In this article we look at how tough the Canadian transport industry is and how it has an adverse affect on the trucking business.

Every country has its own rules and regulations regarding transportation. Some are lenient but some have very stringent laws concerning freight factoring. Canada is one such country that expects truckers to make quite a few payments. Due to a credit line of 30 to 60 days, most truckers always fall short of cash, and hence do not have a steady flow of the same. They have expenses that are recurring like, payment of salaries, repairs and maintenance of the vehicles, fuel charges and various other unforeseen expenses.

So virtually, you are left in a very dicey situation. If you do have a stable financial position or a healthy bank account, then you are heading for disaster. You keep paying and paying and paying. What you really need at this time is what Canada calls, ‘freight bill factoring’- a finance company which not only bails you out of your dying financial situation, but is a much easier and safer option than a bank. It not only gives you a higher rate of interest, but makes it very difficult to get a loan if you do not have all the documents intact.

On account of all these obstacles that people face with the banks, Canadian transportation companies prefer freight bill factoring which is fast, convenient and works better for them. Since customers pay later, factoring companies extend upto 90% finance on freight bills that are lengthy or slow ones (not instant). And this helps the trucker or transportation company with their monetary commitments, and also they don’t have to deal with customers who pay slowly.

Once the last customer has settled the bill, then the transaction is complete. Their rates can be anything from 1.5% to 5% every month. And it all depends on the volume of load (amount of load should be constant and on the higher side) and also on the credibility of the customer. So also ensure that you attract great customers, who pay on time. Factoring companies help you get rid of bad clients who have a negative financial track record. Since they take charge, they ensure that all your customers are good and this helps small transportation companies in a positive way.

This stream of steady cash flow is a great way to increase your finances and make yourself completely independent and funded well. Build it up so that someday you would not need a factoring company anymore, as you will be able to meet with all your liabilities and expenses. Plan well and you will definitely take your business on the road to success. You can choose whether you would like to be paid by cash or the card. Both options are available. Take your little business in the right direction with the help of a freight factoring company and someday you will be able to stand up for every expense.

What can Accounts Receivable Financing do to help grow your trucking business? Check out these factoring authority sites to learn in minutes the benefits of factoring and how to get the best rates: http://www.factorquote.com

[tags]Factoring, Freight Factoring, Truck Factoring, Truck Factoring Service, Factoring Company[/tags]

Tax season can take its toll on tax preparers and individuals scrambling to decipher all of the forms and rules and regulations set out by the IRS. With changes to laws and calculations each year, how is one to stay up to date on the latest and greatest? The answer: Tax Preparation Software.

There are several types of Tax Preparation software on the market. There are packages for individuals and CPA’s and a number of online sites to help walk you through the tax preparation process. Tax preparation software can save hours on your tax return prep time.

With features, such as built in audits, that alert you of critical calculation errors and missing information. Asset management utilities can make keeping track of assets a breeze. Refund calculators can give you a quick refund estimate while inputting just a few items.

Many of the packages built for use by CPA firms have features such as client organizers. These packets can be printed and sent out to clients to have them write down critical information and to help remind them to bring certain necessary forms and information to the actual tax prep appointment. Custom letters can allow you to print a custom letter for each client or a list of clients.

New advances in technology allow you to Electronically File your return (E-file). E-filing your return can be very beneficial for several reasons. First, the IRS will receive your return much quicker. Second, the IRS is able to process e-filed returns much quicker due to the electronic format of the tax information.

How can you benefit from e-filing? Quicker processing equals quicker refund return. In fact, E-file has become so popular that several different software packages are offering E-file for free. Benefits of e-filing are:

* Fast - No more driving to the post office or waiting for the mail.
* Accurate - The program checks for errors and missing information so you don’t have to.
* Easy - TaxWorks offers an intuitive, step-by-step process for e-filing returns, and allows you to e-file multiple state and federal returns at the same time.
* Quicker Refunds - Cut your processing time in half and receive your refund in half the time, too!
* Peace of Mind - The IRS acknowledges receipt of the tax return, eliminating any worry that the return was lost. Check Your Refund
* Payment Options - When you e-file your return, you can pay the balance due at any time during the filing season, whether it’s January 15th or April 15th. You can also pay electronically by credit card or electronic funds withdrawal.

Whether you are looking for personal tax return software packages, or large packages geared more towards a CPA firm, these new advances in tax preparation software are sure to take the worry and stress out of your tax season this year.

Molly Winters-Hughes writes articles to help people in filing their taxes. Taxes can be stressful, but the key is understanding them and the people who can help you href=”http://www.taxworks.com”>do your taxes. To find help for doing your taxes with the tax professionals online at TaxWorks.com Get your taxes done today!

[tags]Tax Software, Professional Tax Software[/tags]

In this article we offer answers and advice to both, the trucker and the factoring company, on how truck factoring services could benefit them.

At the outset, for someone who has a trucking business, it is not always a smooth ride. It is quite a tough business to run and risky too, sometimes. And then if they have to approach a factoring company, then there are questions raised. Every person wants to know the risks involved before they jump into an agreement with a stranger. It is only natural to want be sure before you decide on the best factoring company for you. Factoring means that the company gives you credit by purchasing your invoices or receivables and taking the said payment from the customer directly.

Chasing invoices is a tiresome and lengthy process for any trucker, so they taking care of it, it works well for you. The only thing that is important is that the customer you have should meet their credit standards. There is also the agreement factor. Normally, it is made for a year and then renewed. But it is better if you opt for the short term contracts. So that in case you are unhappy with the way they function, it is easier for you to opt out of this professional arrangement and look for a new factoring company.

The factoring fee could be anything from 5% to 7%. But it is still lower than what a bank would charge you. If you have a larger volume of load, there are factoring companies that give a discount or reduce the rate of interest, if it is a recurring benefit to them. The other option is that the interest remains the same, but on the overall amount you get a rebate or the extra money is credited to you. It could really work very well for you.

Secondly, if you want to get into truck factoring, it is a brilliant idea and also could be a very financially beneficial to you. It is not difficult to get into factoring. You just need to do a little advertising so you could find the loads that you are looking for. Meet the right sources and ask around, it could help. Also, online a lot of professionals have instruction manuals and kits to help you set up the business.

Please remember that a trucker will only come to you if he is assured that he will have a constant flow of cash against his invoices, to meet with his expenses. You need to guarantee that. And that means you need to be financially sound and stable if you want to get into this business. Since it is difficult to get loans from the banks because of the credit line problems, it is easier for them to come to you. You must check out whether their freight customers are credible or not. That is important for you. After all you are in the business for the money, so ensure you do not take any unwanted risks.

What can Accounts Receivable Financing do to help grow your trucking business? Check out these factoring authority sites to learn in minutes the benefits of factoring and how to get the best rates: http://www.factorquote.com

[tags]Factoring, Freight Factoring, Truck Factoring, Truck Factoring Service, Factoring Company[/tags]

Citius, Altius, Fortius is the motto of the modern day Olympics and means Swifter, Higher, Stronger.

With London being the hosts for the 2012 Olympics, all eyes will be on how well our athletes perform and the pressure is being felt to excel. For this reason, scientists are increasingly discovering new technologies to add to sports equipment and so aid our sportsmen and women to become the very best in their field.

But can there be a link between technology and sportsmanship? Does this not constitute cheating? Will the Olympics become a test of each nations technological expertise and not about the athletes abilities?

This is precisely why the Olympics has a governing body to lay down rules about just how much technology can be installed in sports equipment and how much should be left to the individuals abilities.

It has to be said that much has changed in the 2500 years since the Olympics origins. Take running for instance. Runners in the early Olympics would have started from an upright position, tucking their toes into a starting line - hence the expression ‘toeing the line’. If a false start ensued, participants would be punished by flogging.

Thankfully, this no longer occurs and in the case of running, not many applications of technology are possible on the useable sports equipment. In this area, it has mainly been the improvement of running shoes that are made lighter and better fitting and of the changes in track surfaces. However, running speeds are ever increasing and this is possibly due, at least in part, to our advanced understanding of the human body and the effect our diet plays on its performance.

The sports equipment used in events such as the javelin has been changed over the years following ever more distances clocked up by athletes. It became apparent that distances were being achieved that made throwing a spike through the air dangerous. I could have told them that - could have someone’s eye out with that!

Throwing a pointed spear within the confines of a crowd caused concern when athletes were able to throw the javelin the complete length of the stadium. This brought about a change in their sports equipment where the centre of mass was moved 4cm forward thus limiting the distance it could be thrown and ensuring it landed pointy end down - always a bonus unless you’re hunting for dinner.

The poles used in pole vaulting events have gone through various changes over the years. One of the most surprising being the use of bamboo. Being a hollow pole, it was thought that this would be less flexible when, in fact, it was even more so than some woods that were being used. It’s something to do with the neutral axis thingy running down the centre of the beam where stresses are minimal if they exist at all.

Bamboo was replaced by fibre glass as the sports equipment of choice for pole vaulters, making it lighter and more flexible, thus giving them a distinct advantage. However, personal skill is very apparent in this area despite the technological help that continues with the introduction of carbon fibres to the poles to make them lighter still.

Pole vaulting is one area that has changed drastically since the Olympics started to the point where vaulters now approach the beam with a different part of their anatomy. From going over with feet pointing downwards they not take the vault after performing a complex gymnastic move that sees them throwing themselves upside down. The pole can be of any length and strength with little or no restrictions.

With all Olympic sports in their sights, Loughborough University recently saw the unveiling or their new Sports Technology Institute, dedicated to the furthering of technology in sports equipment. The 15 pounds million centre works with all the top sports equipment suppliers and promotes the issue of sports and healthy lifestyles amongst the youth of today. A very fitting construction given that it is our turn for Olympic hosting.

Sports expert Catherine Harvey looks at the technology behind sports equipment and how it can help the modern day athlete.

[tags]sports equipment,[/tags]

The trucking companies are vital to the manufacturers and distributors to deliver the goods at various locations and on time. These trucking companies also rely on cash from such companies to meet their requirements. However, sometimes the clients make late payments and the extended credit period makes the company cash flow bad. This is when the Truck Invoice Factoring services of Factoring companies can be of immense help. By using the invoice factoring services, they may actually be able to plan out the activities better with the cash on hand.

Truck invoice factoring is the purchase of the invoices by the factoring companies. These companies are commercial organizations that deal in buying such invoices and providing financial support to the trucking companies. It was initially used by big business houses, but is becoming available to the smaller organizations as well. They provide good services to the transportation companies and are a major source of relief for them.

There are certain criteria that they apply to provide for the purchase of the invoices. The creditworthiness of the customer is of relevance to them. They consider the credit history of the customer, the invoice amount and their total business volumes. This is needed to determine the service fees for the factoring of those invoices. Of relevance to them is also the check of the accounts receivable, their aging report, the credit limits and the track record of the company. They may also carry out an individual check of the credit history of the trucking company.

The advantages of the invoice factoring can be as listed below.

Immediate cash and stability

Having met the conditions the trucking company gets the factoring of invoices done. This helps them to get cash on an urgent basis. Moreover it brings about cash stability, with cash in hand at regular timings. They do not face situations where sometimes there is nothing at hand and at other times there is surplus.

No additional debts

The invoice factoring is not a new loan being undertaken. It thus is not a new debt which gets added. The money rather is received in advance before the customer pays. It shows on the balance sheet as well to be in better financial position to get further financing.

Working capital

With factoring invoices, you have working capital in hand for your future needs. Moreover as sales increase you have more invoices and thus more money available for use. This helps satisfy the demands on a timely basis.

Credit management

Most of the factoring companies provide credit and accounts receivable management services at minimal costs. They act as credit departments and collection departments for the organizations.

Improve credit rating

With the availability of cash for payment to the vendors, the timely clearance to such creditors acts as a tool to improve the credit rating or the credit history of the organization. They may even be able to get the advantage of trade discounts.

Invoice processing

As the invoices are to be collected by the factoring companies, they are associated with the management of invoice processing activities like mailing invoices, collecting them, depositing checks and reporting of such payments.

Truck invoice factoring is useful to transportation companies to have a predictable and steady flow of cash which is crucial for routine activities. This is a good resource for the growing companies to keep their businesses moving ahead steadily.

What can Accounts Receivable Financing do to help grow your trucking business? Check out these factoring authority sites to learn in minutes the benefits of factoring and how to get the best rates: http://www.factorquote.com

[tags]Factoring, Freight Factoring, Truck Factoring, Truck Factoring Service, Factoring Company[/tags]

Any one interested in an equestrian job online? Would you be interested in working from the comfort of your own home and whenever it suits you so that you have endless free time to spend with your horse?

Everywhere on the internet these days we come across outrageous claims: Make $10 000 in 24 hours! Make a fortune in thirty days! Absolutely everyone can do it! How to earn enough online to give up your day job and live on a beach forever after…but only if you buy this fantastic, incredible, exceptional and very expensive product first.

It’s a bit like a gold-rush: everyone is going for it. Every eleven seconds a new home based online business is launched. Sadly, it is also a bit like the empty promises of losing ten pounds in one week: not only is it practically impossible to do, but you end up heavier than when you started. A very similar thing happens on the net.

Ninety percent of all new internet businesses fail within the first three months of going online. The get-rich-quick merchants get rich quicker and the budding internet entrepreneurs end up poorer than when they started.

For horse people, this earn-a-lot-of-money-quickly-and-easily is particularly tempting. We are often short of money as well as short of time. Horseback riding is an expensive sport, and keeping your own horses even more so. We are always interested in earning extra money, especially if it will not take up a lot of our riding time.

Earning a second or even a first income on the internet just isn’t that easy. As with off-line business it involves a very steep learning curve, a solid business plan, tons of perseverance, some initial capital input and a fair amount of loss of precious riding time.

The outlook is bleak, unless you find a source of trustworthy, up-to-date information and lots of support ; finding suitable resources and perhaps even a mentor is more important than any other aspect of your new online business. It could save you hundreds of dollars and keep your self-esteem intact. Failing online as a business person is as harmful to your self-confidence as it would be off-line.

Don’t get me wrong. Making money online is not difficult, and it certainly is no more difficult for horse people than other people, as long as you understand how the system works. And no get-rich-quick scheme is ever going to divulge this valuable information - it would cut off their spectacular income and give them lots of competition.

So what’s the solution?

1. Find a reliable source of fresh information.
You need to learn how to run a business online just as you would off-line - don’t waste your time ploughing through outdated useless information sold as the newest way to make money online.

2. Plan.
Planning is as important online as it is everywhere else. Decide how much you are going to spend, write a business plan, allocate time resources, set clear income goals and make sure you do not neglect the people closest to you, including your horse.

3. Avoid get-rich-quick schemes like the plague.

4. Join a forum where people with the same values and interests help each other with the day-to-day problems of running a business online.

Equestrian jobs on the internet can be very rewarding. And every one can make money online. Especially for equestrians, there are lots of exciting opportunities. Just don’t think it is going to be a one man show. To succeed online you will need help, advice and mentoring - when you start out and for then joint venture and give-away partners as you become more successful.

Luckily horse people in general are herd animals. We have long since discovered than interaction with others, people and horses, enriches our lives. Follow this natural inclination online: Before you spend a single penny, find out what other horse people have to say about a specific investment.

With a little determination you will find some outstanding e-books and e-courses, blogs and membership sites exclusively for horse lovers that provide the necessary information and support you need to make an enormous success of equestrian jobs online.

Dr Margarethe de Clermont is the founder of the Millionaire Equestrian Information Membership Site MEIMS and author of the “I want a Horse!” equestrian magazine that provides horse people with the information and support they need to earn serious money online. Find out more at www.equestrian-life-coaching.com

[tags]equestrian job, work at home, equestrians jobs, equestrian information[/tags]

Global Warming - Over the last few years, it has become more and more popular to Go Green. There has been increased evidence of global warming and with it, increased awareness of how to help the problem of global warming. A lot of companies have focused their advertising on the environmental benefits their products have, actors have endorsed products that save energy such as low energy light bulbs and hybrid cars, and even the former Vice President of the United States, Al Gore, starred in the documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth, which exposes the truths of global warming. Global warming is a big issue and a popular issue.

Paper Waste
Evidence suggests that CO2 emissions are the cause of global warming. The development and use of paper products is contributing to the CO2 emissions problem. According to MDF Systems, the average US office worker generates 2 lbs of paper waste per day. A midsized company with 1,000 employees produces 30 million pages of paper per year, which equals the cutting down of 1,369 trees and produces approximately 300,000 pounds of CO2 per year.

The needless use of paper in offices not only uses natural resources by way of cutting down trees (which includes the energy used for tree cutting tools and for manufacturing paper), but also wastes a large amount of energy with paper processing machines. A copier, two printers, and a fax machine consume 1400 kilowatt-hour (kWh) of energy each year. Offices are full of these machines. Captaris Corporation claims that an estimated 80 percent of the green house gas emissions in New York City are generated by office buildings.

Paperless Solution
The obvious solution to reducing emissions produced by paper and paper processing machines is to reduce the use of paper in the office. Paperless office software allows offices to securely file and transfer documents without ever printing the document. Either documents can be stored as a PDF file or they can remain in their original format such as Microsoft Word or Excel.

Paperless Benefits
The benefits of going paperless go beyond saving money on paper and energy. They can also save a lot of time, which equates to saving more money. A paperless filing system brings all documents in the system to your fingertips. If you need an invoice for a specific customer, even if it is from ten years ago, you can do a quick search and email the document in minutes or seconds. Paperless office software provides many other features that prove its superiority to a traditional filing system, such as an audit trail to record who has viewed or moved documents, security features to keep documents from being seen by unauthorized eyes, a maturity date feature to easily control how long documents are retained, and many more.

The Best of Both Worlds
Every office can make a positive impact in the fight against the planet’s growing problem of global warming and at the same time save time and money using paperless office software.

Molly Winters-Hughes writes articles to help people in getting organized. To find help for getting organized visit online at Ark-Works.com Get organized today!

[tags]Paperless, paperless office, go paperless[/tags]

Pork is a typical ingredient in Chinese cooking. Although pork has a fatty connotation, there are lean cuts that can be a healthy addition to your table. Today I am sharing with you two succulent Chinese recipes using pork.

Cabbage-Wrapped Chinese Pork Rolls

9 oz(250g) boneless pork, lean and fat
1 tsp. salt. or to taste
1 tsp. scallions, chopped
9 oz(250g) Chinese cabbage (bok choy)
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, chopped
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. flour
4 tbsp cornstarch (corn flour) dissolved in 4 tbsp water
7 fl oz (200ml) meat or bone stock
1/4 tsp. MSG (optional)

1. Mince the pork and mix with the scallions, ginger, ground peppercorn, 3/4 tsp. of the salt, and the dissolved cornstarch. Set aside.

2. Trim and discard the tough outer leaves of the cabbage. Wash the tender inner leaves and blanch briefly in boiling water, removing immediately. Drain and let cool.

3. Mix the egg whites and flour into a batter. Spread the inner side of each cabbage leaf thinly with the batter and then the filling. Roll the leaves into cylinders about 1 inch(2 cm ) in diameter and seal the openings with the egg batter. Repeat until all the filling has been used.

4. Place the rolls in heat-proof deep dish or tureen and steam over high heat for 15 minutes. remove and cool. Cut the rolls into 1 inch (2 cm) sections and steam again until the pork is thoroughly cooked.

5. Heat the stock to boiling. Add the MSG (optional) and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt. Pour the stock over the cabbage rolls and serve.

Chinese Honey Sesame Tenderloin

1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs. fresh ginger, grated or 1 tsp. dry ginger
1 Tbs. sesame oil
1 lb. boneless pork tenderloin chops, whole
1/4 cup honey
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Place tenderloin in a heavy plastic bag and pour soy mixture over to coat. Secure bag tightly. Marinate 2 hours at room temperature, or overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Remove pork from marinade and pat dry. Discard marinade. Mix together honey and brown sugar in a shallow plate. Place sesame seeds on a separate shallow plate. Roll pork in honey mixture, coating well. Then roll in sesame seeds. Place tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan and roast about 25 minutes per 1 lb., until a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees F. Remove to a serving platter, slice thinly.

If you wish to freeze cooked meat: Cool quickly in refrigerator to retain freshness. Leave meat whole or slice and place the amounts you will use at one time in freezer/oven-proof containers or on sheets of aluminum foil. Seal tightly. If using foil, wrap and fold edges to seal and place on a flat baking sheet (to preserve shape) and place in freezer until frozen. Then you can remove baking sheet and place package where you wish in the freezer. Freeze up to 6 months. To reheat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place meat in oven and bake until hot. Please remember that USDA recommends reheating meats to 165 degrees F to destroy any bacteria.

Per serving: calories 310, fat 10.7g, 31% calories from fat, cholesterol 72mg, protein 28.4g, carbohydrates 26.2g, fiber 1.2g, sugar 23.6g, sodium 287mg, diet points 7.3.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.0, Vegetable: 0.0, Fruit: 0.0, Bread: 0.0, Lean meat: 0.0, Fat: 1.7, Sugar: 1.4, Very lean meat protein: 3.9

Ray Torres is the keeper of Healthy Chinese Cooking lens. For more for more Chinese recipes, please visit us.

[tags]healthy chinese recipes,chinese recipes,chinese food recipes,easy chinese recipes[/tags]

Millions of people commit many of hours out of their schedules at health clubs working out. The sad fact is, most fitness enthusiasts who regularly visit gyms know little about what makes up an effective workout system. In this article, I want to dispel 90% of the hype and help you understand exactly how to build your routine so it will guarantee that every second you spend in the gym will help you get stronger. After all, you spend a lot of time lifting weights; don’t you want to make sure your workout time is spent as efficiently as possible?

With so many strength-training systems on the market today, it becomes difficult to cut through all the noise and find a training system that is based on solid science. A good indicator that a strength training system is less effective is if it uses a one-size-fits-all approach. Your body is unique. You are different than anyone else. It simply doesn’t make sense that if you do exactly the same thing in the gym as everyone else, you will get the same results as everyone else. To get the best results, you must understand your body’s individual needs. If you can give your body exactly the exercise it needs, nothing more or less, you will maximize your training results while not wasting even a second of your valuable time in the gym.

Another solid indicator that a strength training system is bogus is whether it is based in biology. Many strength-training systems are simply anecdotal. Some fitness gurus peddle their opinions, passing them off as training gospel just because it feels right to them. Be careful. A good training system should be backed up by the physiology of the human muscular system. The more a strength training system is steeped in the actual workings of the human body, the more customized it will be to your body type and the better it will work.

Now that we have explored a couple of indicators of less effective strength training systems, lets take a look at a system that IS based solidly in physiology and IS completely customized to your body.

Scientifically steeped high intensity training (HIT) power-packs your strength training routines. HIT training teaches that muscles grow and adapt more efficiently if they are worked intensely for short bursts of time on a relatively infrequent basis.

Three elements make up an effective HIT workout regimen; slow lifting cadence, timed sets, and adequate rest and recovery time between workouts. Lets take a closer look at these three elements.

SLOW LIFTING CADENCE
Cadence, as related to strength training, is the time it takes to perform one full rep of exercise. Use of a slow lifting cadence is an excellent way to make every second of your workout count.

Fast, explosive weight lifting introduces many problems. First, it is less effective. Your goal, during a set of exercise, should be to spend every available ounce of muscular energy; you can’t hope to accomplish this goal if you continually throw the weight past the most demanding parts of the exercise. Second, explosive lifting is dangerous; you can expose yourself to hazardous acceleration, velocity, and momentum spikes. These spikes can lead to loss of control of the weight, causing painful, and possibly permanent, injuries.

To get the most out of your workout, use a slow lifting cadence with every exercise. Each exercise should be divided into 3 lifting phases; move:hold:move. As a rule of thumb, use a 5:2:5 lifting cadence; 5 full seconds to move the weight from an exercise’s starting position to its fully contracted position (the most difficult position at which to hold the weight); 2 full seconds to hold the weight in the fully contracted position; 5 full seconds to move the weight back to starting position. It should take a total of 12 seconds to perform one rep of exercise. If you lift enough weight and use a slow cadence, you can be sure that you are firing as much muscle fiber as possible.

TIMED SETS
By timing your sets, you can determine the correct weight to rack up for each exercise. You can also be certain that your muscles are sufficiently spent during each set.

We have long been conditioned to break weight training exercise into sets and reps. Many strength training systems prescribe a consistent quantity of sets and reps for every person, regardless of sex or body type. This one-size-fits-all approach might not be optimal for you. Your muscular system is different than anyone else’s. It’s important, if you want big-time training results, to adapt your exercise regiment to your body’s specific needs. Timed sets is the best way to determine how much exercise is best for each of your muscle groups.

To time your sets, you will need a stopwatch. At the beginning of each set, start the clock. With the seconds ticking, perform the exercise until you hit muscle failure. Don’t worry about counting reps; complete muscle failure is your objective. Lift until you can’t move the weight another inch, then try one more rep. After you have spent every ounce of your muscular energy, stop the clock. Your final seconds count is called your time under load–the total time spent performing the exercise.

A good set of exercise is not made up of a quantity of reps; it is made up of 30 to 60 seconds of high quality, slow cadenced exercise, with muscle failure at the end of the set. As you gain muscle mass, you will have to increase the weight you lift to keep your sets at between 30 to 60 seconds.

ADEQUATE REST AND RECOVERY TIME
With adequate rest and recovery time between workouts, you will hit the gym mentally and physically ready to workout with precision and energy.

Overtraining is a chronic problem among gym rats. Too often the success of a strength-training regimen is measured by the quantity of hours spent in the gym. Each time you workout, you spend a tremendous amount of muscular energy, leaving your muscles in a state of controlled shock. It takes a number of days to fully recover. If over-trained, muscles can remain in a continuously weakened state–a state at which they cannot perform beyond their usual, daily workload. Unless muscles are trained at a level far beyond what is usually expected of them, they cannot adapt by growing, hardening, and strengthening.

You must allow your muscles to fully recover between workouts. This means your strength-training regimen should have more off days than on days. To start, take 2 days off between workouts. As you gain muscle mass, you will need to add additional rest and recovery days. If you experience a stall in your strength gain progress, take a full week off from training so you can hit the gym recharged and strong. Often, the best way to break through a training plateau is to workout less frequently, not to increase hours spent in the gym.

When it comes to workout frequency, don’t fall victim to the more is more mentality. Your strength gains stay with you for months before beginning to fade away. As long as you stimulate your muscles into growth and adaptation on a regular and relatively infrequent basis, you will make steady, satisfying progress.

There you have it. If you are after tremendous muscle mass gains and satisfying fat loss, high intensity training is the key. With a relatively infrequent, hard-hitting strength training routine, using slow lifting cadence, you can skyrocket your training success into the stratosphere.

Craig Nybo is the president of TOTALhuman.com, a company dedicated to improving YOUR quality of life with advanced, highly efficient exercise programs.

[tags]exercise, loose weight, lose weight, weight loss online, fat loss, strength training, workout[/tags]

You can lose weight quickly. You can shed fat from your belly and under your arms with rigorous but smart exercise. You can get a lean, athletic build. You can even show off your muscles by losing that pesky layer of fat that obscures your tone and definition. It is not a matter of training for hours on end every day. It is a matter of making every minute of your exercise as efficient as possible. When training your heart while shooting for fast calorie loss, interval based cardio training is the key.

Low Intensity Vs. High Intensity Cardio Training
There are two camps when it comes to cardio training; one buys into the low intensity philosophy. They say, walk, don’t run. The high intensity people, on the other hand, say run, don’t walk. Lets explore both arguments.

It is true that, during low intensity cardio exercise, such as walking or light biking, more calories are burned directly from fat. The only problem is, with low intensity cardiovascular exercise, your overall calorie burn isn’t enough to truly make a difference in your overall weight loss and body fat reduction.

High intensity cardio training, on the other hand, burns many more calories in a much shorter time period. Some fitness enthusiasts take this to the extreme by pushing themselves as fast and as far as they possibly can. A competitive athlete might sprint flat out for as long as possible, increasing his or her distance and time on the track with every workout. This method works well for some, but is not practical for all.

Tools For Effective Interval Based Cardio Training
Interval based cardiovascular training is a more sensible method of burning a high volume of calories in a short time period. To train with cardio intervals, you will need two things: a heart rate monitor and your maximum heart rate (MHR). Your MHR relates to your age and sex. You can get your MHR by using the following calculations:

For men: MHR = 202 - (.55 x age)
For women: MHR = 216 - (1.09 x age)

These calculations are the results of research conducted at John Moores University in Liverpool in 2007. Research results were reported in the Int J Sports Med 2007; 24.

To practice, lets calculate the MHR for both a 36-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman.

A 36-year-old man calculates his MHR with this equation: 202 - (.55 x 36) = 182.

A 28-year-old-woman calculates her MHR with this equation: 216 - (1.09 x 28) = 185.

Once you have calculated your MHR, you will need a heart rate monitor. You can purchase an inexpensive model from any sporting goods store or from an online vendor. With all the right tools in place, you are ready to workout using interval based cardiovascular training.

Using Interval Based Cardio Training
Any cardiovascular exercise will do. You can run, speed-walk, bike, stair-step, work on an elliptical, jump rope, or any other from cardio exercise. High impact cardio exercise such as running can be harmful on the ankles and knees over time. You might consider using low impact exercises like biking or elliptical to guard against unnecessary wear and tear on the body.

Interval based cardio training breaks your workout into sections (intervals) of time. These intervals alternate between low intensity and high intensity. Your heart rate during exercise acts as a guide to tell you when to switch from low intensity to high intensity mode or from high intensity back to low intensity mode. To exercise using interval based cardio training, follow the eight steps below:

1. Put on your heart rate monitor and begin exercise. Start with one to two minutes of exercise at a light, warm up speed.

2. After a short warm up, kick it in gear. Push yourself as hard as you can. Keep an eye on your heart monitor. Your goal is to hit around 80% of your MHR. If you MHR is 185, you should shoot for 148 to 160 or so.

3. Once you hit 80% of your MHR, maintain your current intensity/speed to keep your heart rate at 80% of your MHR for one minute.

4. At the one-minute mark, drop the intensity of your exercise. Your goal is to drop your heart rate by twenty beats per minute. If, during your high intensity interval, you kept your heart rate at 148 (80% of your MHR), you should shoot for a heart rate at around 128 during your low intensity interval.

5. Maintain your low exercise intensity to keep your heart rate at 20 less than 80% of your MHR for one minute.

6. After a minute of low intensity exercise, kick it in again to raise your heart rate to 80% of your MHR.

7. Continue this pattern, alternating between a high intensity interval for one minute and a low intensity interval for one minute for as long as you like.

8. Finish your interval based workout with a one to two minute, low intensity cool down.

Usually twenty minutes of interval based cardiovascular exercise is enough to keep your metabolism pumping, to lose weight, and to keep your heart in good condition. You should experiment with the frequency and length of your interval based training. Put yourself a cardiovascular exercise schedule for two weeks, perhaps working out for 20 minutes on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. Weigh yourself at the beginning of your schedule and again at the end. If, while maintaining a healthy diet, you have not lost weight, try increasing the length or frequency of your cardiovascular workouts. You should see a weight loss difference; if you don’t you need to change your routine until you get on a steady fat loss track. With some experimentation, you will find your way to obtaining a slim, athletic body.

Craig Nybo is the president of TOTALhuman.com, a company dedicated to improving YOUR quality of life with advanced, highly efficient exercise programs.

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