Bodybuilding Workout Basics

At the end of the day it’s really very simple. If you want to get big, if you want to add pounds of muscle to your frame and if you want to get massive using a bodybuilding workout then the formula for getting big looks something like this: Big muscles move big weight.

There are no exceptions.

If you want big muscles, you’re going to have to move massive amounts of weight and iron every time you’re in the gym doing a bodybuilding workout.

You’re not going to get big curling 25 pound dumbells or benching 135 pounds. Unless you’re warming up of course.

You get big and you add tons of muscle to your frame by pushing your body to the damn limit every single bodybuilding workout.

In order for you to get bigger you’re going to have to get stronger and in order for you to get stronger you’re going to want to limit your bodybuilding workout sets to about 4-6 repetitions per set.

This is the ideal rep range for increasing mass and strength. You usually want to do 3 sets per exercise and I would recommend you do 2 sets at 6 reps and then do your last set at 4 reps to really emphasize increasing your strength.

You’re not going to increase your overall muscle mass unless you start to lift heavier weights.

It doesn’t matter which exercises you are doing so long as you are getting stronger and you are gradually increasing the weight you use for every single exercise you use in your workouts.

So there you go… you want to get bigger? Start moving more weight in your bodybuilding workout.

Are You Keeping a Workout Log

If you’re not keeping a bodybuilding workout log how do you know if you’re making progress in the gym or not?

Your muscles may look and feel fuller this week but that may be due entirely to your diet.

The fact is that for your muscles to get bigger; your bodybuilding workout has to consistently and progressively get harder and harder.

And the best way to assure yourself that each and every workout you endure is getting harder and harder is by logging your stats in a bodybuilding workout log.

Bodybuilding workout logs are great because you never have to wonder how much weight you pressed last week. You don’t have to worry about what weight to warm up with and how many reps to do. And finally you don’t have to worry about what your max weight is and for how many reps!

I like to keep notes in mine about how certain exercises affect my muscles and whether or not I should do them again the following week.

Based on some of the notes I’ve made and taken, I’ve come up with some “cheat sheet workouts” which are some of my favorite and all-time best bodybuilding workout combinations. Super-sets, drop-sets, giant-sets…it’s all in there.

And this is an amazing resource when I go into my gym and I just don’t “feel it” or I just can’t seem to get it going.

I just look up my cheat sheets (maybe slam a Red Bull or something) and start attacking the weights.

You know how it is when the blood starts filling up your muscles and you start getting pumped…

And when you can turn a bad workout into a good one; that’s when you start to make some real progress!

If your goal is to get bigger; you should be keeping a bodybuilding workout log.

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Spousal and Fiance Visa Options

United States citizens that have a foreign citizen wife or spouse have a few different options if they want to bring their wife/spouse to the United States. Below is a brief explanation of the various visas the United States offers and some of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The K1 Fiancé Visa

The K1 Fiancé Visa if for U.S. citizens who have a foreign fiancé and who desire to get married in the United States. To petition for and qualify for a K1 fiancé visa the couple must be able to prove that they are engaged in a legitimate relationship and will have to have met at least once in the previous two years. Both will also have to be legally free to marry.

marriage visaThe process is started by the United States citizen who will have to file a petition for Alien Fiancé with the United States Citizenship and Immigration services. Once the petition is approved it will be forwarded to the National Visa Center who will work with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate closest to the foreign fiancé to complete the process.

Once the K1 visa is issued the foreign fiancé will have to travel to the U.S. within six months. Once he or she enters the U.S. he/she will have ninety days to marry his/her sponsor. Unfortunately if he/she does not marry within that time, he/she will have to leave the country as the visa will expire.

IR1 CR1 Marriage Visa

The IR1 Visa or CR1 Visa are the options for a United States citizen who is married to a foreign citizen. The type of visa you get is determined how long you have been married.  In order to qualify for a marriage visa you will have to prove that you and your spouse are legally married and that it is a legitimate relationship. In order to get the process started the American citizen will file form I-130 with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The petition/application will be forwarded to the National Visa center when it is approved. At that point the U.S. Embassy or Consulate that I closest to your spouse will contact him/her and give specific instructions about a required medical examination, documents that will need to be submitted and details on how to schedule a visa interview.

K3 Visa

A K3 visa is a travel document that permits the foreign spouse of a U.S. citizen to travel to the United States and enter the country if he or she has an I-130 petition pending. Because of the reduction in the amount of time it takes to file the IR1 or CR1 marriage visas, the K3 visa has become virtually obsolete but it is still in existence. The process for the K3 visa is very similar to the process for the IR1 or CR1 visa.

As an American citizen, bringing your foreign fiancé or spouse to the U.S. is a wonderful experience but it can also be pretty stressful. If you want the process to be as smooth and quick as possible, I strongly recommend seeking the counsel of an experienced immigration attorney.

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Tips For Obtaining a Marriage Visa

If you are interested in or are in the process of attempting to obtain a marriage visa, there’s a lot you have to know if you want to succeed with your marriage visa application. The process itself is cumbersome and long and involves several governmental agencies. There will be international involvement with a foreign U.S. Embassy or Consulate and at any point of the process if you forget to submit just one form or submit an incomplete form, the whole process could be delayed or worse, terminated.

First and foremost the United States government is very particular and meticulous when it comes to the forms and applications they request throughout the entire process. The first form you will have to submit is form I-130, better known as a Petition for Alien Relative. While the I-130 application is only a couple of pages long (two pages total), the forms and supporting documentation that you return to them will be several times that and in most cases weight well over a pound!

If you’ve never had to deal with the U.S. Government bureaucracy, than you’re probably in for a rude awakening. As mentioned above the application and forms will be very specific about what you’re supposed to submit to them and how. Unfortunately if you don’t follow all of the instructions to the letter, there’s a good chance that your petition will be delayed and there are literally instructions on how to do everything. Below is an idea of the forms, applications and documents you will have to submit with your I-130 application.

  • A cover letter that explains what the submission is for
  • A check covering the fees required for I-130 application
  • The I-130 application
  • Additional pages needed to further explain answers from the I-130 form
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Evidence that the marriage is a legitimate relationship
  • Form G-325A which is a biographic information form for husband and wife
  • Translation of all documents provided in a foreign language and documentation that the translator is competent

As you can see, you’ll end up sending back a nice size package to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Below are some tips I’ve put together from a recent I-130 application.

  • Don’t lie on any forms – making a mistake on a form or forgetting to submit a document can and will result with a delay in the process but lying on a form will get your application denied and in some cases worse. Worse being your wife never being allowed to enter the country legally if the lie is egregious enough. Not to mention there may even be a fine imposed on you and you could also possibly be facing some jail time.
  • Provide sufficient documentation that your relationship is legitimate – In my case that meant phone bills which illustrated a call history, plane tickets from when I had last visited my wife, paperwork that showed she was the beneficiary of my life insurance policy and evidence of a joint bank account.
  • Be through – First and foremost make sure to use a cover letter so your application makes it to the right department. Secondly, if you need additional space to fill out form I-130, make sure to use additional pages and clearly label and date them.

The I-130 submission process is intensive and thorough and if you’re at all concerned about getting it done as quickly and accurately as possible, you’ll probably want to get the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney to take care of the submission for you.

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How To Inspect And Maintain A Roof

With the average cost of replacing a roof hovering in the thousands of dollars range, it’s no surprise that most homeowners don’t look forward to having to replace their roof. What a lot of these homeowners don’t know is that some routine inspections and some maintenance of their roof could really extend the life of their roof shingles which would postpone the inevitable date when they have to replace their roof. Below are some tips on what you can do as a homeowner to put off replacing your roof for as long as possible without having to hire roofing contractors.

One of the first things you want to do as a homeowner to protect and maintain your roof is inspect your roof on a routine basis. If you have trees overhead or the rainy season has just passed it’s probably a good idea to climb on top of your roof and give it a good and thorough inspection.

A lot of homeowners don’t know it but some pretty simple things can begin the deterioration process of the roof shingles on your roof. Something as simple as a bunch of leaves collecting and gathering on your roof can turn into a pretty big problem if not taken care of. The problem with leaves falling on your roof is that they collect and they sometimes form dams in the valleys of your roof which are necessary for the water to flow into your gutters or off of your roof. In addition leaves also tend to collect moisture and that moisture will begin to break down the asphalt in your asphalt roof shingles if allowed to sit.

As you can see from the example in the previous paragraph, some of the maintenance your roof is going to require is very basic and completely doable for the average homeowner. So one of the first things you want to do to inspect your roof is make sure all the valleys are clean and free of debris so the water can flow freely and without obstruction on your roof. You may want to bring a broom and bucket with you so you can clear away any other debris found on your roof.

While on your roof you’ll want to take a close look at the condition of your roof shingles. Roof shingles have tiny, pebble-like granules on their exterior to protect your home from the weather and you want to make sure the majority are still intact. If you can see a lot of the black asphalt exposed on your roof shingles, it may be time to replace them. Consider the picture below. If your roof looks like this then it is beyond inspections and maintenance and needs to be replaced.

bad roof shingles

A lot of homeowners postpone replacing their roof for as long as possible and that’s a mistake that could end up costing even more in the long run. The roof shingles on your roof are there to prevent moisture from penetrating your actual wooden roof which is called the sheathing. When moisture starts to penetrate your roof it causes all sorts of damage to your roof’s sheathing, your attic and your walls. And if you let the problem fester long enough you’ll also have to deal with mold eventually and that’s start to get really expensive. As you can see you’re much better off regularly inspecting and maintaining your roof to keep it in good condition and replacing it when the time comes. Let’s continue on how you can inspect and maintain your roof.

On your roof you’ll also want to keep an eye out for missing or loose shingles. Between your roof’s sheathing and the roof shingles is a thin layer of tar paper called roofing felt and that’s the only thing protecting your home from moisture when you have missing shingles so it’s important to replace them. Watch the video below to determine if replacing roof shingles is something you might be able to handle on your own.

Last but not least is probably the most important aspect of the inspection process and that’s taking a look at your roof’s flashing. Roof flashing is used to cover openings and joints in your roof and is typically where roofs leak. Take a look at the image below to see where and how roof flashing is used so you can give yourself a better idea of what to look for.

roof flashing

When inspecting the flashing you’re basically looking for flashing that is loose, cracked, rusted or bent out of shape. You’ll also want to take a look at any opening in your roof like openings for vents and chimneys. Keep an eye out for loose or worn flashing materials around these openings.

It can sometimes be hard to see deficiencies in your roof flashing from the outside and that’s why sometimes the best way to find existing leaks is by getting into your attic. Your attic’s ceiling is the first place you’ll be able to easily identify a leak. Basically you want to look for dark colored spots in your attic’s ceiling. You can also conduct a water test with a friend if you are so inclined. While you wait and look for leaks in your attic you can have a friend use a water hose and slowly pour water on your roof.

You’ll also want to clear away any debris from your gutters. Leaves in particular tend to gather in gutters so you’ll want to clear them away so water can easily flow away from your roof. While clearing out the gutters you’ll want to keep an eye out for granules from roof shingles. This is one of the first places you’ll start to see evidence of your roof shingles starting to deteriorate.

Speaking of leaves, you’ll also want to clear away any tree branches that are starting to get close to your roof. Anything branches within striking distance of your roof should be removed. They may not be hitting it now but a stiff wind could cause extensive damage to your roof if a tree branch were to crash into it.

As you can see all of these things are well within the range of the average homeowner. Obviously you’ll want to make sure that you can safely navigate your roof before you decide to undertake a roof maintenance program but the advantages should be pretty obvious considering how expensive it is to replace a roof!

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Small Business SEO Tips

Recent studies have shown that more and more folks are doing searches online prior to making shopping decisions. And it’s not as if small business owners should have needed any more reasons for targeting search traffic in their online marketing efforts as search engine traffic provides some of the most targeted traffic online today. Read on for some ready-to-implement SEO tips from the Los Angeles SEO that are sure to improve your rankings.

Content, content, content…

Content is still king on the internet and if you’re in a competitive niche chances are you’re going to be need to be churning out content on a consistent and frequent basis. Here are some tips on how to produce more and more content for your website: Record it all.  Record interviews, conversations, employee opinions and talks about your products or services. After you record it, get into the practice of transcribing everything into text and adding it to your website. The search engine spiders needs this consistent content to continue to come to your website to what else is new.

Another good tip for generating content is taking support emails and questions from your clients or customers and turning them into FAQ type posts or articles. Taking PDF files and turning them into HTML pages is also a favorite of mine for generating content. Last but not least don’t forget about alternate methods of delivering content such as video which seems to get bigger and bigger every year.

Local search

There are huge opportunities for small business owners when it comes to local search. If you aren’t targeting local search, there’s a big chance you’re missing out on some highly targeted, local traffic. I can spend days talking on local search itself but the big key with local search, at least when it comes to Google, is to claim your local profile or “Places Page” and upload some good photos of your business if you have some. To promote your local profile page make sure to include your local phone number on all of your web pages and to simply ask for reviews of your business whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Don’t sweat the links

Not surprising to me at all is the fact that most small business owners have at least spent some time reading up on search engine optimization or internet marketing in general. Unfortunately most seem to have only taken one thing away from the lesson and that was that inbound links are important to your websites rankings. Even more important are DoFollow high page rank links right?

If you want to convince a professional SEO that you don’t know what you’re talking about when it comes to SEO just ask him to give you a quote on x number DoFollow links from Page Rank whatever websites. Sure Page Rank is important to an extent and so is obtaining DoFollow links but obtaining nothing but those type of links will lead you to problems and possibly removal from Google’s index. When it comes to search engine optimization, it’s best to leave the tough decisions to the professionals that study the algorithms. Even minor changes can have a huge impact on your rankings so in many cases it’s best to consult with a professional prior to designing a website or embarking on an SEO campaign.

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How To Find Good Plumbing Contractors

So you have a leak and you need to find a good plumber to fix the problem. As bad as plumbing emergencies can be, it’s almost just as frustrating having to find a well-qualified plumber that you can trust. Whether you’re new to your area or this is your first time having to hire a plumber, check out the tips and advice below to help you find the best and most qualified plumbing contractors in your area.

plumbing contractorsGet Several Bids – One of the best ways to ensure you find a well-qualified plumbing contractor is to get several bids from different plumbers. It is recommended that you get at least three separate bids that you can compare and contrast. By looking at different bids you’ll be able to choose the best plumber for your needs.

Qualify the Plumbing Contractors Before You Have Them Bid - In order for the above step to have its greatest impact and to get the best plumber at the best price, you’ll want to screen and qualify the plumbing contractors prior to having them bid on your project.

To screen and qualify the plumbing contractors I suggest you start out by checking to see if they have a physical address and a local phone number. Do a search online and check out his website to find that info and also check to see if it says how long he’s been in business. On the plumbers website you may also be able to find a license number which you should jot down to verify later. While you’re on the website, does he belong to any local organizations or groups like the Chamber of Commerce?

To continue screening the plumbers I suggest you do another search online but this time search for reviews, feedback and complaints from past customers. The internet is literally a boon for someone looking to find information on plumbing contractors and other home improvement professionals. Make sure to use that information to your advantage but also be aware that some of the reviews you find may be fake or placed by the contractors themselves. Try to stick to sites that authenticate their users so you can be assured all the reviews you are reading are areal.

Verify the License - Most states require plumbers to have a license to work in the plumbing industry. It is a great idea for you to verify the license of the plumbers you are considering hiring. To do so just visit your state’s licensing board. You can do a search online and find their website and from there it’s as simple as entering the plumbing contractor’s name or license number, which you already pulled from his website.

Ask for References – Any reputable plumber should have at least a few references for you to check out and inquire about the quality of the plumber’s work. Preferably you should press the plumbing contractors to provide you with references that you’ll be able to call and speak with. What you have to remember when you start interviewing plumbers is that they’re trying to obtain your business and they should be bending over backwards to convince you that they’re the right guy for the job. make sure to contact the references and ask about the quality of the plumbers work. Did the plumbing contractor get the job done properly? Did he get the job done on budget? Was he on time?

Verify Insurance – The plumbing contractor you hire to work on your home should have some form of general liability insurance. If he plans on using any employees for your job he should have worker’s compensation insurance for the employee(s). To verify that the plumbers insurance is legit (yes unfortunately some plumbers will forge these documents) you should ask for a certificate of insurance from the plumbers insurance provider. The insurance agents contact information should be on the certificate of insurance so you can contact them and verify the insurance.

Sign a Contract – Unfortunately stuff happens whenever two parties enter into an agreement and to protect yourself and your hard-earned money you should fill out and sign a contract. I won’t get into the specifics of a good contract here but it should specifically detail all of the work you want done, the materials that are to be used, when the project should start and end, a payment schedule for the plumbing contractor and it should also include and guarantees and warranties on materials and workmanship.

Hire the Right Plumber - Finally you want to make sure that the plumbing contractor you hire is experienced with the type of work you’re hiring for. Unbeknownst to a lot of homeowners is the fact that there are a few different types of plumbers such as commercial plumbers and there are residential plumbers but did you know that some residential plumbers specialize in installing plumbing systems and some other plumbing contractors specialize in servicing and repairing those systems. When you talk to the plumbing contractors, make sure they have experience in the area of work he plan on hiring them for.

And while on the topic of different types of plumbing contractors there are also varying degrees of experience when it comes to plumbers. For instance an apprentice plumber is one who is just getting started, a journeyman plumber has  a license from the state and is free to work on his own and a master plumber has several years of experience as a plumber.

In any event, as you can see choosing the right plumbing contractor is a difficult thing to do but the tips and advice above will help you find the good plumbing contractors in your area. From that point it’s just a matter of comparing and contrasting your bids and choosing the best plumbing contractor for your job.

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How To find A Good Handyman

When the amount of maintenance, repair and improvement work far outnumbers the amount of free time you have available to get it all done, it’s time to look into finding and hiring a good handyman to help you out.  A good handyman offering a variety of handyman services can help you get caught up with all the work that you need to get done around your house. For most homeowners it’s a no-brainer once they realize they’ll have some free time to enjoy once they get caught up with everything. For most the only question is how do they go about locating someone who offers quality handyman services in their area and I have some tips for you if you fall into the same category.

handymanFinding a good handyman is just like hiring an employee if you’ve ever worked in Human Resources or owned a small business. If you want to find the most talented person at a reasonable rate, you’re going to have to interview several candidates before you find the one that fits your situation best. It’s going to be the same when you hire a handyman; the more bids you get from different handyman the better your chances at finding a good handyman for your projects.

Obviously one of the first things you’ll want to do is tap into your network of friends, family and associates and ask if they’ve worked with any handymen that they would be willing to refer to you. When doing this don’t forget to include your neighbors in the process. Getting referrals from your neighbors is great because you already know that the handyman services the area and if you’re friendly with your neighbors, they may eve let you in to see the handyman’s work!

I recommend that you screen and pre-qualify the handymen a bit before you invite them over for a bid. Typically I like to do a Google search for the handyman’s business name. What you want to look for are complaints and reviews for the handyman. You can also seek out more reviews and feedback on sites like Yelp.com, InsiderPages.com and CitySearch.com. You can also check for complaints at the Better Business Bureau. The point is to disqualify the handymen that have too many complaints or have some egregious complaints that you just don’t want to deal with.

You’ll also want to look at some basics when qualifying handymen. Does the handyman have a local address? How about a local phone number? Does he have a long work history in the community? At the end of the day you want to hire a handyman that has a work history and a physical presence in the community as this makes it much less likely that you’re dealing with someone who’s out to make a quick buck.

Generally speaking with three bids you should have enough to make a good decision. When you find three handymen that you’re comfortable enough to invite over for a bid, it’s time to proceed. When you speak to them make sure to ask them what they specialize in or what type of work they prefer. What you’re trying to do is determine what their area of specialty is if they have one.

Contrary to what most folks believe, most handymen aren’t good at everything and for the best results you’ll probably want to hire someone who has experience in the area you need help with. Of course that depends on the complexity of your job as some jobs are pretty basic and only require minimal skills in which case most experienced handymen will do.

Something else you’ll definitely want to do is ask for references. A good handyman should have several references to assist you in your decision making process. On your end you should make sure to not only ask for the references but to also follow through and call them to ask about the quality of the handyman’s work.

Finally you’ll want to talk about insurance. If the handyman is going to be working o any part of your home, you should require that he carry some form of liability insurance in the case of an accident. If he plans on using employees, you should require that ha carry workers compensation insurance for all of them.

If you’re currently spending a lot of time on home improvement, home repair and home maintenance projects, you can and will most likely benefit from hiring a handyman. If the only thing holding you back from hiring a good handyman is finding a good handyman, make sure to follow the tips above and you’re sure to find a well-qualified handyman in no time!

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