Creatine Works If You Know How To Work It – Build Muscle Fast
25 September 2008
Don’t believe those that say, “Creatine does not work for me” or “Creatine causes me to retain water” or “Creatine upsets my stomach.” Creatine is still the most effective muscle building supplement ever for those that understand how and when it is used as an energy source in the body.
How is creatine used as an energy source in the body? First, Let’s talk a little about ATP (the life force of all living matter), the first energy source burned as fuel in the body. The other five energy sources for the body: creatine, glycogen, glucose, fatty acids and amino acids all must be converted to ATP (in that order) to be burned as fuel in the body.
Knowing when creatine is converted to APT is key in knowing how to get the best results in muscle building. Like ATP, creatine can be stored in the muscle, which means it does not need oxygen to burn. It is a short explosive energy burn. The ATP stored in the muscle is the most effective explosive fuel source, which burns for about four or five seconds at 100 percent muscle contraction in an all out effort, such as weight lifting or sprinting. Creatine then is converted to APT and burns for about six or seven seconds at nearly 100 percent muscle contraction. Knowing this tells us how we must train to get the best results with creatine. A weight training set needs to be completed with in ten to twelve seconds, which means heavy weight and low reps.
Another interesting fact about creatine is its ability to recycle itself to be used again as fuel. With one minute rest creatine will recycle itself about 50 percent. Resting four minutes between sets increases recycling ability to 90 percent. Creatine will be available for about ninety minutes.
Now, let’s look at how other fuels burn so you won’t be tempted to go beyond twelve seconds if you want maximum results. Glycogen and glucose burn respectively after creatine for up to two minutes at no more than 70 percent muscle contraction. The higher the percentage of muscle contraction the stronger the muscle. After twelve seconds, muscle contraction/muscle strength quickly falls off due to the type of fuel being burned as energy. Workouts fueled with creatine instead of glycogen and glucose just makes good sense if maximum results are desired.
Let’s sum it up. Long-lasting training sessions of over ninety minutes are not good because creatine has been depleted and the fuel used for energy will be amino acids, which is muscle.
Also, creatine will not cause water weight or stomach upset if it is taken with a high glycemic carbohydrate drink with enough liquid to completely dissolve the powder.
Fred Fishburne and his wife Ann are owners of ProHealth Nutrition, Inc., a very successful health store in McDonough, Ga. Visit at: http://prohealthnut.com
Bush and Kerry Differ on Immigration Policies
23 September 2008
Up until the final debate at Arizona State University, the issue of immigration had not been much discussed. Both presidential candidates know very well that illegal immigration is a hot button topic in our country, and each man is now trying to use it to his political advantage. Since the eighties the Democratic Party has, in general, supported immigrants and has been for fair and just immigration laws.
However, there are those members of the party who claim that the presence of millions of undocumented immigrants undermines the bargaining power of the US born labor force. On the other side, the Republican Party traditionally has been against immigrants, but is increasingly reaching out to the Latino population. Advocates of free markets within the party have flat out called for the opening of the borders.
BUSH ON IMMIGRATION.
- Because of his policies, the Mexican border is now more secure.
- Proposed temporary guest-worker program, for up to 6 years (originally announced in Jan 2004) but is against amnesty for illegal workers.
- Claims that our southern border is more secure now than before 911, partly due to his efforts, which include:
- More than a thousand additional border control agents since he took office.
- Un-manned vehicles patrolling the US-Mexico border.
- More than a thousand additional border control agents since he took office.
KERRY ON IMMIGRATION.
- Our southern border is now more of a security risk.
- Would put illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship.
- Proposes a comprehensive immigration reform bill with four major components:
- Undocumented workers who have lived and worked in the U.S. for 5 years, pay taxes, and who are successfully screened for security purposes will be given a path to citizenship.
- Eliminate the administrative backlog and delay, which have left many families divided.
- Create a secure channel for a limited number of temporary workers to come into the United States.
- Kerry would restore legal immigrants’ eligibility for health care, welfare and other government programs. (The 1996 welfare reform law made most legal immigrants, including those already in the United States for a number of years, ineligible for welfare, health care and other essential programs.)
- Undocumented workers who have lived and worked in the U.S. for 5 years, pay taxes, and who are successfully screened for security purposes will be given a path to citizenship.
Unfortunately, the reality is that little of significance will be done about immigration under either a Bush or Kerry administration. Immigration is an issue which is brought up when it is time to court voters; namely Latinos. Kerry, like Bush is also close to corporations and businesses that wish to continue their supply of cheap, exploitable labor. He speaks of a path to citizenship for hardworking undocumented immigrants, but how hard will he push for these proposals in Congress? Bush proposed a temporary worker program in Jan. of 2004 (with no plan for becoming green card holders), but nothing at all has come of it.
These gestures are mostly political pandering. Democrats tend to be more immigrant friendly, but remember it was Reagan who gave undocumented workers amnesty in this country. Republicans are better, though, at fanning the flames of immigrant hate. Immigration is an issue which needs to be addressed seriously, not simply with one-liners at election time. Kerry promises more, but promises can be empty. For Bush, immigrants are to be courted for elections and also used as fodder. When the economy is not doing well, it is easy to blame illegal immigrants.
About The Author
Victor Motak
For more information visit: U.S. Immigration Guide – http://www.visa2003.com/ – providing information on paths to legalized status in the United States.
Gas Scooters Safety Rules For Staying Alive!
23 September 2008
Gas motor scooters are often thought of as toys, innocent and cheap fun. But it’s exactly that type of thinking that can get a gas scooter driver into deep trouble. First and foremost scooters are motor vehicles just like motorcycles and automobiles. They share the road with other cars and trucks and are subject to similar laws and regulations. And although they are an object of desire for many they can be dangerous for the unexperienced or unprepared.
As a general rule gas powered scooters are regulated by state laws as either motorcycles or mopeds and are subject to similar regulations as these other motor vehicles. By staying alert and using caution many accidents can be avoided. Most accidents arise due to carelessness. By paying attention to what is going on around you and what other drivers are doing you can feel relatively safe out on the highway.
There are two things that cause the majority of accidents, speeding and following too closely to the vehicle ahead. Driving safely is all about giving other drivers enough reaction time. If another driver wants to change into your lane directly in front of you it may cause you to lose control if you are speeding and haven’t enough time to react. Without enough time to slow down this maneuver by the other driver may require you to move into another lane to avoid him. This can affect other drivers in other lanes which is the beginning of many accidents.
Another major mistake that many gas scooter drivers make is following too closely. When the person ahead of you suddenly slams on the brakes you need enough time to slow down comfortably. Ramming into the back of someone’s car is not what you want to do, especially when you are driving a small scooter without any protection around you. By following the speed limits and giving yourself enough room to slow down if something unexpected should happen in front of you most accidents can be prevented.
The third problem arises when gas powered scooters are purchased for use by children and teenagers who do not even possess a valid driver’s license. Drivers with licenses may not be any safer on the road than unlicensed drivers, but at least they have had some training and experience behind the wheel of a car. Children and teenagers without any training can be an accident waiting to happen when it comes to motor scooters. Without any experience or training children and young teenagers can quickly find themselves in positions that experienced drivers normally would not.
Kids have been known to throw caution into the wind, darting in and out of traffic without a clue as to the dangers. On gas scooters that are so small they can’t be seen well by other drivers, and without much driving experience or training, kids will pose a hazard to both themselves and the other motorists they come in contact with.
Parents should be strongly cautioned to have their children receive the proper amount of training on their gas power scooters before they are allowed onto the busy city streets. Find a deserted road and put them through a training session. The life a parent saves may be his own children’s. Only after a parent feels comfortable with his child’s driving skills should they allow the child onto the busier streets. By making sure that our children know the safety rules of the road we are decreasing their chances of being involved in a serious accident. Before we can legally drive a car on the highway we must all pass certain tests. Why should it be any different for younger kids?
Gas or electric scooters are wonderful little vehicles that are fun to drive, cheap to buy and are very handy for traveling short distances around the neighborhood to perform errands. They usually have larger storage room than a motorcycle and are very inexpensive to operate. There are many reasons for owning a gas scooter, but in the hands of the untrained and inexperienced they can be deadly.
The ATV, go carts, dirt bikes and mini bikes are other vehicles that are often owned and operated by younger drivers. But they are usually not seen on the city streets as scooters are. Go karts are typically driven on tracks specifically designed for the go cart. And the mini bike, dirt bike or ATVs are typically driven off road. These other vehicles avoid many of the dangers that scooter drivers must face, namely traffic on the busy highway.
Gas scooters are quite popular these days, especially among the younger market who are too young to drive cars yet. Without proper training for these kids it opens the door to possible serious accidents. As the worldwide popularity of gas scooters grows we need to make sure that people’s awareness of driving and safety regulations keeps pace, especially among the kids that have no previous drivers experience.
Kids often think of gas scooters as toys, not as potentially dangerous vehicles. But a scooter is not a toy. It is a motor vehicle that is subject to certain laws and regulations. People need to be aware of the potential scooter dangers and remain alert while driving at all times. They should not drive erratically, but be predictable and courteous to other drivers on the road. They should follow the speed limits and remain a safe distance behind other vehicles. Kids should receive proper training before being allowed on the busier streets. By taking these few safety precautions we can help ensure a fun safe driving experience for all.
J Larry Alan is an enthusiast of the gas scooters. He enjoys riding motorcycles and fast gas scooters. He also enjoys promoting gas scooter safety. For more information visit his site about gas scooters.
Traditional Archery And Target Panic: Rotational Aiming
23 September 2008
Throughout my maddening two-year struggle with target panic, I sought to fix my problem with a long list possible cures. Some were suggested to me, some I read about in books and articles, and the rest were original ideas based upon my own understanding of target panic. I firmly believe target panic is a learned behavior developed through the act of shooting your bow over and over again. This repetition, over time, causes us to release the arrow sooner and sooner. The target acts as a stimulus and our response upon bringing our bow on target is to release immediately. Apprehension over shooting in front of others or in pressure situations tends to exacerbate the problem. The feeling of target panic is an overwhelming urge to shoot resulting in a loss of mental and physical control of the shooting process.
One of the possible cures I tried is called rotational aiming. I read about it in a book about compound archery. I liked this method because it helps you to improve your level of control over the shooting process (i.e. form, draw, hold, release). Target panic essentially causes a loss of control, and counteracting this loss of control with control practice, in theory, should help. Here is how it works. Set up six or eight spots in a circular pattern on an otherwise blank bale. I used 1 in. by 1 in. florescent stickers I found at a drug store. Space them roughly five or six inches apart. Stand two or three yards away, draw your bow, and focus (aim) on one of the spots. Hold on the spot for two or three seconds and then rotate to the next spot and do the same. Continue around the circle in this fashion until your muscles grow weary, at this point go ahead and release your arrow at one of the spots. Repeat the process until you feel you are in better control of your shooting. When you go back to your normal practice, you should feel more in control and less influenced by your target panic symptoms.
In my case, rotational aiming did in fact help improve my shooting and relieve my target panic symptoms to some degree. However, it wasn’t a cure for target panic. My target panic symptoms would always return shortly after these practice sessions, but I did find rotational aiming valuable. Eventually, I was able to cure my target panic permanently using a technique called the Push Release.
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Michael Linsin is a former staff writer for US & International Archer Magazine and the author of a top selling book called Archery Strong: The 30-Minute Strength Training Program Designed Specifically For Archers (http://www.ArcheryStrong.com). He is also the creator of The Push Release DVD target panic cure for traditional archers (http://www.PushRelease.com). |
Nokia N80 is Best Mobile Phone Imaging Device 2006
23 September 2008
Nokia today revealed that the Nokia N80 multimedia computer has been voted the Best Mobile Imaging Device in Europe 2006 by the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. The award is an endorsement of the Nokia N80’s industry-leading feature set, which makes it one of the most high performance devices currently available in the marketplace.
Commenting on the award, TIPA praised the Nokia N80 as “so much more than just a camera phone.” The official comment from the TIPA Awards 2006 jury reads: “the Nokia N80 is a multimedia device with a host of superb functions. It combines a 3 megapixel camera, integrated flash, 20x digital zoom, video and MP3 player into one stylish package. As soon as you switch on, the N80 is ready to shoot. Using a 2GB miniSD card you can store nearly 1000 images at up to 2048×1536 (JPEG up to 16.7 million/24-bit color). Printing your images is easy, too. You can take the images off the miniSD card or connect the N80 to your printer via PictBridge or Bluetooth. The WiFi feature also allows you to send your images to any compatible TV or PC, plus you can edit your images, add text and some special effects.”
The Nokia N80 is part of the Nokia Nseries, a range of high performance multimedia computers that incorporate multiple functionalities in one beautifully designed device. With Nokia Nseries products, people can use a single device to do everything from snapping print-quality images, reading email, listening to music, browsing the Web, watching TV on the move, and much more. Moreover, multimedia computers can effortlessly be connected to the Internet, enabling people to communicate, create and share experiences, participate in Internet communities and access digital content using available mobile broadband connections such as WLAN and 3G.
“The compact yet feature-rich Nokia N80 has raised the bar for mobile devices, and we are delighted to receive this accolade from consumer electronics magazines across Europe,” said Mads Winblad, vice president, Multimedia Sales and Channel Management, EMEA, Nokia. “This award is also an endorsement of the technological leadership of the Nokia Nseries range of multimedia computers. Comprising the functionality of a highly advanced converged mobile device, the Nokia N80 empowers people to pursue professional goals and personal passions with equal fervor.”
TIPA was founded in 1991 as an independent, non-profit association of European photo and imaging magazines. With 31 member magazines from twelve countries, it is currently the largest photo and imaging press association in Europe. Once a year, editors from the TIPA member magazines meet to vote for the Best Photo and Imaging Products in Europe. The TIPA Awards Ceremony this year will take place in Cologne, Germany, on the opening day of Photokina 2006.
For more details visit the mobile phones website.
Educational Software
23 September 2008
Studies have shown that educational software is very effective enhancing the quality of teaching and helping students comprehends on a higher level. The software is widely available covering subjects like math, science, language and art.
What is educational software?
Educational software generally refers to software that can be used by both students and teachers to augment traditional teaching and learning tools. Nowadays, educational software is indispensable in learning environments, as it allows both educators and pupils to make best use of the educational functions of the computer.
What are the kinds of educational software?
Educational software can be categorized into content-free educational software, and content-rich educational software. Both are very effective teaching and learning tools when used correctly.
Content-free software refers to ‘open-ended’ software products that allow for user creativity. Examples of such software are graphics and word processing programs. Many educational specialists consider it as being ‘more flexible,’ because it allows teachers and students to generate their own content.
This kind of educational software is ideal for more advanced classes, such as creative writing. Teachers have to select educational word processing programs that contain limited menu options (no ’spell check,’ for example), while supporting a variety of graphic, font and sound file formats. There is educational word processing software that allows auditory feedback, usually used in schools for challenged students.
Other types of content-free software include imaging software and photo sharing software.
Content-rich software, on the other hands, refers to commercially-produced educational software that contains multimedia content such as animation, graphics, sound and video. The information contained in this educational software is usually presented in a very structured manner. Other popular forms of content-rich educational software include science-simulation programs and multimedia encyclopedias.
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Educational Software provides detailed information on Educational Software, Childrens Educational Software, Free Educational Software, Educational Software Companies and more. Educational Software is affiliated with Discount Embroidery Software. |
Buying Bespoke Mens Shirts – The Benefits And What To Look For
21 September 2008
Bespoke shirt tailoring is undergoing a surge of popularity in the UK as more men realise there are options beyond designer labels. Bespoke tailoring gives the opportunity to specify every aspect of how a shirt is cut, and allows the wearer to experience the feel and look of a perfectly fitted shirt. The following is a guide on what features you should expect from a quality bespoke made mens shirt.
Obviously, the main benefit of a bespoke shirt is that it fits the wearer perfectly; after all, the shirt has been made specifically for the wearer. Signs that a shirt is fitted well are:
* A bespoke mens shirt should not feel tight or appear baggy across the shoulders, chest, stomach, or seat. The cut of the shirt should follow the contours of the body, without being too close or restrictive a fit. A fabric allowance of about 6 inches on the chest body measurement, 5 inches on the stomach measurement, and 6 inches on the seat measurement should give good results with average body dimensions, although these allowances are variable depending on the wearer’s build.
* The sleeves of the shirt should be long enough so that the cuffs do not move up the arm when the arms are raised above the head. Similarly, they should not be so long that when the arms are hanging by the side of the body, there is a significant excess of fabric on the sleeves near to the cuffs.
* The collar of the shirt should leave enough space to insert your thumb comfortably between the collar and the neck when buttoned, and should not feel tight or hang loose around the neck.
* The length of the shirt should be long enough so that the tails hang just below the seat when worn. This will ensure that the shirt does not become untucked during use.
* The cuffs of a bespoke mens shirt should be just too tight to slip over the hand when buttoned. It should be necessary to undo the cuffs when putting on the shirt.
Aside from the fit of the shirt, there are a number of other important features to keep an eye out for:
* Fabrics – A bespoke mens shirt should only ever be constructed from pure cotton fabric. Cotton affords the wearer far greater comfort than man made fibres, and give a classic Jermyn Street look and feel to a shirt. The count of the fabric should be as high as possible – the higher the count, the finer the fabric. Popular fabric weaves include poplin (a plain weave and the classic English shirting), twill (a heavier, diagonal weave), fils-a-fils (a tiny graph paper check that appears to be solid colour from a distance), and oxford (generally, the heaviest weave).
* Collars – The collar should be hand made, and can be either fused or unfused. A well fused collar will give a smooth look with no puckering, and should use cotton interfacing materials. Collars should have removable bones to keep the shape of the wings perfectly straight when inserted.
* Stitching – All stitching throughout the shirt should be single-needle stitching. This technique is more time-consuming than commercial methods, but gives strong seams that are significantly more pucker-resistant.
* Pattern matching – When using striped or patterned fabrics, pattern matching should occur wherever possible.
* Sleeve plackets – Where the sleeves meet the cuffs, traditional packets should be used. Highest quality shirts do not provide placket buttons as these are uneccessary in a well formed placket.
* Split yoke – To ensure a perfect fit across the shoulders, a split (4 piece) yoke should be used.
* Buttons – These should be cross-stitched onto the shirt by hand to ensure that they do not become loose over time.
* Tails – The tails of the shirt should be rounded and strengthened by a gusset.
Please visit www.curtisanddyer.co.uk for more information on mens shirts.
Richard Leitch is a founding member of Curtis & Dyer Shirtmakers, who supply quality bespoke mens shirts in the UK. Please visit www.curtisanddyer.co.uk for more information on mens shirts.
Plus Size Fashion Tips
21 September 2008
There are certain basic guidelines every women should observe when selecting clothing and accessories. You should first determine your basic body type and use this as a basis for making clothing choices. Just remember that these are general guidelines and not hard and fast rules. You must be the final judge of what looks best on you and also remember, that if a piece of clothing doesn’t feel comfortable to you, then it doesn’t matter how flattering or stylish it is!
Your first priority should be choosing clothing that is of high quality and is offered at a reasonable price. It’s all about value. With these points in mind, below are several guidelines for selecting plus size clothing that will bring out the best in your individual body type:
1. Don’t Let Clothing Hang Off Your Body
The entire point of new plus size clothing fashions today is the wide selection of great fitting styles for plus size women. Gone are the days of tent-like frocks and other unflattering garments. Of course, a lot depends on your size and body type, but you should be able to find clothing that flatters your figure without completely draping over you. Even a loose, flowing summer dress with short sleeves that reveals nicely tanned arms and well-turned ankles can be both extremely flattering and comfortable. Also consider loose tops such tunic tops.
2. Be Careful With Skin Tight Clothing
There’s certainly no rule that says plus size women shouldn’t wear tight clothing. It’s really a matter of comfort — even in petite sizes, skintight clothing can be uncomfortable. Spandex is a remarkable fabric and it is found in a lot of plus size clothing. A little give to a garment is a great thing. Ultimately it’s up to you if you’re comfortable going to the gym in Spandex tights or out to a club in a cat suit.
3. Consider High Waisted Dresses
A dress with a high waistline, sometimes referred to as an “empire waist”, can greatly flatter your figure by making your waist appear much smaller. A wide range of dress styles from casual to formal are offered with empire waist lines. Decorative bodices and stripes below the bust line further accentuate the impression of a small waistline. They should be a part of every plus size women’s wardrobe.
4. Be Careful With Swim Skirts
There are lots of great swimsuits to choose from in plus sizes. A common style in plus size swim wear is the swim skirt and swim dress. The swim skirt can draw attention away from your waist and rear, but this style also harkens back to swim fashions from the 1920s.
Often times a slimming one-piece suit can work very well depending on your size and body type. Where swim skirts can be effective is in 2-piece suits or tankinis.
5. Consider Wraps
If your upper arms are not as firm as you’d like you may wish to consider wearing cover-ups. Wraps and cover-ups are also a great way for adding a touch of elegance to formal wear and gowns and will also provide warmth to your shoulders on cool evenings. Remember that long sleeves can be very sexy in plus sizes!
By keeping this short list of plus size fashion tips in mind you can put together an amazing wardrobe for all seasons and occasions.
For more ideas and trends in Quality Plus Size Womens Clothing visit http://www.newplussize.com – plus size store reviews, articles, savings, and more.
Success and Failure: Two Sides of the Same Coin
21 September 2008
Failure is Great
You are probably asking yourself what could be good about failing. Failing means … well … that you failed, that you didn’t achieve the results you wanted and that things didn’t turn out as you hoped. What could be good about that?
The advantage is that you now know one way not to do something. And this is as useful as knowing one way of how to do something.
As Thomas Edison said, “Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do in the first place doesn’t mean it’s useless…. Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward…. “
Failure is a learning opportunity, but only if you let it be. More often than not failure is seen as something that should be hidden and avoided and never admitted to. How often in your company do you think people make the same mistakes over and over again because no one ever admits to the mistake or examines why the mistake was made.
Would it not be more cost effective and time effective if when a mistake is initially made that it results in a learning opportunity? Each time something doesn’t go according to plan think about you could do next time to get the results you want? What was missing? What needs to be added? What needs to change?
Once the answers to the questions have been thoroughly explored with an open mind and no assumptions, then take those learnings and apply them to the future. Every company should continually strive to learn and improve. Just because a particular method works doesn’t mean it is the best one. Strive to improve.
Be prepared to fail and learn – it is the only way forward.
Celebrate Successes
The opposite side of the same coin – success. Just as it is important to analyze your failures and learn from them so it is also important that you celebrate your successes and repeat them.
Every year we strive to do be better and be more successful at what we do. Often, however, we only remember successes that are so large that they hit us right in the face, when they are so large that everyone else congratulates you. We remember landing a $100 million dollar account or tripling our profits from the year before or being awarded some Presidential award.
While these are amazing successes that you should definitely celebrate and tell the world about they are not the kind of successes that most of us can hope to achieve. The rest of us need to be happy with the smaller more mundane successes. Successes like generating a profit in our business, getting the client we have been trying to land or simply being thanked by one of our clients for a job well done.
Although these may seem like small successes, lots of small successes like these add up to a successful business, motivated staff and a happy you. Now what if you could repeat each of your small successes so that you could achieve them on a monthly or weekly basis – wouldn’t that spell big success for your business?
To achieve that big success you therefore need to celebrate each of your small successes. You need to remember each of them, examine them and find a way of repeating them. Sit down now and think, over the last year, what you did well. Think about what you succeeded in doing, what someone thanked you for, and, where you were appreciated.
Create a list of your successes – no matter how small – examine them to find a way that you could repeat them. What was the essence of the success that would make it repeatable? Break the success into small process steps, think about everything that you did to get to the end point of success. Not just the big steps, think about each little step that was taken.
It is often not the big steps that determine a success – it is the little things. Maybe you wrote a client a thank you letter, or you called a client to see how they were doing. Maybe you referred a client to someone else to solve a problem that you couldn’t. You could also have rewarded your staff or done something out of the ordinary for them to make them perform above and beyond.
Think about each success in great detail.
You should now be able to see where you did something differently to achieve the successful result. Your next step is to put together a plan on how you are going to repeat your past successes. Your plan should include each of those necessary steps that resulted in the success.
By understanding and planning for your successes you will be able to repeat them and eventually be able to achieve the large success – a successful business or department.
Plan for success, learn from failures.

GRAEME NICHOL, President, Arcturus Advisors.
Graeme Nichol has worked on 4 continents and in 117 unique businesses gaining experience in manufacturing, transportation, agriculture, communications, banking, direct marketing, consumer goods and retail amongst others. He has significant management experience and consulting experience, including Business strategy, project management, change management, big six consulting, team productivity, business productivity and quality improvement, ERP implementations.
Arcturus Advisors works with businesses and teams that are struggling to formulate a strategic plan that delivers bottom line results. Using tried and tested planning systems that have achieved results internationally for 20 years we ensure that you transform your business through focus, alignment and accountability.
Coaching with the GROW Model
21 September 2008
The GROW Model, devised by Sir John Whitmore, provides a framework both for individual coaching sessions and for the whole process. The acronym stands for Goals, Reality, Options and Will, also known as Wrap-up.
Goals – coach and client agree on specific objectives. This is vital in coaching – if you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else! The coach asks specific questions to make sure the goal is in the best interests of the client and those closest to them.
Reality – the client needs to have a realistic grasp of where they are now, where they are starting from. Is the desired objective a realistic goal – what are the chances of achieving it? Do they know someone else who has achieved this already?
Options – the coach guides the client in thinking of a number of ways of achieving the goal and the client decides which way to pursue. As the coach, you are not there to lead people, you are there to help them explore possibilities so they can decide which option is best for them.
Will/Wrap-up – the client will only be motivated to go for the goal if they are excited and motivated by it. Coach and client look at the possible obstacles and how these can be overcome. Is there a secondary gain in the client not achieving the goal? For instance, it may be more comfortable to remain in the current position than make the effort it takes to achieve the goal.
The GROW Model works because it ensures that there is nothing at the unconscious level which might prevent the client from going for the goal. It checks whether the goal fits in with the client’s capabilities and purpose in life, and establishes whether the client needs to change any current behaviours or get new skills in order to be successful.

Andy Britnell is an executive coach who works with high achievers in both the private and public sectors who wish to fulfil more of their potential by thinking and behaving more effectively.
Sign up for my FREE e-mail coaching and FREE monthly newsletter Grow and Learn at http://andybritnell.co.uk/
Information about my coaching services can be seen at http://executive-coaching-for-business-growth.com/