#I’ve already had 42 clients which is wild to me

[lordgolden]

happy 6 months to me literally being someone’s lawyer. that’s still soooo insane to me. your tumblr mutual shitposting about books is also giving legal advice and going to court

[batterymonster2021]

The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed | Bill Gross

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-single-biggest-reason-why-start-ups-succeed-bill-gross/

The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed | Bill Gross

I’m relatively excited to share with you some findings that quite surprise me about what makes organizations prevail the most, what motives without a doubt topic essentially the most for startup success. I think that the startup institution is without doubt one of the finest types to make the sector a greater situation. When you take a gaggle of humans with the proper fairness incentives and arrange them in a startup, which you can free up human abilities in a technique never before possible. You get them to gain incredible matters. But when the startup group is so best, why do so many fail? That is what I wanted to find out. I wanted to discover what truely concerns most for startup success. And that i desired to check out to be systematic about it, avoid some of my instincts and perhaps misperceptions i have from so many companies I’ve seen through the years.I desired to know this on account that i’ve been commencing corporations on account that I was 12 years old once I sold candy at the bus stop in junior high school, to high institution, after I made solar energy instruments, to college, after I made loudspeakers. And when I graduated from institution, I started software businesses. And 20 years in the past, I started Idealab, and within the final 20 years, we started greater than 100 organizations, many successes, and plenty of enormous disasters. We discovered rather a lot from those disasters. So i attempted to appear across what factors accounted probably the most for organization success and failure.So I looked at these 5. First, the thought. I used to feel that the concept was the whole lot. I named my manufacturer Idealab for how a lot I worship the "aha!" moment while you first come up with the proposal. But then over time, I got here to believe that perhaps the crew, the execution, adaptability, that mattered much more than the concept. I in no way notion i’d be quoting boxer Mike Tyson on the TED stage, but he once stated, "everyone has a plan, unless they get punched within the face." (Laughter) and i feel that is so authentic about industry as good. So much a couple of workforce’s execution is its capability to adapt to getting punched within the face by using the consumer. The patron is the authentic fact.And that is why I got here to think that the workforce possibly was the main factor. Then I started looking at the trade model. Does the corporation have an awfully clear path generating client revenues? That started rising to the top in my excited about probably what mattered most for success. Then I regarded at the funding. In many instances organizations got intense amounts of funding. Maybe that’s the major factor? And then of path, the timing. Is the idea method too early and the sector’s not in a position for it? Is it early, as in, you’re in advance and also you need to the world? Is it simply right? Or is it too late, and there may be already too many opponents? So i tried to look very carefully at these five explanations throughout many organizations. And that i seemed across all 100 Idealab corporations, and one hundred non-Idealab organizations to take a look at and come up with some thing scientific about it.So first, on these Idealab businesses, the top five corporations — Citysearch, CarsDirect, GoTo, NetZero, Tickets.Com — those all became billion-dollar successes. And the 5 companies on the backside — Z.Com, Insider Pages, MyLife, desktop factory, Peoplelink — all of us had excessive hopes for, but did not prevail. So i tried to rank across all of those attributes how I felt those firms scored on every of those dimensions. And then for non-Idealab organizations, I checked out wild successes, like Airbnb and Instagram and Uber and Youtube and LinkedIn. And some disasters: Webvan, Kozmo, Pets.Com Flooz and Friendster. The backside corporations had excessive funding, they even had industry items in some cases, but they did not prevail. I tried to look at what motives clearly accounted probably the most for success and failure across all of those businesses, and the outcome really amazed me. The number one thing used to be timing. Timing accounted for 42 percentage of the difference between success and failure. Workforce and execution came in second, and the notion, the differentiability of the notion, the uniqueness of the suggestion, that honestly came in 0.33.Now, this is not absolutely definitive, it can be to not say that the proposal isn’t principal, however it very much amazed me that the thought wasn’t the primary factor. Commonly it mattered extra when it was once truly timed. The last two, trade mannequin and funding, made sense to me surely. I think trade model is smart to be that low due to the fact that you may start out and not using a industry mannequin and add one later in case your patrons are worrying what you are developing. And funding, I consider as well, if you are underfunded at first but you are gaining traction, especially in modern age, it can be very, very effortless to get extreme funding. So now let me offer you some specified examples about every of these.So take a wild success like Airbnb that everybody knows about. Well, that organization was once famously handed on by way of many sensible traders on the grounds that people suggestion, "nobody’s going to rent out an area in their residence to a stranger." Of path, humans proved that wrong. But one of the crucial reasons it succeeded, with the exception of a good industry model, a good inspiration, fine execution, is the timing. That manufacturer got here out right throughout the height of the recession when people particularly wanted more money, and that might be helped humans overcome their objection to renting out their own residence to a stranger. Equal thing with Uber. Uber came out, great corporation, high-quality trade mannequin, high-quality execution, too. However the timing was once so excellent for their have got to get drivers into the procedure. Drivers had been watching for more money; it was very, very foremost. Some of our early successes, Citysearch, got here out when men and women needed web pages. GoTo.Com, which we announced simply at TED in 1998, was when companies were watching for price-powerful ways to get traffic.We inspiration the suggestion used to be so first-class, however without a doubt, the timing used to be by and large maybe more important. After which a few of our disasters. We started a organization referred to as Z.Com, it used to be an online leisure manufacturer. We have been so serious about it — we raised sufficient cash, we had a first-rate industry mannequin, we even signed highly excellent Hollywood ability to join the company. But broadband penetration was too low in 1999-2000. It was once too difficult to observe video content material on-line, you needed to put codecs in your browser and do all these items, and the corporation ultimately went out of industry in 2003. Simply two years later, when the codec crisis was solved with the aid of Adobe Flash and when broadband penetration crossed 50 percent in america, YouTube used to be perfectly timed.Pleasant proposal, however implausible timing. Actually, YouTube did not even have a industry model when it first started. It wasn’t even distinct that that might figure out. But that used to be fantastically, beautifully timed. So what i’d say, in summary, is execution certainly issues rather a lot. The concept matters lots. However timing might topic even more. And the excellent strategy to particularly investigate timing is to really look at whether consumers are fairly ready for what you ought to present them. And to be quite, relatively sincere about it, not be in denial about any outcome that you simply see, on account that you probably have some thing you like, you wish to have to push it ahead, but you have to be very, very sincere about that aspect on timing. As I stated previous, I consider startups can change the sector and make the sector a greater position. I am hoping a few of these insights can perhaps aid you will have a relatively larger success ratio, and accordingly make whatever first-rate come to the arena that shouldn’t have occurred or else. Thank you very a lot, you will have been a quality viewers. (Applause) .

[airoasis]

The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed | Bill Gross

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/the-single-biggest-reason-why-start-ups-succeed-bill-gross/

The single biggest reason why start-ups succeed | Bill Gross

I’m relatively excited to share with you some findings that quite surprise me about what makes organizations prevail the most, what motives without a doubt topic essentially the most for startup success. I think that the startup institution is without doubt one of the finest types to make the sector a greater situation. When you take a gaggle of humans with the proper fairness incentives and arrange them in a startup, which you can free up human abilities in a technique never before possible. You get them to gain incredible matters. But when the startup group is so best, why do so many fail? That is what I wanted to find out. I wanted to discover what truely concerns most for startup success. And that i desired to check out to be systematic about it, avoid some of my instincts and perhaps misperceptions i have from so many companies I’ve seen through the years.I desired to know this on account that i’ve been commencing corporations on account that I was 12 years old once I sold candy at the bus stop in junior high school, to high institution, after I made solar energy instruments, to college, after I made loudspeakers. And when I graduated from institution, I started software businesses. And 20 years in the past, I started Idealab, and within the final 20 years, we started greater than 100 organizations, many successes, and plenty of enormous disasters. We discovered rather a lot from those disasters. So i attempted to appear across what factors accounted probably the most for organization success and failure.So I looked at these 5. First, the thought. I used to feel that the concept was the whole lot. I named my manufacturer Idealab for how a lot I worship the "aha!" moment while you first come up with the proposal. But then over time, I got here to believe that perhaps the crew, the execution, adaptability, that mattered much more than the concept. I in no way notion i’d be quoting boxer Mike Tyson on the TED stage, but he once stated, "everyone has a plan, unless they get punched within the face." (Laughter) and i feel that is so authentic about industry as good. So much a couple of workforce’s execution is its capability to adapt to getting punched within the face by using the consumer. The patron is the authentic fact.And that is why I got here to think that the workforce possibly was the main factor. Then I started looking at the trade model. Does the corporation have an awfully clear path generating client revenues? That started rising to the top in my excited about probably what mattered most for success. Then I regarded at the funding. In many instances organizations got intense amounts of funding. Maybe that’s the major factor? And then of path, the timing. Is the idea method too early and the sector’s not in a position for it? Is it early, as in, you’re in advance and also you need to the world? Is it simply right? Or is it too late, and there may be already too many opponents? So i tried to look very carefully at these five explanations throughout many organizations. And that i seemed across all 100 Idealab corporations, and one hundred non-Idealab organizations to take a look at and come up with some thing scientific about it.So first, on these Idealab businesses, the top five corporations — Citysearch, CarsDirect, GoTo, NetZero, Tickets.Com — those all became billion-dollar successes. And the 5 companies on the backside — Z.Com, Insider Pages, MyLife, desktop factory, Peoplelink — all of us had excessive hopes for, but did not prevail. So i tried to rank across all of those attributes how I felt those firms scored on every of those dimensions. And then for non-Idealab organizations, I checked out wild successes, like Airbnb and Instagram and Uber and Youtube and LinkedIn. And some disasters: Webvan, Kozmo, Pets.Com Flooz and Friendster. The backside corporations had excessive funding, they even had industry items in some cases, but they did not prevail. I tried to look at what motives clearly accounted probably the most for success and failure across all of those businesses, and the outcome really amazed me. The number one thing used to be timing. Timing accounted for 42 percentage of the difference between success and failure. Workforce and execution came in second, and the notion, the differentiability of the notion, the uniqueness of the suggestion, that honestly came in 0.33.Now, this is not absolutely definitive, it can be to not say that the proposal isn’t principal, however it very much amazed me that the thought wasn’t the primary factor. Commonly it mattered extra when it was once truly timed. The last two, trade mannequin and funding, made sense to me surely. I think trade model is smart to be that low due to the fact that you may start out and not using a industry mannequin and add one later in case your patrons are worrying what you are developing. And funding, I consider as well, if you are underfunded at first but you are gaining traction, especially in modern age, it can be very, very effortless to get extreme funding. So now let me offer you some specified examples about every of these.So take a wild success like Airbnb that everybody knows about. Well, that organization was once famously handed on by way of many sensible traders on the grounds that people suggestion, "nobody’s going to rent out an area in their residence to a stranger." Of path, humans proved that wrong. But one of the crucial reasons it succeeded, with the exception of a good industry model, a good inspiration, fine execution, is the timing. That manufacturer got here out right throughout the height of the recession when people particularly wanted more money, and that might be helped humans overcome their objection to renting out their own residence to a stranger. Equal thing with Uber. Uber came out, great corporation, high-quality trade mannequin, high-quality execution, too. However the timing was once so excellent for their have got to get drivers into the procedure. Drivers had been watching for more money; it was very, very foremost. Some of our early successes, Citysearch, got here out when men and women needed web pages. GoTo.Com, which we announced simply at TED in 1998, was when companies were watching for price-powerful ways to get traffic.We inspiration the suggestion used to be so first-class, however without a doubt, the timing used to be by and large maybe more important. After which a few of our disasters. We started a organization referred to as Z.Com, it used to be an online leisure manufacturer. We have been so serious about it — we raised sufficient cash, we had a first-rate industry mannequin, we even signed highly excellent Hollywood ability to join the company. But broadband penetration was too low in 1999-2000. It was once too difficult to observe video content material on-line, you needed to put codecs in your browser and do all these items, and the corporation ultimately went out of industry in 2003. Simply two years later, when the codec crisis was solved with the aid of Adobe Flash and when broadband penetration crossed 50 percent in america, YouTube used to be perfectly timed.Pleasant proposal, however implausible timing. Actually, YouTube did not even have a industry model when it first started. It wasn’t even distinct that that might figure out. But that used to be fantastically, beautifully timed. So what i’d say, in summary, is execution certainly issues rather a lot. The concept matters lots. However timing might topic even more. And the excellent strategy to particularly investigate timing is to really look at whether consumers are fairly ready for what you ought to present them. And to be quite, relatively sincere about it, not be in denial about any outcome that you simply see, on account that you probably have some thing you like, you wish to have to push it ahead, but you have to be very, very sincere about that aspect on timing. As I stated previous, I consider startups can change the sector and make the sector a greater position. I am hoping a few of these insights can perhaps aid you will have a relatively larger success ratio, and accordingly make whatever first-rate come to the arena that shouldn’t have occurred or else. Thank you very a lot, you will have been a quality viewers. (Applause) .

[miggy-figgy]

Certain Magic (From Chaos to Tradition - Randall Bachner Finds Life in Marrakesh)  By Miguel Figueroa Photographed by Daniel Riera

In 2013, Randall Bachner quit his first life. The then 42-year-old fashion photographer followed his instinct, said good-bye to New York’s rat race and settled into Marrakesh to start a new chapter - if not, a whole new book - as a self-taught fashion designer. Five years later, the risk has pulled off. His successful brand, Marrakshi Life celebrates and safeguards the tradition of Moroccan hand weaving - which dates back in the Middle East and Africa to 7000 BC - from becoming a thing of the past. Giving it a fresh, modernized spin to unisex handwoven apparel that you can’t help but want.

Hi Randall, Marrakshi Life is wonderful! Please, tell me more about it. Oh, why thank you! We started as a little shop in the Medina working with one weaver, doing one off pieces and then added a tailor. We made one piece, hung it in the shop to see what would happen. When people found us in the Medina it was a sort of discovery and inspired them to do things. We do our own brand, Marrakshi Life [ML] and service production. A lot of fashion people come to Marrakesh and they end up wanting to use our resources of hand weaving and garments, therefore, a big part of our business is working with other brands.

Weaving was losing its popularity in Morocco because they want to modernize everything. They have an appreciation of the tradition but it’s hard to get young people engaged in it and the weavers are getting old, but it’s really nice to be able to sustain weaving and make it cool again. Ariane Goldman’s company Hatch became our first client from New York. She took the risk and gave us a huge production. From there we built a little atelier in the center of Marrakesh outside the Medina and then within six months we had more clients. Last June we moved into a new space that took a few months to build and then we were able to balance production for our brand and our clients.

When you enter into the space you can see the whole process - the spinners, tailors, weavers and from there we have our shop and office. It’s all in one whole warehouse space and we’ve already maxed it out! [laughs] We’re growing at a really cool rate and it’s about how we continue. When you can see the process is really nice for people and they appreciate it. We just shot our first campaign in Uruguay and it was great to go with the brand outside Morocco. I have to think about how I’m going to get the brand outside of Morocco because I’m not really into the whole seasons thing, ML is more resort wear.

You can wear it throughout the year. Morocco has mild winters. It gets cold sometimes and in that deeper part of winter is when I can least wear the clothes there. I’m now in New York [in February] and I can’t really wear it right now but we are going to start bulking up, working with wools and other warmer fabrics. There are so many possibilities of what you can do with weaving, but in Morocco sometimes it’s very hard to resource materials.

As the brand grows, has there been any interest from younger Moroccan artisans to learn weaving?   The team is growing and it’s really cool. We have our team of weavers and it’s expanding and we are finding younger people engaged in it. The average age was 55 and now the average age is in the 40s. We have a couple of people in their 30s and even in their 20s. We want to start an education program to get engage younger people who don’t have jobs and train them.

Who is the Marrakshi Life client? Something that’s very important for the brand is that it’s unisex. I like making pieces that are not gender specific at all. If it’s a piece that I couldn't really wear, then we wouldn’t make it. I won’t make very feminine pieces, but I do make very masculine pieces because I like it for men and women. When people do ethnic wear, it has this feminine flow that it’s ok, but not for our brand.

Why Marrakesh? I had been here before a couple of times and I was amazed at how much you can do there. You see all the artisans and the possibilities but you don’t see an aesthetic that appeals to you, but there are definitely the resources here to do something. I didn’t know about all the problems…

Like? I had no idea what would it mean to have a business in Morocco. They have their own mentality, pace and work ethic. I had never lived abroad, so for me, coming from New York to Marrakesh was freaking crazy, honestly.

It’s wildly good that you did such a thing - you definitely stepped out of a comfort zone. I needed to. Working in fashion photography is a really tough business. It can leave you very unfulfilled creatively, spiritually, everything. I was at a point that I felt stuck and the only way to get out of it is put yourself into war and give yourself that challenge. It’s hard when there's something going on in your family and you’re really far away. [Our interview occurred on a Saturday morning while Randall took care of his mother who had just gotten out of the hospital.]

I’m grateful that it’s working and I can’t complain about that. I'm a very spontaneous person, I don’t really like to overthink about it.

Fashion photography’s competitiveness can really get to you. Oh, I would never recommend anyone to get into it unless you’re very well connected. Anything really is about who do you know and how can they help you. What inspired me to do fashion photography was magazines in the 80s and 90s but that kind of business is not happening anymore.

Were you interested in fashion design before fashion photography? No! And that’s the thing… I’m not a trained designer. Everything has been through my instinct. That’s why I thought about keeping it very simple, but sometimes I have a wild moment thinking about fur coats or fringe. For me, it’s more about the technique. Through the years and working with designers you understand the process. You definitely learn by doing.

That's the best way to learn. Life brings you places and this is where it brought me. I love the fact that I don’t have to buy any clothes and I just get to wear the clothes that we make. I’m not a materialistic person nor a fashion victim. Something that I like about what we are doing is that we’re self-sufficient. From two threads we can make a finished piece. I make things, I put them out there, the world responds to it and it’s flowing. I don’t really want to be part of that system of trade shows and wholesale. I don’t want to just do something to go into that category because I know how hard it is. I see all these brands that are trying to make it… but in the long run, I think we may have to do it a little bit because it does circulate your product. It all depends on what your goals are.

It’s really all about the team and ours is amazing. Sometimes I have troubles with them because there is a cultural difference and they don’t really have reference points for everything - this is all they’ve done and don’t really have any previous experience. They learn from what I need, what our clients ask for and it’s been amazing how do these projects. If we can do it, we move on to the next step and they always have it figured it out. That's been pretty amazing and has allowed us to grow. I’m very fond of them and they’ve helped me from day one.

It’s fundamental to surround yourself with a good team in order to be successful and they need to believe in your product. Do you think that’s maybe why some brands never take off? Is it because they are driven more by their egos than the desire to deliver a good product? Exactly. It’s not all about me and I always tell them that too. When we do runway pieces for clients and they see that and think “that is so cool”. You can imagine their excitement when they realize that these products that come from the artisanal communities end up in shops like Barneys.

It is so fulfilling! Maybe they don’t see it that way in its entirety but it is rewarding for them to see something so traditional become so modern.

How has it been communicating with them? That’s been amazing too. I’m not a big language guy. I can speak Spanish a little bit, but other than that…. I had a Spanish boyfriend for 14 years and when that relationship ended I was like “I need to get out of New York” and went to Marrakesh. It was a personal and career moment… that moment when nothing is working and I knew that the environment would be key. I didn’t know what it meant to live in another culture and here they speak French and I don’t as well, but they two main guys I work with speak English very well. Also, English is very exciting here because it’s seen as something modern. But there is a lot of sign language involved. [laughs]

One last question and this one has been in my head since I got the assignment. Americans don’t have the best reputation in the Africa nor the Middle East. Has this affected you or caused any friction? Not in Morocco. Moroccans are very open minded and Marrakesh is dependent on tourism, so Americans are seen as great tourists because they spend money and they are really not used to that many Americans here. I’ve never felt any negative or political situations. Everyone who sees me goes “Oh, that’s Randall the American guy.” There aren’t many of us around here, so we’re kind of a novelty. Featured in the Spring 2018 issue of Hercules Universal, First Love. 

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/supernaturals-bad-place-left-us-prehistoric-place/

'Supernatural's' Bad Place left us in a prehistoric place

I LOVED last week’s episode of Supernatural, so I went into this week’s with high expectations, especially because this was the lead-in to the Wayward Sisters pilot episode that happens when we return from Hellatus. ‘The Bad Place’ turned out to be a wild rollercoaster of a ride that kept me on the edge of my seat – it literally looked and felt like a feature film crammed into 42 minutes! That’s not to say I loved all of it, but it definitely did a great job of setting up the possible spinoff while simultaneously entertaining me throughout. So, what I liked?  Well, I really liked Jack. It was nice to meet Alexander Calvert at last weekend’s Supernatural convention and to be able to tell him in person what a fabulous job he’s doing on this show, because DAMN. I have been rooting for Jack since the beginning, which says a lot about Calvert’s acting and the way he’s been written considering he’s Lucifer’s son. I didn’t think I’d like him at all before Jack was born, so I wasn’t even prepared to care about the character – but I do. We open with a young Native American artist, Derek, and his girlfriend discussing the difficulties of making a living through art, which, YES. Enter Jack, a prospective buyer. Derek: You’re young. Jack: I am. I laughed out loud at Calvert’s delivery, and the fresh-faced expression on Jack’s face. He manages to make Jack entirely likable while also playing him with a hint of wait-is-that-a-menacing-look so I’m always a little off base and unsure. I was so horrified when we thought that Jack killed Derek, it actually made me a little sick to my stomach. I don’t WANT Jack to go dark side, Show! And that says something very good about how the character is being written and acted because I actually CARE about him. Berens does a good job of incorporating a bit of Native American lore, and casting does a good job as they almost always do with finding an actor  (Nathaniel Arcand) who makes us care about him even in the four minutes he was in the episode! Arcand is not just very good looking; he invests Derek with personality too. I hated seeing Derek lying on the floor with his eyes burnt out, his horrified girlfriend screaming. I think I might have been muttering No No No Jack No No No, much to my family’s dismay. And who does Jack see as he hitches a ride with the Dreamwalker? Mary, now in the hanging cage that Lucifer was being tortured in. That didn’t help my poor stomach at all. There’s more to like about Jack in this episode, but let me more or less follow the episode’s progression because there was a lot happening! While Jack is out hitching a ride with a dreamwalker, Dean and Sam are desperate to find Jack. So desperate that Dean is doing something that felt a bit out of character to me – calling Patience. After he told her to stay out of the life and stick to normal if she possibly could, he’s calling her to ask for her help in finding Jack. Yes, he acknowledges the change of heart and the reason, but I couldn’t quite get my head around it. Especially when we see that he’s called her six times! That’s called stalking, Dean. It all feels a little more worrisome when this is a high school student we’re talking about. So that wasn’t one of the things I especially liked in this episode. Patience (Clark Back), for her part, is having a tough time of it even apart from Dean Winchester being intrusive. She’s lying to her dad (played by Adrian Holmes - which he somehow doesn’t realize even though it seems fairly obvious to me) about having visions, and her grades are suffering for it. If you can call getting a C suffering, that is. I work with clients all the time whose perfectionism is definitely not doing them any favors, so I really bristled when Patience’s dad told her in no uncertain terms that only perfect grades and SATS were acceptable. Bad parenting, Patience’s dad! The dads on Supernatural make some really crappy decisions, and this dad takes a page out of the John Winchester parenting handbook by telling Patience that if she leaves and “chooses that life,” she can’t come back. WHAT? I mean, I knew he made bad decisions after the whole decade of lying to Patience about her grandmother Missouri, but this was almost worse. Who sets those kinds of limits on your kid when it’s clear they’re trying to do something GOOD?? Poor Patience. Good thing she kept Jody’s business card. Speaking of Jody, she calls Sam and Dean with a lead on Jack and they head to Derek’s studio to talk with the traumatized girlfriend. There they learn he was a Dreamwalker and see the painting that lets them know he’s been to the AU – Apocalypse World as we’re now calling it. Sam and Dean get in the car, in front of a big beautiful blue winged mural on the side of the studio so kudos to Jerry Wanek and his team of wizards. Dean knows this is Season 13 so he keeps to the new norms, thankfully. Dean to Sam: We gonna talk about it? Of course they are, because this is Season 13! Dean: Looks like Jack gave up on us and is looking for his daddy. Me: (and Sam probably) NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Dean: This isn’t an I told you so. I actually like the kid. I liked that little conversation so much, because it’s the Winchesters really being open with each other. Before Sam can misinterpret, Dean lets him know how he’s actually feeling and that this is not what he wanted either. Season 13! Another thing I really liked? Kaia Nieves (Yadira Guevera-Prip). We first meet her in a group therapy session (with a not so great therapist, which always makes me feel a little defensive for my profession, but whatever). Kaia is revealed to us little by little, covered up all over and hiding under a hood and under her well-honed snarky defenses. Her portrayal was so realistic that I found myself thoroughly believing her as a reluctant, defended client – both the acting and the writing were spot on. Even her little quip about Trump rang so true (I guess on the show we’ve intersected with real life now that the Lucifer-possessed president guy is out of the way). She actually sounds just like an addict in denial, which is how the therapist treats her, but when Kaia says she doesn’t want to go to “the bad place”, she means something much more literal. She too is a Dreamwalker, but instead of being able to go where she wants, she always ends up there – and comes back not only psychologically scarred but literally bloodied. Those scars she’s hiding under her sleeves are not from cutting. (Also did anyone else keep getting Dark Angel feels every time someone talks about ‘the bad place”?? Shades of Jensen Ackles’ brilliant portrayal of Ben, one of the most tragic characters I’ve ever encountered) Jack shows up, and he’s progressed from “I like nougat” to “I like cocaine” alarmingly fast. Kaia’s reaction was brilliant – Yadira’s facial expressions are amazing in conveying so much, from shock to humor to horror to joy. Kaia: (bemused) Okay, Suite Life… The little shout out to Kim Rhodes’ previous series was a nice touch, Mr. Berens. Jack breaks her out, and I worry that the guard he took down isn’t really just “sleeping” because we don’t yet know that Jack did not, in fact, kill Derek. But we find out quickly because the Winchesters show up right about then. Sam shares the details of Kaia’s tragic life story with Dean, who sums it up with “bad hand…” I’ll say. I already have a lot of empathy for Kaia, but that seals the deal. Meanwhile, Kaia is proving herself not only relatable but badass. And smart. She refuses to go with the creepy stranger who can break through triple locked doors and knock people out by touching them – I mean, odd decision, but…  Jack is distracted by Sam and Dean, which gives Kaia a chance to haul off and punch him and run away. Jack: (indignant) She hit me! Then we get one of my favorite scenes in the episode, during which Calvert, Jared Padalecki, and Jensen Ackles all knock it out of the park (with help from Berens and director Phil Sgriccia). Jack: I’m doing this for you! I wanted to prove to you that I’m good. So I did the thing you wanted the most…. I researched, like you taught me… And I saw her. Your mother. She’s alive. Dean: (absolutely dumbfounded and already overcome with emotion) What? Jack shows them what he saw, and they actually SEE Mary being tortured, and hear her calling out for help. It must KILL them to see and hear that and not be able to do anything. Dean: (sounding broken) Mom! There’s a moment then where we focus on Dean’s face, and everything else that’s going on seems to fade into the background. He turns away slightly from Jack and from Sam, a look of shock on his face at finding out his mother is alive. And then, in just a few seconds, you can see his expression harden, his jaw set. That right there is Dean Winchester swearing to god that he will do whatever it takes to save his mother. It’s Dean channeling John every time he put his boys into danger to try to save Mary. It literally gave me goosebumps. The other incredible scene I LOVED was the “car scene,” with Dean and Sam in the front and Jack in the back as they go after Kaia. Berens shared that as originally scripted and shot, that scene was much shorter. But the episode actually (miraculously) came in under time, so they had some time left to fill. They “collaborated and spitballed” and realized they could reshoot the scene in an extended version. Berens added that it “felt like a cosmic gift.” And I definitely agree! Berens: Strong case to be made it’s the MOST important scene in the ep, the emotional payload, and we almost didn’t have it. ALL that stuff was written as subtext to the episode but it became clear I messed up, we NEEDED to see that moment. So Phil shot it perfectly, and of course Jared, Jensen and Alex hit it out of the park. So lucky. I’ll say. Also, the Season 13 rules about open communication are still in play, and I am ridiculously grateful for that. Dean to Sam: You were right. This whole time… We should have been looking for her. Sam tries to console his brother because he KNOWS how hard Dean will take this, saying he didn’t know, he just hoped. But it’s clear that Dean is taking this on himself, guilty and traumatized because he gave up on his mother. Dean (and me) struggled mightily with Sam giving up on looking for Dean way back in the Amelia season, so this is something that must really hit home for him. And that worries me. Dean: We find her. No matter what. Me: Uh oh. Then there is the absolutely wonderful conversation that came from reshooting the scene and being able to make it longer. It makes me wonder what kind of glorious moments we would have if our show always had the luxury of time, because this? This was effing magic. Dean: Kid, you okay? I smile every time Dean calls him ‘kid.’ Jack is not, in fact, okay. He realizes that the Winchesters believed he was capable of doing something awful like killing Derek. Sam struggles to explain, and Jared does an amazing job making it incredibly real and poignant. You can hear Sam’s voice shake; he even stumbles over his words a little in an attempt to make something awkward understandable. Dean finally admits that they thought he went looking for his father. Jack: Lucifer? He’s no one to me. You – Castiel – you’re my family. Dean doesn’t even hesitate. Dean: Yes. Yes, we are. Me: Tissues! Dean: Finding mom, you did a good thing, kid. A real good thing. The small smile on Jack’s face made me tear up. And the look on Sam’s face when he hears Dean say that! There are tears in his eyes, and he just looks so…. Relieved? Happy? It made me happy too. Kaia, in the interim, gets kidnapped by a bunch of angels who are of course dicks because really, angels are the worst on Supernatural. I get that they’re desperate with the whole going extinct thing, but wow, they are really awful other than Cas. I continue to adore Kaia, both the acting and the writing. The angels tell her they’re using her as bait to lure the Winchesters and Jack, and she scoffs. Kaia: They won’t come for me, you picked the wrong bait. No one’s gonna fight for me. I’m not white, I’m not rich, I’m not blonde. I don’t matter. That line didn’t pull any punches, and it hit many fans very hard. Several people on my timeline posted that there were tears streaming down their faces, they were so shocked and so validated to hear a person of color be that outright on a television show. But Jack and the Winchesters do show up, and the angels try to talk Jack into coming back to Heaven with them, saying he belongs with his own kind. Dick angel: Come home. Jack: (glancing at Sam and Dean): I am home. Me: Tissues! Jack saves the Winchesters’ very fine asses, much to Kaia’s shock. Then try to explain to her who they are and what they do. Winchesters: We’re hunters. Kaia: And he’s the son of Satan. Jack: I am, yes. At some point in here, the actress ad-libbed an under her breath “What the f—k,” which was glorious. And which Sgriccia left in, bless him. The next scene is the one I had a big problem with, as did a fair number of fans. Sam pleads with Kaia to help them find their mom, trying to explain what’s needed.  He even uses his puppy dog eyes. Jack tries too, telling her “we need you.” Dean listens, then adds his own plea, which goes right to the heart of where Dean Winchester’s head is at right now. Dean: We can save her. But Kaia says no. She only goes to the bad place when she dream walks, and she doesn’t come back unscathed. Again, she says no. There’s a loaded pause, and Sam reluctantly says what we’ve heard the Winchesters say many times when someone is reluctant to put their lives on the line. Sam: We’ll find another way… Dean interrupts him, pulling his gun and quietly cocking it. Sam: Dean. Dean? Sam looks shocked, and in my living room, I am literally gaping. WHAT ARE YOU DOING, DEAN?? I even had a brief moment of wait, is that Dean? Did he somehow get possessed? Dean: Get in the car. Kaia hesitates, still unwilling. And then the most shocking thing happens – Dean suddenly LOSES IT, brandishing his gun and yelling GET IN THE DAMN CAR! I legit screamed because Dean Winchester scared the crap out of me, and then for some reason, I covered my ears as though that would make it not be happening. (Yes, I know, I’m kinda invested in this tv show, what can I say?) Kaia looks as frightened as me, and she gets in the car – I mean, who WOULDN’T get in the car with Dean Winchester yelling at you like that? My timeline immediately split into “I’m terrified” and “Uh that was weirdly hot” while I felt just like Sam looked – just plain shocked. Dean: We’re going to South Dakota. I think I understand what they’re going for here – why Dean is acting so not Dean. This is his mother, his family. Who is being tortured RIGHT NOW and is screaming for him to help her. He can no more leave her to that than he could leave Sam – he will move heaven and earth to save his family. I know that, I love that about the character. But this just felt a bridge too far for me. Kaia is a teenager (I’m assuming) and a vulnerable one at that. She clearly said no and he ignored it and forced her into the car – he essentially kidnapped her just like the angel dicks did. Not for as nefarious ends, sure, but whoa. I had a hard time reconciling that Dean with the Dean I know and love. I know Dean has been in a bad place himself this season, and I know how prone he is to throw mountains of guilt on himself – and that makes people do pretty crazy things. I’m guessing he can rationalize it with it’s for the ultimate good and he’ll be sure she’s safe, but it becomes clear pretty quickly (and really he knows) that he can’t do that. And we just heard all about her tragic life so far and how awful it is for her to go to the bad place, so forcing her there is just hard to swallow. Maybe it’s the therapist in me, but I was entirely on Kaia’s side in that scene, not Dean’s. And I don’t like that feeling! Sam echoes my discomfort, asking Dean “What are we going to do, force her to dreamwalk at gunpoint?” Me: Exactly!! Dean: We get Mom back no matter what, remember? Pretty sure neither Sam nor I defined it in quite this way, Dean.  That scene still doesn’t sit right with me. I just don’t see Dean going that far, even if I understand his motivation. Jack takes over as the voice of reason (which is really saying something, Dean!), apologizing to Kaia and reassuring her that not everything she sees in dreamwalking has to be the bad place. Jack: Our powers can be good. We can do good in the world. That seems to persuade Kaia more than Dean waving his gun at her (go figure…) but at that moment the angel dicks cut them off and they take refuge in a boat yard. In a big giant abandoned boat. Like, a real boat. Not a VFX boat or a set, but a real boat. Whoa. That scene was amazing, with all the kudos once again to the crew who makes this show look like a motion picture day in and day out. Here's where the suspense ramps up to off the charts, with an incredible musical score by Christopher Lennertz that has my heart pounding right out of my chest. Sam paints sigils throughout the boat as they race higher and higher, a whole gang of angels now after them. Luckily the angels sort of take their time, so Sam gets to paint LOTS of sigils. (I bet Jared had a great time with that, we all know how much he loves painting sigils…NOT) Dean seems to come back to his senses, apologizing to Kaia for dragging (literally) her into this Dean: Sorry to drag you into this, it’s not your fight. But Jack has gotten through to Kaia and she’s on board – and also her survival instincts have kicked in. Kaia: Let’s do it. Sam: What if something goes wrong? Dean: (stating the very obvious) Something already is going wrong! Kaia agrees to dreamwalk and take Jack along, trying to get them all to Mary. Meanwhile, the angels are performing a synchronized sigil-busting ritual we’ve never seen before (canon problem perhaps, or maybe new canon?)  The suspense keeps building as they take down one sigil after another, until only one is keeping them out – and it’s slowly melting. By this time, I was about to have a heart attack. Just in the nick of time, Kaia gets to where Mary is and then screams. Her scream, surprisingly, destroys the angels, and blasts Jack and the Winchesters to different places. Kaia wakes up still in our world, Jack at Mary Winchester’s feet. Sam and Dean wake up in the Vancouver woods, except it’s clearly not. Everything is in desaturated shades of blue, so we know we’re not in Kansas anymore. The portal stays open, which can’t be a good thing. In another part of the country, Patience arrives at Jody’s house. Patience: Something bad is coming…. Meanwhile, Dean comes to and immediately pats Sam on the back. Dean: Sam? Sam: (knowing what Dean needs to hear)  I’m okay, I’m okay. Dean has come through with an angel blade, so that’s good. But that’s clearly the only thing that’s good. Dean: Where the hell are we? The camera pulls up for a wide perspective and we see that where the Winchesters are is.. [caption id="attachment_51848" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Caps by @kayb625[/caption] Standing inside a giant three-toed footprint. I admit I laughed for a second, because for once I was NOT spoiled. Me: DINOSAURS??? But it was a really cool shot and I mean, why the hell not? Supernatural has done just about everything else, and it’s Season 13, and we have Alternate Universes to play in – and besides, it’s Sam and Dean against the world and that is never not going to make me happy.  My timeline lit up with Jurassic Park gifs – timed just as the trailer for the new Jurassic Park movie hit, believe it or not – and lots of bad jokes about Winchesters and dinosaurs. In fact, it was hilariously split between OMG AWESOME and OHNOYOUDIDN’T! But I think ultimately I’m sorta okay with it. Supernatural has jumped the dinosaur? We’ll see. For now, I just want it to be January 18. And not just because that’s my birthday. It’s also the night that the actual Wayward Sisters episode premieres, which I’m taking as some kind of meant to be thing. Kismet!

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

[jammixes-blog]

The Refuge...

Let the planet you were born in be your refuge, your haven of peace, and your heart’s home.

Human Life happens so quickly, that’s why it’s so precious. Before we know it, we knew.

Every breath is a sign of life. That’s Good enough. Let’s take it 1 breath at a time as 1 more reason to celebrate life.

Science knows its short-comings, while Religion ignores its limits.

The heart is the most important organ of human beings, at the centre of Humankind’s soul.

When the Heart feels, the Mind tries desperately to follow-up.

Mysticism is relatively easy to achieve. All you need is to strip yourself naked, at the top of a mountain, alone, for eight years. Then, you get to discover Everything Else, as a Human Being. Then you learn to become part of Everything Else, and Then, you go back, amongst people, to help and heal, with the Compassion you acquired, having been protected, nurtured, and taught by the River. You learnt that every form of life, even falling leaves, has its purpose, in the Harmony and fragile Balance of All Things Together, “God”, for me, subjectively...

I don’t hurt and I don’t like to be hurt. In other words, I am neither a Sadist or a Masochist. I’m more of a Bacchus lover, in Wine and Friends, I find my Happy Times.

If you don’t let youngster be youngsters, then, either you’ve never been young, or, you can’t age maturely.

It’s Good to be young, it’s Good to be not-so-young, and it’s Good to be old. As long as you live the moment fully, and accept it, as the unique situation and lesson it is, ultimately, for your own Good.

If you point the right finger at the Moon, it answers back. Just tripping around. Anything wrong with tripping? I hope not, otherwise you tripping’. I got a woman I liked to believe she was the one tripping, while I was the one on Ketamin. We were on the phone, I was tripping, while painting, happy, and she was doing my head in. So, I told her: “One of us must be tripping...”, I gave her the choice, democratically. She answered: “You’re right, I must be tripping.”. I’ve had a 50/50 rate of success tripping with women. It goes from complete absurd situation, to doing the opposite of what’s expected to get laid quickly, to getting dates, to getting laid, and to getting girlfriends, to trip with, a lot. But that was until my mud-twenties. Then, I didn’t need to trip anymore, it’s like a switch, in my brains. When I’m bored, I trip myself or surroundings out, my good friends love it, I’ve always been the tripper of the Gang, Space Cadet Uno, until I met Gorka, in Art School, in San Francisco. Between my Basque older twin and I, Space Exploration was limiting, we went much further, like in Burning Man, in 1996. If anyone finds my wallet with my student ID, I’ll trip you out, for it! Otherwise, he was the one who helped me come down from hardcore trips, involving many substances and psychedelics, or, simply, made sure I was out of harm’s way. I arrived in Burning Man tripping and collapsed in the sun. Gorka and Loic are the ones who picked me up and put me on a mattress, under a tent. Not an excuse, but I was the Baby of the Circle, the youngest, and the one relied on for scripts and get the furthest in Symbols and Geometry. I owe them a big part of my Heart, WeYouMe, because Olive. I created the CD cover of Gorka’s band with a real sheet of LSD tabs, white, miticulously scanned to be the actual size. I was 21 years-old, in Art School, why not? At least, at 43, I don’t need to freak out anymore or be adventurous, I was planning my settling down at 42, already. I always said: “There’s a Time For Everything...”. This my time to Ground myself, where I am Home, by the end of the day, where I started puberty, and my Craft. When you go back home, you often forget that they have the right to whoop your ass back in place. Otherwise, there’s no reason to come home. You first let your local turf update you on the present situation, you prove yourself again, and then, you bring your shit to the plate. Toronto is merciless this way. But, it’s also the place that got me to work professionally, and move around ad agencies. Thanks to Mad Dogs & Englishmen, I was able to appreciate the brilliant seniors who mentored me. And, beyond my wild behaviour and reputation, outside work hours, or in agency parties, my work ethics and dedication were never questioned. In most agencies I was the first to arrive and last to leave, or, the one who stayed up, three nights in a row, to make sure that the client got as many directions as possible. I got sabotaged once, in my career, by a jealous senior. But, since I was buddy with all the Graphic Designers, I ended re-doing, for the fifth time, the whole thing, on their computer, right before the meeting. I don’t get discouraged, on the contrary, it’s a challenge I want to win, at ALL cost. It’s not about destroying or defeating the ennemy, it’s about making it powerless. Suddenly, their plans failed, the campaign went to the client, they can only hide, and be afraid of being discovered. They got. Discovered. And were kicked out with infamy for a shameful scandal. Too bad, I actually learnt from the Genius Punk, but he was twisted, even for me, it terms of being tolerant towards most harmless eccentric brains. In a way, I blame it more on the situation. The poor guy was bleeding to see his son, he was super horny, had no friends, and confided in me his past, but not his present demons. I could have helped, I was privy to every prostitute phone number that circulated in the office. I never used any, I was lucky enough to fall in love with an Italian air hostess, who looked like Penelope Cruz, Valentina, and see, “illegally”, a Saudi women, who liked me, at night, my birthday date, my second week in Jeddah, at 26, for the second time. It was a funky night. She wanted to see me again, I didn’t, there was something in her energy that made me feel suspicious. As for Valentina, we kept in touch, when I went back to Canada, she invited me to visit her in Italy, I told her to come to Canada, in January, as I was partying my head off, in Montreal, staying, rent-free, in my parents’ house, in Westmount, with Josephine, nannie, maid, and cook, but, overall, a present Mamma for me. We spoke to each other honestly. She knew I smoked weed in the backyard, at he kitchen door, in winter, that I snorted Heroin, and was always broke. She used to lend me money, which I always gave back, never more than ten dollars. She had a gambling problem. In a way, the ten bucks were also a guarantee she had cash. She was too nice and lonely, on weekends. She would get robbed blind, at her card circle. I kept lecturing her about it, but, somehow, she needed the company. I should ask if “Mrs Fiss”, is still around, I’d love to see again the Filipino lady. We made each other laugh daily, Good vibes. Obviously, she never told my parents anything, I smoked and chilled inside the house... someone had to use the ashtrays...

Since the past cannot be changed, it was perfect, the way it was. The Present, on the same hand, if it’s right, is here to be experienced fully, by everyone, differently.

The future is what the present owes to the past, in most societies.

[sportsandfitnessinfo]

New Post has been published on http://fitnessandhealthpros.com/fitness/power-portrait-andrea-williams/

Power Portrait: Andrea Williams

Author’s Note: Andrea Williams has been a member of Unapologetically Powerful coaching since August of 2017 and while you can already see how warm-hearted and enthusiastic she is in the photo above, her strength and tenacity should not be underestimated. A trainer herself, Andrea embodies what Jen and I call our favorite motto, “Always be learnin.” She is a genuine and enthusiastic cheerleader for her fellow coaching members, with lifting chops to boot: she has added 40 pounds to her squat, 20 pounds to her bench press, and 20 pounds to her deadlift. I simply adore this woman and by the end of this profile, I know you will too.

Take it away, Dre! 

First, the basics! Your name, age, and where you live.

I’m Andrea Williams, aka Dre to my friends and clients. I turn 42 on March 28 and I live in Littleton, Colorado, just southwest of Denver.

JVB: Let’s dig right into it: what does becoming Unapologetically Powerful mean to you?

I’ve always been a head-strong person, accomplishing pretty much anything I set my mind to. The past few years, as I’ve matured and become more and more comfortable with the woman I am, I’ve felt less and less shy about expressing my thoughts on what it means to be a strong woman, both physically and mentally.

JVB: Everyone’s entry to powerlifting is a bit different: how did you find yours? 

2 years ago I had a wild-hair idea that I wanted to compete in powerlifting.  Spontaneous moves are how I like to do things, but I still kept my head because the very first thing I did was seek out a coach. I worked with a local coach, learned the foundations of the big three and gained a bit of strength. But when the meet I had my eye on drew nearer, I had to eat some humble pie: my body was just not ready. My knee was sore and I didn’t have the confidence I needed to go in and perform well. I took some time off over the summer of 2016, and jumped into Unapologetically Powerful Coaching with JVB last fall. BEST DECISION EVER because now I feel more than capable and strong all over.

JVB: Think about where you started and where you are now: what did you find most helpful when learning how to powerlift?

JVB talks about the negative consequences of “energy leaks” while executing a lift, and that concept was life—and lift—altering for me. I had a habit of dancing with my feet when I set up for my squat and not grounding my feet to the floor took more stability away from the lift than I had previously considered. When JVB pointed it out and I focused on rooting my feet to the ground my squat took off. I also learned how a strong grip on the bar makes a big difference—wrap your thumb around the bar and squeeze the hell out of it! Those two small cues helped me move much more weight, much easier and quickly.

JVB: Let’s talk about challenges. What was your biggest hurdle when you first started powerlifting? How did you overcome it?

A valuable life lesson I’ve learned is that if I don’t know something, it’s OK to admit that and take advice and cues from someone who does.  Years ago, (and the result of another wild-hair idea)  I attempted my first triathlon. I decided to  train myself—hey, I can swim, ride a bike, and run, so why not?—and I was an epic DNF failure on race day. (DNF=Did Not Finish.) After I licked my wounds and my ego recovered, I found a coach. “Teach me,” I asked.

When I decided to powerlift, I knew that working with heavy weight was no joke, and good coaching would be important.

I’m a personal trainer but I allowed myself to be putty in the hands of my coaches. I also really learned to listen to my body, particularly after I hurt both my knee and my back before joining the Unapologetically Powerful coaching program. The biofeedback aspect of the UP program taught me that it’s OK to rest or take my workout down a notch or two on a particular day, if my body isn’t feeling it (and to go harder when it is). I advocate for that to my clients all the time—even the trainer needs to be trained from time to time!

JVB: In just three words, describe how you feel after a powerlifting workout?

Badass. As. F$ ck.

JVB: All three are awesome, but if you must pick from squat, bench, or deadlift, which one is your favorite? What do you love about it?

This is a trick question! Not fair!

It varies week to week for me, but I have been loving on my bench the most lately. It feels pretty badass to shove a heavy weight off of my chest. In a dramatic movie sort of way, it makes me think I could escape easily if I were in a disaster and something heavy fell on me.

JVB: Time to get your PR pants on! Tell us about your most memorable personal record.

The day I deadlifted my own body weight for reps I danced around the gym and celebrated with a bacon maple donut. Squatting my own bodyweight is next on my list (and I’m close!). When I nail that lift, I’m going to drive to Voodoo Donuts in downtown Denver and get another (better) maple bacon donut from my favorite donut shop, not the grocery store!

JVB: OK, now a biggie: What is the biggest impact becoming UP has had on your life?

I naturally have a larger frame, the acceptance of which I’ve struggled with over the years. I’ve been a personal trainer for the past 5 years and I admit to having imposter syndrome about own body, and have felt like it didn’t live up to the picture being a personal trainer presents. I lead a very active lifestyle, I eat well, and I study and work with mentors to increase my knowledge as a trainer, but because of the shape of my body there have been days when I didn’t feel that I’m in a position advise others on how exercise.

But the Unapologetically Powerful program has helped me own my body, more than I ever did before. When I started powerlifting, I felt and saw changes in my body and I embraced the strength I was building. Now I think, “So what if my belly is a little bigger than it was when I was in my 30’s? My ass is much stronger and shaplier than it was then, too!” Being unapologetically powerful and proud of what my body can do is a lifestyle for me now, and self-doubt is much less frequent.

A big bonus is that my clients see my lifting videos on social media and are getting interested in lifting heavy for themselves. Yesssssssss: the message is spreading.

JVB: We know that improving your physical strength has a way of bleeding into every aspect of your life. In what ways are you Unapologetically Powerful outside of the gym?

I have always been a feminist in my beliefs but I didn’t always have the courage to speak my mind or stand up for what I thought was right. As I become more powerful in the gym, I find myself becoming more vocal outside of it as well. I believe women are a driving force in creating change in our country and world, and I am now more confident about adding my voice and power to the movement.

JVB: You’ve come a long way, baby! What has been the biggest contributor to your powerlifting success so far?

Consistency! Lifting 3 days a week for 12 weeks straight earned me gains I’d never seen before. When it comes to powerlifting, I truly believe you need to show up for your training consistently to see any sort of results. General strength training 2 days a week with endurance training mixed in was enough to keep my overall fitness level in check, but once I jumped into the UP program I was very pleased with the strength gain and progress lifting technique.

JVB: I know you love to do more than powerlift! Tell us about it!

Besides powerlifting I train and race with a local women’s triathlon group, Karma Multisport. My tri training focus is on sprint distance, in the Athena division. This year I’m branching out by attempting my first Xterra off-road race! Mountain biking is brand new to me — a sad thing to admit for a native Coloradan — and trail running is not my forte but I am excited and nervous to get on the course.

I totally live up to the Colorado stereotype of often venturing outside and into the mountains, hiking with my dog, husband, and friends. An admission — I don’t ski or snowboard! I prefer watching the snow from inside with a hot bevvie or craft beer.

JVB: Talk to the reader: What’s your best piece of advice for them if they’re interested in training for powerlifting?

Find a good coach you trust and who challenges you (in safe way!). Working with a coach has been my most powerful tool in making consistent progress. And when you decide to do it, approach the weights with confidence because you are in control. Embrace the strength you gain. Become a badass.

Do you love to lift and are interested in joining a community of like-minded lifters for a week of strength-oriented fun? The fourth #UPowerful virtual powerlifting meet is going on RIGHT NOW, and it’s not too late to join! Everyone of all strength levels is invited to compete, and no, you do not have to already be on a powerlifting program to participate. Once you join the team, the (free!) Unapologetically Powerful Ecourse will deliver everything you need to know about how to execute the big three safely and strongly, right to your inbox.

You can participate in this meet even while lifting in your own gym. That is the beauty of the #UPowerful meet: you’re able to participate from anywhere on the globe! (And you don’t even have to wear a singlet.) Join the team now!

Originally at :Fitness – Thrive with Jen Sinkler Written By : Jennifer Blake