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This is a sponsored post from FreshBooks, cloud-based accounting software that makes invoicing and accounting painless for millions of small business owners. A 2015 Freelancers Union study noted that 71% of freelancers have trouble getting paid at some point in their career. Worse still, among those freelancers, 81% were paid late and 34% were completely ghosted. We’re not just talking pennies here. The average amount of unpaid income reported in 2014 was $5,968. That’s a significant blow to any freelancer’s budget. When your clients don’t pay, you waste valuable time chasing down payments. This can lead to trouble meeting your own financial obligations and may even necessitate legal action. While having a contract protects you, there are easier proactive steps you can take. Request a deposit up frontAlong with a signed contract, request a deposit payment—especially for first-time clients. You may be hesitant to ask for a deposit for fear of irritating your new client, but it’s important to make it known that if you’re not paid, you don’t work. There are other additional benefits to requesting a deposit:
Invoice promptly and oftenThe shorter the time frame between doing the work and getting paid, the better. When, and how often, you invoice will depend on the type of work you do and the type of clients you have. For smaller jobs, you might send an invoice as soon as the work is done. For larger contract clients, billing once a month might work better. Just remember that the sooner you invoice, the sooner you’ll have money in your bank account. Clearly specify the due date on your invoices; don’t default to Net-30 if you want to be paid right away. And have a system in place for following up on all invoices as soon as they are due. With the right accounting software, you can even automate a follow-up email (perfect for those who hate those awkward money conversations). Make it easy for your clients to pay youNext, make it easy for clients to pay you. Some freelancers and small business owners decline to accept credit cards to avoid paying high credit card transaction fees. But it’s 2018, after all! Most clients expect the ease and convenience of paying online rather than mailing checks. This is especially true for long-distance and international clients. Look for an invoicing solution that connects with payment gateways like Stripe, WePay, or Paypal. Charge late payment feesAlways state your payment terms on your invoice, including your policy on late payments. Besides encouraging clients to pay, a late payment fee is a good idea for other reasons:
Say "Thank you"Never underestimate the difference good manners can make: A FreshBooks study found that when it comes to invoice payment terms, being polite really matters. A simple “please pay your invoice within” or “thank you for your business” can increase the percentage of invoices that are paid by more than 5 percent! That could easily equate to thousands of dollars per year. What to do when a client still doesn't pay youYour contract should include a clause explaining what will happen if the client doesn’t pay. Will you send them to a collection agency or take them to small claims court? Having those measures documented prevents disagreements down the road and can protect you. Sometimes, sending a simple demand letter is enough to get a deadbeat client’s attention. The Freelancers Union offers a free sample collection letter and nonpayment resources page. If you’re based in New York City, the #FreelanceIsntFree law protects you even further from nonpayment. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/31/how-to-get-faster-payments-from-your-clients/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. I recently experienced one of those lulls in freelancing that can be a bit scary to endure. The workload from one of my anchor clients began to trickle in–a marked change from the steady stream of work I'd been receiving from them for the last year. It was unsettling. Thankfully, I'd implemented several strategies to combat against getting myself entrenched in the dreaded freelancing famine. Always be on the huntThe best time to look for a job is when you already have one. As a freelancer, not being open to opportunity, or not actively pursuing job possibilities, can be a death knell for your career. Actively pursuing job opportunities, however, is not the same as continually applying for gigs you see advertised (although that's not always a bad idea). I belong to many writing groups on Facebook and try to check in on those groups daily, scanning conversations, contributing when I can, and looking at any posted job opportunities. By doing this, I've actually discovered a couple of the marketing agencies I now contract work from; this is also how I nabbed one of my anchor clients. Don't let yourself get too comfortableTo avoid being slammed by an utter drought, don't put yourself into a situation where you rely on a single client–or two–to provide the majority of your monthly income. If you suddenly stop receiving work from that client, you don’t want to be in a financial bind. Try not to get too comfortable with your current client base and always be open to new opportunities, or at least be able to spot potential opportunities as they avail themselves. I learned this the hard way, early on in my freelance career. I had regular work coming to me through a marketing agency, and because I wasn't on the inside, I had no warning when that client abruptly ended their contract. I was left in a vulnerable position, but the experience taught me one of my greatest lessons. Keep feeding the pipelineI take time each week to explore opportunities that may result in additional work. This can include anything from applying for job opportunities I come across in my networks, to refreshing my website portfolio, in addition to portfolios with creative agencies I belong to online. Nine times out of ten, I don't have the capacity to take on more work when I see a job opportunity that looks like a good fit, but I take the time to apply anyway; even if I don't get the job, I've expanded my network, and those editors or clients will often keep my information on file for another time. Speaking of editors, LinkedIn is a powerful tool that is oft overlooked. All of the editors I've worked with, pitched, or queried are in my email contacts, and when LinkedIn pulls their email and suggests that I connect with them on the platform, I do. Doing this has yielded work for me, as it put me back on an editor's radar. Don't be afraid to apply for job opportunities or reach out to contacts that may come your way, they just might pay off down the road. Diversify your income streamsDiversify your income streams by having multiple outlets for opportunities. For example, the handful of anchor clients I have are offset by the fact that I also have portfolios with at least five different creative marketing agencies, each of whom pull from their freelancer pool to work for their clients. I never know when I'll be contacted for a project, but I’ve created additional funnels for paying work. Networking comes in handy here as well. I recently talked about this in an interview and it rings true for many–always try to pay it forward. If I'm approached for work that's not necessarily a good fit for me, and I often am, I try to suggest other freelancers I know who would be a good fit. When you're regularly reaching out to other freelancers this way, you'll be pleasantly surprised to see how often job contacts begin to be referred your way. Pay it forward and you'll be rewarded. Use down time to bring in more businessThis goes without saying, but I'll say it for the record: if you do find yourself in a position where your workflow has lightened, use your down time to work towards generating more business. You'll be hitting freelance job boards hard, but also take that time to refresh your website and portfolios, guest post somewhere, or publish articles in your industry. Whatever you do, do something other than panic. Lauren B. Stevens is a freelance writer, crafting content for businesses by day and creative nonfiction at night. With bylines across the internet, Lauren’s creative writing has also appeared in six print anthologies. Lauren lives outside of Baltimore, and when she’s not reading and writing, she’s traveling and hiking with her husband and son. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/30/breaking-the-freelance-feast-or-famine-cycle/
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There are no “hacks” to getting strong. I’m a firm believer you get out of it what you put in. It’s hard, and it takes a lot of hard work; oftentimes over the course of several years. That said, below are a few “quick” tips that can help expedite the process. Admittedly there’s nothing profound or elaborate included, but I felt it important to suggest things that are easily accessible to the bulk of people who read this site. Hope they resonate and help. 5 Quick Tips to Increase Strength1. WARNING: Captain Obvious suggestion of the day: CreatineIt still dumbfounds me to think there are people out there who train on a consistent basis, yet are still not taking creatine (and yes, this includes you as well ladies). It’s the most researched supplement in human history and it’s efficacy has been proven time and time again. *It’s safe *It works *It’s NOT steroids Just take five grams of creatine monohydrate (no need to buy the expensive brands that are laced with rocket fuel) per day and that’s that. 2. Deadlift BarefootWhy? Well for starters, by taking your shoes off you’re now 1-2 inches closer to the ground, which is 1-2 inches less distance the bar has to travel. Secondly, and more germane to the point, by taking your shoes off you’re now able to push through your heels. As a result, you’ll recruit more of your glutes and hamstrings to help out. Thirdly, people will automatically think you’re badass cause you’re training with no shoes on. Of course, this is contingent on whether or not your feet smell like you’ve been walking through a sewer all day. In that case, it’s your call. 3. Glute ActivationIf your glutes aren’t able to fire full throttle, the hamstrings and lower back have to do more work than they’re accustomed to doing. So from that standpoint paying more attention to glute activation can have positive repercussions for those suffering through chronic low-back pain. However, people often forget the badonkadonks are not only the body’s dominant hip extensor which play a key role in athletics and strength, but are also a fairly large muscle that’s aesthetically pleasing to look at (cue obligatory fitness Insta-celebrity pic here). Don’t worry, I got you too ladies: By “turning on” the glutes with some simple activation techniques beforehand, you will undoubtedly be able to handle more weight when you squat and/or deadlift. To that end, while I don’t have any PubMed research articles to back this up, more weight=more strength=more people want to see you naked. Here are some of my favorites: Up 2, Down 1[embedded content] I like this variation because it allows for more eccentric overload on the lowering leg. Obviously one will need to master the two-legged variation first, but this is a nice progression to consider. Band Resisted 1-Legged Hip Thrust[embedded content] This is an ingenious variation I stole from Dean Somerset. If you’re looking to progress you’re 1-Legged Hip Thrust and having a hard time figuring out a way to do so, give this a try. Creepy Frog Pumps[embedded content] Popularized by none other than Bret Contreras, Frog Pumps are another fantastic exercise that aid in getting the glutes nice and juicy. Thing is, they’re awkward as fuck to perform in public. So, there’s only one way, and one way only, to perform them…. …..by making direct eye contact with someone and making things creepy AF.Actually, please don’t do this. Unless you want to have several restraining orders in your name. Reps can range anywhere from 15 to infinity. 4. Stop Testing Strength and Build ItI’m not the first to say this. Many other coaches stronger than I – Chad Wesley Smith, Greg Robins, Julia Ladewski, Pavel, to name a few – have reverberated this quote on repeat throughout the years. Far too often trainees head to the gym week in and week out and “test” their lifts rather than actually build them. Now, mind you, lifting heavy things (90% + of 1 rep-max) is a non-negotiable factor to getting strong. However, as I noted in THIS blog post sub-maximal training (I.e., predominately using loads in the 65-85% range) is much UNDER-valued component to strength training. In other words: loads in those ranges help one to BUILD strength. Moreover, utilizing more sub-maximal training – while having an obvious muscle building effect (bigger muscles often equate to more force output) – also allows trainees to hone their technique and to get into (and maintain) proper positions to exhibit their strength more effectively. 5. Use Novelty SparinglyUnlike coaches Dan John or Mike Boyle, I don’t find myself to be a very quotable person. However, I am proud of this one:
Many trainees have what I like to call “Squirrel Syndrome” when it comes to working out. They start doing an exercise (or in most cases start an exercise program) and before they’ve put down the dumbbell on their first set they’re distracted by a new “squirrel.” [embedded content] In this case the squirrel is an entirely new exercise program or a bright, shiny, new exercise. – “Jumping Jack BOSU Bicep Curls?” – “Sweet Christmas, I need that in my life.” Want to get stronger? Stop hopping exercise to exercise or program to program. It’s almost impossible to see steady progress if you’re heavy-handed on the novelty. I like Jim Wendler’s approach to programming for strength:
Observe anyone who’s strong or has a physique you admire and almost always they’re doing very vanilla things in the weight room. Contrarily, watch most other asshats who cry afoul about hitting their genetic ceiling Which does exist, mind you. But come on, most people don’t work remotely that hard to hit it. (or something equally as lame): Jumping Jack BOSU Bicep Curls. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2018/05/5-quick-tips-to-increase-strength/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. Eleven years ago I stepped out into the world a fresh-faced college graduate, holding a degree in vocal performance from a well-regarded music conservatory. I believed that in the previous four years my education had given me all the tools I needed to take the next step toward my dream career as an opera singer. Then the real world intervened. In college I had learned the rigors of preparing repertoire, mastering foreign languages, and achieving vocal freedom through sound technique, but in the professional world I was completely unprepared for the realities of preparing tax returns, deciphering the language of credit card applications, and achieving financial freedom through sound behaviors. As graduation season approaches, I've been thinking about some of the things I wish I had known that day as I walked across the stage in my cap, gown, and stylish pink tassel. These are all drawn from my own experience, but I'm certain that other graduates have encountered the same surprises as they’ve begun their own careers. With that in mind, here are some lessons from the past eleven years that I never heard in a college class–but that undoubtedly would have made for a smoother transition into freelance life. Time is your friendPeople don't tend to think about savings right after college. It’s hard enough to make ends meet in those first months and years. After you've fed yourself and paid your bills and student loans, you’re lucky if there’s enough left over for a couple of happy hours a month. You’re not thinking about how you might want to buy a house someday or travel the world or start a business; even if you are, you tell yourself that you’ll start saving in a little while once you’re making more money. You’re still young and there’s plenty of time. It’s precisely because you’re so young that now is the time to start saving–even if you don’t know yet exactly what you're saving for. Twenty dollars a month, $5 a month; any little amount matters because of two simple concepts:
Our lifestyles (that is, our expenses) have a way of expanding to fill up our capacity to pay for them. Make saving a priority today, and you’ll have passed the significant mental hurdle of perceived scarcity that keeps many people from starting until it's too late to catch up. Don't take your health for grantedI actually did learn this one in college, but it took so long to sink in that it warrants including here. Halfway into my sophomore year, I hurt my knee playing (of course) ultimate frisbee. Rather than getting it fixed right away, I decided just to live with the bum knee for the next two years. Almost any kind of exercise aggravated the injury, so by senior year I had put on weight and the low-but-persistent pain had begun to interfere with my performing onstage–the main reason I was at college to begin with. Finally, with my health insurance coverage set to be cut off at graduation, I acceded to knee surgery and spent the final spring break of my college career convalescing at home. The injury had loomed over me those two years, not causing pain every day but seriously affecting my ability to do things I enjoyed and ultimately to do what I needed to begin my career. I found out how a chronic ailment can drag down the quality of life for an otherwise healthy person. Health problems can compound too, and as further issues arise any one step toward improvement can feel increasingly futile. The longer you wait, the harder it is to start getting better. There are enough things to worry about in the formative years of your career without adding health problems to the list. Thankfully, because of the Affordable Care Act, younger people have much better options for health insurance than we did when I graduated. Many young people feel they don’t need healthcare and may indeed go years without seeing a doctor. But all it takes is one injury or illness to appreciate the importance of getting (and staying) healthy when, like any self-employed person, your income depends on your physical ability to work. Taxes don’t go awayHaving worked various menial jobs in high school and college, I wasn't a total stranger to income taxes upon graduation. I even did my own tax filing each spring, which was fairly straightforward because of the minuscule income I was earning. Still, I had no idea what paying taxes would be like as a professional singer, so I was thankful that my school required me to take a course on basic accounting and tax planning for performers to prepare me for the realities of working in my field. Just kidding! There was no such class then, and as far as I can tell there still isn’t one today. When I graduated, the terms 1099-MISC, quarterly payments, and self-employment tax meant nothing to me. After I got through of my first year as a freelancer and prepared my taxes expecting the painless process I had known, it came as a very unpleasant shock to learn that I owed the government money. Lots of money, in fact; more than I even had in my bank account at the time. I panicked and decided to become an ostrich. Maybe they won’t notice, I thought; they’re too busy worrying about rich guys with elaborate tax shelters to bother with small fries like me. What I didn’t know is that it’s very easy for the IRS to notice when people don’t report their income for the simple reason that all employers (freelance or not) report whom they paid and how much. And so I got a letter a few months later requesting that I please pay them their money, with interest and a penalty charges added on for good measure. The good news is that the IRS, despite their ogrelike public image, has some very friendly people who will help you set up a payment plan. It’s not ideal to have to send money each month to pay the taxes you owe for a previous year while also setting aside money to pay for this year, but ignoring the problem will only make it worse. The key is to get ahead of the process and treat a portion of your paychecks–individual circumstances vary but it could be as much as 20% or 30%–as untouchable until your quarterly tax payment is due. Traditional employers do this automatically for their employees; as your own employer, you should treat your employee-self the same way. Know the risks of relying on credit cardsIf you’re starting as a freelancer straight out of college, you probably don't have enough cash sitting in your bank account to cover multiple months' worth of expenses at a time. Many young freelancers instead turn to credit cards as their de facto emergency funds, carrying a balance for a few months (or longer) and making the minimum payments until the paychecks start rolling in. This strategy can and often does suffice for a few months or even years. But you're riding the tiger when you rely on credit cards for emergency liquidity: at some point you'll get thrown off, and when that happens it won't be pretty. For one thing, you have to know that your income will be enough to pay your future expenses while also paying down the debt you’ve incurred. It's a delicate balancing act, in which an unexpected expense or broken contract can easily cause everything to tumble. The consequences can range from paying far more than the amount of the original debt (due to the cards’ high interest rates) to ruining your credit rating and impacting your ability to get an apartment, a mortgage, or a car for years down the line. I highly recommend that freelancers start out by stashing away as much of their early paychecks as they can–whether it's from their freelance work, a side gig, or a day job–into a savings account to provide enough of a cushion to sustain them at least six months without any extra income. If you ever need to tap into those funds, it’s equally important to replenish them. The upshot is that instead of paying upwards of 20% interest annually on a credit card balance, you’ll be “loaning” yourself the money at a far more reasonable 0%. Credit card debt is not fun to escape. Your mental state–and your credit score–will be better off if you can manage to avoid it. We’re all making this up as we go alongAmerican culture has made it taboo to discuss money in polite company. Speak up about your income and you risk seeming boastful or pitiable depending on the perspective of the listener. Ask a question about financial management and you might feel embarrassed for not having everything figured out already. At the same time, very few formal educational settings, from high school on up, cover even the rudimentary basics of personal finance. Every individual, self-employed or not, is effectively on their own in preparing for their own financial future. None of these facts about our society will be easy to change, but until our colleges and universities start doing more to prepare young people for financial reality, it’s best for all of us to start opening up with one another. If we all share with our peers and colleagues the skills we've learned and the challenges we've faced in this complicated world, it will make it easier for everyone to make the best choices for themselves without the doubt, noise, and selling that currently bombard us when we look for any sort of guidance. None of these lessons is exclusive to people in their early twenties. Good financial habits are most effective when they're ingrained early, but no matter your age, today is a better time to start than tomorrow. The sooner you can take these facts into account, whether you're in the Class of 2018 or the Class of I'd-Prefer-Not-To-Say, the easier it will be to transition to a life doing what you love. Ben Henry-Moreland is a financial planner who specializes in working with freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners. He also used to be a professional opera singer. You can find him at freelancefp.com. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/29/5-financial-lessons-i-wish-id-learned-in-college/
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I always like to say the progress you make in the gym are the direct result of how well you allow yourself to recover. As counterintuitive as it sounds you break muscle down in the gym, and it’s the time away from deadlifts, squats, and daily WODs that your body recovers and bounces back stronger than before. Today’s guest post from TG.com regular, Dr. Nicholas Licameli, expounds on some of the best (and simplest) ways you can get a little more recovery in your life. It’s not as easy as telling someone to “go to bed.” Enjoy. My Top Recovery TipsAs soon as a training session ends, the goal should be to start the recovery process. In order for us to consistently make improvements in our bodies and our training, we need exercise that overloads our current tolerance AND adequate recovery. In other words, we need to challenge, break down, and fatigue our muscles as well as recover from that challenge, break down, and fatigue. There are many ways to look at fatigue. One common breakdown is peripheral fatigue and central fatigue. Peripheral fatigue is simply the physical stress, break down, and depletion of glycogen that muscles experience during training. This decreases strength, power, and performance and causes muscle soreness. Central fatigue is a bit different. Without going too in depth (that’s for another article), I introduce the autonomic nervous system, made up of the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) nervous systems. The SNS controls our stress response, or “fight or flight.” SNS controls our bodies when we come face to face with a grizzly bear. We’re going to sweat and our heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate will increase. During this state, we are essentially mentally and physically breaking down our bodies. The PNS controls the recovery response, or “rest, digest, and recover.” During this state, our blood pressure, heart rate, and respiratory rates all decrease. It is in this state that we mentally and physically rebuild and recover. Interestingly enough, the brain’s mechanism for learning works similarly to the mechanism by which muscles grow and become stronger. Muscles do not grow in the gym. Training causes muscles to be broken down. It is during recovery and sleep that muscles make adaptive changes. Similarly, we do not learn while we attend a lecture. The lecture is like a training session because we do not make adaptive and lasting breakthroughs while in class. Our brains make new connections and truly absorb new knowledge during the rest, digest, and recover phase, which occurs after the lecture and usually during sleep. I Sleep Every Night, Isn’t That Enough?Not quite. Imagine this sample day: Alarm goes off (for the 5th time…thanks a lot snooze button) and you jump out of bed feeling like you’re running late. You go into the bathroom, get washed, get dressed, sprint down the stairs, grab some coffee and a quick to-go bite to eat, and you get into your car. Some traffic, nasty drivers, and frantic lane changes later, you make it to the office a few minutes late. With no time to prepare, you dive right into your daily work duties. After a stressful day at work (and getting yelled at by your boss for being late) and four cups of coffee, you rush to get home to pick up the kids from school. The commute home is no better than the morning, but you manage to get there on time. You make it home, give the kids a snack[/footnote]As if I know anything about childcare. Sorry parents, this article is written by a young man without children…yet. and head out to the gym. After taking a pre workout with enough caffeine to give heart palpitations to a Clydesdale horse, you manage to get psyched up for your workout. After a great workout, you jump in the car newly energized and ready to make dinner for the family and help the kids with homework. After collapsing on your bed and staring blankly at your Instagram feed until you can’t keep your eyes open, you manage to somehow fall asleep. What’s the point of this example? This is an entire day spent in a sympathetic state! Remember, the sympathetic system is the fight, flight, and physical breakdown system. There is no time allotted to the parasympathetic system: rest, digest, and recover. Things like stress, caffeine, and training are all highly sympathetic. Here’s the good news! A day like this can be easily changed for the good. All it takes is a few minutes of actively disconnecting from the grind. My favorite (and in my opinion, the simplest) way to accomplish this is simply breathing. That’s right. Good ol’ breathing. Inhale deeply and exhaling slowly. Let your shoulders drop down on the exhale. Redirect your mind away from the day-to-day and focus on your breathing (more on this below). In my office, we set an egg timer for one hour. When the timer goes off, everyone stops and takes a deep breath. It takes maybe 6 seconds and has had a significant impact on staff and patients alike. No egg timer? Every time you slip away for a bathroom break, try making it a point to take a deep breath. It may even be a good idea to bring along loved ones. What could be a better way to end the day than a couples breathing session in bed? Actually, don’t answer that. Note From TG: BOM, CHICKA BOM BOM It seems logical that a proper recovery plan would target both types of fatigue. The following is a list of some recovery techniques that research has shown may be effective. The techniques will target both types of fatigue and keep you on your way to achieving and surpassing your goals. Before we go on, it is important to note that no recovery technique, including the ones below, will be effective without proper sleep and nutrition. Getting your Z’s and eating properly to fuel and refuel our bodies are most important. That being said, let’s get to it! In an already packed schedule, it is not feasible to think you will be able to set aside time to do each technique, so I’ve numbered them from 1 (most important) to 4 (least important), in my opinion of course. My opinion is based on the current research, effectiveness, convenience, and anecdotal experience both personally and professionally. It should be noted that although there is some research supporting the use of these techniques, many of the mechanisms and overall effectiveness still warrant further study. For more information about specific parameters and references (and if you want to feel really insignificant about yourself and the quality of your own content), be sure to check out Chris Beardsley’s work at strengthandconditioningresearch.com right here. 1. Deep Breathing and MeditationWhat Is It? Using deep, controlled breathing and meditation to induce a state of physical and mental relaxation. What Does It Do? Deep breathing and meditation increases parasympathetic nervous system activity (rest, digest, recover) and decreases sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight). How to Do It? Choose a relaxing environment (an empty room, out in nature, etc.) and position yourself in a comfortable position (I prefer lying on my back with a pillow under my head and a pillow under my knees). Breathe in deeply through your nose and imagine the breath filling up and expanding your abdomen and lower back. Hold for a few seconds and then exhale through your mouth in a controlled manner (don’t just blow the air out). With each exhale, imagine your body melting into the floor. Keep your mind focused on your breathing. “Is this an ‘in’ breath or an ‘out’ breath?” is the only thinking that should be happening. If you hear a car horn and your attention goes to the car, redirect your mind back to your breathing. If your mind drifts to that report you have to write at work today, redirect your mind to your breathing. Some types of meditation actually involve allowing those intrusive thoughts in, and accepting their presence. If they are of significance, take moment to write them down. If they are insignificant (be honest with yourself), push them away and redirect your mind to your breathing. Meditation takes practice, but as you train your brain to control intrusive thoughts and focus on the moment, you’ll see drastic changes in your recovery as well as your life. 2. Active RecoveryWhat Is It? Active Recovery involves performing light resistance training or cardio either immediately following a workout or between workouts. What Does It Do? May reduce muscle soreness, limit strength losses, and even improve mood. How to Do It? Perform active recovery by using a light load (30% of 1 rep max) for about 20-50 reps for less than 60 minutes or using an active cool down such as a stationary bike for roughly 15 minutes. Note From TG: Check out my Bloop, Bloop, Bloop Workout HERE which touches on the same idea a Nicholas describes and gives you some ideas on what to do. 3. Foam Rolling(For an in depth look at foam rolling, be sure to check out my previous article here and my podcast here, which are much more comprehensive than what is described in this article.) What Is It? Foam rolling involves lying on a roller and using gravity to apply pressure to a muscle. The roller is pressed into the muscle belly and the user rolls up and down the length of the target muscle. [embedded content] What Does It Do? Like deep breathing and meditation, foam rolling can tap into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest, digest, recover) and reduce sympathetic nervous system activity (fight or flight) by inducing a global short-term decrease in muscle tone. Muscle tone is the continuous passive contraction of a muscle controlled subconsciously by the brain. In other words, it’s a muscle’s resistance to passive stretch. Tone is created by a constant subconscious message from the brain telling a muscle to contract. Many times the sensation of muscle “tightness” has more to do with tone and less to do with actual muscle length. How to Do It? 1. View video above. 2. Or, if you learn better by reading: Start off with a slow, steady roll covering the entire muscle group, scanning the area for tender spots. Think of scanning the area as a blind person would scan a new environment. Once you find a tender spot, pause and hold on that spot until a release is felt and the tenderness lessens. Add some deep breathing while holding on the tender spot to further assist in the release. Follow this up with another slow, steady roll over the entire muscle, just like how you started. It is true that foam rolling should be a bit painful, but too much pain will cause an increase in muscle tone, which, as previously mentioned, is exactly the opposite of what we want to do. More pain is not better. Better quality is better. 4. Water ImmersionWhat Is It? Water immersion is the use of ice baths or hot tubs. What Does It Do? May reduce muscle soreness and limit losses in performance. How to Do It? Use cold-water immersion (8-15°C/46°F-59°F) for 5-15 minutes or alternate 1-4 minute bouts of cold and hot water (38°C-42°C/100°F-108°F). Be sure to be submerged to shoulder height. Where to Start?A great place to start is with (1) deep breathing and meditation. Start small. Try devoting a few minutes each day to disconnecting and breathing. Work up to longer durations as you start to get the hang of it. This will help in all aspects of life. Once you’ve successfully made it a habit to disconnect and breathe for a few minutes each day, try adding in some (2) active recovery days. After you have a solid daily breathing and meditation routine and you’ve managed to add in some active recovery to your week, consider using a foam roller combined with deep breathing for a few minutes after training and maybe even before bed. Once you have all these in place, feel free to give (4) water immersion a shot if you have the time and resources. Use these techniques, along with proper sleep and nutrition, and you will soon reap the physical and mental benefits of proper recovery! About the AuthorNicholas M. Licameli Doctor of Physical Therapy / Pro Natural Bodybuilder Youtube: HERE Instagram: HERE Facebook: HERE Every single thing he does, Nick believes in giving himself to others in an attempt to make the world a happier, healthier, and more loving place. He wants to give people the power to change their lives. Bodybuilding and physical therapy serve as ways to carry out that cause. Nick graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College of New Jersey with his bachelor’s degree in biology, furthered his education by completing his doctoral degree in physical therapy from Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences (previously the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) at the age of 24, and has earned professional status in natural bodybuilding. His knowledge of sport and exercise biomechanics, movement quality, and the practical application of research combined with personal experience in bodybuilding and nutrition allows him to help people in truly unique ways. Love. Passion. Respect. Humility. Never an expert. Always a student. Love your journey. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2018/05/all-about-recovery/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. It happens to all creative people, especially the most ambitious among us. You begin a creative project with a sense of optimism and a clear idea of where you want to go. You have a map at hand, happily start the journey, and are eager to reach the final destination. And most times, it works. You keep on plugging away and you get there, even when it's not easy, even when the last few steps might feel like a slog. Oftentimes, when things don't work as planned, when we're sidetracked by some unexpected event in our life (ill health, the loss of a friend, a natural disaster), when the creative work itself presents obstacles we hadn't anticipated, we need to fall back upon our reserves of resilience. It's not a question of "if" you'll get stuck, but "when." And then an even more important question arises. What will you do to get unstuck, to get out of the creative quagmire you find yourself sinking in? Here are three steps I follow to develop my resilience: ReflectFor me, it starts with slowing down and going back to fundamental values and beliefs. I sit and think, reflecting on the obstacles in front of me and how to overcome them. Next, I go for a long walk and continue to reflect, boosting my energy and re-framing my problem-solving perspective. I do all I can to change a negative frame, mostly by slowing down to find out how I’ve gotten here and to figure out how to get out. The ability to get things out of our mind may be as important as putting things into it. ConnectIf none of that works, I start talking to friends and family on the phone. I'll tell them what I'm trying to do, and what's getting in the way. If things are really bad, I arrange lunch or coffee meetings (of course I pick up the tab, they are helping me). I'm lucky enough–actually, it's not luck but the result of careful and constant nurturing–to have good, smart, and caring friends who help me when I need it (and vice versa–you need to help others to get help). Nearly always, the intervention of an objective third-party/friend (not the writer, not the client) does the trick and breaks the creative logjam. Sometimes, by just allowing me to talk through what's happening, my friends solve the problem. They reflect back what I'm saying and ask me a few simple questions: Can you approach that in a different way? Have you considered moving that part or eliminating it? Do you really need that for the story? They help me re-map my creative journey, circumnavigating the obstacle that had blocked me before. Develop a learning mindsetLife will never be perfect, nor will you or your work. To be resilient, you need to first accept the messiness of life and the creative process. You can sometimes take one step back yet rebound by taking two (or more) steps forward. The key here is acceptance and being open to learning about yourself along the way. The creative life is iterative. Don’t assume you have all the answers, but instead reach out for help from friends, books, and from medical professionals, when needed. You will never stop learning, so be compassionate and kind to yourself as you make mistakes. Find people who will be compassionate and kind to you as you make mistakes. The great British playwright Oscar Wilde once said, “Experience is simply the name we give to our mistakes.” The goal is not to avoid making mistakes, that is impossible, but to learn the most from them and keep growing. Mostly, you learn about yourself and your emotions, which (no shock here) will help you creatively. Thriving creatively depends on resilienceAll creative professionals, and all people, need to develop resilience. No matter how brilliant, rich, smart, talented, beautiful, deserving, generous, etc. you are, you will inevitably face obstacles that have the potential to negatively impact you and the work you create. I often say that the most essential tool in any creative professional's toolbox isn't talent (talent is distributed everywhere, actually) or "potential" (ex-Patriots head coach Bill Parcells used to say, "Potential means you haven't done it yet"). It's the ability to overcome obstacles as they arise: i.e., resilience. You should develop resilience in your own way, dear reader, or borrow my three step-process above, but you'll need resilience to succeed in anything in life. Not just at creating stories and designs, but at work, at relationships, at parenting, and whenever times are toughest. My favorite people in life aren't the most talented, but the most determined and the most resilient ones. Resilient people inspire me. Grit may be the single most undervalued and essential keys to success in the creative life (and all life is the creative life). Boston-based Chuck Leddy is a freelance B2B Brand Storyteller who connects brands and customers through engaging stories. His clients include ADP, Catalant Technologies, The Boston Globe's BG Brand Lab, and The National Center for the Middle Market. His website is www.ChuckLeddy.com. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/25/3-steps-to-creative-resilience/
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Happy Memorial Day Weekend everyone, especially to those who have served in the past as well as to those who are currently serving. Thank you! No witty intro this week, lets get right to it. BUT FIRST…CHECK THIS STUFF OUT1. Even More Complete Shoulder & Hip Blueprint – Dates/Locations AnnouncedDean Somerset and I are currently in the throes of drumming up new content for our staple workshop series. We’ve presented this workshop all over the world – London, Vancouver, Oslo, Prague, Boston, LA, Hoth – and even turned it into a popular digital product HERE so everyone can enjoy it. We’ve already nailed down dates in Slovenia, Houston, and LA this fall (2018) and are also in talks to bring it to Detroit, Philadelphia, Edmonton, Australia, and Singapore in 2019. If you’re someone who’d like to host this event/participate in a tickle fight please reach out to either Dean or myself. Go HERE to register in the announced cities. 2. Strong Body-Strong Mind – Bonn, GermanyMy wife and I will be in Bonn, Germany on Saturday, June 30 to put on our 1-day Strong Body-Strong Mind workshop. I’ll be speaking to assessment, coaching up common strength exercises (squats, deadlifts), and how to better “match” your programs to your client’s abilities and goals. Lisa will be discussing how to better manage client expectations, motivation, and how to adopt better mindset strategies for success. And then we’ll have a beer….;o) Spots are limited and the Early Bird rate is still in effect (but not for long). For more details (including itinerary and registration) go HERE. 3. 2-Day London Workshop w/ Luke Worthington^^^ It’s so good we didn’t even feel the need to come up with a witty title for it. After my workshop in Germany I head over to London to take part in a 2-day event (the weekend of July 7th) with my friend and colleague (and handsomest man alive) Luke Worthington. This one is filling up fast…..go HERE for more info. STUFF TO READ WHILE YOU’RE PRETENDING TO WORK5 Types of Squats for Runners: More Variation, More Strength – Jason FitzgeraldI may as well quote myself from the very article:
A Trainer’s Guide to Protein – Mike T. NelsonAny fitness professional worth his or her’s weight in chicken breasts knows that one of the more challenging aspects of the job is helping clients get dialed in with their nutrition. Inevitably one of the questions you’re bound to hear is “how much protein should I be eating?” or “which sources are best?” or “will eating too much protein make my kidneys shit a kidney?” Dr. Mike T. Nelson answers all your questions here. How to Do a Goblet Squat, From the Man Who Invented the Move – Dan JohnI’ve taught hundreds (if not thousands) of people to squat in mere minutes by using the Goblet Squat. Thank you Dan John. Social Media Shenanigans
Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2018/05/stuff-read-youre-pretending-work-5-25-18/
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This is a post from a member of the Freelancers Union community. If you’re interested in sharing your expertise, your story, or some advice you think will help a fellow freelancer out, feel free to send your blog post to us here. This February, my company conducted a survey of WordPress design and development firms. We talked to everyone from big agencies to one-man shops. One result really stood out, and I wanted to share it here: Freelancers in this industry simply aren't charging what they're worth.Only 2.4 percent of freelance design and development professionals say they bill more than $150 per hour—but 8 percent of agencies do. While the most common hourly rate freelancers charge is $76-$100 per hour, freelancers are twice as likely as companies of 2+ employees to work for as little as $26-$50 per hour. This concerns me. I started as a one-man shop, so I understand the challenges freelancers face. Some of these hourly rates simply don't match up with the market. A freelancer billing $50/hour, working 52 weeks and billing 40 hours every week, would only gross $104,000. That's a good salary, but far below what someone with web design or development skills is worth. And billing 40 hours a week doesn't leave them much time for essential activities like marketing or professional development. If a freelance designer or developer isn't finding new business and isn't working on their skill set, they'll never be able to grow their business. What's a freelancer to do?One area for improvement pointed out by our survey data—time tracking. Only 59 percent of freelancers who responded to the survey say they use software to track their hours. Now, time-tracking yourself may seem like overkill—escaping the requirement of documenting your every move for a boss was probably one of the reasons you wanted to be out on your own in the first place. Still, it's a valuable exercise. When you really see how you spend your time, you're able to identify low-value tasks that you could automate or subcontract instead. Time tracking will also help you give better project estimates. Know your ratesAnother factor causing underpricing could be that freelancers just don't know what the going rate for their services is. Large agencies guard their pricing strategies, while spending thousands of dollars on research services to try to figure out what their competitors are doing. Luckily, web design and development firms were generous enough to share their hourly rates, so freelancers in this industry now have a better sense for what they should be charging. Are you charging enough? If you see that your hourly rate is well below the competition and would like to charge more, I have a few simple suggestions:
And, above all, envision what your business would look like if you started charging what you're worth. Imagine if you doubled your hourly rate. How would that change how you market yourself, the way you spend your time, your ability to balance work and home life? Nothing may come of it, but the experiment itself might help open up new ways of thinking. Benefits for allMy hope is that the experts in the Wordpress design and dev field who are undercharging clients will feel empowered to adjust their rates. Based on our survey, they don't need to be held back by fear that they're charging too much for their work. The result will be better for everyone. Freelancers who aren't charging enough will see their revenue go up and their work/life balance improve. Every other Wordpress design/dev company will be able to continue to charge reasonable prices without fear of being undercut. And clients will benefit as well, by helping to nurture an industry that has the resources to grow and innovate. Justin Samuel is a security researcher and founder of ServerPilot. In 2013, he launched ServerPilot to empower web developers moving to cloud servers and make hosting faster and more secure. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/24/are-you-charging-enough-probably-not/
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Any freelancer can tell you that client nonpayment is a major issue—a 2015 Freelancers Union survey found that 71% of freelancers struggled to collect payment from a client at least once. That’s why we organized freelancers throughout New York City to pass the landmark Freelance Isn’t Free law last year. And a new report from the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs shows that activism is making a huge difference for freelancers. The Freelance Isn’t Free law has proven incredibly effective for freelancers who use it to exercise their rights: 61% of freelancers who filed a complaint were paid within 90 days, recovering an average of $2,039 per successful claim without hiring an attorney or going to court. In total, freelancers recovered $254,866—and, since the law wasn’t retroactive, those successes are just from past due invoices issued after May 15, 2017. The Freelance Isn’t Free law only works for freelancers who use it—and the NYC DCA estimates only 1 out of every 500 eligible freelancers used its protection last year. So join us in spreading the word to other freelancers about Freelance Isn’t Free! Freelance Isn’t Free is just the beginning. We fought hard for this law—let’s use it to hold clients accountable. You don’t have to settle for nonpayment. via Freelancers Union Blog https://blog.freelancersunion.org/2018/05/23/the-results-are-in-freelance-isnt-free-has-put-a-serious-dent-in-client-nonpayment/
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I consider myself a fairly even keeled guy. I try not to sweat the details nor to come across as someone who complains or argues about trivial things such as traffic, the weather, low bar vs. high bar back squats, LCHF diets vs. any other diet equated for protein and total calories, or which is the best Harry Potter book. Then again I am human and sometimes my capacity to suppress my annoyance hits a crescendo, and I’m left with no other alternative than to write about it, like every other a-hole in the world with an opinion and access to a laptop. Brb…I need to go throw my face into a brick wall. Incessant EntitlementI can’t tell you how many emails or messages I receive from new(ish) trainers on a routine basis bemoaning the fact they work in, GASP, a commercial gym. They usually invade my inbox in several iterations, but this is the most common:
I don’t know what people expect from me. I’m not their boss. There really isn’t much I can do, even with a high speed internet connection. The meanie-head in me wants to say something like:
However, I’m not a meanie-head and what I usually end up saying is something to the effect of:
Okay, that still had a bit of a meanie-head vibe to it. But it had to be said. Did what you just read make your day? Ruin it? Either way, you should share it with your friends and/or comment below.via Blog – Tony Gentilcore http://tonygentilcore.com/2018/05/one-thing-annoys-fitness-industry/ |
AuthorI have 5+ years experience working as a medical transcriptionist. When I am not working, I enjoy sports like playing basketball or judo. I love making friends and connections. Archives
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