Saturday, 25 August 2012
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France Win Was Due To Five Key Success Factors
Get Fitness Squared!
Bradley Wiggins’ Tour de France Win Was Due
To Five Key Success Factors
Bradley Wiggins won The 2012 Tour de France
in the manner of a true champion. As well as the acclaim for being the first
Briton to do so, the World Pro Cycling Scene is just starting to realize he won
in a way that has no peers except Armstrong, Coppi and Merckx. For he showed
the time trialling ability of Indurain but with more charisma. He showed the
consistent climbing class of Armstrong but had more to offer his team on the
flat. And he was streets ahead of those skinny hill climbers over the years,
who have just hidden in the peleton and waited until everyone else was having a
bad day in the mountains, to steal several minutes lead. Often the race was
made for them until Armstrong’s team ethic and pacemakers started to nullify
the chances for skinny freaks to catch the race by surprise.
Wiggins won with real class and he did it
for five clear reasons:
Talent – it was seen from an early age that
he had the height, the leg length and the cardio engine to create very high
pedal revolutions in high gears and thus maintain a consistent high speed. Also
the need to win is often in your DNA. Some people are born champions, often
because they are just such bad losers. In Bradley’s case this is partly true,
but he also had something positive to prove from his childhood. Just as with
Lance Armstrong, a loving Mother and distant biological father seems to spark
that extra level of hunger. The earlier victories at Olympic and World levels
proved an exclusive pedigree for cycling speed.
Focus – this year there was just this one
goal, with no distraction. The track racing was dropped. The London Olympics
were merely an interesting opportunist week in the racing calendar. Everything
was focused on Le Tour.
Experience – Bradley admits that last
year’s Tour de France crash and his forced early withdrawal due to a broken
collar bone gave him extra impetus this year. It should be remembered that he
was already ‘mixing-it’ with the elite climbers, as far back as three years’
ago. Holding his own until the very final attacks on the Mont Ventoux with the
esteemed company of Schleck, Contador and The Great Armstrong showed his class.
Plus it gave him real confidence to climb the Grand Cols in his own way – avoiding
the showmanship of Contador’s (allegedly artificially stimulated) uphill
attacks or the short-term bursts of Schleck and this year, Nibali.
Professionalism – this was evident in the
whole Sky set-up. Mental and physical preparation, selection of team members,
the whole season’s perfect racing programme allowing three other stage-race
victories to come Bradley’s way. And of course the single-minded attitude and
planning of the whole team set-up. But it also rested on Bradley himself to
take his self-discipline to a new level. Not easy with new-found wealth and a
young family hardly seen during relentless nights recovering in soul-less
hotels through training camps and long stage races. But his professional
self-discipline held firm.
Belief – a new level of self-belief came
from the realization that he had everything in his physical make-up to realize
the ultimate road cyclists dream. This was brilliantly nurtured by his support
team but also came from a rising stature and respect among the super-elite
cadre of the world’s top riders. Slowing the peleton after Cadel Evans’
misfortune was not just sportsmanship but the action of someone who realized he
was “Le Patron” at last.
There may just be one more year for Bradley
to repeat this dominant victory again. But other teams and other Grand Tour contenders
will find it very hard, in the short term, to establish these five factors for
his success . Check out Power Muscle and Exercise Bike Health
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
Body Building Advice
|
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Bad Drivers and High Water while Cycle Racing Training For Elite Cycling.
report discourteous motorists on
http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
Increase Sprinting Speed from Cycling Coaching for Elite Cyclists
Increase Sprinting Speed and How To Improve Your Cycling Sprinting Power
Are cycling sprinters born or made? Could Mark Cavendish or Sir Chris
Hoy have achieved so much renowned world championship success if they were not
born with specific physiological benefits? The answer is yes – with specific
training programs and focus, sprinters can be made. But no – to get to the
levels that Cav and Sir Chris attain, then you do need to be blessed with the
physical features that mean you can find that extra sprinting kick, when it
really matters. So how can you make yourself into a good elite cycling
sprinter?
The champion cyclist will have the right bias of ‘fast twitch’ muscles
in his or her legs, to be able to get all their power into a 300m burst. To
accelerate hard, build the power and kick hard when it’s really close on the
finish line, you have to be blessed with this type of muscle composition from
birth. But how far can you get without such a genetic gift? If you want to be
another Cav or Sir Chris, how can you follow a training plan that gets you into
a chance of a winning position in a final sprint? How can you improve your
cycling sprinting regardless of your allotted quantity of fast-twitch muscle
fibres?
The process is really all about simulating the pain of that final
effort, making your legs take the pain off sheer intensive effort. And to be
ready for it even after 3-4 hours of racing. It starts in the gym and concludes
in your mind. But most of the development of your sprint training speed comes
from the road.
1. Gym work needs to
build your strength throughout your body – but it should not be overdone. Twice
per week during the winter, once per week during the spring as you step up your
foundation miles and perhaps a very light session each week, during the summer
racing season. Your winter sessions can use heavier weights for bench presses
and squats – using the apparatus and equipment under careful qualified
direction until you have a safely improving program. But as the season
approaches and then once you start racing, you must just keep the weight low and
rely on longer and more frequent repetitions, combined with lots of stretching.
And each night at home you can try to do the skier’s exercise of sitting
against a wall. Try to increase your count of seconds doing this each time. And
take the last 20 seconds to lift the balls of your feet up and down.
2. Whether you want
elite cycling fitness for road or track, road training is where you make all
the big leaps forward in your sprinting power. You need the foundation of at
least 150km per week of winter training on high cadence. Then you use intervals
to build your strength through High Intensity Interval Training. 30-40 minutes of road intervals on a
quiet circuit, sprinting for trees or accelerating out of corners. Then make
the final 5-600 metres absolutely full power in two spurts of total effort,
probably in the gear that you would sprint in on the flat- 53x13 for an elite
rider.
3. Racing to win road
sprints is all about conserving your energy for the sprints that count. In an
elite road race you may be called on to make 5-6 key efforts to close gaps or
join a break. Then 3-4 efforts as the attacks ensue all around you in the final
kilometers. The more you wait for others to close gaps, then the more points of
energy you have in the tank for the final 500m of two big efforts. One to get
to the front and one to put everything into the last 200m. Only you can judge
just when to wait, if an attack goes. But once you decide to close a gap
unaided, treat that like a sprint. If the riders in the breakaway group are any
good they will be attacking at say 45kph. So it’s in the maths. If you want to
close a 30 second gap you have to sprint at an average of 55kph for at least 2
minutes. This also means surprising the bunch to escape with an intense sprint
attack of about 65 kph for 20 seconds on full power.
4. So think of
racing as a series of sprints. And think of sprinting as your route to sheer
self-belief and the elation of victory. Your mental strength is absolutely
critical. It starts with your foundation training and your commitment to
condition your legs to take sheer pain of intensive effort – until you almost
enjoy it! Then your confidence at the business end of a race to be able to
judge where to position yourself in the front ten riders. Who to follow and who
to get ahead of. The better you get, the more instinctive this becomes – and
the more the other riders will be maneuvering to follow you!
Saturday, 28 April 2012
http://youtu.be/kn9q99JPWcc
Elite Cycling Fitness Sprint Training Program for FAST Twitch Muscles to Increase Sprinting Speed. How to build elite cycling fitness for cycle racing training using top cycling fitness coaching and cycling training tips for personal fitness exercise. How to include sprint interval training into your cycle fitness training and triathlon training plans. Use a balanced cycling training programme to increase sprinting speed from your endurance training programmes.
http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Self Esteem and Mind Fitness Allow You To Trust Your Instincts In Any Business Venture or Start Up
Following your
instincts is essential. It gets better with age. Obviously. Because how many
times have you got out of something after suffering a disappointment or setback
– when your instincts had said to you that the activity in question had its
drawbacks? And, of course, the more entrepreneurial and the lass risk averse
that you are, then the more likely you are to plunge in and dismiss any
niggling doubts.
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| Keep An Active Mind While Cycling Training Coaching |
In his
brilliant book ‘Blink’, the award-winning author Malcolm Gladwell examines and
proves that, on balance, a decision taken in five seconds will get you the same
or better net results, than one taken after agonising days or weeks of
evaluation; or after investment in deep and thorough research and analysis.
Think how your
gut-feel told you in five seconds whether you could or could not hire that
person as an employee, or make that investment, or buy that property. Think how
your gut-feel told you about relationships and important situations. Even which
direction to take when you are lost on a car journey. So follow it and have
utter faith in it.
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| http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com |
For The Master Entrepreneur
1.
I will enjoy my faith in my
instincts to know when a course of action is right
2.
When I have doubts, I will
recognize how tough this is to acknowledge them. But again I will have utter
faith and be ready to walk away fast, because I know that the Universe has lots
of opportunities for me right up ahead.
3.
When others ask my advice I
will give them an honest and instinctive re-action and be totally realistic
about my views on the pros and cons.
4.
I will use my instincts as a competitive strength when it comes to a new innovation or course of action. My
resourcefulness and zeal will enable me to exploit an emergent opportunity with
immediate new strategies and tactics
For the Cautious Optimist
1.
I must follow my instincts
more, whatever the scenario
2.
When an opportunity looks
ideal, I must balance my nagging doubts with a spirit of ‘I will prevail’. I
should create a fallback plan if further analysis proves my instincts wrong,
but I should proceed regardless, albeit cautiously and in small
bite-sized-chunks.
3.
If my instincts tell me
something doesn’t look right then I should have more faith in them. Rather than
agonise over deep time-consuming analysis, I should have the confidence to drop
that option and just move on.
4.
I will build my abilities tofollow my gut feel. I can use idle time (perhaps in traffic or while you are
frustrated in a queue) to think this through. By taking previous examples of
success and failure – in my life or in the lives of others that I respect – and
thinking through my own perspectives it will help me understand. I will reflect
on ‘how I would have felt’ and ‘what would I have done’. Most importantly, how
would I have held the courage to go ahead and commit resources, even against
the supposed ‘better judgment of close advisors or friends?’
When you read
the biographies of successful entrepreneurs or courageous leaders, it is often
one small decision that made all the difference. Look carefully for these and
try to adopt the thought processes and confidence that these winners displayed.
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| http://elitecyclingfitness.com |
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
http://youtu.be/07NnNaiiS30
Cycle Fitness Training in England's Chiltern Hills and The Vale of Oxford. Gentle 3 hours for 80km ending on the tough Kingston Hill and warming down to Christmas Common. Cycling Training Tips and announcing the Elite Cycling Fitness Online Shop, where all transactions are secured by Amazon. For Serious Cyclists who want cycle racing training and cycling fitness coaching and to train and feel fit like an Elite Bike Rider, when doing bike riding exercise. Cycling Training Tips, Health Advice, Nutrition, Triathlon Training Plans, Endurance Training Programmes and Weight Loss information for keen cyclists even if you want information on cycling for beginners
Saturday, 24 March 2012
Cycle Fitness Training for Elite Cycling Fitness on England's Warmest March Day For 50 Years
http://youtu.be/pe2YaJw7Pzg
Cycle training ride in England's Thames Valley on a warm March day. For Serious Cyclists who want cycle racing training and cycling fitness coaching and to train and feel fit like an Elite Bike Rider, when doing bike riding exercise. Cycling Training Tips, Health Advice, Nutrition, Triathlon Training Plans, Endurance Training Programmes and Weight Loss information for keen cyclists even if you want information on cycling for beginners. On You Tube http://youtu.be/pe2YaJw7Pzg
Friday, 23 March 2012
Top Cycling Fitness Coaching For Interval Training In Endurance Training Programmes
Cycling Fitness Coaching For Interval
Training In Endurance Training Programmes
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| Elite Cycling Fitness for Track Team Sprinting |
Strength and Endurance Training Programmes can give you high threshold power, good recovery ability, aerobic
endurance, muscular endurance, core strength and upper body muscular endurance.
All these are quality attributes for elite cycling fitness. Your training
programmes need to be varied and balanced, with outside road training, yoga,
indoor exercise bike training and plenty of rest.
Here let’s focus on gaining elite cycling fitness from interval training, both on the road and indoors on your exercise
bike. In three sessions of 30 minutes, Interval Training can give you as much
benefit and improvement as five sessions of 60 minutes of steady tempo or
aerobic training. Why is this? Working your muscles during High Intensity
Interval Training combines two of the most effective fat-burning methods.
First, through working your muscles to a level of fatigue that prompts the
highest amounts of oxygen use during a quick burst. Second, at this level of
‘VO2 MAX’, triggering an afterburn
effect which can last for up to 48 hours after your workout.
So interval training accelerates your
elite fitness goals through boosting your metabolism and building lean muscle
tissue, faster than steady state training. Why is this? Normal tempo cardio
training just maximizes your aerobic fitness, but very gradually between
essential conscious occasional days of rest (we recommend every third day
should be a rest day). But High Intensity Interval Training taxes and maximizes
BOTH aerobic and anaerobic fitness. Aerobic respiration requires Oxygen to
generate energy, while anaerobic training does not. And High Intensity Interval
Training affects mucle tissue at a cellular level, actually changing what’s known
as the ‘mitochondrial’ activity in the muscles themselves. This is why
Intervals can get your muscles in better shape but in less time.
Road Interval Training
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| Interval Training achieves Cycling Sprint Speed |
Find a quiet circuit near your home with
minimal junctions or exit driveways – because you will be accelerating from 15
to 45 mph (25 to 65 kph), over 300 metre spurts. If there are plenty of hills
nearby, you can do sessions of around 50 minutes, with 3 minute efforts on the
rises, followed by around 8 minute rest periods. But you can be more intense on
the flat. For around 40 minutes on a flate circuit, keep sprinting for trees or
road signs that are about 300 metres ahead. Jump out of corners for these
landmarks in gear of 53x16 and put maximum pedal power to accelerate until you
can gear up to 53x14 and keep the power on. For a racing cyclist this will
simulate how you will have to be able to accelerate to close gaps or gain the
right position near the end of a bunch sprint.
Soft pedal with no effort between the
sprints, for around 400 metres. Then accelerate again and repeat this for 12 to
16 times during your session. At the end, do two close 300 metre power sprints
ahead of a ‘Big Finish’, where you will be on maximum power. Then your interval
session is complete and you can rest and warm down, by soft pedaling over the
next few kilometers home.
Home Interval Training
Use your home exercise bike or turbo trainer for lots of easy suppleness spinning to relax, together with aerobic
tempo and interval training. For home interval training, get used to counting
your pedal revs and using a build up routine, where you count for 20 revs hard,
20 revs soft, then 30 revs hard, 30 revs soft and so on, building up to 200
revs hard and 200 revs soft. This is maximum intensity and then come down to 160
revs hard, 160 revs soft, then lesser sprints in jumps of 20 revs, until you
get to just 20 revs hard and 20 soft. Give yourself our final spurt of 100 revs
on full power as ‘The Big Finish’ (visualizing,say. Your sprint victory like
Mark Cavendish or Sir Chris Hoy would do it!). Then take 500 revs of warm down
and relax.
So on the road or on your home exercise
bike, High Intensity Interval Training will improve your Elite Cycling Fitness in double quick time.
See this in more detail on You Tube on http://youtu.be/uhcknBmJ2XM Interval Training Advice for Road Cycling Training or
Triathlons, using Exercise Bike Training and Road Cycling Training. For Serious
Cyclists who want cycle racing training and cycling fitness coaching and to
train and feel fit like an Elite Bike Rider, when doing bike riding exercise.
Cycling Training Tips, Health Advice, Nutrition, Triathlon Training Plans,
Endurance Training Programmes and Weight Loss information for keen cyclists
even if you want information on cycling for beginners
Saturday, 10 March 2012
On You Tube on
http://youtu.be/uhcknBmJ2XM
Interval Training Advice for Road Cycling Training or Triathlons, using Exercise Bike Training and Road Cycling Training. For Serious Cyclists who want cycle racing training and cycling fitness coaching and to train and feel fit like an Elite Bike Rider, when doing bike riding exercise. Cycling Training Tips, Health Advice, Nutrition, Triathlon Training Plans, Endurance Training Programmes and Weight Loss information for keen cyclists even if you want information on cycling for beginners
On You Tube On
http://youtu.be/uhcknBmJ2XM
http://youtu.be/uhcknBmJ2XM
Interval Training Advice for Road Cycling Training or Triathlons, using Exercise Bike Training and Road Cycling Training. For Serious Cyclists who want cycle racing training and cycling fitness coaching and to train and feel fit like an Elite Bike Rider, when doing bike riding exercise. Cycling Training Tips, Health Advice, Nutrition, Triathlon Training Plans, Endurance Training Programmes and Weight Loss information for keen cyclists even if you want information on cycling for beginners
On You Tube On
http://youtu.be/uhcknBmJ2XM
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
Exercise Bike Fitness within an Integrated Endurance Fitness Programme
On You Tube on:
http://youtu.be/2LUixrLjbCk
How to build elite cycling fitness for cycle racing training using top cycling fitness coaching and cycling training tips for personal fitness exercise. How to include exercise bike fitness into your cycle fitness training and triathlon training plans. Use a balanced cycling training programme to increase sprinting speed from your endurance training programmes. Understand more on a cross trainer workout,bike riding exercise and home exercise bikes from
http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com
See You Tube: http://youtu.be/2LUixrLjbCk
Monday, 5 March 2012
More Cycle Training Coaching For Elite Cycling Fitness
Here are three more tips, which apply whether you are a seasoned cyclist or a beginner, whether you are a top triathlete or a new rider contemplating some testing sportives. We have learned our elite cycling fitness training methods through many hours and days riding with some of the world's top bike riders. Here are some more points that we feel really matter
Take ALL your body's signals VERY Seriously - as a serious cyclist or triathlete, you are really pushing your body. Regularly you are pushing your heart and lungs and legs into areas of fatigue that normally improve your fitness, but sometimes cause levels of strain or fatigue that you should heed and respect. Overtrain, and your body will pay you back. Don't stretch and warm up properly before interval training and you can easily pull a muscle. Check your waking, morning pulse and recognise when it is higher than average. Then make that day a rest day. Respond to aching knees or strains by immediately checking your riding position with an experienced coach; plus remember to check the alignment of your pedal cleats and riding shoes.
If you regularly suffer chronic lower back pain, learn the relevant yoga stretches, for before and after your rides. In training, spend more time riding out of the saddle and lower your gears. But see your doctor, chiropractor and sports physiotherapist – and deal with the causes rather than the symptoms. Also try to get at least 30 minutes of massage therapy when your muscles are sore, to improve blood flow to the sore muscle tissue and release micro-adhesions associated with muscle repair. This can be a painful technique to reduce soreness. Ask your senior teammates or doctor to recommend a good sports physiotherapist.
Here is a really good course for Strengthening Your Core Abdominals too
Make sure you get at least eight to 10 hours of sleep to help with muscle recovery. Muscles that have been adequately repaired will not be sore. The body repairs itself at night and important hormones are triggered to signal repair to muscle tissue. Failing to get eight to 10 hours will decrease the hormonal response and recovery will be slower. This means the muscle tissue will be sore for a longer duration.
Never increase on your previous week's workloads, in training hours or kilometres, by more than 20 percent on the previous week (including competition) - a no brainer. Gradual improvement is the key. Increase on the previous week at a higher level and you will be straining your system too far. Remember there is no quick fix. So you have to plan backwards from your distance or racing goals, to make sure you keep to this rule and start your build- up early enough.
Build a roster of favourite routes with minimal traffic, over one, two, three hour circuits - or more; some hilly and some flat. Again, variety is key. Circuits are preferred to out-and-back. Just find routes that you feel good and comfortable on. And never risk busy roads for the sake of some easy flat kilometres. Sometimes do your easy day on a hilly circuit. Sometimes use those hills for your interval training. Observe the routes that sportives follow or top races use. These are often testing and fun. Measure your own preferred variations on these courses, for distance and time. Then, on your tempo rides, try to improve your times.
Check several other cycling training coaching tips here.
Friday, 24 February 2012
Why You Should Manage Time To Refresh Your Business Strategy And Tactics But Stick To Your Goals
Here are a number of simple strategic planning and time management techniques that
you need to follow:
1. Set the end game and define success. Visualize the successful consequences. Write them down and solidify this objective monthly. But only re-visit it and re-think it annually. Definitely not more frequently.
2. Set out two key milestones for each year of your five-year plan. One milestone will be tangible - say a financial target, the number of hours per week on a particular business, networking, sporting, social or family activity. The other milestone will be intangible - say a particular level of media standing or a level of access that you need to achieve with certain selected priority customers.
3. Now define the actions that you need to take to get to those milestones. Plus the resources that you intend to deploy. Time, cash, hired support, mentors, business angels, etc. For each quarter over the next two years. This is your own strategic plan.
4. Call them what you want, your milestones do not need to vary that much. Otherwise known as strategic goals, these determine your strategic plans, which should be reviewed and tested quarterly. Look objectively at those strategic action plans every three months. Be honest with yourself and consider whether they are really working, to keep you on track with your milestones. Be prepared to adjust your strategy to get back on track.
5. For each week of the forthcoming quarter, set out more specific milestone steps - plus your tactical plan to get there. These tactics will involve very specific activities, say to derive value for your customers, to market your brand or to organize and outsource your low added-value support activities.
6. Be prepared to challenge yourself over your tactical progress every week and reprioritise your action plan every day. Remember that you can never be good enough at time management. This most precious resource should be managed in a disclplined manner. Make it fun but keep it rigourous.
7. Put the next day's priorities in four lists:
a. Cash Is King - Grows Cash Flow This Quarter
b. Build Our Brand - High Impact On Competitiveness, Niche and Innovation
c. Love Our Customers - Create New Customer Value And Deal With Any Issues - Immediately
d. Other
8. Delegate or outsource list (d)
9. Get trusted support on the other lists. You cannot do it all in a growing business. But run activities in (a) to (c) yourself,unless you can entrust them to staff with integrity, intelligence and energy.
10. Hire this support diligently and thoroughly. Follow your first instincts to get to short-list fast, for any level of job role. But then take your time to test and reference check anyone that you believe can be worthy of being on your payroll. Check them and test them again for integrity, intelligence and energy. Because if the don't have integrity first, the other two can soon destroy what your brand and business stand for.
For the Master Entrepreneur
1. I will prevail. My instinct is right. I will get to the end vision. Sometimes I will vary my strategic plan. I will make sure I have such control that I will be able to take action fast
2. I will make sure I never get into a position where I cannot react swiftly to change my tactics in an instant
3. I will stay close to the detail where it involves cash flow and customer satisfaction. Hirings in this area will be very carefully and diligently made.
4. I will outsource when I have a recommendation from someone that I really respect and trust
For the Cautious Optimist
1. I will agree a plan with my accountants and stick to it. I will work with trusted advisors and give most of my focus to sales and credit control
2. I will set a programme to test my strategic priorities every month and take advice from trusted mentors or non-executive directors
3. If I have brought in 'Business Angel' Investors to help me so I will seek their opinion on big strategic changes, but make sure I have delegated authority for week-by-week tactics
4. We will only grow our enterprise as fast as we are allowed by the availability and hiring of really top people. If we can't be sure of our staffing we will play safe, delay hiring and put he brakes on revenue growth for its own sake.
We all know examples of success in either type of leader. And you will recognize which is you. Ultimately your success will depend on your strategic judgement and your tactical allocation of your most important asset - your time.
you need to follow:
1. Set the end game and define success. Visualize the successful consequences. Write them down and solidify this objective monthly. But only re-visit it and re-think it annually. Definitely not more frequently.
2. Set out two key milestones for each year of your five-year plan. One milestone will be tangible - say a financial target, the number of hours per week on a particular business, networking, sporting, social or family activity. The other milestone will be intangible - say a particular level of media standing or a level of access that you need to achieve with certain selected priority customers.
3. Now define the actions that you need to take to get to those milestones. Plus the resources that you intend to deploy. Time, cash, hired support, mentors, business angels, etc. For each quarter over the next two years. This is your own strategic plan.
4. Call them what you want, your milestones do not need to vary that much. Otherwise known as strategic goals, these determine your strategic plans, which should be reviewed and tested quarterly. Look objectively at those strategic action plans every three months. Be honest with yourself and consider whether they are really working, to keep you on track with your milestones. Be prepared to adjust your strategy to get back on track.
5. For each week of the forthcoming quarter, set out more specific milestone steps - plus your tactical plan to get there. These tactics will involve very specific activities, say to derive value for your customers, to market your brand or to organize and outsource your low added-value support activities.
6. Be prepared to challenge yourself over your tactical progress every week and reprioritise your action plan every day. Remember that you can never be good enough at time management. This most precious resource should be managed in a disclplined manner. Make it fun but keep it rigourous.
7. Put the next day's priorities in four lists:
a. Cash Is King - Grows Cash Flow This Quarter
b. Build Our Brand - High Impact On Competitiveness, Niche and Innovation
c. Love Our Customers - Create New Customer Value And Deal With Any Issues - Immediately
d. Other
8. Delegate or outsource list (d)
9. Get trusted support on the other lists. You cannot do it all in a growing business. But run activities in (a) to (c) yourself,unless you can entrust them to staff with integrity, intelligence and energy.
10. Hire this support diligently and thoroughly. Follow your first instincts to get to short-list fast, for any level of job role. But then take your time to test and reference check anyone that you believe can be worthy of being on your payroll. Check them and test them again for integrity, intelligence and energy. Because if the don't have integrity first, the other two can soon destroy what your brand and business stand for.
For the Master Entrepreneur
1. I will prevail. My instinct is right. I will get to the end vision. Sometimes I will vary my strategic plan. I will make sure I have such control that I will be able to take action fast
2. I will make sure I never get into a position where I cannot react swiftly to change my tactics in an instant
3. I will stay close to the detail where it involves cash flow and customer satisfaction. Hirings in this area will be very carefully and diligently made.
4. I will outsource when I have a recommendation from someone that I really respect and trust
For the Cautious Optimist
1. I will agree a plan with my accountants and stick to it. I will work with trusted advisors and give most of my focus to sales and credit control
2. I will set a programme to test my strategic priorities every month and take advice from trusted mentors or non-executive directors
3. If I have brought in 'Business Angel' Investors to help me so I will seek their opinion on big strategic changes, but make sure I have delegated authority for week-by-week tactics
4. We will only grow our enterprise as fast as we are allowed by the availability and hiring of really top people. If we can't be sure of our staffing we will play safe, delay hiring and put he brakes on revenue growth for its own sake.
We all know examples of success in either type of leader. And you will recognize which is you. Ultimately your success will depend on your strategic judgement and your tactical allocation of your most important asset - your time.
Alan Taylor has known much success and failure as an entrepreneur, as well as driving shareholder value through technology-led change as a director of leading international companies. He now consults to clients of the world's leading enterprise software company, on performance optimization.
Get his insights to Why Wait Just Do and learn from his experience at http://tinyurl.com/86byrxn.
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Great Insights on Exercise Science
And see 15+ NEW FREE EBOOKS on Fitness, Positive Thinking, Lifestyle, etc.
on
http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com
Exercise Reverses Aging In Human Skeletal Muscle
Buck Institute for Age Research study gives credence to the value
of exercise, not only as a means of improving health, but of
reversing the aging process itself.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070522210936.htm
Changes in Lipid and Lipoprotein Levels After Weight Training
Both men and women reduced their cholesterol and triglyceride
levels by weightlifting for 16 weeks.
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/252/4/504
Brief, Intense Exercise Can Benefit The Heart
McMaster University study found that six weeks of intense sprint
interval exercise training improves the structure and function of
arteries as much as traditional and longer endurance exercise with
larger time commitment.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080604101529.htm
'No Time To Exercise' Is No Excuse
The Journal of Physiology article shows that short bursts of very
intense exercise -- equivalent to only a few minutes per day -- can
produce the same results as traditional endurance training.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/09/060918142456.htm
For Insulin Sensitive Overweight Patients, One Session Of Exercise
Improves Metabolic Health
This study shows that even a single bout of exercise helps obese
individuals increase their body's fat-burning rate and improve
their metabolic health.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080925072428.htm
Varying Weight Training Intensity Increases Growth Hormone In Women
Women need to have heavy loading cycle or workout in their
resistance training routines, as it helps to build muscle and bone.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/12/061201105951.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Articles highlighting multitude of exercise benefits, particularly
in older adults.
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/growing_stronger/why.htm
Best Bet For Boosting Brawn In Women Is Traditional Strength
Training
Ohio University study of women shows the greater benefits of
shorter, heavier workouts over longer, lighter workouts.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080520210700.htm
Weight Training Reduces Fat And Improve Metabolism In Mice
Boston University researchers demonstrated that an increase in type
II muscle mass can reduce body fat which in turn reduces overall
body mass and improves metabolic parameters such as insulin
resistance.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080205121740.htm
Journal of Applied Physiology - reference to studies of Morpurgo,
Petow and Seibert
Muscle hypertrophy (enlargement) is caused by more work per unit of
time, whereas total the total work done was without importance.
http://jap.physiology.org/cgi/pdf_extract/71/1/372
Both Aerobic And Resistance Exercise Improved Blood Sugar Control
In People With Diabetes
The group that did both kinds of exercise had about twice as much
improvement as either other group alone.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070917173157.htm
Moderate Exercise Yields Big Benefits
Studies have shown that simply walking at a brisk pace for 30
minutes or more on most days can lead to significant health
improvements.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080104123421.htm
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
How To Ride The Bumps and Walk Away From
Critics
According to Einstein (or rather misquoting
him!) and probably several other philosophers and gurus besides, luck is dealt to all of us in
equal measures through our life. So what really counts? Obviously it’s how you
exploit the good luck, when it comes your way. And we will be discussing that
much more. But let’s just focus for a few moments on what happens when luck
goes against us. Or when we misjudge a situation and our action goes against
us.
How we ride these bumps through life is
just as important. Then you are ready for the next opportunity, with sustained
energy to apply when good luck returns. Quite often we will tend to exaggerate
failure. We will let our own thoughts and feelings make a setback much worse
than it is. And if the pressure on our own self-esteem is not enough, then
there can often be separate pressures, from the criticism of others.
So how do we ensure that we maintain
self-esteem through the bad times? And how do we take the positives from
critical feedback, but still ensure that we swiftly distance ourselves from
negative critical people. Ensuring we walk away from critics fast, but, to
(correctly) quote Kipling “make allowance for their doubting too”?
For the Master Entrepreneur
1.
These are the fun times!
Challenges we want – to test us. Our instinct will guide us to those problems
where we need to dive deep into the detail until they are resolved.
2.
We do not believe in exit
criteria so we will keep the big picture and We Will Prevail.
3.
We will ignore non-issues that
we judge are unimportant or will resolve themselves. Criticism in these areas
will be politely ignored.
4.
We can turn this problem into
an opportunity for learning and a springboard for creating value for others in
some new way.
For the Cautious Optimist
1.
We will have to decide very
early if this is time to get out. Is this a moment to cut our losses and walk
away. Or do we hang on and see this problem through?
2.
We will have set our exit
criteria and our stop-loss position. This is where our safety net can be
utilized.
3.
We will keep our energy high to
face the problem head on where it is major. While we fight, other issues or
losses can be absorbed by our safety net.
4.
Those critics who are saying “I
told you so” can be ignored as I hold my head high for trying to make this
work. If it fails and I move on, my true friends will be there for me and my
business acquaintances will respect me more.
Human nature being what it is, there will
always be individuals who
criticise you, often enviously. They are normally average people without an
appetite for risk or the energy to embrace anything new. Walk away from them. Forget
their comments and just emerge as a stronger individual, from the learning.
List the ways that you are a better person from the negative experience. When
in doubt, repeat that list in your mind, over and over.
Remember that every bump has a downhill
stretch on the other side. So ride it with strength, Don’t buckle. Look forward
to the extra momentum and depth of character gained when you get over this bump
and emerge on the exit with greater vigour and self-belief. For no critic is
allowed to ever enter your mind and dilute the trust that you have, in your own
abilities and potential.
Monday, 6 February 2012
How Can You Take One Giant Step to Fitness? Cut Out Alcohol
Rarely touch alcohol - maximum five unitsper week and never after 6pm. You must respect your metabolism and work with it- not against it. This doesn't need a Doctorate in Nutrition. Nor deepscientific knowledge. Just discipline. As a serious athlete or cyclist, youcommit to a disciplined training regime. You value your health and fitness. Youwant to feel like an Elite rider or top Triathlete, every time you train. Sowhy not follow the same discipline with controlling your weight and alcoholconsumption? And what a difference climbing hills! It's amazing. Unshed thosekilos and you fly up those killer climbs. You recover quicker at the top. Youfeel so much better that you could go back down and climb that hill again!Seriously. When you cut out alcohol and lose that weight you will think howill-disciplined you were, to leave it so long, before taking action. And it'snot about fads like Atkins or G.I. or others. It's about balance, moderationand getting into good habits. Habits so good that you can reward yourselfregularly - even to the extent of a bar of chocolate any afternoon! Provided,of course, that you are following the rules carefully, like no other carbsafter 6pm.
So we have put together key rules for anactive sports person to lose 10 kilos in 5 months - or about an imperial poundin weight every week. These reflect varied pieces of information, advice andlearning, over thirty years of fighting excess weight. The key is to keep therules, all the time. And cut out alcohol. Then you'll feel great. Rarelyhungry. And fly up the hills as if they did not exist! Follow
http://www.elitecyclingfitness.com
So reducing alcohol consumption iscritical. Even better, just give it up completely. Try to combine this with alife-changing event like a new job, a new home move, or a new relationship.Seriously, this gives you an alternative focus and keeps your discipline. Youwill find, after a few days, that when you have beer or a glass of wine, thatyou can really taste the alcohol in it. The flavours that you thought you wereyearning for are just not there. They are overwhelmed by the alcohol itself.Why is this so important? Because you must respect the importance of a properlyfunctioning liver. A healthy liver is essential to process your weight loss andregulate your whole body's digestive balance, especially glycogen. The secondyou consume alcohol, then your liver switches into self-preservation mode, toget the impurities out of your body as fast as you drank them in! What happens?Well clearly all the other liver activities move back down the queue. So othertoxins from training take longer to process out. And other fats in your systemtake longer to burn. Go to bed at night after a few glasses of wine or beer andyou can say goodbye to any weight loss benefits for a couple of days. Yes, itis that important.
But what happens if you slip back into somesociable drinking? A Sunday lunchtime pint is sometimes fine. Or a glass ofwine with a good meal. But, if you are serious about weight loss, make surethat you always dilute one glass of an alcoholic drink with at least twoglasses of water. The effect will be amazing on your general well-being too.Better sleep, better skin and better late-night abilities for conversation - orother activities that need a healthy body! But don't some people advocate thata daily large glass of red wine is good for your health? Sure they do. For thefruit and the tannins. But not for the acidity and the alcohol. Better topurchase a really good juicing machine. Then make the most amazing fresh fruitjuice cocktails. But again watch the high sugar content, too late in theevening before bed. Remember a pint of lager has the same sugar content asdoughnut coated with icing. How many Elite Cyclists or Top triathletes winraces by stuffing themselves with Crispy Cremes?
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