my walks and when I do the things I'm not supposed to do because its been a long time since I had a pink treat. My mom says I have two more weeks until we go to see the doctor. Once the doctor has looked at my knee again I should be able to start having fun. Although being floppy Uba is ok, I can't wait to be bouncy and fun Uba again.floppy hugs,Uba Full Article
o Bouncy Uba is BACK! By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:33:00 +0000 I thought it would never happen, but the doctor says I'm all better. My naughty knee has gone away for good. I still have to be nice to my new knee for a few more weeks, but I'm allowed to jump up on my mom's big bed and lie in the sun again.I can run and play in the back yard, and go for walks and best of all go to training classes. We went for a walk in one of my favorite places to celebrate my new knee. I sniffed and sniffed everything and looked at the fat squirrels and it made me smile to be back out in the world.I got really tired and had to lie down and pant for a long time when we got home. I kept on smiling because my new knee makes me very happy.Thank you Dr. Sams and all the nice people at the Sams Clinic for taking such good care of me and helping me get my bounce back.hugs,Uba Full Article
o Dog-sized Christmas Tree By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Sat, 26 Nov 2011 21:51:00 +0000 Today my family is getting out this stuff they call Christmas decorations and I'm helping. There's even a little tree just my size in the room where I sleep!It's kind of exciting, but this decorating thing can make a girl tired!-Grace Full Article
o A Pig in the Poles By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:54:00 +0000 She hoped that I could be a therapy dog because I’m little, sweet, cute, and I know lots of tricks. But, that hasn’t happened because I’m still just a little too afraid of the world. Maybe it will happen someday for me, but in the meantime, I take agility classes for fun and entertainment. Unfortunately, I don’t bend through the weave poles like a border collie because I’m shaped like a pig. And I wouldn’t miss the weave pole entry on the first try if my teammate would just queue me correctly. Jeez, lady.Here I am in my very first agility trial being sort of fast despite my pig-like physique. She seemed happy about the ribbons I won, but I didn’t really care. I’m a dog and I do it because it’s fun to run. Full Article
o Getting Strong and Bored By vickdogsblog.blogspot.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 02:52:00 +0000 I have been working very hard on getting my strength back after my surgery. First I got to run around and play in the back yard and we started going for nice long walks. After a while Star came to stay with us. We played and went on walks and had a ton of fun together. I thought she would be a great foster sister, but then she went home with her new family.Then I got really bored, and I spent a lot of time staring at my mom and talking to her about how I wanted my treadmill back and a foster sister. I had to keep asking, but eventually she got the idea and bought my treadmill back. I am so happy that I can run and run and make myself handsome and buff again.Then, this weekend, it got even better and a new foster sister came to stay. We are still deciding on her name, but I can tell you she is a superhero and it is going to be a whole lot of fun teaching her about the world.Lesson number one for the new foster girl - keep your eyeballs out of my pictures!Hugs, Uba Full Article
